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P Bass Poll: Fender or G&L
- Thread starter joeinca
- Start date
G&L hands down. Fenders can be good, but G&Ls are really special with the options you can get, and the pickups are awesome on all their basses - the LB100 is no exception. Plus G&L is a great used value.
I don't think I could vote in good conscience; I've had my Fender P-bass for 27 years now, and it was made a year before G&L was founded, anyway. I like it well enough that I've never felt the need to replace it, and probably never will. Supplement it with other, much different basses (and I have), but not replace. I've played around with a G&L, and honestly, as a passive bass, it wasn't enough different to make me want one. And I really don't care for active basses at all... but, they are very nice.
I've been a G&L guy since 86.
I do agree that difference between the passive modes is minimal so a good choice either way. I also am not into active basses, so I modify both of my L 2500s to passive with full coil tapping giving me a multitude of sounds.
and for the G&L lovers here
I do agree that difference between the passive modes is minimal so a good choice either way. I also am not into active basses, so I modify both of my L 2500s to passive with full coil tapping giving me a multitude of sounds.
and for the G&L lovers here
Today's American Standard Fenders are leaps and bounds better than anything G&L has ever made. The tone of the standard Custom Shop pickups are killer in every respect. The playability and stability of the necks are superior in every way. It's amazing what F.M.I.C. has done to the American Standard bass line since 2011. The '63 Precision reissue has been much vaunted as better than the original. In a 'For Bass Players Only', Bob Glaub stated
"Over the last few decades, he’s also had the good fortune to assemble a collection of nearly 60 basses. Glaub recently retired his favorite P-bass, a rosewood-necked 1959 Fender “Mary Kaye” that he’s been playing on the road with Browne. In its place, he’s substituting a US-made Fender 1963 P-bass reissue he bought off a friend.
“It’s a fabulous bass,” he says. “I just started playing it a few weeks ago, and I’m in love with that thing.”
"Over the last few decades, he’s also had the good fortune to assemble a collection of nearly 60 basses. Glaub recently retired his favorite P-bass, a rosewood-necked 1959 Fender “Mary Kaye” that he’s been playing on the road with Browne. In its place, he’s substituting a US-made Fender 1963 P-bass reissue he bought off a friend.
“It’s a fabulous bass,” he says. “I just started playing it a few weeks ago, and I’m in love with that thing.”
- Jul 3, 2004
- 1,300
- 641
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ernie Ball MusicMan Guitars
Just ordered an L1000, Shoreline Gold - I'll get back to yah
my 93 lb100 is the best sounding and easiest to play bass i've ever had, my 2011 sb-2 has the most stable neck and bridge i've ever had, and my 83 L2k is the deepest voiced and ballsiest bass i've ever played, therefore go g&l, but don't discount the other models
uh, this is not my thread, but this is about LB-100 vs american stsndard.
I bought a 1970 something( I know what year it is but that is besides the point) back in the 80s. It is my longest runnin' bass, but it is not #1.
If I were to buy new today, no doubt I would choose LB-100 over American standard, as there was no such thing back in the day.
I bought a 1970 something( I know what year it is but that is besides the point) back in the 80s. It is my longest runnin' bass, but it is not #1.
If I were to buy new today, no doubt I would choose LB-100 over American standard, as there was no such thing back in the day.
And you know this how?
I have great respect for the leap forward in FMIC quality control over the last decade plus. I have played some quite nice FMIC instruments. Played some impressive Squiers, too. I would say I have owned a large stable of Precision basses, going back to the early 1970s. I have never had the pleasure of owning a pre-CBS, but have played quite a few. Really enjoyed a couple and the others just felt old. I had a 74 Precision that was amazing in tone and weight and in a hot pursuit of a modern tone, I let it go (yes, I weep now and then over that). Fenders are just cool. They have recognition for their brand. Simply iconic.
But I have played many G&L basses and owned many G&L basses and they consistently sounded better and felt better than their Fender counterparts in my hands and to my ears. This is a large sampling of BBE and Leo era instruments. The only American production instruments that have felt as good to me are Music Man instruments, both pre-Ernie Ball and Ernie Ball era.
Don't get me wrong, I dig Fender basses because they are basically the taproot from which all these cool vines have grown, and I certainly am open to owning another FMIC or earlier Fender bass. I also respect the heck out of Glaub. But there's no way to substantiate your opening claim. None at all.
I'm a BOLD MAN! Bass players prove my point with their hard earned $$$. My personal opinion doesn't matter. Sales do.
It's a toss up for me. They are going to pretty much be the same in terms of quality and features. I might lean towards a Fender because the name on the headstock is consistent with what company has invented and carried the P-bass for so long, even if G&L is another Leo Fender company.
If you were looking at an SB-1 instead that would change things, because the MFD pickups are a whole different animal. The LB-100 though is pretty much their traditional P competitor.
The real appeal for G&L to me is their later models, like the SB-1, SB-2, MJ-4, ASAT, L1500, L2000 or M2000. Those are some interesting, well-designed, well-made basses that aren't really like anything else on the market.
If you were looking at an SB-1 instead that would change things, because the MFD pickups are a whole different animal. The LB-100 though is pretty much their traditional P competitor.
The real appeal for G&L to me is their later models, like the SB-1, SB-2, MJ-4, ASAT, L1500, L2000 or M2000. Those are some interesting, well-designed, well-made basses that aren't really like anything else on the market.
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Sales are affected by all manner of things, not just quality. Marketing, public perception (like brand loyalty instead of objective measurements), price point, relationship with retailers, etc. All they need to do is convince someone to buy one way or another and there are many ways to do that.
Some folks can convince people to buy paper-in-oil capacitors even though they are actually objectively worse in many ways over other modern offerings. Ancient technology isn't "better", we improved on it since then.
I'm not saying Fender is objectively worse, their quality control is amazing and better than ever even on their cheap offerings, I'm just giving an unrelated example to prove a point.
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I would go for the classic Fender P bass. They seem better these days.
I want the posiflex rods in the neck and the new lightweight hipshot machines and the string through body OR bridge option and the classic look of the Fender. G&L is certainly a respectable cousin but Fender would be my choice. Final answer.
I want the posiflex rods in the neck and the new lightweight hipshot machines and the string through body OR bridge option and the classic look of the Fender. G&L is certainly a respectable cousin but Fender would be my choice. Final answer.
I have to say that i've been a fender fan for the past 10 years but I've never been 100% happy with a stock Fender bass. I always wanted to change a little something here and there. I really liked the AM std P, that I played for a couple of months but I was not totally satisfied with the custom shop pup, like many people do. Just think about how many people change their pickups in their Fender basses.... I've seen lot of people changing their CS pickup.
I never liked the neck plate thing too! Man, these things are cheap looking!!! I have also seen neck pocket gaps in Fender basses, even Am std, where you could stuck your debit, credit card, and driver licence too....
I am frustrated at FMIC because they want you to buy tons of their replacement part, I hate this attitude. Yes the American Standard are a step above the other fenders but not above every other brands...
I recently bought a G&L LB100, everything is right, absolutely no need to change anything. I'm glad I moved onto another brand.
I never liked the neck plate thing too! Man, these things are cheap looking!!! I have also seen neck pocket gaps in Fender basses, even Am std, where you could stuck your debit, credit card, and driver licence too....
I am frustrated at FMIC because they want you to buy tons of their replacement part, I hate this attitude. Yes the American Standard are a step above the other fenders but not above every other brands...
I recently bought a G&L LB100, everything is right, absolutely no need to change anything. I'm glad I moved onto another brand.
In a Capitalist economy you can charge whatever you can convince people to pay. Quality is only one way out of hundreds to do that.
Apple products aren't "higher quality" than their competitors. They are made in the same Chinese factories at the same price point, yet they have convinced thousands to pay a premium for them.
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