NBD: G&L L2000 1982

[ped]

...to match my much loved SB1.

I've been looking for a black/maple/black crackle paint L2000 for a while, and this I must have read nearly every thread here about them. I came across this one which was sold here on TB a couple of years ago. Luckily it was easy to identify the buyer so I sent a quick message and we got talking. long story short, it's now in the UK living alongside my other basses (Celinder, Musicman, Vigier)

I'm really enjoying the sounds in this thing, and thinks they'll all make themselves known in time. Right now I'm enjoying parallel with both pickups in active - which seems to shift the treble above that of the tone control, which I back off with the volume. I'm also loving front pickup, series, back off bass and treble.

The neck is dead flat and I've got the action super low and growly, just as I like it. I never normally find adjusting pickup heights/pole heights has much affect on sound but on this bass it's hugely influential - I've dropped the front a little and the poles under the G, and the response is super even. I've said elsewhere it sounds like a dirty Ken Smith mixed with a Vigier Passion. Tremendous girth and clank when required.

Cheers
ped

 

[two fingers]

Nice pair!

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I like how the straplocks match the series/parallel switch

 

[spufman]

Awesome. I have '83 and '91 SB-2s in black/maple/black, and love the look as well.

 

[ped]

Awesome. I have '83 and '91 SB-2s in black/maple/black, and love the look as well.

I’m going to need to see those please!

 

[spufman]

Here they are with my back/maple/mint Sandberg Lionel.

 

[ped]

View attachment 4400847 Here they are with my back/maple/mint Sandberg Lionel.

That’s great. My SB1 has a headstock like your early SB2. The later sb2 seems slimmer and smaller?

 

[C Stone]

Lots of maple in here, congrats on the find. They look like great basses all of em. Need to try one.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

View attachment 4400847 Here they are with my back/maple/mint Sandberg Lionel.

I just put some guidelines over straight-on photos of the two different SB-2 designs and saw the pickups are centred in the same places (Not that a split pickup actually has a centre.... )

How much of a difference is there in the tones of the two basses nonetheless?

 

[2F/2F]

Four gorgeous G&LS so far in this thread.

I have plenty of old G&Ls, but none except my SB-1 slab are black w/ maple neck. My other black ones (Interceptor Bass, El Toro, Lynx, L-2000, L-1000) all have rosewood boards.

 

[Dave W]

Awesome! I've been looking for a black and maple 82' for a while now for a birth year bass, but they always seem to be an 81' or 83'.

 

[spufman]

How much of a difference is there in the tones of the two basses nonetheless?

They sound very different, actually. Both are powerful and punchy, but in general the JJ grunts when the PJ blooms. The older bridge pickup is much more powerful and is great on its own, while it serves largely to alter the P's character on the '91. I love both, but the '83 is extra special, second only to my Lakland.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

They sound very different, actually. Both are powerful and punchy, but in general the JJ grunts when the PJ blooms. The older bridge pickup is much more powerful and is great on its own, while it serves largely to alter the P's character on the '91. I love both, but the '83 is extra special, second only to my Lakland.

Sounds to me like @ped will be wanting one of those 1st Gen J-style SB-2s. Exactly like yours....

 

[spideyjg]

Sounds to me like @ped will be wanting one of those 1st Gen J-style SB-2s. Exactly like yours....

A Lynx is identical but with body contours FYI

 

[Ricky Rioli]

A Lynx is identical but with body contours FYI

Black and maple and crinkle control panel would match Peds existing two....

....but I can't remember if he has thoughts on this style headstock....

 

[ped]

I don’t mind that headstock at all

 

[spufman]

A Lynx, especially one with a full maple neck, is much harder to find than the SB-2. I pretty much gave up looking!