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In desperate need of help!!! (G&L content)

#21
That's a beautiful G&L you've picked up, but its a shame you're having issues with the wiring and missing preamp.

Have you tried using the volume/tone controls with all the possible settings of the switch that normally controls the preamp? There's the remote possibility that someone wired it up as a control knob bypass switch. I've seen more than one guitarist do that.

As other folks have said, if you're willing to live without the preamp you're probably looking at $50 or so to get the wiring fixed. Even with the fix, you'll have gotten a great deal for such a heavily upgraded L2000. That's a seriously nice quilted top on that thing!

And for what its worth, I've not had a battery in my L2500 for about a year. I'd never notice it if someone stole my preamp. :)
 
#22
Handyman said:
As other folks have said, if you're willing to live without the preamp you're probably looking at $50 or so to get the wiring fixed. Even with the fix, you'll have gotten a great deal for such a heavily upgraded L2000. That's a seriously nice quilted top on that thing!

And for what its worth, I've not had a battery in my L2500 for about a year. I'd never notice it if someone stole my preamp. :)
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+1. I totally don't miss the preamp, which is really just a booster circuit. I found that it didn't add to the sound, it just made the sound harsh to my ears. Coil tapping is much more useful - I now have a lot of very useful tones just with the switches.
 
#23
fourstringbliss said:
+1. I totally don't miss the preamp, which is really just a booster circuit. I found that it didn't add to the sound, it just made the sound harsh to my ears. Coil tapping is much more useful - I now have a lot of very useful tones just with the switches.
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When I talk to the tech about the work I'll ask him how much it would cost to add the "k-mod" as well. I don't think that would detract from the value of the bass, but not having a preamp would.
 
#24
ninerfan said:
I get home and plug into my amp and it sounds good. I try to turn down the volume and nothing happens. Tone knobs....nothing. Switches...parallel/series kinda works but they are oriented weird (more side to side, not up and down). I open up thecover, which strangely still has plastic on it and find the worst hack job of wiring that I have ever seen! (see pics). My heart sank!! Me-->:bawl:

Now for the bad, the wiring. It seems like some tweaker owned this bass at some point and decided to see if the could take it completely apart and put it back together. It is really bad and it seems like parts are missing (preamp). (I compared it to my tribby L2500). How can I tell if these are the original parts? The pups have PAT. 4220069 on them. I can't make out any distinguishing marks on the pots. I don't know why anyone would change them out, but I also don't know why anyone would do this to this bass after paying $2k for it.
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Hey kid, welcome to the "real world" of G&L basses! That rat's nest of wires is "normal". Pots and switches at odd angles is "normal" for a used G&L. Broken wires are also normal (because of the rat's nest). And then it goes downhill from there as it begins to pickup noise and radio stations. I've been ragged on a lot here for whining about this, but it's just a fact of life. G&L electronics just suck. I even offered to help them fix the problems but they arrogantly refused to answer all my emails, phone calls and letters. Not even a "go to hell". The result is I refuse to tell ANYONE how to fix these problems so G&L will have to do it themselves.

But dig. The instrument part of a G&L bass ESPECIALLY a USA one, is one of the finest basses on the planet. And the passive part of the L-2x00 basses (Basically all the pots and switches except for the preamp board which is just a booster for treble) is Leo's last design and while the passive tone thing is a bit different, it is TOTALLY unique and cool. This is why so many owners (as mentioned here) only use the passive setting. The passive setting when wired according to the usual diagrams simply kills. Plus I URGE you to install the "K-mod" which is a changed switch so you can select a kind of pseudo-single coil setting on the MFD pickups. That setting gives a very clear pure tone. It's like the "icing on the G&L cake". You just bought one of the finest basses on the planet, but just don't know it!

If it were my bass, I'd get the replacement preamp and get the thing rewired back to factory (with K-mod installed). Because of that mess in there, rewiring a G&L is not a beginner project. So if you aren't skilled at soldering I'd suggest trying to find someone who is to do it for you. I like to rewire mine with teflon wire (I've got a bunch I got surplus) so it doesn't melt all over the place when you are soldering, like the original vinyl wire does.

See, what happened is you fell into a cesspool and came up holding a $1000 bill. But you are having a fit because you are covered with poo. Don't throw the money away because it stinks, just wash off the poo and ponder how lucky you are compared to the people who fall in and DON'T come up with the money! :D

Good luck!
 
#25
bassbenj said:
...G&L electronics just suck. I even offered to help them fix the problems but they arrogantly refused to answer all my emails, phone calls and letters. Not even a "go to hell"...
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I can't understand that. If someone had that kind of attitude about one of my products, I would have definately told them to go to hell.

Those G&L folks, who do think they are? They seem very arrogant to me.

John
 
#26
Here's the latest:

I spoke to the good people at Buffalo Bros today and they will install the preamp and wire it to original for $155. ($45 for the preamp and $110 for the labor). The seller said he would pay for half of this, so I woud pay about $80. I asked about the K-mod and he said he would do the pre, switch and wiring all for $200, which seems pretty reasonable to me. $75 from the seller leaves me with $125.

So here are my 3 options:

1) return the bass for refund, but spend 3 hours driving and $25 in gas.

2) Wire it to original. $750 for the bass + $80 and I'm into the bass for $830.

3) Pre + K-mod. $750 for the bass + 125 and I'm into the bass for $875.

I think I'm keeping the bass as I value it in working order at over $1,000 with all of it's upgrades. My J is my #1 right now so I think I would dig the K-mod switch and for an extra $45 I don't see why not. So it sucks that I didn't quite get the deal I was expecting, but it seems I can still come out ahead on this.

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated!


P.S. How about a pic of the fretboad as I am getting excited about owning this bass.
 

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#27
Option 3!

Ding ding ding... We have a winner!!!

THAT bass for $875 sounds like a GREAT deal to me. That's what I'd do. Well, I'd personally rewire it myself, but that's just me cause I do that sort of thing. I think you'll be the happiest with it returned to stock plus the K-mod, and even at $875, you'll come out ahead.
 
#28
ninerfan said:
So here are my 3 options:

1) return the bass for refund, but spend 3 hours driving and $25 in gas.

2) Wire it to original. $750 for the bass + $80 and I'm into the bass for $830.

3) Pre + K-mod. $750 for the bass + 125 and I'm into the bass for $875.
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Depending on your personal taste, 2 or 3. Don't return it. You will love this bass for all of the things it can do that your J-bass doesn't do.
 
#33
lowfreqgeek said:
Outer, if you prefer the Jazz-on-steroids vibe. I don't really have much experience with the inners, but outers sound like a bigger, burlier "jazz bass" tone.
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I went with the inners. The outers sound good together and very jazz like, but they're only so-so soloed IMHO. The soloed inner neck is very P-like but clearer, and the soloed inner bridge is thicker than the outer one but still spanky. Together they sound similar to a wide MM.
 
#35
ninerfan said:
Which are the k-mod originally? When they do this at G&L which do they utilize?

Can I get a link to the schematics?
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I'm glad you're asking this because they usually do the K-mod so that the rear coils are the affected coils and, therefore, the pickups are not hum canceling soloed or together when in K mode.

Invalid Link Removed. I would think you'd want to use diagram #7 or #8.

I'm not sure how they do it at the factory, though. I did diagram #7 and used a push/pull pot to activate/deactivate the K-mod. Someone here would know what they do at the factory.
 
#36
***UPDATE #2****

I FINALLY got a hold of G&L (not an easy task) and they will sell me the pre for $24 + tax and shipping and the switch for $15. He quoted me $50 for both shipped to my door to be safe, but probably closer to $45. I took the bass into a local repair shop and the guy said he could take care of it within an hour and he charges $60/hr.

So now it's looking like I can get all of the work done including the k-mod for $105 - $110. The seller is willing to kick me back $50, leaving me with $60 to cover.

The final result will be the bass in perfect factory working condition with the k-mod for $810! I originally thought I was getting the bass in perfect condition for $750, but I still feel pretty great about this bass now!!!:bassist:

Right now I'm thinking about doing the outer coils (daveplaysbass mod #8) being a J guy, but still considering the inners. I'll order the parts tomorrow, if all goes well I might have them by Fri and wiring done Sat. I can't wait!!!

Thank you again everyone for your help!!!
 
#39
ninerfan said:
***UPDATE #2****

I FINALLY got a hold of G&L (not an easy task) and they will sell me the pre for $24 + tax and shipping and the switch for $15. He quoted me $50 for both shipped to my door to be safe, but probably closer to $45. I took the bass into a local repair shop and the guy said he could take care of it within an hour and he charges $60/hr.

So now it's looking like I can get all of the work done including the k-mod for $105 - $110. The seller is willing to kick me back $50, leaving me with $60 to cover.

The final result will be the bass in perfect factory working condition with the k-mod for $810! I originally thought I was getting the bass in perfect condition for $750, but I still feel pretty great about this bass now!!!:bassist:

Right now I'm thinking about doing the outer coils (daveplaysbass mod #8) being a J guy, but still considering the inners. I'll order the parts tomorrow, if all goes well I might have them by Fri and wiring done Sat. I can't wait!!!

Thank you again everyone for your help!!!
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It's a definite win whether you go for the inners or the outers. So, are you going to have "regular" series mode and the K-mod or are you going to have parallel/K?
 
#40
fourstringbliss said:
It's a definite win whether you go for the inners or the outers. So, are you going to have "regular" series mode and the K-mod or are you going to have parallel/K?
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Ummm......I don't know. I was going to go with daveplaysbass mod 8. I'm not sure what I want, but for $15 I figure I'll try something. Although the more I'm reading it seems people like the inner coils a little more.
 

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