The best G&L Bass?

so which one is the best? (opinions of course)

I'm a guitarist with 3 lovely black neck plate 3 screw g&l
and i'm thinking of getting a bass..

Here is Aus there are a few floating around
- a couple of SB-1 , one from 1990 , one early 80s
and a few others


what do you think?

Virg,

You might be living in the wrong country but I would be remiss if I didn't point out this eBay listing for a beautiful L-2000 Signature. The L-series basses are some of the most versatile instruments around.

- Jos

My vote goes for the M-Series.

I've played an 80s SB-1 since the early '90s and can happily recommend them. With that said, I would love to have an ASAT bass. The more I think about this question the more I think that it doesn't really matter which G&L bass you get, as long as you get one.

Last edited by truckfargo on Mon Apr 14, 2014 7:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I could write a book on this one, but I'll try to keep it to brief observations on each model. I'll go in roughly the order they were introduced.

L-1000: These are rightly described as a "Precision on steroids". My 1980 'hog/maple L-1K is very warm and full when it's dialed back or played through an amp with lots of headroom, but for a passive bass it can really push an amp hard. To my ears, the 'hog body acts a lot like a lowpass filter and attenuates the higher frequencies, leaving a ton of tone. I play it (like most of my basses) with flats, which accentuate this. The early ash L-1Ks I've played had more prominent highs, but still retained a massive amount of low end. The feature that sets the early L-1Ks apart from any other bass (regardless of manufacturer) is the treble cut (or "OMG") switch, which gives a slight boost while bleeding off some of the higher frequencies. The result sounds like a massive bass boost. I suspect Leo was after the power of his active MusicMan basses in a passive model. The ones I've played have been very early production (or in the case of my 'hog, pre-production). The neck profiles are just like a '64 Precision. I have had the opportunity to A/B an '80 L-1K against a stock '64 Precision, and can honestly say that if I had been blindfolded I wouldn't have been able to tell which was which. IMO, my 'hog L-1K excels at classic country, blues and reggae/dub, but would work for just about any style of music.

L-2000: To me the big differences between an early L-1K and an early L-2K are (a) the L-2K has more tonal options, and (b) the L-1K has the OMG switch. There were passive versions of the L-2K at the very start, with active electronics being optional (the L-2KE). My '81 L-2KE feels just like my L-1K. With similar flat wound strings on both, the L-2KE is able to produce sounds that aren't as heavy on the fundamentals.

SB-1 (first style, from '82-'83): I love these basses. They are probably the simplest basses Leo Fender ever designed, but they do many jobs really really well. I'd call the basic tone somewhere between a Precision and a Jazz soloed on the neck pickup. When I bought mine back around 1999, it had an old set of tape wounds which I absolutely loved. They gave a very hollow thud that worked great for older classic rock and blues. When the E string bit the dust last year, I switched over to round wounds (since they were all I had on hand). With rounds, the bass tends more into Jazz territory and has plenty of zing. Just like it's guitar counterpart, the SC-1, the controls are very interactive and can bring out a much wider range of tones than I would have expected from a single-pickup bass. Also like the SC-1, it has an undersized slab body. All first-style SB-1s had maple bodies and boards, and the color choices were very limited.

SB-2 (first style, from '82-'83): Very much like an SB-1, but with the capability to get more of a traditional Jazz sound.

Lynx: In 1984 the SB-2 was given body contours, optional rosewood fingerboards, and a full range of finishes, along with a name change to "Lynx". My maple rosewood '86 Lynx is easily the most comfortable bass I've ever played. If I could only keep one bass guitar, my Lynx would be a strong contender to be the one. I string it with Rotosound flats (which aren't quite flat, IMO), and it can handle just about any style of music I throw at it.

I don't want to risk a time out, so I'm going to submit this now and continue in a second post.

Ken

Where was I? I think it was up to about 1984.

El Toro/Interceptor Bass: These are really the same model, just with different body shapes. They are excellent rock basses, and could hold their own in many styles of music. Despite its pointiness, I would rate the Interceptor as being slightly more comfortable to play than the El Toro. The two MFD humbuckers and multiple switching options give a lot of versatility. To my ears, these models are more prominent in the upper mids compared to an L-2K. The sound is comparable to the early SB-2 or Lynx, but obviously an El Toro or Interceptor can get a wider range of tones. I've been experimenting with rounds, half-rounds and quarter rounds on mine, but I have a feeling they will both end up with some high-quality flats eventually.

SB-1 (second style, from '85-'91): This is another "Precision on steroids". The feel is very much like a late-'60s Precision, but with a lot more punch and growl from the split-coil MFD. The very early ones used a Schaller pickup wound to Leo Fender's specifications, but by late '85 or early '86 MFDs were replacing them. My SB-1 is from January '86, and left the factory with a Schaller. Right now it has a recent MFD the previous owner installed, but eventually I will get it back to the original pickup and post a tone report. I played mine for a while with a set of round wounds, and it gave a very good tone for rock. I just switched over to LaBella Original '54s a couple of days ago, and so far I like that sound as well. It gets really close to a classic James Jamerson Motown sound.

ASAT Bass: This is a repackaged L-2K. I've recently acquired one from the very end of the Leo era (body dated 3/19/91, Leo's last day at the factory) with a '92 factory replacement neck. These have a lot of tonal versatility (more so than my '81 L-2KE). They came with a standard 1.5" nut to minimize neck dive, so they feel a lot like a Jazz. There is definitely a bit of neck dive going on, but I don't find it to be nearly as significant as some critics have claimed. Mine came to me with a very good set of round wounds on it, and for once I am not in a rush to install flats. The Leo-era ASATs have slab bodies and a strap button right at the centerline (compared to post-'91, when contours and then a second strap button were added). I think I could use mine for any style of music and get good results.

I can't comment on the second style (post-'89) SB-2, as I haven't experienced one yet. The fact that they are still in production after 25 years with no major changes is probably a good sign.

I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask questions!

Ken

Ken

Super interesting Ken! thank you.

I didn't know that there were Leo era ASAT basses and now I really want one.

thanks for the replies.
There are two Sb-1 for sale here.
One is 85 , the other 91, around $800 each
They are almost identical (except for the headstock shape change)

i liked that blue L-2000, just a bit out of my price range...

i liked that blue L-2000, just a bit out of my price range...

That one stands out
My 88 L2000 is a keeper. If you were to get just one G&L bass (good luck with that ),
I'd recommend a three bolt L2000 or ASAT Bass. The Bi-Cut necks will be stiffer than a one piece of similar wood.

Any links or pics of those your looking at?

Lwood

There are two Sb-1 for sale here.
One is 85 , the other 91, around $800 each
They are almost identical (except for the headstock shape change)

The '85 is likely to have a Schaller pickup, which would make it a bit of a rarity. The '91 should have an MFD, which is what G&Ls are all about. Do you know what the neck profile is on the '91?

Ken

Sb-1 1980's

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/G-L-SB-1-vintage-circa-1985-bass-guitar-/231199814593?pt=AU_Musical_Instruments_Instruments&hash=item35d49533c1&_uhb=1

Sb-1 1990s

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/bronte/guitars-amps/g-l-sb-1-bass-guitar-1990-build/1032212713




L-2000 ... Here is one that I suspect may be owned by a forum member

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/G-L-Vintage-1983-L-2000-made-by-Leo-Fender-Top-Of-The-Line-/121317344932?pt=AU_Musical_Instruments_Instruments&hash=item1c3f13c6a4&_uhb=1

Personally, between the SB-1s I would go with the '85. I have one just like it, which I have been completely pleased with. It appears to have a maple body, with the matte sunburst finish which was fairly unique to the mid-'80s SB-1s. Sound-wise the '90 should be identical (they both have MFDs and identical circuits), but the '90 appears to have some serious dings on the body and especially on the neck.

The L-2K looks really sweet too. I wouldn't think of building a new bass with a white finish (just personal preference), but a lot of those '80s G&L white bodies have become beautifully creamy with age. The ebony board looks very nice with the white body.

Actually, looking at the prices, I would go with the L-2K over the '85 SB-1 for the additional $50. You'd have a lot more tonal options.

Ken

Oh Ken , that's the right answer . That El Tookay is mine and it's amazing . It's actually a maple body so it's a bit rarer too. When you spoke about tonal options you were so right. You can play any genre. Rock, blues , country , reggae, soul. Indie and stuff that hasn't been invented yet. It just rumbles and shakes things the sound is so deep.
I'm talking myself into keeping it .
Thanks
A

I think Premier Guitar magazine just did a review of the newly reissued LB-100, and they loved it.

I think the magic is in the MFD bass pickups, though.

Bill

I was glad to see that KenC liked the lynx so much that he would seriously consider keeping it as his only guitar. I just bought an 89 Lynx (actually will get it in two days). i was playing a bunch of things at guitar center and the guy showed it to me. Two hours later I was still messing around with it.

I just bought an 89 Lynx (actually will get it in two days). i was playing a bunch of things at guitar center and the guy showed it to me. Two hours later I was still messing around with it.

Congratulations! Is it the red one they had on the website?

Ken

Ken,

It was the red one on the Site. Came with the original hard case as well.

And tips for a new owner?

Ron

Ken,

It was the red one on the Site. Came with the original hard case as well.

And tips for a new owner?

Ron

I can't remember what the fretboard was on your bass. If it's rosewood, I would give it a good soaking with food-grade walnut oil (my personal preference for fretboard treatments) during the first string change. As far as strings go, I've been through several sets on my SB/Lynx basses. I usually prefer flatwound strings on most basses. Right now my '86 Lynx has a set of Rotosound 77s, which I think work very nicely on it. That set is marketed as flatwound, but the windings do have some texture and the sound has a bit of the classic Rotosound zing (nowhere near the top end of their 66 "Swing Bass" set, though). My '83 SB-1 came to me about 15 years ago with a set of nylon tape wounds, which I loved right up until the E string broke last year. They were the only set of strings that I've literally worn out in 30+ years of playing. I haven't been able to confirm what that set was, so I tried a set of D'Addario Black Nylon Tape Wounds (#ETB92). They ended up on my '84 SB-2, and while they aren't as magical as my old set they do a good job. They make no finger noise, and have a surprising amount of top end. The SB-1 has a set of round wounds (SIT light gauge, IIRC). They work well with the MFD pickup, if you're into the round wound sound.

I find that my Lynx responds very well to different right hand positions (I play fingerstyle 99.999% of the time). I spend most of my time with my right thumb anchored on the neck pickup, which gives a good tone for most rock and blues. Shifting up to the neck (and playing on top of the last frets) can give a great full sound for reggae or dub, especially with the tone dialed back. Playing on top of the bridge pickup gives a thinner, brighter tone - closer to a Jazz than a Stingray or L-1500.

As far as the controls go, I rarely push the volume all the way up on an MFD-equipped G&L. They seem happiest to me at around 80%. I usually start with the tone in the center, and adjust to taste. To my ears, the Lynx and early SB basses (the ones with a single coil MFD at the neck position, rather than a split coil) have a sweet spot around the 7th through 9th frets. Don't get me wrong, they sound great all over the fretboard, but that is where they get the most punch and the fullest tone.

I hope this helps. I look forward to reading your impressions of the Lynx once you've had a chance to bond with it.

Ken

Thanks for all the info. I play in a cover band right now. A lot of Springsteen and petty, with a mix of 80s and 90s. We will throw some other stuff in there depending on what the leads feel like. I find myself playing pick more often with that. First love is blues, especially stax stuff like Albert king. Don't think I will have time to do your treatment suggestion, as I pick it up.on Thursday and have a gig on Friday. I will let you know how it goes. Thanks again,

Ron

Don't think I will have time to do your treatment suggestion, as I pick it up.on Thursday and have a gig on Friday

FWIW, it takes me about 30-45 minutes in most cases. I just wipe on a wet coat, give it about five minutes, and then reapply anywhere that it's soaked in completely (i.e., the spots that look dry). When I stop getting dry spots, I wipe it down with a clean cloth.

I will let you know how it goes.

I look forward to the gig report!

Ken

This string has been fairly informative for me. I'm in the middle of possibly picking up what's been described to me as a 1980 L 2000, passive-only model, which I've never seen before. I know they were manufactured in the very early days. Electronics have been messed with though, and the neck is clearly not original, though it is a G&L fretless neck.
The controls are now:
Selector switch - now a kill switch
Volume knob - Still volume
Bass cut - now a pick up blend
Treble cut - now a tone

I've trolled fairly hard on this forum and elsewhere and I have totally failed at finding anyone out there with a passive model L 2000.
Anybody?

http://fresno.craigslist.org/msg/4444057256.html

I don't recall one being shown here before either.
Has it been repainted ?
Can you get a serial #?
It's good to have more lowenders around,welcome !

elwood

I talked to the seller the other day. He picked it up years ago already beat to <censored word>. He didn't mention replacing the neck, so it must have already been on when he got it. The original color was some sort of red. If I pick it up, I plan on getting the controls back to original at least. As for the serial numbers, I'll bet those were probably covered during the paint job. I'm still waiting on more pictures.
I've had my SB-1 and SB-2 for almost 20 years. It would be interesting to have an original passive L2000.

At the beginning of L-2K production there were passive ones made. Unlike the early Stingrays that CLF designed and built for MusicMan, the active L-2K (which had "Series E" on the headstock decal) could be switched between active and passive modes. I understand that the fully passive model was dropped early on because it just didn't make sense to have the two separate models.

The L-2000 came out in the early part of 1981, so I doubt the one you're looking at could have 1980 date stamps. The serial number would be stamped into the bridge. Here's an example of a bridge serial number, to show just where it would be:



The bridges had a chrome finish in 1981, but switched over to black crinkle (like the one on my SC-1) by the beginning of 1982. Chrome control plates were still being used after the bridges switched over, so late '81 and early '82 L-2Ks normally had mismatched trim. The original neck would have had a "paddle" headstock:



Ken

Thanks Ken.
The more I look into these things, the more I'd rather get myself an old L1000.
Even if I rehabilitate that frankenbass into something resembling the original electronics, it will always be some sort of modified instrument. So much for resale value.

Ken, gig went great. Loved playing it. I will get a pic of the bass up soon.

Ron

Here's an eBay snapshot of the L1000 that I ended up getting.

I was wondering when somebody would finally jump on that one. I was pretty tempted by it a few times. Congratulations!

Ken

Here's an eBay snapshot of the L1000 that I ended up getting.

Nice, nice, nice!

- Jos

According to the seller, I was the ONLY one who even contacted him about it. Nobody offered or bid ANYTHING for it. I get the feeling that a lot of people out there get intimidated by a fretless. They seem to think that the only way you can play one is like Jaco, but I disagree. To top it off, he accepted my bid that was $100 less than what he had it listed as.
Makes me wonder what I would ever be able to get for my 94 SB-2 fretless, if I ever attempted to sell it.

I have two fretless basses right now: a Warwick Corvette and a '99 L-2K. The Corvette has an amazing neck, but doesn't cover the tonal ground I'd like it to. The L-2K is probably my most attractive G&L instrument (Honey over swamp ash, with a heavy BEM neck and ebony board), but the neck is wider than I prefer on a fretless. It was the early L-1K profile that kept me away from your bass; it fits my hand very well for some music, but not for how I play fretless. Down the road I would like to find a fretless El Toro with a 1 5/8" nut. If I ever order a new G&L it will most likely be a fretless L-1500 with a 1.5" nut.

Ken

I tend to switch back and forth between a fretted SB-1 with the wider neck and my fretless SB-2 with the narrower neck. Always considered the possibility of converting my SB-1 to fretless. Anyway, I've been doing this for so long that I really don't have much of a preference between the two. Right now I'm 'assuming' that it will be a natural fit for me, and even if it's not, it will be like dancing with a different partner.
If the Fed Ex guys don't drop kick it too much on its way over here, I'll even attempt to use it on a gig I have this Friday.
Fingers crossed.