Why aren't G&L basses more popular?

[uOpt]

You were looking at a bi-cut neck. There were only 2 pieces there; the actual seam where the cut is made is offset to one side a bit. That's normal and how they're made.

OK.

Why?

 

[kai_ski]

OK.

Why?

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[unclejane]

OK.

Why?

Sawing the blank removes some of the wood by the thickness of the saw blade plus a bit for the teeth. And LF likely found that offsetting had stability advantages; could also be offset for getting the truss rod in more easily.

My L2K has a bi-cut #8 neck. It's like a pencil up by the nut but it absolutely will not warp even the slightest bit even after the last 15 years or so I've owned it. It definitely does what LF designed it to do....

LS

 

[KingRazor]

I much prefer the G&L Tribute 2500 to any Fender 5 string.

 

[bassbenj]

I much prefer the G&L Tribute 2500 to any Fender 5 string.

Yes, and no. I love what the Tribby can do, but i find it difficult to get decent Fenderish sounds out of it even with the single coil mod. But unless I'm going for really authentic Old school and need a Fender-shaped headstock, I usually much prefer my G&Ls. (Yeah, I know a Fender V isn't really "authentic old school" but nobody seems to notice)

 

[uOpt]

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Fair enough but I assure you the one I've played (and it definitely was a US G&L) had a seam that was anything but invisible, in fact I didn't recognize it as the same wood. It looked like random pieces thrown together.

 

[bassfootballguy]

G&L makes great instruments, both bass and guitar. Like any maker there could be a bad one or two per few thousand.
The pickups are unreal in output and clarity, so much so that a passive G&L bass will often have the same or stronger output than other companies' active models.
Beautiful finishes, great sounds, incredible craftsmanship, they might not be as ubiquitous as other brands, but it isn't due to poor quality.
I've used them live and studio for years and never fail to draw high praise on the tone.
Regarding the original topic, I think lack of popularity is simply because there is no multilevel, high cost marketing campaign behind them.
Any of you are unsatisfied with your G&L, send it to me and I will happily give it a home. But the bottom line is play what you like and let others do likewise. Life is too short to be so crabby.

 

[KingRazor]

Yes, and no. I love what the Tribby can do, but i find it difficult to get decent Fenderish sounds out of it even with the single coil mod. But unless I'm going for really authentic Old school and need a Fender-shaped headstock, I usually much prefer my G&Ls. (Yeah, I know a Fender V isn't really "authentic old school" but nobody seems to notice)

The tone is "meh" on the G&L but so are most Fender 5ers I've played. The G&L is more comfortable and has a better low B, so it wins in my book.

 

[bassdude51]

It's a myth that there's something inherently wrong with a 3-bolt neck.

G&Ls 3-bolt necked instruments are very stable and superb.

Sorry, off the tread.

The 3 bolt neck is so great that Musicman, Fender and G&L don't make them anymore. (exception the Fender MIJ 70s J)

Even though G&L's neck pockets were amoung the best, many complained about the 3 bolt and G&L went back to 4 bolt and then fianlly the 6 bolt.

I'm not knocking G&Ls. I have 2, L-1000 an ash and a hog. I'll never give up my "Hog"!

Perhaps another reason why G&Ls are not more popular is because of many design changes. Different headstock shapes. Skunk stripe, no skunk stripe, bi-cut neck, no bi cut neck. Three bolt, 4 bolt, 6 bolt. Big hex head magnet poles, slot poles, small hex holes. Some bodies made of ash, others mahogany. Rosewood, maple, ebony fretboards. Ceramic magnets, alnico. Kind of inconsistent!

Finally, G&L Basses are not known to be light weights! My Hog is an 11 pounder.

Personally, I've always seen the edge routing on G&Ls to be a bit "edgy" kind of giving a squareish appearence.

Perhaps these are some reasons why they are not more popular.

They are great basses! They do have their own sound. They are very well made.

 

[bassdude51]

I like the bullet. It's a lot easier to deal with than taking the neck off. Best adjuster of all though is the EBMM wheel.

You do have a point about Leo Fender out-doing himself, but that's the whole idea. These are the final products of the genius who started it all! The originator, the innovator, the master took the next step forward with his instruments.

I would argue that the L-2000/2500 is not a copy. It's essentially a P-J with splittable humbuckers and that's nothing like any of Leo's other designs. It isn't really a P, J or MM but it comes close enough that many players do not feel the need to have one. Combine that with engineer & sound man prejudice and the L-2x00 just hasn't caught a break. Like I said before all of that could change if one big name endorser starts using one.

Nevertheless G&L has sold enough of them to remain in business without selling out to some faceless corporation or hedge fund and thank goodness for that.

The bullet adjuster is almost as nice as "the wheel" but the hex hole is so small and an allen wrench can easily bore it out if strong tension is needed.

 

[theduke1]

I think G&L as a company is were they want to be in terms of market share, and offering a quality product. I don't think they ever tried to be everything to everybody. I say this because if it were not true they would change their marketing plan.
I for one like the fact that I don't see every bass player using a G&L. Here in little Manitowoc WI not only are there few 5 string players to my knowledge I'm the only one playing G&L 5 strings both fretted and frettless. So my style and bass of choice makes me different then everyone else out there and I like that!

 

[Mystic Michael]

And.....go

Frankly, they're not very pretty or refined in appearance. In fact, they look downright primitive. Rough hewn. Like a throwback to a (much) earlier time in the bass guitar's history & development.

The bodies, generally, are not contoured at all - just a block of wood without any "tummy cuts" or forearm cuts. Not even rounded very much at the edges. They give new meaning to double bass players' use of the term "slab" to refer to electric bass guitar.

The headstocks aren't much better. They look somewhat "Fenderesque" in the own way, but that sharp notch along the lower edge (when worn/played horizontally) looks ragged and out of place.

Similarly the neck to body bolt joint looks almost as if it was slapped together. Again, no particular attention to detail, much less any artfulness or style. Just crude.

I reckon their main saving grace, as ever, is the sound. As long as they continue to sound great, a lot of players will continue to forgive the retrograde design.

For years, I just couldn't get past the look & feel of G&L bass guitars. But even I have recently reconsidered my ways, and may yet pick up an L-2500, probably sometime during 2013. We shall see...

MM

 

[scubaduba]

Hmm... Here's a couple pics of the wonderful curves and contours of a G&L bass.

 

[bassfootballguy]

Poorly finished slabs with sloppy neck joints and such? Really?
I have owned 12 of them from the 1st year of production up to the 2010 run and closely examined and played probably 40 that cover that same span and never seen anything remotely close to some of the things described here.
All I can say is I am not sure if we are talking about G&Ls or First Acts in this thread.
I would love to see pics of these rough cobbled 3 piece necks and contour-less primitive pieces of work you are all talking about because I have to see all these for the first time before I saw mine into firewood and go buy a real bass. 😄

 

[theduke1]

Poorly finished slabs with sloppy neck joints and such? Really?
I have owned 12 of them from the 1st year of production up to the 2010 run and closely examined and played probably 40 that cover that same span and never seen anything remotely close to some of the things described here.
All I can say is I am not sure if we are talking about G&Ls or First Acts in this thread.
I would love to see pics of these rough cobbled 3 piece necks and contour-less primitive pieces of work you are all talking about because I have to see all these for the first time before I saw mine into firewood and go buy a real bass. ��

+1
I am glad someone else saw that post I don't agree with MM at all!
I got my first L1000 in 1985 and have always loved the look, feel, and quality!

 

[chuck3]

Hmm... Here's a couple pics of the wonderful curves and contours of a G&L bass.

ah Scuba, don't get me started again - I thought I was over that bass of yours ...

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Oh, yeah, that's crude, unfinished and slab-like...NOT!!!

MM... what planet are you from?

 

[Dbassmon]

G&L may indeed be a fine instrument but it is a flawed brand.

The designs are pretty nondescript, they sound good but nondescript. They have little identity.

You don't see many pro's playing G&L instruments. Why?

They may have been designed by two of the greatest electric guitar designers of all time, but this was not their best work. (George & Leo)

Fender basses - the measure by which all else are judged
Musicman - radical departure from everything sonically, new sound, another design triumph for Leo.
G&L - ummmmm. good basses zzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzz (sleeping) zero sex appeal and no identifiable sound ala pBass, Jbass or Stringray - just plain vanilla

 

[scubaduba]

This thread continues to baffle me. I wonder how many people commenting here have owned a G&L or at least spent time with one.

 

[bhunt1]

Here's an example of what they sound like:



I actually like the early G&Ls the best, but this sounds great and I would say this player is great too and he plays one.