Vintage G&L Club

[thechillinvillain]

Forgive me if there is already a Vintage G&L club; I searched and couldn't find it. Found the G&L club which had a lot of posts, so I figured there'd be room for a club focused more on older G&L's. Anyways, the basic criteria for "vintage" is that the bass has to be from when Leo Fender was still alive; i.e. <1991.

Here's mine to start it off. 1987 SB-1, Maple neck and I think Maple body, but I'm not 100% sure on the body and wouldn't mind some help ID'ing the wood. The pic's don't really do the bass justice (my photography skills are pretty weak), but some of the flame came through. Had it since I was 12, now am 29. My dad and I found it in the sleaziest pawn shop in Dallas, TX for $389. Pops talked them down to $300. It's the best P-Bass I've seen in my travels, and has even made folks who own P-Basses from the 50s/60s/70s in Austin jealous.

 

[JIO]

Very nice SB-1. I have a friend who has acquired a number of 80's G&L guitars over the years and one L-1000 bass. G&L's are underrated, at least compared to "collectable" vintage Fenders and luckily so as they are players instruments for a reasonable investment. I'd love to see those Interceptors and El Toro's and hear opinions on them. Subbed.

 

[joelns]

I've an '83 El Toro. First year production of that bass. Great instrument. I had to change the pups though. It's got S-D J/P config now. Plays great and sounds fantastic.

 

[JIO]

I've an '83 El Toro. First year production of that bass. Great instrument. I had to change the pups though. It's got S-D J/P config now. Plays great and sounds fantastic.

gotta' show pics!

 

[joelns]

gotta' show pics!

Ok, here:

 

[thechillinvillain]

Very nice SB-1. I have a friend who has acquired a number of 80's G&L guitars over the years and one L-1000 bass. G&L's are underrated, at least compared to "collectable" vintage Fenders and luckily so as they are players instruments for a reasonable investment. I'd love to see those Interceptors and El Toro's and hear opinions on them. Subbed.

Thanks friend, I definitely agree that vintage G&Ls are really underrated. Like you said tho, definitely good for players because they can get a vintage Leo Fender custom shop type instrument for much less than a comparable fender.

Also, beautiful El Toro Joelns! I bet its a beast.

 

[joelns]

Thanks friend, I definitely agree that vintage G&Ls are really underrated. Like you said tho, definitely good for players because they can get a vintage Leo Fender custom shop type instrument for much less than a comparable fender.

Also, beautiful El Toro Joelns! I bet its a beast.

Thanks. It's wonderful. Every one of those nicks, wear marks, etc., has history. I bought it new in '83. It's currently my only bass.

 

[thechillinvillain]

Damn, bought it new in '83 and its your only bass now. We should give you a special award.

 

[joelns]

Ha! When finances allow, I'm planning to get a Sadowsky. My G&L needs some work to bring it back to shape and it would be a good idea to have another. It need a fair bit of fret work, the tone pot may need changing, and I'd like to get a battery access port cut in the back for the active electronics.

 

[thechillinvillain]

A sadowsky's def a great addition to any collection, and of course any work to get the G&L back in shape is well worth it. I forgot to mention also that you need a member Joelns, and cuz you posted yours quick that you're number #2!

 

[joelns]

A sadowsky's def a great addition to any collection, and of course any work to get the G&L back in shape is well worth it. I forgot to mention also that you need a member Joelns, and cuz you posted yours quick that you're number #2!

Thank

 

[Lo-E]

I definitely agree that vintage G&Ls are really underrated.

It seems to me like people are starting to catch on to these now. Bummer for us, too, as now the prices are starting to climb. They're still a bargain for what you're getting, most of the time.
I love the shape of the G&L necks from the early-mid eighties. Two out of my three L2Ks have minor neck issues, though. I've just been too busy gigging them to put them on the bench and fix 'em!

I don't have any pics (and I'm not really looking for a number), but you can definitely count me in as a big fan of these basses. My L2Ks are an '83 (reddish mahogany w/ rosewood), and '85 fretless (white ash w/ ebony) and an '87 (natural ash w/ rosewood). I'm on the lookout for an early eighties with a maple board, and a little army of L1Ks wouldn't be unwelcome in my home, either!

 

[cuttermkr]

I'll jump in with my '86 L2000. My #1 for years I've had it since about '88. Love G&L's.

 

[smcd]

Here's a couple mahogany body 1982 L-series basses I owned up to a couple months ago. (I still have an '80 and an '81 L1K, both w/mahogany bodies)

 

[thechillinvillain]

Beautiful basses everyone, keep 'em coming! The L-2000's look like complete tone machines, and the L-1000 looks like it would give any stingray a run for its money.

cuttermk3 - #3
smcd - #4

 

[Reaper Man]

I'll have to put a picture of my 86 all maple ( body and neck/fingerboard) with prototype pickups up here when I get out of work

 

[Iridescentone]

I have some, including a couple uncommon ones.

Like this '85 Lynx in Bahama Blue. Essentially a SB-2 with contours and a rosewood board. The monstrous mids-heavy sound of this bass is incredible.

'88 El Toro in super-rare Yellow. Lotta horsepower under the hood of this brute.

'81 L-1000 poplar body/ebony

'80 L-1000 hogburst

'81 L-1000 poplar (possibly maple) body

'83 L-1000 poplar body, old-style headstock, chunky neck. The magnets on this MFD are so strong I have to keep the pickup way down to avoid the "chorus effect". Leo did a lot of tinkering during the early G&L transition years, pickups were no exception.

 

[funk7856]

 

[bhunt1]

I have 4 early 80s G&Ls, all lefty. 83 L2000:

2 L100s: 83 fretted:

81 fretless:

83 SB-2:

 

[mpdd]

hopefully i will get my black 83 l2k back on monday or tuesday, it was in for a major overhaul