Well, I pulled the trigger and ordered a US SB-1 from GC used. Obviously I’m going to try it out at the store before I walk out with it. It’s got a trans blue finish and a maple neck, which I like. I included the images from the website.
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Questions about G&L
- Thread starter secondbestcody
- Start date
Yes, comparing G&L to Fender is actually like comparing Braeburn to Honeycrisp.
Although some G&Ls are really heavy, some are really light too. There's a lot of variability from bass to bass.
I was in a local shop recently and the owner pointed out a couple of G&L basses that were under 8 lbs, such as these two...
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I have owned 2 G&L basses over the years and neither were what I would consider to be light. But then again, for me the trade-off in weight was worth the tone they produced.
Apples to oranges meaning sb1 to kiloton. Two completely different designs.
a comparison between the two companies could indeed be an apples-to-apples sort of thing, though given the scope and the history of each company it might be a hard case to make on anything more than a basic level
a comparison between the two companies could indeed be an apples-to-apples sort of thing, though given the scope and the history of each company it might be a hard case to make on anything more than a basic level
IME the lightweight G&Ls were custom ordered with Empress wood. My JB4 is about 7.5 lbs. The ones of alder and swamp ash can top 10 lbs. I recently ran across a USA L100 that was killer, except it weighed a ton.
It's not hard to custom order, just find the right dealer, like Rocket Music.
I tried both a MIA L-2000 and a Tribute L-2000 and could not tell any difference tonally, and the finish on both were superb. I obviously opted for the Tribute which was half the price of the MIA,so I saved myself quite a bit of dosh.It is one of the most versatile Basses in my collection and it even has preference over my MIA Jazz Bass.
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Nice! I'm sure you'll enjoy it. To answer a previous question a bit late, the SB body is a re-jig of the P-type body: narrower-waisted, rounder at the bottom, a bit more sculpted. [BTW, it's the same body as used in the Kiloton.] It's inherently a bit lighter than an LB-100 made from the same body material due to that extra sculpting. Personally, I *love* that body shape, and I think it's the most elegant of the G&L bodies.
My experience with G&L is that they have a lot less "lemons" than other "bigger" brands. Usually, more volume = more issues.
You get what you pay for; compared $ for $ instruments are similar (minus the "lemon" factor).
Start here:
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I've been playing G&Ls since early 90's. Body shape and neck evolved over the years, but I never heard about a change in quality (but I don't buy a G&L every year).
Well, bad news. The guitar center employee that I ordered it from just called and told me that while he was setting it up he found the neck had too much relief but the truss rod was also bottomed out. So we canceled the order. The hunt continues.
Sorry to hear about the bad neck, but glad they caught it first. Don't give up looking for a good G&L. They are amazing. I currently own 2 L2000s and on Trib M2K--which is a really, really nice instrument. I was shocked how nice. Found my first G&L in a local store and fell in love with the looks and the sweet sound. It was a tad more warm sounding that my other two L2Ks. I bought another vintage Fender and sold it. I'm glad I got the old Fender but I really wish I still had that bass. One of those serious regrets.
I’ve owned G&Ls since 1995 and every one of them has been fantastic. The workmanship and the way they play is incredible. I hope they keep on building them the way they’ve been doing it
Didn't have time to read the entire thread so please excuse me if these questions have already been satisfactorily answered.
I've two G&L Tributes and overall I would put their quality above that of Fender/Squier imports from the Far East or Mexico. Cortek actually builds the Tributes in Indonesia and they have been a quality manufacturer of many US brands including their own Cort line.
One thing to keep in mind is that even the Tributes have the same US made MFD pickups and the same Saddle Lock Bridges as the US models. The only variance is a slightly different preamp and chrome plated brass saddles on the US models. Those parts can be purchased separately to upgrade if someone wishes.
Other than that IMHO the main benefit of the US models is a wider array of finish and neck profile selections and a made to order bass that may be only slightly better or much better than a Tribute depending on how far a buyer wants to go with options. You could be in the $1200-$1500 range or the $2000 plus range.
No one produces a 100% perfect product every time but G&L and their dealers stand behind their products very well and overall the consistency of their Tribute lines is excellent as well as expected from a quality builder like Cortek. They are essentially identical or nearly identical to their US counterparts but with a more limited finish selection and standard neck dimensions for each model. There are no custom options as there are with US models but Tributes offer high value if you find one you like.
I'm a very satisfied G&L owner and player. Hopefully this helps answer your questions.
Yes, especially when considering that Leo Fender designed all of the basses and owned both companies in question!
Sorry to hear, but credit to GC for actually catching an issue before sending it out. And a good PSA for anyone who was looking at that one...
Those old G&Ls can have the nut removed and washers placed on the truss rod behind the nut to give it more threads. Depending on your level of comfort and confidence with things like this, I’d consider lowballing them in light of the aforementioned issue and then fixing it myself.
I’m glad that I called the actually store to order it over the phone. I talked to the same guy the night before asking a few questions about it and he mentioned that they get commission for sales so if I’d like to order it he’d appreciate me calling back. In the end, I think that’s what saved me because he went to go check out something I had asked about it and that’s when he noticed how high the action was.
As for lowballing, if I can’t get that bass for $200 I wouldn’t want to buy it knowing the neck is potentially useless. They’re still going to see if it’s repairable and I’ll get first dibs on it, but I’m not sure if I want it knowing the neck had to be bent back into place. Unless that’s a common thing GC techs do?
I can’t say I’ve ever used GC’s techs, but if the truss rod nut is bottoming out, it is a pretty simple fix. Now if the rod is shot altogether, that’s a whole other story...
(Not trying to encourage you to buy it, just to be clear. But I might take a chance if the price was right and exercise my return window if things were beyond a simple repair.)
(Not trying to encourage you to buy it, just to be clear. But I might take a chance if the price was right and exercise my return window if things were beyond a simple repair.)
