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NBD: it's been a while!

thisSNsucks

thisSNsucks

I build Grosbeak Guitars and Basses
Commercial User
Dec 19, 2004
4,636
2,952
39
Yonkers, NY
www.grosbeakguitars.com
Disclosures
Grosbeak Guitars
#1
hey guys,

Been a while since I've had a new bass day. Been focusing more on building than buying instruments these days but this beauty popped up on eBay and I couldn't resist.

It's an 81 G&L L-2000e. Mahogany body, sunburst finish, maple neck with ebony board and slot head pickups. I've wanted one with these specs for a while.

Anyway she's a little beat up, that pickguard is covering some gnarly wear marks. Apparently the original owner was called thunder thumbs! There are some lyric sheets in the case along with some old G&L paperwork. There's a funky trinket on the string retainer and the faint outline of a heart on the headstock.

It has a few issues the seller did not disclose, namely a battery wire that is not connected so active mode doesn't work, and the coil splitter switch doesn't seem to work on the neck pickup.

Gonna crack it open to asses the damage but so far I dig it!

image.jpg
image.jpg
image.jpg
 
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#7
thisSNsucks said:
hey guys,

Been a while since I've had a new bass day. Been focusing more on building than buying instruments these days but this beauty popped up on eBay and I couldn't resist.

It's an 81 G&L L-2000e. Mahogany body, sunburst finish, maple neck with ebony board and slot head pickups. I've wanted one with these specs for a while.

Anyway she's a little beat up, that pickguard is covering some gnarly wear marks. Apparently the original owner was called thunder thumbs! There are some lyric sheets in the case along with some old G&L paperwork. There's a funky trinket on the string retainer and the faint outline of a heart on the headstock.

It has a few issues the seller did not disclose, namely a battery wire that is not connected so active mode doesn't work, and the coil splitter switch doesn't seem to work on the neck pickup.

Gonna crack it open to asses the damage but so far I dig it!

View attachment 569480 View attachment 569482 View attachment 569483
Click to expand...
Naked guy with scales? FOR GREAT JUSTICE! :thumbsup::roflmao:
 
#8
That pg is a bit bizarre, but you can actually see some major dents in it itself (and the finish beneath it, down by the outer base of the horn), so the story seems believable. ;) I'd rip that off and just sand it down...
 
#10
#13
Gilmourisgod said:
Nice bass! I have an 83' L2k with the same old style headstock, great bass! I remember wanting the ebony fretboard model, couldnt find one at the time. Are you doing a full refin, or just cleaning it up a little?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I was holding out for one of these for a while.

I'm just cleaning it up a bit. Gotta work on the electronics next. Fingerboard could use a deep cleaning too but I may just leave it.

The dirt keeps the funk after all!
 
#14
Iridescentone said:
Cool bass. It cleaned up pretty good. Looks much better sans guard.

Looks like a refret could be in your future, eh?
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yeah the wear marks look better than that pick guard, but I guess the original owner didn't think so.

The frets are pretty shot, I'll see how she plays once I get the electronics sorted out and I set it up. Worst case I'll refret it, but I'll probably just try to get it set up with reasonable string height and leave it as is.

We shall see!
 
Last edited:
#16
Gilmourisgod said:
I'm surprised the frets are toast, mine are still good 32 years in. Are they stainless?
Click to expand...

I don't think they're stainless, probably old nickel.

Anyway I was able to sort out why my preamp wasn't working. I opened the battery cavity and this was all I saw.

1ED5D743-6250-43D0-A537-5AF7D36E9F77_zps1zzwcepp.jpg


No battery and a loose lead wire lol.

Got it back to normal.

CBCCC2B3-2577-4F05-A341-4CB28D064F45_zpsx0vlhdif.jpg


Put it back together and gave it a setup. Despite the worn frets, I was able to get the string action just a hair over 3/32" at the 17th fret on all strings. I get a little buzz in the upper registers on the D&G strings, but only if I dig in.

9A2A2241-52A5-47ED-B81D-61E181C7E44E_zpsdsbn1nz0.jpg


Next thing to address is the series/single coil switch. It does work and it is wired correctly but I've done some research that there are green caps that add noise in series mode, think typical 60's cycle hum. I may try removing those.

Other than that I'm digging this bass for sure. It really gives a great ballsy modern tone.
 
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#18
thisSNsucks said:
I don't think they're stainless, probably old nickel.

Anyway I was able to sort out why my preamp wasn't working. I opened the battery cavity and this was all I saw.

1ED5D743-6250-43D0-A537-5AF7D36E9F77_zps1zzwcepp.jpg


No battery and a loose lead wire lol.

Got it back to normal.

CBCCC2B3-2577-4F05-A341-4CB28D064F45_zpsx0vlhdif.jpg


Put it back together and gave it a setup. Despite the worn frets, I was able to get the string action just a hair over 3/32" at the 17th fret on all strings. I get a little buzz in the upper registers on the D&G strings, but only if I dig in.

9A2A2241-52A5-47ED-B81D-61E181C7E44E_zpsdsbn1nz0.jpg


Next thing to address is the series/single coil switch. It does work and it is wired correctly but I've done some research that there are green caps that add noise in series mode, think typical 60's cycle hum. I may try removing those.

Other than that I'm digging this bass for sure. It really gives a great ballsy modern tone.
Click to expand...
It looks so much better without that ag pickguard patch!
 
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#19
thiSNsucks
Leo knew how to build them! Note the screw inserts at the battery cover, you never see that these days. Yours probably has the neck tilt in the neck screw plate, I guess they have dropped that in newer L2K models. Mine was so well set up to begin with I never had to use the neck tilt.

I have a favor to ask:
My preamp died due to unfortunate experimentation on my part years ago (enough said about that). I got a replacement original preamp from a fellow TB'er, but have not been able to find an accurate, complete wiring diagram. Mine had a funky plastic output jack with all kinds of mysterious resistors and additional wires hanging off it. This is how it looks now, friend had put in a little half-ass perfboard preamp and replaced the jack with a standard switchcraft. I think the original jack was set up to disconnect power to the preamp when the guitar cord was pulled out. If you have time, can you post a photo of how your's is wired, particularly connections to the output jack? Thanks, and if it's a hassle, no sweat.
DSC00906_zpsb53dc504.jpg


Here's mine in all it's faded/beat up glory. I had an ebony pickguard made for it after I got a nice big ding right on the front.
DSC00902_zps10fbb027.jpg
 
Last edited:
#20
Gilmourisgod said:
thiSNsucks
Leo knew how to build them! Note the screw inserts at the battery cover, you never see that these days. Yours probably has the neck tilt in the neck screw plate, I guess they have dropped that in newer L2K models. Mine was so well set up to begin with I never had to use the neck tilt.

I have a favor to ask:
My preamp died due to unfortunate experimentation on my part years ago (enough said about that). I got a replacement original preamp from a fellow TB'er, but have not been able to find an accurate, complete wiring diagram. Mine had a funky plastic output jack with all kinds of mysterious resistors and additional wires hanging off it. This is how it looks now, friend had put in a little half-ass perfboard preamp and replaced the jack with a standard switchcraft. I think the original jack was set up to disconnect power to the preamp when the guitar cord was pulled out. If you have time, can you post a photo of how your's is wired, particularly connections to the output jack? Thanks, and if it's a hassle, no sweat.
DSC00906_zpsb53dc504.jpg


Here's mine in all it's faded/beat up glory. I had an ebony pickguard made for it after I got a nice big ding right on the front.
DSC00902_zps10fbb027.jpg
Click to expand...

Here's a shot of the preamp and the output jack.

A99511CE-7DE3-418F-AB8B-8390BDE932E7_zpsridiyn5y.jpg


ECB54A94-0242-4324-8891-767AFE8CF718_zpsfg2gvw2i.jpg


Someone fooled around in there for sure, but it looks like it matches the schematics I've seen.

The wires on the output jack look to go as follows:

one red wire goes to the battery, one red wire goes to the preamp, one black wire goes to the ground plate, one white wire goes to the active/passive switch.
 

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