Just took in a very very nice G&L SB2 as a trade. Initial impressions are positive - the tangerine metallic finish looks great with the tort pickguard, it’s in as-new condition, pretty light, controls are quiet, pickups are surprisingly hot and punchy, and it has a nice set up. It’s currently wearing flats which are not my usual preference, but they seem to work well on this bass. I have a gig tomorrow evening, so I’m going to give it a maiden voyage. I’ll post a couple pics in a bit…
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NBD: G&L SB-2
- Thread starter Bonecat
- Start date
I saw one on FaceBook marketplace just like that but I see it's gone now. I believe it had Rosewood fretboard, was for sale in MI. Maybe it's the one you got? Congrats on your new bass!
Flatwounds help tame down the tone a bit, GHS black tapewounds do an even better job.
Other than that, SB2 or SB2T?
It came with a G&L “Custom Build Sheet”. Seems to imply that was a custom order, but I don’t know anything about G&L business practices. Either way, it’s a monster. Pickups are really hot and the tone is thunderous, even with new Slinkies… I warned our audio engineer that he’d need to adjust. And then this evening’s outdoor gig was cancelled due to weather. I’ll miss the $, but not playing outside in 100 percent humidity, 90+ degrees, and no discernible breeze. I’m going to take it to our show on Saturday …
Yeah, dew point is in the 70's here in the Twin Cities, too --- you dodged a bullet with that cancellation.
Remind me, folks, but 3 knobs means it is likely an SB2T, am I right?
Of course, then the question is whether it came that way from the factory or was converted. Bonecat, would you be willing to post the Build Sheet, too?
Remind me, folks, but 3 knobs means it is likely an SB2T, am I right?
Of course, then the question is whether it came that way from the factory or was converted. Bonecat, would you be willing to post the Build Sheet, too?
Around 2023, the tone control became standard on the US models. Based on the position of the knobs, it looks like it’s one of the production models after this was implemented. The older special order SB-2Ts had the knobs slightly more toward the rear point on the pickguard.
So far just P and J, but these guys are doing MFD style: MFD Style Bass Pickups – Nine One Six Pickups
Beautiful bass, love that tangerine metallic color.
I’d also be interested in seeing the build sheet. (The sheets were standard with all US builds after sometime in the 2010s, so having one doesn’t necessarily indicate a custom build). Most of the sb and kiloton basses seem to have been built with jazz style neck sizes.
I’d still love to find one with a chunkier neck spec.
I’d also be interested in seeing the build sheet. (The sheets were standard with all US builds after sometime in the 2010s, so having one doesn’t necessarily indicate a custom build). Most of the sb and kiloton basses seem to have been built with jazz style neck sizes.
I’d still love to find one with a chunkier neck spec.
Except right at the end, the SB-2 standard neck was 1½", but the SB-1 standard was 1⅝".
(Originally, way back in the late 80s, when the 2nd Gens were new, the SB-1 was 1¾" and the SB-2 was 1½", see ggjaguar.com)
I looked at the build sheet more closely. It’s a 2023 and is clearly not a custom order, so you guys nailed it. I don’t collect basses as I’m usually broke and I tend to think of them as tools. This bass is tonally and visually very different from my Muckelroy and between the two, I have every tonal option I’m ever likely to need covered. But I still miss my Dunable Thunderclapper - that one was special…
The paperwork that came with the bass…
While not a Custom Shop, it's definitely a Build To Order bass — Basswood, Rosewood and Quartersawn were all alternatives to the standard spec in 2023. I can't remember if Basswood cost more at that time, but the other two certainly did (I paid for both in 2022)
iirc the Basswood was advertised as being lightweight — I think on average those basses turned out a little lighter than the standard Alder, but the ranges for both were wider than the difference between them, so it was still a bit of a lottery.
The setup checklist mentions ECB81 — that's 45-100 Daddario Chromes flatwounds, not the Daddario rounds that were standard (and on the spec sheet) The blue silks of the flats in your photo suggest that they are those original Chromes. Their total tension is 187 lbs, so, for example, a 45-105 set of GHS or Rotosound rounds could be fitted without the neck needing adjustment. That you call the setup "nice" suggests that the trussrod is up to the task.
Given how deep G&L metallic colors all were, and how dully-lit my home in Northern England is, I very much wish I had gone for Tangerine Metallic rather than Ruby Red on my LB-100. Ah well
iirc the Basswood was advertised as being lightweight — I think on average those basses turned out a little lighter than the standard Alder, but the ranges for both were wider than the difference between them, so it was still a bit of a lottery.
The setup checklist mentions ECB81 — that's 45-100 Daddario Chromes flatwounds, not the Daddario rounds that were standard (and on the spec sheet) The blue silks of the flats in your photo suggest that they are those original Chromes. Their total tension is 187 lbs, so, for example, a 45-105 set of GHS or Rotosound rounds could be fitted without the neck needing adjustment. That you call the setup "nice" suggests that the trussrod is up to the task.
Given how deep G&L metallic colors all were, and how dully-lit my home in Northern England is, I very much wish I had gone for Tangerine Metallic rather than Ruby Red on my LB-100. Ah well
After spending more time with it, I concluded that the flats won’t really fit our overall sound quite the way I like. I put on a fresh set of Super Slinkies and apart from a very minor truss rod tweak, it set up nicely. Will gig with it tomorrow if we don’t get thunderstorms again!
So this bad boy came from the factory with a tone control. As I recall, earlier models came without one. For those, the player obtained various interesting tones by rolling off the volume of one (or both) pickups by various amounts.
I wonder what would happen (tone-wise) if you left the tone control full up, and tried backing off the volume controls in various amounts.
If you are ever inclined to conduct that experiment, please do post your impression of the results. Thanx!
I wonder what would happen (tone-wise) if you left the tone control full up, and tried backing off the volume controls in various amounts.
If you are ever inclined to conduct that experiment, please do post your impression of the results. Thanx!
I love Chromes, but three times I'm tried to pair them with my MFD split pickup and three times initial enthusiasm quickly turned to sufficient dissatisfaction to have me trying something else. The combination produces a very specific sound that I couldn't find a use for. When would you want something punchy but rustic? Plugged-in Bluegrass?
The new SB-2 got its its first real test last night. We played an outdoor show at a popular local venue last night, nice weather, and a solid crowd who were definitely there to have a good time. The bass worked well - our audio engineer said it sat nicely in the mix and I got some compliments on my tone from a couple fellow musicians in the audience.
I had a couple stumbles during the night, owing mostly to slight differences between the SB-2 and my Muckelroy. 22 frets vs. 24 and slightly different end pin locations had the effect of putting some things in different places. I was looking at the neck more than usual, but that driver error aside it was solid and I can see this as a solid option going forward.
Thanks again for the insights here!
I had a couple stumbles during the night, owing mostly to slight differences between the SB-2 and my Muckelroy. 22 frets vs. 24 and slightly different end pin locations had the effect of putting some things in different places. I was looking at the neck more than usual, but that driver error aside it was solid and I can see this as a solid option going forward.
Thanks again for the insights here!
