NBD: G&L "BASS"

[lildrgn]

On a lark, not in the market for a bass, my wife and I went into Guitar Center to pick up a speaker cable, of all things. When with my little eye, what do I spy? This G&L Bass up above!

Obv, it's not a simple Bass model, but instead, a LB-100. I picked it up, played it, and, long story short, I brought it home.

Texted this pic to the boys to talk me out of it, which they absolutely did not.

At the counter. There was a case somewhere, but the guy couldn't find it and unless it was the original nice case, I didn't want it.

In the car without case, headed home!

On the "workbench" before I wiped it down.

Backside looking great. Check out the cool strap my wife got me to go with it!

The s/n doesn't appear to be on the G&L registry. It's possible this is a custom build? I have no idea. Any thoughts on the color and what it might be? And with G&L now closed, I'm assuming I can't get a COA for this. And, for a US model (custom or not), the price was more than fair considering the others I've seen on Reverb are $1200 or more.

 

[2F/2F]

The "registry" is not a factory publication. It's almost entirely based on individual owner input. It has perhaps 10 percent of G&L serials, if that.

It's approximately a 2011–2015 model, based on the serial number style and headstock shape. The good news is that you still have Schaller tuners till 2015. After that, very bad quality Asian made tuners.

The bass is worth about $800 without the original case – if the neck is straight. Probably less with the removed headstock decal.

 

[gtirard]

This honey burst finish is absolutely gorgeous, congrats!

 

[Dust2Dust]

Love that color , and that's a cool strap

 

[Root 5]

View attachment 7401903
On a lark, not in the market for a bass, my wife and I went into Guitar Center to pick up a speaker cable, of all things. When with my little eye, what do I spy? This G&L Bass up above!

Obv, it's not a simple Bass model, but instead, a LB-100. I picked it up, played it, and, long story short, I brought it home.

View attachment 7401904
Texted this pic to the boys to talk me out of it, which they absolutely did not.

View attachment 7401905
At the counter. There was a case somewhere, but the guy couldn't find it and unless it was the original nice case, I didn't want it.

View attachment 7401906
In the car without case, headed home!

View attachment 7401907
On the "workbench" before I wiped it down.

View attachment 7401908
Backside looking great. Check out the cool strap my wife got me to go with it!

The s/n doesn't appear to be on the G&L registry. It's possible this is a custom build? I have no idea. Any thoughts on the color and what it might be? And with G&L now closed, I'm assuming I can't get a COA for this. And, for a US model (custom or not), the price was more than fair considering the others I've seen on Reverb are $1200 or more.

G&L would’ve sold a lot more instruments if people, just like you experienced, were able to get one in their hands. They’re wonderful quality instruments. It’s tragic they’re not in business now.

happened s

 

[oldcatfish]

G&L would’ve sold a lot more instruments if people, just like you experienced, were able to get one in their hands. They’re wonderful quality instruments. It’s tragic they’re not in business now.

I agree with this. I personally have never owned a G&L, but several gigging musician friends of mine have been using them exclusively for years.

 

[Stewie]

So, did you remember to buy the speaker cable?

 

[lowendblues]

Nice snag, I'm jealous....

 

[Low Main]

The news that a counter guy at GC couldn't find the case that went with a bass is totally unprecedented and mind blowing.

 

[klyph]

That’s a honeyburst finish. I’ve owned and gigged two with that finish: a 1994 ASAT semi hollow that I REALLY wish I still had, and a 2001 L 1505 that had an amazing neck with an ebony fb.

 

[bobba66]

Sweet.

 

[lildrgn]

The news that a counter guy at GC couldn't find the case that went with a bass is totally unprecedented and mind blowing.

Lol, he did charge me the .02 for it though. I asked if there was a discount if I didn't take the case, he said they only charge .02 for the cases so, no. I should go back and get the case I got charged for.

 

[lildrgn]

OK, I just took it apart to check the year. The LB-100 is from June 2015... and the neck is from a 2012 L-2000. Hence "BASS" because "L-2000" was scratched off previously. There appears to be a shim on the upper part of the neck. So, I guess it's not 100% an LB-100, but close enough. Plays great, sounds great!

The neck does feel thinner front to back and the width is 1.71" at the nut.

I'm a little tweaked that they sold it as a LB-100 in the store; I don't know now if I overpaid or it was still a good deal. I did pay more than what @2F/2F mentioned above, but still less than most of the ones I see online. Regardless, it's unique and I will put it through its paces.

Little piece glued onto the neck to fit the neck pocket.

The neck in question.

The carnage.

The neck label. Does "S7" mean anything to anyone? Or the handwriting?

Neck pocket.

 

[2F/2F]

A parts bass missing its case, for more than an all-original is worth. Typical Guitar Center.

I read them the riot act for a similar situation a few years back, though in that case the price I had paid was actually in line with the market. It was $800 for an '80s L-2000 without a case, and I added a molded Roadrunner case for $100, just to protect it better in shipping.

No padding whatsoever in the case, or around the case. The bass arrived to my local GC with the neck busted through the end of the case in shipping. Case destroyed, tuner bent. I left the case there, got a refund for it, and took the bass home for repairs, which they said they would cover the price of.

In my repairs on the neck, I discovered that the neck and body were years apart from each other. It was a parts bass. That cuts the value by probably 30 or 40 percent.

I laid into the company in an e-mail ripping them apart for not doing their due diligence when inspecting instruments for trade in. In my research, I also discovered that the bass had been bought and returned at least three times prior, and I also brought that up ("You are losing money and acting unethically by continuously taking this instrument back and re-listing it, when it obviously has problems that you're well aware of by now").

The store manager was given the e-mail by corporate, and she called me up, refunded me $300 and sent me three sets of strings of my choice, which was worth about $60. Still left a horrible taste in my mouth, but at least then I had invested the amount of money that the bass was actually worth. Got what I paid for, in other words. Got no problem owning a bass with issues...as long as they have been honestly represented, and I've paid a fair market value considering them.

They effectively ripped you off. They do this sort of crap all the time. You should take them to task for it. A comparable 2015 parts bass (if this was fully disclosed to sellers), would probably sell for $600–$700 or less, without the original case and with part of the decal scraped off, so they should be compensating you for that difference. G&Ls are not rare or valuable. There are comparables out there, or will be before too long, without having to overpay. For example, I got my beautiful LB-100 (3-bolt, so from an even better era) for $700 last year, without case. It was on Reverb for quite some time, so it isn't like a snuck a deal or anything. Anyone could have bought it, for months. I was just the only one willing to. LB-100s haven't really gone up since then. The only used models seriously impacted by the death of G&L are the Comanches, which have surged in value since, due to their unique pickups, and the fact that not tons of them were made.

 

[sunbeast]

OK, I just took it apart to check the year. The LB-100 is from June 2015... and the neck is from a 2012 L-2000. Hence "BASS" because "L-2000" was scratched off previously. There appears to be a shim on the upper part of the neck. So, I guess it's not 100% an LB-100, but close enough. Plays great, sounds great!

The neck does feel thinner front to back and the width is 1.71" at the nut.

I'm a little tweaked that they sold it as a LB-100 in the store; I don't know now if I overpaid or it was still a good deal. I did pay more than what @2F/2F mentioned above, but still less than most of the ones I see online. Regardless, it's unique and I will put it through its paces.

View attachment 7402461
Little piece glued onto the neck to fit the neck pocket.
View attachment 7402462
The neck in question.
View attachment 7402463
The carnage.
View attachment 7402464
The neck label. Does "S7" mean anything to anyone? Or the handwriting?
View attachment 7402465
Neck pocket.

The beauty of GC is that you can easily return it if you change your mind! If you dig it though I wouldn't worry too much about the "value". Hard to say what will happen with used G&L prices now that they are no longer. IME used G&Ls could often be a bargain compared to similar Fenders or comparable more popular brands on the used market.

 

[mpdd]

sweet bass, don't feel like it's an issue at all, my 94 LB100 is sporting a custom 2016 maple neck with a birds eye fretboard and graphite nut
it is my hope that my new L2000 will eventually play as effortlessly as my LB100

the original neck developed a bad twist a few months after it got shipped to LA from whatever part of the US had moisture during the drought, that was the last ebay bass i bought btw (some sob story about letting go of this amazing bass to pay medical bills or something)

 

[svtbass]

Lol, he did charge me the .02 for it though. I asked if there was a discount if I didn't take the case, he said they only charge .02 for the cases so, no. I should go back and get the case I got charged for.

02 is a GC designation that there is a second item in the sale. In your case , a case. Or not. Go back and speak with the manager. Be nice, but be firm. Minimum $100 refund for a plastic SKB-made G&L case or minimum $150 for a G&G tolex.

Just bought this G&L G&G case off their site this evening, to replace a banged up plastic one. A new G&G hardshell case is $300.

Bet it has an 02 sticker on it.

 

[lildrgn]

02 is a GC designation that there is a second item in the sale. In your case , a case. Or not. You got hosed out of it. Go back and speak with the manager. Be nice, but be firm. Minimum $100 refund for a plastic SKB-made G&L case or minimum $150 for a G&G tolex. I'd get $200.

Bought a US G&L Comanche from GC online several weeks back. It was pictured with a trem bar but arrived without it. Got a $75 refund.

Just bought this G&L G&G case off their site this evening, to replace a banged up plastic one. Shipping was $7.88. A new G&G hardshell case is $300.

Bet it has an 02 sticker on it.

View attachment 7402702

I like how you think. I do have one more day off before work starts back up... looks like I'm heading to GC tomorrow! Will report back!

 

[sunbeast]

Yeah GC is infamous for “losing” the cases for instruments then reselling them later, even for brand new instruments.

 

[lildrgn]

UPDATE:

Glad I went back. Shout out to John at Redmond Guitar Center for taking care of me. They seemed overwhelmed with phone calls and customers, but John gave me an additional $100 off of what I paid after I showed him the pictures and told the story.

In other news, I played it through my Orange Terror Bass this morning for side 1 of our LP and it sounded great! Excited to play it at rehearsal this week.