• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why aren't G&L basses more popular?

Status
Not open for further replies.
#361
Shockingly, induced by talkbass gas, I went 3 years looking and acquiring many a bass. Wheeling and dealing around trying to get something heavenly.

All at the same time, I was working for the g&l distributers in new Zealand.

Was making and order of g&l basses for the stores nationwide when I decided I'll order them to specs I think are awesome. One of those babies were made exactly how I wanted it.

L2000, greenburst, jazz width neck, Amazing. Since then, I've only really gassed for more g&l. Planning to pick up another when I'm up in NY late feb.

A hog el wunkay I hope!
 
#362
george.c. said:
you are missing the point,g&l sounds crap fullstop.please dont tell me it rings like fender,rickenbacker,gibson,musicman etc...it sound too generic..i've never tried one but i have no doubt they are a top quality instrument but the name?sorry...
Click to expand...
It may sound crap to you, but to base your opinion because you think the name sound crap???

i personally think there not as popular because G&L are filling a gap thats not really there... in no way does this mean they are not great instruments... That and the design of SOME, look a little uninspired...IMHO... wouldnt say no though

Zon doesnt exactly ring like the names you suggested but..... I think the name is understated... I used to skate, and best bespoke trucks were G&L's... The name was like gold in that world... i
 
#363
george.c. said:
you can build the best product in the world but you better match it with an equally good name.g&l just sounds like a cheap korean knock off.imagine if a ferrari was called a datsun or something or other...the name must match the product.it's lesson 1 in marketing for dummies...even more so when it's a quality product..
Click to expand...

george.c. said:
you are missing the point,g&l sounds crap fullstop.please dont tell me it rings like fender,rickenbacker,gibson,musicman etc...it sound too generic..i've never tried one but i have no doubt they are a top quality instrument but the name?sorry...
Click to expand...

kai_ski said:
This speaks volumes. How can you possibly know they sound like crap?
Click to expand...

Chef said:
I think his point is "the name sounds dumb."
Click to expand...

Oh, that wasn't clear to me at all, and I still disagree. A company builds good will into their name by consistently providing a service or product. That name then becomes synonymous with a certain level of quality, based on market, competition, and value. Does Mercedes Benz sound like crap too?
 
#364
kai_ski said:
Oh, that wasn't clear to me at all, and I still disagree. A company builds good will into their name by consistently providing a service or product. That name then becomes synonymous with a certain level of quality, based on market, competition, and value. Does Mercedes Benz sound like crap too?
Click to expand...

i agree to a certain point with the first part of your post regarding good will and this is why right at the begining they should've got the name right imo.as far as mercedes benz goes,well that's an awesome sounding name but zonda for eg?now that is crap!

the majority of actors change their names because most of them have boring uninspiring names like joe blow,or fred drab,etc.it's good for marketing..
 
#366
Rookwood said:
Is this what G&L calls its premier finish clear orange? I love this, even though in many cases I wouldn't admit to wanting or even liking an orange bass.

I love the natural wood 'binding' as well - I've been wanting a JB-2, and this looks like the color to get it in. Now I need to find a dealer that has a JB-2 in stock...
Click to expand...

There are stocking dealers in the bay area you can find on the G&L website.
 
#367
Rookwood:
not G&L, but here's another trans-orange on ash:
BG5cu.jpg
 
#368
It's amazing to me how many bass players I've met who have never heard of G&L and had no idea that Leo Fender made basses and guitars for the last ten years of his life. I blame it mostly on marketing. sorry if this was mentioned earlier as I didn't read all 19 pages of the thread but there is the irony that Leo Fender was asked by Fender to remove the Fender name from G&L headstocks and such as he had sold the name Fender to Fender. I might be wrong, but a kinda think G&L was Leo's hobby and probably didn't care too much about product recognition. It was a small factory, everything handmade and low output. I was able to walk into the factory with my bass and an hour later for 40$ they would go thru the bass and do a setup.
 
#369
Thanks a lot Chef!

As a result of this afternoon's thread pics, I've pinged my industry contacts through my company to see about ordering directly from G&L. Unfortunately, I'll probably have to wait until NAMM is over, but at least it'll give me a few days to decide what other gear I'm gonna have to sell to pay off the bass. Yay impulse purchase tendencies fed by anonymous internet enablers!!!

I've decided on a JB-2, trans-orange w/natural wood binding, rosewood fretboard on a #8 neck. Not sure about natural ash or flame maple, but leaning towards ash as I already have a flame-top Warmoth.

The orange just works for me - trans-red is too dark and trans-amber/honey is too yellow.

Chef said:
Rookwood:
not G&L, but here's another trans-orange on ash:
BG5cu.jpg
Click to expand...
 
#370
Yes, thanks mntngrown - calls to the closest stores to me yield all models except the one I want to try out (USA JB-2). I found one dealer about 45 minutes away with a Tribute JB-2, but that has a 9" radius neck, according to the G&L catalog. The #8 neck I want is a slim 12" radius.

The JB-2 doesn't seem to be a popular model to stock.

mntngrown said:
There are stocking dealers in the bay area you can find on the G&L website.
Click to expand...
 
#372
Templar said:
What would be your idea of a "distinguishing feature"? (Please don't say a Gene Simmons "Axe Bass")
Click to expand...

I wasn't talking about novelty. I suppose the Musicman bass does have a 'distinguishing' feature in that ovoid pickguard, and the Jazz bass does in its offset body shape, but I wasn't even suggesting that the G&L should stand out for a particular reason (although it would no doubt be beneficial), just that they currently (the non-Fender-copy models) look very plain.

Maybe it's just me (clause inserted for some of the angrier respondents to quote and +1), but I think when you've got an acre of body that is basically just a P-bass body with nothing on there but paint and a pickup plopped in the middle, it doesn't look like they've finished designing it. It looks bare.

Templar said:
And what could be more "plain looking" than a Fender Precision or Jazz?
Click to expand...

I actually do think the P bass looks a bit stark around the back end, by the bridge, but they do have that pickguard to break up the body, I've never liked the look of most P-basses really. The Jazz has the control plate to contrast the pickguard, and the two work well with the body shape, I actually think the Jazz is a very well-balanced looking bass overall.

Bear in mind those two models also had bridge/pup covers in the past, so design is definitely something that somebody has been thinking about. To me it's obvious that much more design work has been done on the two successful Fender models than has gone into the L2000. And design sells, and I would imagine this is why G&Ls don't sell, which is the topic. They should've spent more on design and they'd be more popular.
 
#374
Rookwood said:
I've decided on a JB-2, trans-orange w/natural wood binding, rosewood fretboard on a #8 neck. Not sure about natural ash or flame maple, but leaning towards ash as I already have a flame-top Warmoth.
Click to expand...

I had trans orange over ash w/natural binding, albeit with a maple board. Very nice combo
 

Attachments

  • orangejb2-angle3.jpg
    orangejb2-angle3.jpg
    49.5 KB · Views: 98
#378
Kevteop

While I would agree with you that the G&L look is not the most distinctive and instantly recognisable I think it is a matter of personal taste. Some people like flashy cars, some don't.

With me and cars there are a few important points, these being - reliable, cheap to run (I am a Yorkshireman), get all my gear in easily especially at 2am, good sound system, good heater.

As far as basses go I have a 62P, two MMs, 2 G&Ls and a few others. I don't really care which one I play at rehearsals, although I always take my G&L L-2500 to gigs. for individual practice I use a well modified P copy that cost me £55.

I like the teardrop pick guard on the MM 4 string, but hate the look of the SR5 that to me looks more like an ornamental pond.

I seem to remember when I was at college (a very long time ago) we looked at a case study of a small company. They had lots of small repeat orders that provided a steady business. They were then offered a large contract which meant that they would have to expand considerable, move to bigger premises some distance away, new machinery, new staff etc. On the face of it this looked like a good idea but once you started getting deeper into it was a recipe for disaster. There was no guarantee that this big contract would stay with them after the first few batches, and if it was switched to another supplier or dried up then they would be in big trouble with overproduction. As it turned out they didn't go for the big contract and stayed small and carried on as they had done for years proving that to be successful you don't necessarily have to be the biggest.

Sorry for rambling.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back