Birthday pics - 1983 SB-1
Fri Oct 31, 2014 2:29 pm
After some of the comments my G&L wall thread received, I decided to make a better effort at posting pics of my collection. I've posted birthday pics before, so I'll try to stick with that theme. So, today's post is an SB-1 with a neck date of Oct 31, 1983:
This was my first G&L, and is the only modded G&L on my keepers list. The mods should be pretty obvious. The body and neck were sanded and refinished, and the headstock decal was removed. There was some speculation when I posted a photo of this bass a few years back that it may have been a prototype, but the neck pocket showed signs that it had originally been finished in black. The neck is dated 31 Oct 1983, but the body date was destroyed during the refinishing. The hardware is all original.
This bass is typical for an '82-'84 G&L student model: a lightweight maple body with great acoustic resonance, a fast neck with a maple board, and simple but effective control circuit. This bass weighs exactly eight pounds. To my ears, the sound is very close to a vintage Precision. The volume pot has a very smooth taper, and the tone control does very crisp, very muted, and everything in between.
The strings in these photos are an old set of tape wounds that were on the bass when I bought it in 1999 or 2000. They were just about worn out back then, but they sounded and felt so good to me that I never wanted to change them. The E string bit the dust two years ago, and the other tape wounds I tried just didn't come close to the old ones' sound. A couple of months ago I was on the phone with Jason from Bassstringsonline.com while I was special ordering a set of flats for my Stingray. I mentioned my frustration over the E string of the old tape wound set breaking, and with a couple of questions he was able to pinpoint exactly what that set had been (GHS 3060). Of course I ordered a set immediately, but never got around to installing them. I'll try to find time for that this weekend.
Ken
This was my first G&L, and is the only modded G&L on my keepers list. The mods should be pretty obvious. The body and neck were sanded and refinished, and the headstock decal was removed. There was some speculation when I posted a photo of this bass a few years back that it may have been a prototype, but the neck pocket showed signs that it had originally been finished in black. The neck is dated 31 Oct 1983, but the body date was destroyed during the refinishing. The hardware is all original.
This bass is typical for an '82-'84 G&L student model: a lightweight maple body with great acoustic resonance, a fast neck with a maple board, and simple but effective control circuit. This bass weighs exactly eight pounds. To my ears, the sound is very close to a vintage Precision. The volume pot has a very smooth taper, and the tone control does very crisp, very muted, and everything in between.
The strings in these photos are an old set of tape wounds that were on the bass when I bought it in 1999 or 2000. They were just about worn out back then, but they sounded and felt so good to me that I never wanted to change them. The E string bit the dust two years ago, and the other tape wounds I tried just didn't come close to the old ones' sound. A couple of months ago I was on the phone with Jason from Bassstringsonline.com while I was special ordering a set of flats for my Stingray. I mentioned my frustration over the E string of the old tape wound set breaking, and with a couple of questions he was able to pinpoint exactly what that set had been (GHS 3060). Of course I ordered a set immediately, but never got around to installing them. I'll try to find time for that this weekend.
Ken
Re: Birthday pics - 1983 SB-1
Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:33 pm
Good news on the string quest , GHS and G&L do have a history.
That SB-1 boils down form and function just about as much as you can without taking anything away.
I have a lefty skyhawk body that probably came from the factory garage sale .
It has a spooky date from '88 -
(please disregard the misaligned claw)
That SB-1 boils down form and function just about as much as you can without taking anything away.
I have a lefty skyhawk body that probably came from the factory garage sale .
It has a spooky date from '88 -
(please disregard the misaligned claw)
Re: Birthday pics - 1983 SB-1
Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:51 pm
I'm an history fan. Keep the instruments as-is!
BUT, I agree with Elwood in this case. That's a pure modification and the result is an instrument even more beautiful than the original.
BUT, I agree with Elwood in this case. That's a pure modification and the result is an instrument even more beautiful than the original.