Truth or Marketing?

[dbsfgyd1]

The G&L bridge and it's mounting and saddle-lock concept is what stood out the most for me compared to Fender and other brands. Saddle Lock Bridge

Definitely an improvement over Fender’s one piece of steel bent at a 90 degree angle with a few holes drawn on it. But, one often overlooked thing about Fender is their concern of making a viable instrument affordable. Comparing the G&L bridge to the typical Fender, which one to you think cost less to manufacture?

 

[MegaSwing]

That could totally be true, but it doesn’t mean Leo was still at the cutting edge of anything. His understanding might have been at its greatest, but the field was flooded with numerous gifted builders by then—who had used his original work as a springboard. He was just a successful competitor in that environment.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

you should never ever question Leo Fender. The guy literally invented the world's viable electric bass.

 

[B String]

I have a 60 P, my friend has a 59 P. Both are amazingly good musical instruments. I've never done a session where the producer or contractor asked me if I have a G&L. But I HAVE been asked if I have a P or Jazz. Both G&L and Fender make great basses but some basses are just magic regardless of the name on the headstock. I've played cheap knockoffs of Fenders that just had the "magic", and were amazing basses. Bottom line.... It doesn't matter what the name on the headstock is. Either its a great bass or it's not.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

I have a 60 P, my friend has a 59 P. Both are amazingly good musical instruments. I've never done a session where the producer or contractor asked me if I have a G&L. But I HAVE been asked if I have a P or Jazz. Both G&L and Fender make great basses but some basses are just magic regardless of the name on the headstock. I've played cheap knockoffs of Fenders that just had the "magic", and were amazing basses. Bottom line.... It doesn't matter what the name on the headstock is. Either its a great bass or it's not.

I remember trying a high end Martin guitar during the 1980s. The salesman never shut up about the purfling, binding, inlays. It was a top model jumbo with all the bells and whistles.
One thing - the guitar was dead. Dead! There were no discernable harmonics, open chords rang lifeless. The salesman asked me "so, what do you think?" So I told him in exactly those terms.
"That's impossible!" He said. "It's a $2500 guitar (in 1987).
A crap guitar is a crap guitar, all the mother of pearl in the world wont change that.

 

[TrustRod]

What else could he have said? Although I am with G&L now, I made the best instruments when I was at Fender?

He did say in an interview that he thought CBS improved on Fender quality.

 

[TrustRod]

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 .

In the early '80s I was a machinist making airplane parts in Los Angeles. It was the same for us

 

[TrustRod]

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”.

Kind of a trick statement as he never made any guitars.

 

[Tubehed]

In the early '80s I was a machinist making airplane parts in Los Angeles. It was the same for us

Okay, that is terrifying! Sloppy instrument manufacturing won't cause people to fall out of the sky! People making airplane parts while high? A whole different story.

 

[Pluckoff]

I have a 60 P, my friend has a 59 P. Both are amazingly good musical instruments. I've never done a session where the producer or contractor asked me if I have a G&L. But I HAVE been asked if I have a P or Jazz. Both G&L and Fender make great basses but some basses are just magic regardless of the name on the headstock. I've played cheap knockoffs of Fenders that just had the "magic", and were amazing basses. Bottom line.... It doesn't matter what the name on the headstock is. Either its a great bass or it's not.

Very true.