All worthy instruments, no doubt. I also think Bill Lawrence got it profoundly right with the Gibson Ripper.
Otto
Otto
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Agree. All are "right" and I own one or more of each. But if you ask when Leo got it "most right", for me there is only one answer and that is my G&L L2500. I've got some high end basses of various types and styles, but I always drift back to the G&Ls.
And I see I'm at the bottom of the poling as usual. No surprise. I'm used to whenever Fender or even others makes something that I really like it's almost as soon discontinued! It takes some faith to be ahead of your time.
Nope, at least not to musicians. Leo himself said the G&Ls were the best instruments he ever made. Right there in the ads!
If you are talking current collector value then you are probably right, but give it another few decades. Those 80s G&Ls are going to become very collectible.I own and gig 3 of the 4 and my first Peavey bass was definitely from the Precision mold. The first 3 have "limitations" (sonic, number of frets - basses need at least 21-22, etc.) and I do think the G&L's were the best overall. However, each is excellent in its own way and I wouldn't mind picking up a Precision one of these days.
Leo was awesome. I'm realizing that more and more all the time.
I voted for the P. I have a sweet one, P's are great obviously. But it hasn't been out of the case for a long time. In the band it's G&L.
Leo got the shape about right in 1951. He got the pickup about right in 1957. He got two pickup positions about right around 1961. He never got the headstock angle right, he never got the humbucking pickup in line, and he missed the impact of scale length on dead spots.
He got more stuff right than anyone else from his time, especially if your criteria is a manufacturable, decently performing product. He left enough little details unsolved for the boutique guys to have a slice of the pie, but in the grand scheme of things, as an engineer building a business out of electric instruments, he's clearly the king.
He got more stuff right than anyone else from his time, especially if your criteria is a manufacturable, decently performing product. He left enough little details unsolved for the boutique guys to have a slice of the pie, but in the grand scheme of things, as an engineer building a business out of electric instruments, he's clearly the king.
I agree the SB2 has a great neck pickup, but I really detest hum, so my PJish bass has a Nordstrand big split as the bridge pickup.
This is an unnecessary myth. Nothing's perfect.
I'm a fan and own 2 Fenders but if he got it "right first time" he wouldn't have changed about 90% of the Precision bass before he was happy.
And even then the parts, upgrade and boutique bass industry wouldn't have got started if a few things weren't still "wrong".
I'm a fan and own 2 Fenders but if he got it "right first time" he wouldn't have changed about 90% of the Precision bass before he was happy.
And even then the parts, upgrade and boutique bass industry wouldn't have got started if a few things weren't still "wrong".
Love my P, do almost all recording with it. Live, my L-2000 is a beast. 2 very different basses. Both are revolutionary.
They're ALL good, but just like how he started with the Tele and then made the Strat, I think he learned from the Tele and Precision, and then made better instruments in the Strat and Jazz. But the Tele and P are still great! I just prefer the extras of the Strat and Jazz. But I still like Teles and Precisions a lot.
Appreciate the 2 choices.
I own P and J basses, but I chose the 2nd and 3rd choices because, although the P bass is a great bass, My J bass can emulate a P, but my P can't come close to sounding like a J. I don't own a Stingray but I think it's a great bass, and I think Leo was probably really proud to have created it. I've played G and L's and wanted to like them but they're not my cup of tea. Doesn't mean they're in any way shabby, but staying on topic, I think he got it RIGHT with his Jazz and Stingray basses.
I own P and J basses, but I chose the 2nd and 3rd choices because, although the P bass is a great bass, My J bass can emulate a P, but my P can't come close to sounding like a J. I don't own a Stingray but I think it's a great bass, and I think Leo was probably really proud to have created it. I've played G and L's and wanted to like them but they're not my cup of tea. Doesn't mean they're in any way shabby, but staying on topic, I think he got it RIGHT with his Jazz and Stingray basses.
I believe the current offerings of the post-Leo instruments will carry equal weight in the vintage market, when their day comes. Early offerings and Leo-era instruments (like BOO MM's and G&L's) will be sought after and more highly valued.
I'd say Leo did it right when he contoured the P-Bass' body, and went with the split pickup.
Of course, the Jazz Bass and StingRay are two more times he definitely got it right.
I've never played a G&L, but I'd love to own an LB-100. G&L basses look to be of super high quality.
Of course, the Jazz Bass and StingRay are two more times he definitely got it right.
I've never played a G&L, but I'd love to own an LB-100. G&L basses look to be of super high quality.
