New To Me ASAT Z-3

Some of you have posted some very nice Christmas guitars this week and the Gitmans Fullerton Red Legacy is no exception. Red is a weakness of mine. I have been watching this Z-3 since late October at American Guitar And Band. I made a subtle comment about lusting for this in early November and fellow GLDP'er MGM picked up on it and sent a PM of one that he had located on the internet and it was the one! Anyway the moon and stars were right today and it has a new home. Ginny didn't know about this one but I received a lukewarm nod of approval after getting it home, however she did comment on it saying that it is another "Brown" guitar but liked the Gold. Now, what lady doesn't like Gold?? It is a CLF27xxx build and that could be a 2002. I do need some help on this one from you folks as I am not sure if it would have been a special order or an advertised model that G&L was selling. It is a 2-Tone Tobacco, hollow f-hole with a lightly birdseye neck in GOT. It has a 7.5 inch radius but I have not seen a Gold trimmed G&L in person. All the parts are Gold including the pole pieces on the Z-pickups as are the locking Schallers and string tree screw. It has a pull tone control and the reverse control plate which appears too be how it came or someone interchanged the controls as the front knob is the volume. Boy is it sweet sonically. I was so worried that someone would grab this one before I had my ducks lined up but I realize the Z-3 is not everyone's cup of tea. Here are some pictures and I am a happy dude and still apparently welcome at home! Darwin

Last edited by darwinohm on Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Congrats Darwin!

SH with those pups gives a rich tone, enjoy.

Nice score Darwin!

I think my Z-3 GAS is almost off the charts! I remember I had a student order an asat classic around that year (2003) with gold hardware and it took him forever and a day to get it..... Once he did it certainly was sharp! That hardware combined with the GOT and the wood binding on tobacco burst is something special for sure, I know you will enjoy it.

Scott

Nice one Darwin. The gold looks great on the 'brown'!

Beautiful guitar Darwin Best choice after red! I believe that G&L stopped offering gold hardware in something like 2004. So all options on your guitar, i.e. semi-hollow body with standard 2-tone Sunburst finish, gold hardware, and GOT Bird's Eye maple neck, would all have been available in 2002. I cannot be far off if Scott mentions a friend of his getting gold hardware in 2003. The only thing that strikes me a bit is that this neck is not very 'streaky', that is the GOT seems to be very evenly distributed, at least when compared to GOT BEM necks in my collection. Does anyone know whether GOT was still hand applied in '02 or did they mix it in the gloss finish already?

- Jos

Thanks for your information Jos. I believe it is a 2002 build and your right on about the GOT but I wonder of it applies differently because of the Birdseye or because the person hand applying it just had a good run that day. The neck is quartersawn and after checking the frets, trussrod and playing, it is one the best I have checked. Some are sweeter than others. My initial question is was this a model that G&L packaged for stores or were they special ordered. Maybe they are all custom ordered by dealers, I don't honestly know. Thanks again Jos-- Darwin

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Congratulations on getting that one.

The Saddle-Lock bridge is gorgeous in gold.

If ever you are interested, I would like to know what you think of the noiseless Z-coils compared with the noiseless Kinmans.

I'd like to have the controls turned around like that on my Classic. Sometimes I hit the switch and change the position when playing. It is a good setup for doing volume swells too, as long as the vol. knob is on the end.

Didn't Ginny give you money to put towards a next guitar as a Christmas gift?

.

i love it. i have the controls turned around on all my t style gits. but i do use a slanted switch for easier switch access.

just beautiful!

Didn't Ginny give you money to put towards a next guitar as a Christmas gift?

f ever you are interested, I would like to know what you think of the noiseless Z-coils compared with the noiseless Kinmans.

Michael, Ginny did send some cash my way.

The3 Z coils are very sweet and smooth. I had forgotten what they sounded like as I had not played my other Z-3 for some time. I just used the Kinman blues a couple of weeks ago and they definitely have more brightness and quack and need to be dialed back more than the Z-3s for my liking. They are both very quiet. I am curious why the Z-3s are not more in demand. I was fairly confident that this guitar would still be in the store but didn't want to push my luck any longer. The Z-3 would be best described as being more humbuckerish than the Kinmans yet not sounding like humbuckers. They cover a lot of territory and I did play it through my Twin Reverb Custom 15 with the tone dials at about midpoint. Thanks for asking Michael, and I hope this makes sense. -- Darwin

Very nice. The gold does it well.

Darwin

Cool guitar

This is off G&L's homepage

http://www.glguitars.com/finishes/pics/ASAT-Z3-SH_Tobacco-Sunburst_body.jpg


I am jealous

Roland

Roland, I wish the top on mine had the grain like the one in your link. I had not cleaned up the gold hardware when I posted pictures, I did clean the gold with mothers wax and it cleaned up like new. Gold plating will not last forever especially if polished with an abrasive or too frequently. But the gold hardware is in good condition. Thanks for the link Roland--Darwin

That is a nice one ! Congrats.

Roland, I wish the top on mine had the grain like the one in your link. I had not cleaned up the gold hardware when I posted pictures, I did clean the gold with mothers wax and it cleaned up like new. Gold plating will not last forever especially if polished with an abrasive or too frequently. But the gold hardware is in good condition. Thanks for the link Roland--Darwin

Darwin

I like yours(grain) more then the G&L picture.This for optical reasons.I have a Tobaccoburst ASAT Dlx Semi hollow which is old and really played a lot.
The top veneer(although about 5 mm thick and full) is not flat anymore.The darker parts seem to be harder and so the surface is like a bit of waves(not to be photographed) or this is because beeing semi hollow although inside is flat

[url][URL=http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/137/asatb.jpg/][/url]

As you like "Nice Guitars" I think you are better(perfect) off with the one you got

And not to derail this nice thread-->do you have a ASAT single coil with no pickguard or a transparent one?If so would you mind to post a picture?

Thanks

Roland

Roland, that one sure is pretty. Is that what is called a Deluxe? I would love to have one! I do not have any ASAT's without a pickguard but wish that none of the transparent ones had pickguards. I know what you mean buy the wood grain raising. I have seen many new PRs's where the grain was very dimensional and the tops are wavy with the grain. That is not what I prefer and I do have a 10 top PRS which is flat. My 88 Fender Strat plus is Alder but Alder has black streaks in it which will raise up over time. This one shows a bit of that but the finish is perfect. I am posting a picture of a transparent ASAT but I think my favorite no pickguard G&L is my F-100 Return. It is a fine example of some of the fine woods that G&L has used and it is a maple cap. First one is the ASAT Special and thanks for you input Roland and thank you for your comment SPG. -- Darwin

Darwin

If I would know-as I look for a non pickguard ASAT-how a Tribute ASAT Deluxe carved top looks under the MFD's I may buy one and relace the MFD#s with real vintage ASAT SC's

That F-100 is a ringer

Roland

Darwin

If I would know-as I look for a non pickguard ASAT-how a Tribute ASAT Deluxe carved top looks under the MFD's I may buy one and relace the MFD#s with real vintage ASAT SC's

That F-100 is a ringer

Roland

i think it will be very difficult to turn a mfd deluxe without the pickguard to turn into a sc no pickguard look. the routs are bigger. in every way. unless you are gonna replace it with other mfd's with similar size. when the factory made me my new body, i asked them not to install the pickguard, and they didn't, which made it perfect for the no pickguard look. if you order a new guitar, this should not present a problem. finding one used is not gonna be easy if possible at all. john toner had been trying to convince g&l to offer the no pickjguard option for the transparent and clear finishes, and he has not had any success convincing them. would be such an easy option to offer these guitars with the pickguard in the case but not installed. or doing the magnetic, or earthquake putty fastening system instead of the screws. a problem with the solid body asats is the route from the neck pup to the control cavity. that is the traditional tele way, but it can be substituted with drilling from the neck pocket through the pup route and the control plate. with the sh guitars this is not an issue which is why i could go no pickguard.

i think it will be very difficult to turn a mfd deluxe without the pickguard to turn into a sc no pickguard look. the routs are bigger. in every way. unless you are gonna replace it with other mfd's with similar size. when the factory made me my new body, i asked them not to install the pickguard, and they didn't, which made it perfect for the no pickguard look. if you order a new guitar, this should not present a problem. finding one used is not gonna be easy if possible at all. john toner had been trying to convince g&l to offer the no pickjguard option for the transparent and clear finishes, and he has not had any success convincing them. would be such an easy option to offer these guitars with the pickguard in the case but not installed. or doing the magnetic, or earthquake putty fastening system instead of the screws. a problem with the solid body asats is the route from the neck pup to the control cavity. that is the traditional tele way, but it can be substituted with drilling from the neck pocket through the pup route and the control plate. with the sh guitars this is not an issue which is why i could go no pickguard.

Luis

ASAT dream comes from here,my Legacy



Still after time I am stunned just seeing it and it is a great player too.As I want a second Tele to the HH I started thinking

But seems not to be ,at least at G&L.Maybe I make myself a Benford(Mighty Mite assembled) without bridge and pickguard and slide a G&L ASAT Dlx bridge in.Or buy a used normal ASAT and change the body

Lets see.Its growing

Darwin-->sorry for hijack-->STOP now

Roland

I don't see this as a hijack at all, in fact it is stimulating to see these discussions grow and additional photos of beautiful porn. There is no doubt that additional input and discussions in any of my posts can only make them more interesting! Keep it coming Darwin

Sharp looking Z-3. Of the few I've seen, that finish with gold hardware is my favorite.

I think it was Greg Gagliano that brought a similar Z-3 to the Michigan Jam a few years ago. Great playing and great sounding guitar.