Oh yeah! Got lucky with this one. I was looking for a black, early/mid 80s L2000. An ad on C'sList popped up about 5 years ago titled "G&L L2000, Black" No real description other than "with original case, good condition" and 3 very blurry photos--like taken with a 2003 camera phone. I could make out the dual rows of pole pieces, red and white switch tips and black hammer finished bridge--which all checked out with the era of G&L I sought.
When we met up, he mentioned he bought it new in 1984 (it dates from July of 1983). He popped open the case and there it was, clear as day, "EL Toro" on the headstock. (How the heck did he miss that and call it an L2000?) I kept my cool, tested to make sure everything worked OK, gave him the reasonable L2000 price he was asking and scooted home. It does have an ever-so-slight ski jump and there is some finish damage on the headstock, but neither thing has a negative effect on the bass and it's playability.
They are killer. I love the neck profile and tone. It's 2 parts L2000, 1 part J bass and comes stock with all the tricks already on board. Perfect.
Stock, it was overly bright in active mode, but a simple, single resistor mod (suggested directly from Paul Gagon-the designer of the preamp) resulted in the active and passive modes having a similar top end.
I'm not surprised the L5000 has narrow spacing. Seems many of the early 5 string models were pretty narrowly spaced. I played a 1986 Ibanez RB885 and it was pretty narrow, too.
