Truth or Marketing?

[J Wilson]

Who am I to question a pioneer and a man I did not know.

From the cheap seats, to me, Music Man is the big leap at supposedly fixing/updating his original designs (though a PBass with the split humbucker vs. the big humbucker on a StingRay makes them two different animals), and G+L kind of a re-iteration of the MM designs just enough outside the trademark, plus some more refinements like the ASAT or the L Series basses with their increased control with the little switches.

Nonetheless, a remarkable series of designs that changed the world from one man, who didn't even play them.

And a tradesman down to his bones. I was at NAMM in the early 80's when it was at the Disney Hotel in Anaheim. I see this tall, balding fellow, head to toe in khaki Dickies work shirt and pants, with a full pocket protector. I thought he was headed for the janitor's closet, when he suddenly attracted a crowd.

It was Leo Fender, looking terribly uncomfortable with the attention.

 

[Tubehed]

Truth and marketing.

 

[Savage_Dreams]

Best is subjective obviously. Truth for him at that time I would hope. No matter what you’re doing, if you don’t think it’s the best thing you’ve ever done, why are you doing it. Of course hindsight on anything is 20/20, but in the moment you should believe it, change it, or quit it.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Leo was mistaken. Music Man is the best set of designs he ever came up with.

 

[SulzerType2]

From the cheap seats, to me, Music Man is the big leap at supposedly fixing/updating his original designs (though a PBass with the split humbucker vs. the big humbucker on a StingRay makes them two different animals).

Those skunkworks Stingrays with P pickups are interesting. Leo decided that the pickup needed reversed, moved closer to the bridge and that the electronics needed to be on a separate chrome plate. The bridge is also an evolution of the Mustang bass bridge.

It is so close to the finished product, but the decision was made to fly in a fat humbucker with the coils in parallel.

The original two-band preamp also isn't a vanilla cut/boost circuit for the basic tone of the pickup, but tuned to really emphasise certain characteristics. You can identify a Stingray from one note as a result. Leo Fender doesn't seem to have been keen on providing a blank canvas for musicians, unlike say Alembic's approach to active circuits, but favoured certain assumptions around how instruments should sound and then simplified controls so that you could only achieve variations of these sounds.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Those skunkworks Stingrays with P pickups are interesting. Leo decided that the pickup needed reversed, moved closer to the bridge and that the electronics needed to be on a separate chrome plate. The bridge is also an evolution of the Mustang bass bridge.

It is so close to the finished product, but the decision was made to fly in a fat humbucker with the coils in parallel.

The original two-band preamp also isn't a vanilla cut/boost circuit for the basic tone of the pickup, but tuned to really emphasise certain characteristics. You can identify a Stingray from one note as a result. Leo Fender doesn't seem to have been keen on providing a blank canvas for musicians, unlike say Alembic's approach to active circuits, but favoured certain assumptions around how instruments should sound and then simplified controls so that you could only achieve variations of these sounds.

I can't recall the details,but Music Man was not a good experience for our boy Leo. Probably by the time G&L was really moving, Leo didn't want to think about what other owners (particularly CBS) were doing to his designs.
I owned one Leo eraG&L and frankly it was disappointing. The L5000 with the hockey stick headstock. The fingerboard was way over radiused and the P style pickup had almost zero bass response.
I wanted to love it, I did...

 

[Topkat13]

He said they are the best instruments “he” ever made. It’s like “this is the best steak I ever cooked”. C’mon man.

 

[nickpc]

I'm assuming he said that while at G&L.

Would have been hard to say when he was at Fender, as G&L didn't exist yet...

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Leo thinking back on the P-bass:

“(... if only I had put the thumb rest above the strings and left off those bridge and pickup covers.)”

 

[sawzalot]

Well, I can't exactly see Leo saying "these instruments are sort of mediocre compared to what I've done before."

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Leo thinking back on the P-bass:

“(... if only I had put the thumb rest above the strings and left off those bridge and pickup covers.)”

AKA, “if only I took away the coolest aesthetic aspects of that bass.”

That’s like regretting the chrome and fins on a classic Cadillac!

They both add nothing to performance, might even hinder it, but they’re what makes them look classy as hell.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

He definitely made some cool stuff at G&L, I like the basses but man, the guitars are on another level. Those mfd pickups on guitar are incredible, not to mention the PBT circuit and also the Z Coil pickups. Might have not caught on outside of G&L but they are so cool

 

[Wasnex]

Leo Fender, the creator of both Fender and G&L, famously declared that: “G&L guitars (and basses) are the best instruments I have ever made”.

Mr Fender may have truly believed this. So from his perspective it was true. That does not necessarily mean everyone will agree. So it will be true for some and false for others..

IMHO, Try both and make your own decision.

 

[Pluckoff]

In spite of Leo's statement there doesn't appear to be many notable players using G&L. Obviously, there's sponsorship money from Fender to influence bigger names. However, that aside with the exception of L2000/2500 models G&L's don't seem to be the preferred axe of (bass) gods. FWTW.

 

[metron]

Leo Fender, the creator of both Fender and G&L, famously declared that: “G&L guitars (and basses) are the best instruments I have ever made”.

Famously stated because the internet is a parrot. The quote literally comes from an ad slick for his new company.

G&L has eras. Some better than others. I wouldn’t personally buy a new one but there are some gems from the 80s and 90s. Just my opinion.

 

[Pluckoff]

Famously stated because the internet is a parrot. The quote literally comes from an ad slick for his new company.

View attachment 5132810

G&L has eras. Some better than others. I wouldn’t personally buy a new one but there are some gems from the 80s and 90s. Just my opinion.

Ah ha, that proves the marketing theory, yes? Maybe not though. If anyone ever deserved to cash in on their creations based on sales, inspiration, influence and longevity of each instrument made, then Mr. Leo Fender would be at the top of such list.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

AKA, “if only I took away the coolest aesthetic aspects of that bass.”

That’s like regretting the chrome and fins on a classic Cadillac!

They both add nothing to performance, might even hinder it, but they’re what makes them look classy as hell.

It’s a shame that most players need to remove the coolest parts to play more effectively. It’s as if those Cadillac fins prevented the car from going over
45 mph.

 

[ardgedee]

Leo Fender, the creator of both Fender and G&L, famously declared that: “G&L guitars (and basses) are the best instruments I have ever made”.

It'd suck to start on a new project with the intention of it being worse than what you've done before.

 

[Tubehed]

I knew a guy who worked at the G&L factory in the early 80's. He told me that he was surprised how revered the old G&L's are because he and everyone else building them were stoned the whole time . Of course, I imagine the same could be said for the other brands and many of their employees at that time, as well.

 

[Discount Bassy]