Questions from a new member

Am looking to get back into the G&L family. I had a Broadcaster from mid 1985 until late 1986 when it was stolen from my car. I replaced it with an ASAt. Both were standard issue but with ebony fingerboards. I sold the ASAT in a trade for a Les Paul that I never liked as much so...

I've chased a couple of Broadcasters recently and dropped out either because of price or condition problems.

I have found a Leo Era ASAT that is pretty nice except that it has a rosewood fretboard.
1- How difficult is a neck swap? From reading here it doesn't appear to be too difficult. I have had the neck off a telecaster a while back - not a swap but it played the same after I put it back on. :-)
2- What should I order? Quarter sawn or half sawn with ebony. Which frets - I like the frets on the ASAT and the Broadcaster. I assume they are the wide variety - not the vintage.
3- Where can I order the neck? Dealer? Factory? Fullerton is just down the 105/606 from me so I'm local.

Thanks in advance - I did look through this forum regarding MOST of the above and didn't find answers. I apologize if this has been answered and I missed the answer.

Should I buy the ASAT and order a neck OR should I just learn to be patient and wait until the right instrument appears?
;-)

Last edited by Lemmy Caution on Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Getting a neck exchange can be a pain in the rear. You have to go through a dealer, and send G&L the entire guitar, neck & body. They will fit the neck, etc. This is assuming that you want a G&L neck. Otherwise, a Fender neck might fit.

edg

Wouldn't a Leo era ASAT have a 3-bolt neck? Modern G&L's are 4-bolt.

Wouldn't a Leo era ASAT have a 3-bolt neck? Modern G&L's are 4-bolt.

yep !! .... it won't work

yep !! .... it won't work

I don't think G&L sells necks separate anyway. If I'm wrong I hope
Craig chimes in to correct me.

A newer neck could work but I'd bet it would take some custom fitting to the old pocket,
as long as the new neck is larger ( or you have a board stretcher ).
A neck from the 80's would most likely fit with little or no sandpaper involved.
As FF mentioned , the neck screw arrangement has changed so there's that too.

I'd just start to look fervently with patience and a few bucks stashed away so whena deal comes along you'll be first in line.
happy hunting!

elwood

the marketplace here can be fruitful ...a good thing to bookmark and check occasionally

I am getting a Factory neck replacement for my 2000 Comanche (4 bolt) no problem , it's not cheap but worth doing on a nice guitar and you can have any of the options you want including matching head stock , fret wood type , ect , ect .... my local dealer is sending it in to the Factory

I am getting a Factory neck replacement for my 2000 Comanche (4 bolt) no problem , it's not cheap but worth doing on a nice guitar and you can have any of the options you want including matching head stock , fret wood type , ect , ect .... my local dealer is sending it in to the Factory

Good to know . thanks.

Musikraft are making replacement G&L necks now. They aren't official but they'll make one pretty much however you want it.

Am looking to get back into the G&L family.

Welcome to G&LDP!

Should I buy the ASAT and order a neck OR should I just learn to be patient and wait until the right instrument appears?

Just wait for the one you're after. Leo-era ASATs aren't very difficult to find. I would look into any that are advertised as having rosewood boards; IME many sellers do not recognize that the unstained ebony G&L used in the '80s is, in fact, ebony.

As far as replacing the neck goes, I wouldn't do it. Once you put a modern neck on a Leo-era ASAT - even if the neck was custom-fitted by the G&L factory - you would no longer have a Leo-era ASAT. The profiles are different, the finishes are different, the construction methods and materials are different, the logos are different, etc., etc. It won't feel the same, and it won't look the same.

Is there any particular reason other than appearance that you are opposed to a rosewood board?

Ken

Thanks for all the feedback/answers.
1 - IF I were to do this, I would prefer to send it to G&L
2 - I thought about the 3 bolt 4 bolt issue AND the Leo Era issue - the integrity of the instrument is important to me.
3 - Ebony. Aside from the looks I think it feels faster. Tone is different - brighter. I like maple too but not for this guitar

It's like replacing anything else from ones past - difficult- we have these perceptions that have probably become idealized over many years.

I'll keep looking - Bottom line - I want another Broadcaster - the ASAT can be a place-holder. Also, no sooner than I've bought the ASAT, I will find a Broadcaster.

Thanks again - I'll let you know what I find - when I find it.

This forum is an invaluable resource - glad I found it.

I know I've come late to this post, but the G&L Knowledgebase General G&L Questions sub-forum has this post: Compilation of Replacement neck info posted on the G&L Forum.

Perhaps this will be useful to others looking for this information.

Craig - thanks for the link! I don't know why it didn't show in my search. More likely, it did and I didn't see it.

Well - A big Thank You to Elwood and KenC for urging me to be patient. Patience and eBay rewarded me with a fairly nice ASAT on April 15th. ( 1986, blond finish, ebony fretboard. )
Looks a little rough - paint is nicked and worn but the guitar is very well-cared-for.

The next morning - an email announces that there is a Broadcaster on eBay...
"no sooner than I've bought the ASAT, I will find a Broadcaster"
So, I put a bid based on the last few that have sold on Bidnapper and waited.
Now I have 2 G&Ls

The Broadcaster finish is less worn but, whoever played it sweated a lot and did not wipe the guitar down.
So - bridge saddles, pickguard and pickup screws need replacing.

I did a basic set up on each - they cleaned up well - I forgot what great playing instruments these are.

Now I have 2 - I will post some photos and register both. Will also detail more about the work needed on the Broadcaster bridge etc. in projects as I progress.

Congratulations on the two.

Congrats on the pair !! .... I can sure understand the Broadcaster gas , I just got my first Broadcaster a few weeks ago and all I can say is without question that the B-caster is my favorite sounding G&L of all ...... It would be sweet if G&L would offer a limited special edition Broadcaster with the same pick ups , switches , wiring and paint scheme as the originals .... WR was right about the sound

Congratulations! I'm glad it worked out like that.

I love the look of an early blonde/ebony ASAT. Both of my '86s are black/ebony. For some reason I find myself wishing one of them was blonde. Oh well, I'll make that #6 on my GAS list!

Ken

Thanks all - I have registered both - I have not dated the ASAT yet as the strings are new and I don't want to mess with the neck. It is an 86 according to the previous owner.

Tim GOTW... sorry for the confusion: The wisdom of the forum convinced me to wait and find what I wanted. It only took a couple of weeks until I found an ebony neck ASAT - then the ebony Broadcaster showed up. So, BOTH have ebony necks. Both are in decent shape though, the ASAT has the beginnings of some finger divots. These are fairly dark ebony though the Broadcaster has a couple of lighter streaks (still very dark).

A good cleaning and an application of oil really helped both necks.

I will post some photos soon- I'm really enjoying playing them though the ASAT is in much better shape for playing. The Broadcaster is going to get a new set of saddles and a full professional setup. It needs it.

I have not dated the ASAT yet as the strings are new and I don't want to mess with the neck. It is an 86 according to the previous owner.

It's pretty easy to date a Leo-era ASAT from a photo of the headstock. They went through changes in the decals, string tree materials and string tree placement. We can usually narrow it down to about a 12-month production window for any given headstock.

Ken