F100 F-100 Series 1 Series 2 thread

Not a lot out there, and no love? for this guitar. Leo's first after musicman if you believe everything you read..and it had humbuckers. Never mind the neck, Im convinced (by a very important member here) that the series 1 is the 12er and the series 2 is the 7.25er, and that it came with either ebony or maple on top, hard tali, ash and other woods, active or passive. I want one.

How did these first humbuckers do? What about vs. a schaller that came in an invader later? What else was in Senor Fenders mind as far as humbuckers? Are these guitars any good?

I'm a california wannabe so I play a G&L and a Boogie...damn fine combo nation!

I currently have a line on an early 80's F100 Series I and I am also curious as to the sound and playability of this model. A friend of mine has it and has owned it for many years. I planning on getting together with him in a week or so and will have a chance to try it out. If I like it, we may make a deal.

I would not wait a week, especially if I had his number! What neck is on it? What color is it, what wood is it? I want ebony myself, but Im curios as to those humbeckers? Are the same shizzat that the mfd's are and the nice early sc-3's are?

I'm kind of thinking this is the best guitar those boys ever made - I like the looks and i've got to here those humbuckers..

Well, I just surfaced from downstairs after rocking out the whole afternoon on a "cloud control plate" G-200 I just got. Men! What a guitar!

But lets segue into the F-100. Both F-100 and G-200 have MFD buckers although with small differences. I have never been able to find the exact differences, but judging from the lower DC-impedance for the pups in my '80 F-100 Series II compared to both my G-200s, I guess the number of windings is less on the F-100 buckers giving the more edge in an otherwise fairly flat frequency response curve. Depending on the body, there are mostly mahogany and ash F-100s out there with only a very few with alder or maple body, this response will either be attenuated or emphasized. Nevertheless, the F-100 buckers belong to the hi-fi versions of the buckers and they are very powerful. They easily drive a pre-amp stage of a good tube amplifier into saturation allowing you a lot of tonal options right at your fingertips by using the controls.

I have to be honest, I think the G-200 sounds better than either my F-100 or HG-2 and think it's the best sounding G&L with buckers. But the F-100 is one versatile guitar. BTW, I have a little theory why its called the F-100. G&L used names of military equipment. Remember that the F-100 model is based on the Music Man Sabre. The model name for the eponymous air jet was F-86 which was superseded by the F-100 "Super Sabre". So as a hidden slight to MM, they named their model after the Super Sabre. Of course I might be entirely wrong, but I like the idea nevertheless.

- Jos

Hey Jos , are the LE2 bridge pup the same as early F100 ??

I would not wait a week, especially if I had his number! What neck is on it? What color is it, what wood is it? I want ebony myself, but Im curios as to those humbeckers? Are the same shizzat that the mfd's are and the nice early sc-3's are?

I haven't seen it for a few years but going from memory it's kind of a clear blue with a maple neck. I believe the body is ash.

Not a lot out there, and no love? for this guitar. Leo's first after musicman if you believe everything you read..and it had humbuckers. Never mind the neck, Im convinced (by a very important member here) that the series 1 is the 12er and the series 2 is the 7.25er, and that it came with either ebony or maple on top, hard tali, ash and other woods, active or passive. I want one.

How did these first humbuckers do? What about vs. a schaller that came in an invader later? What else was in Senor Fenders mind as far as humbuckers? Are these guitars any good?

I'm a california wannabe so I play a G&L and a Boogie...damn fine combo nation!

The Series II (2) neck fretboard radius was 7 1/2", not 7 1/4".

Here is a post in our G&L Knowledgebase to check out: NGD: 1980 G&L F-100 Series I (Searching for F-100 Info).

Hope this helps.

Hey Jos , are the LE2 bridge pup the same as early F100 ??

See these posts in the G&L Knowledgebase:
List of pickups used in G&L guitars.
F-100 vs 25th Anniversary PUP's.

Hey Eric,

Hey Jos , are the LE2 bridge pup the same as early F100 ??

Not likely. I base this on the DC-impedances I have for the different pickups. For my '81 F-100 Series II I have 6.80kΩ for the neck and 6.79kΩ in the bridge. Compare that with the readings for the 25th Anniversary (9.82kΩ neck/15.32kΩ bridge) and F-100 Return Edition (9.85kΩ neck/16.07kΩ bridge) both ostensible with the same pups, and you'll notice the values are quite different. For the GbL LE-2 F-100 bridge pickup, the reading is 15.53kΩ, more commensurate with the current day F-100 MFD bucker than what it was in the past. All of these values are commensurate with those mentioned in the List of pickups used in G&L guitars.

There you go buddy,

- Jos

I've owned two F-100s. The first one had an ash body and DFV, and was built in September-October 1980. The second has a 'hog body and Saddle Lock bridge, and was built in early 1981. Both Series 2s, and both with ebony boards.

The first one just didn't do it for me. It was in near-mint condition and the fact that it had the lowest known G&L serial number made it very desirable to me from a collecting standpoint, but the feel and sound didn't appeal to me. The tone seemed shrill to my ears, and the body wasn't as resonant as most of my other Leo-era G&Ls.

I bought the second one because (a) I was curious how the 'hog and ash bodies would compare, (b) the price was great, and (c) I had very bad GAS at the moment. It came to me rather dirty and with a pitiful setup. After about an hour of work, I was in love. It was comfortable, resonant, and very easy to play. The sound is a lot fuller than with my first F-100. It is definitely a keeper. I'm not sure whether the difference was in the 'hog body, variability in the hand-wound pickups, or the hard tail bridge.

I do think it will be important to have a compatible amp when you find your F-100s. When I got the 'hog F-100 I was mainly playing through a Blues Junior. The tone from the F-100 was warm and full, and worked very nicely for jazzy chord solos. I gave the F-100 a workout the other night through a 1970s Fender Champ, and the tone was very different: shimmery cleans with the volume rolled back, but easy to push the amp to nice crunchy breakup. I haven't tried an F-100 with pedals that I can recall, other than with my old ash F-100 and a Roland JC-120. That one experience was enough to convince me that an F-100 and a Jazz Chorus should not even be in the same room together...

I would definitely encourage you both to try an F-100 (or two, or three). In my experience, they are vastly different guitars depending on the body wood (just as I would say with several other Leo-era instruments). The build quality is second to none. If you go on the hunt, just remember that these wonderful guitars had to survive the super-Strat craze of the 1980s, so a fair number ended up being routed for full-size humbuckers and whammy bars. There are still clean ones out there, though.

Ken

Well, I just surfaced from downstairs after rocking out the whole afternoon on a "cloud control plate" G-200 I just got. Men! What a guitar!

Ahem...how about a little proof???

Ken

I've owned two F-100s. The first one had an ash body and DFV, and was built in September-October 1980. The second has a 'hog body and Saddle Lock bridge, and was built in early 1981. Both Series 2s, and both with ebony boards.

The first one just didn't do it for me. It was in near-mint condition and the fact that it had the lowest known G&L serial number made it very desirable to me from a collecting standpoint, but the feel and sound didn't appeal to me. The tone seemed shrill to my ears, and the body wasn't as resonant as most of my other Leo-era G&Ls.

I bought the second one because (a) I was curious how the 'hog and ash bodies would compare, (b) the price was great, and (c) I had very bad GAS at the moment. It came to me rather dirty and with a pitiful setup. After about an hour of work, I was in love. It was comfortable, resonant, and very easy to play. The sound is a lot fuller than with my first F-100. It is definitely a keeper. I'm not sure whether the difference was in the 'hog body, variability in the hand-wound pickups, or the hard tail bridge.

I do think it will be important to have a compatible amp when you find your F-100s. When I got the 'hog F-100 I was mainly playing through a Blues Junior. The tone from the F-100 was warm and full, and worked very nicely for jazzy chord solos. I gave the F-100 a workout the other night through a 1970s Fender Champ, and the tone was very different: shimmery cleans with the volume rolled back, but easy to push the amp to nice crunchy breakup. I haven't tried an F-100 with pedals that I can recall, other than with my old ash F-100 and a Roland JC-120. That one experience was enough to convince me that an F-100 and a Jazz Chorus should not even be in the same room together...

I would definitely encourage you both to try an F-100 (or two, or three). In my experience, they are vastly different guitars depending on the body wood (just as I would say with several other Leo-era instruments). The build quality is second to none. If you go on the hunt, just remember that these wonderful guitars had to survive the super-Strat craze of the 1980s, so a fair number ended up being routed for full-size humbuckers and whammy bars. There are still clean ones out there, though.

Ken

Thanks for your very valuable input Ken. At this point I'm just curious to try this guitar out for a while. As I remember it, it's all original. I believe it has a DFV but I could be wrong. I haven't seen very many blue ones before. Most seem to be natural or sunburst.

Greg.

Thanks for your very valuable input Ken. At this point I'm just curious to try this guitar out for a while. As I remember it, it's all original. I believe it has a DFV but I could be wrong. I haven't seen very many blue ones before. Most seem to be natural or sunburst.

Greg.

You're welcome! As far as finishes go, Clear Blue was a choice back in the early days. It was normally used over ash, but it could have shown up on maple too. Natural was very common (or "Clear Root Beer", as it is sometimes called on mahogany bodies). Sunbursts usually would have been on mahogany in the first half of the decade, but everything is possible with Leo-era G&Ls!

Ken

Well, I just surfaced from downstairs after rocking out the whole afternoon on a "cloud control plate" G-200 I just got. Men! What a guitar!

Ahem...how about a little proof???

Ken

There! It exists!!

- Jos

Beautiful guitar Jos!

I've owned and played quite a few F-100's over the years - they're great guitars and very versatile but all the ones I've come across were quite heavy and yeah either natural or sunburst. I think the earlier ones were 'custom colours… red, black, blue, green, white…etc…
All but 2 had DFV's… and were either mahogany or ash bodies. The best one I played was in Aurora Loans pawn shop north of Seattle - a sunburst hog hard tail with ebony fingerboard back round 1999 - could have got it with OHSC for $400 out the door but it had some huge divots in the frets so I passed on it.
It hung around for about a year and then a vintage dealer finally bought it. My 2nd fave I gifted to my mate Dane - a transparent blue ash body DF bridge model with a maple neck… on the heavy side but a great looker and player…. got it of CL in Seattle 2 years ago for $600.

Bottom line - take er for a spin and go hard…

Cheers,

Kf

Looks like I'll be getting my hands on the F-100 on Tuesday next week for a two week trial. I may try and post some pics of it Tuesday night. Stay tuned...

How did these first humbuckers do? What about vs. a schaller that came in an invader later?

These are MFD pickups, Schallers are traditional ones.

Here's how they sound. Fixed bridge in Mahogany:
https://youtu.be/oHRdLsWaPgU

And active electronic circuit with Dual Fulcrum in Ash, I think:
https://youtu.be/MhoO6AXuBvw

Last edited by Miles Smiles on Sun Jun 11, 2017 1:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Great chops you have there Miles! Both models sound enticing. Can't wait to get my hands on one tomorrow.

I played my Mahongany F-100 on a gig last Friday beside my Tribute Comanche. It was great.

Man, I was all set with the Hog F100 until I listened to the second one! Now I am pretty sure either one would be great.

Nice playing Miles! What were you playing through? Amp or direct?

the piano player looks familiar , but I can't put a name to the face ...lol.... great playing Miles

Thanks guys.

What were you playing through? Amp or direct?

No amp, just a Line6 Pod X3.

I have a G& L F100 series ll. The serial number stamped on the bridge is G008952.
Neck has a stamp of 726 82 Body has a May 82 stamp on the neck pocket. Can anyone date this guitar for me. The serial number confuses me as posted information says that the serial numbers for 1982 begin with G009886

I have a G& L F100 series ll. The serial number stamped on the bridge is G008952.
Neck has a stamp of 726 82 Body has a May 82 stamp on the neck pocket. Can anyone date this guitar for me. The serial number confuses me as posted information says that the serial numbers for 1982 begin with G009886

Since you have the build dates from the body (5/82) and neck (7/26/82), the build year is 1982. It was not unusual for the build dates for body and neck to be different. That is why our G&L Registry has
both neck and body date entries. The completion date will likely be on or right after the latest date shown (7/26/82).
See: Serial number significance.

Hope this helps.

Thanks But according to information posted the Bridge S/N ( G008952) is a lower number than the earliest for 1982 year ( G009886)

Thanks But according to information posted the Bridge S/N ( G008952) is a lower number than the earliest for 1982 year ( G009886)

Serial numbers were not issued in sequence, see: How do I determine an instrument's age?.

Hope this helps.

Thanks I think I understand. From reading your referenced link. The builder just "grabbed" a bridge out of the parts bin when the guitar was assembled . The bridge S/N has little to do with the actual date of the guitar.
Correct?

Thanks I think I understand. From reading your referenced link. The builder just "grabbed" a bridge out of the parts bin when the guitar was assembled . The bridge S/N has little to do with the actual date of the guitar.
Correct?

Yes, that is correct.

One additional Query,
My F100 has a mat black bridge and neck plate. Most of the ones I've seen have chrome plated ones is there a significance to this beyond just appearance? Perhaps the chrome ones were a step-up premium ? Just curoius

One additional Query,
My F100 has a mat black bridge and neck plate. Most of the ones I've seen have chrome plated ones is there a significance to this beyond just appearance? Perhaps the chrome ones were a step-up premium ? Just curoius

There was a brief transitional period between chrome and black crinkle where the bridges and neck plates had a smooth black plating. That was around 1982. I've never seen it on a guitar that I can remember, but it was common on L-1000s from late '81 through early '82 to see chrome and smooth black parts on the same instrument.

Ken

One additional Query,
My F100 has a mat black bridge and neck plate. Most of the ones I've seen have chrome plated ones is there a significance to this beyond just appearance? Perhaps the chrome ones were a step-up premium ? Just curoius

There was a brief transitional period between chrome and black crinkle where the bridges and neck plates had a smooth black plating. That was around 1982. I've never seen it on a guitar that I can remember, but it was common on L-1000s from late '81 through early '82 to see chrome and smooth black parts on the same instrument.

Ken

We have atleast 6 F-100's with black hardware registered on the G&L Registry.

And, Greg Gagliano has an F-100-II (1984) with black hardware; his page has additional information.

Hope this helps.

One additional Query,
My F100 has a mat black bridge and neck plate. Most of the ones I've seen have chrome plated ones is there a significance to this beyond just appearance? Perhaps the chrome ones were a step-up premium ? Just curoius

There was a brief transitional period between chrome and black crinkle where the bridges and neck plates had a smooth black plating. That was around 1982. I've never seen it on a guitar that I can remember, but it was common on L-1000s from late '81 through early '82 to see chrome and smooth black parts on the same instrument.

Ken

I guess I didn't word that well. Smooth black parts definitely showed up on guitars. I have them on a G-200 and some very early SC models. It's the mix of chrome and smooth black plating on a single instrument that I've only seen on L-1000s.

Ken

My F100 has build dates in 1982 and is a "natural" finish ( not sure of the body wood). Bridge and neck plate as well as controls cover plate are smooth mat black. Guitar plays and sounds great but is on the heavy side.

My F100 has build dates in 1982 and is a "natural" finish ( not sure of the body wood). Bridge and neck plate as well as controls cover plate are smooth mat black. Guitar plays and sounds great but is on the heavy side.

If you post some photos of your F-100, we should be able to identify the body wood.
For posting photos, see: Tutorial: Posting photos.

Here is a pic of my F100
[timage=][/timage]https://www.dropbox.com/home/Camera%20Uploads?preview=IMG_1155.JPG
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Camera%20U ... G_1157.JPG

Hope I did this right ( 1st time)

Oop s the body pic link does not work Ill try again
[timage=][/timage]
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Camera%20U ... G_1155.JPG

ONe more ( following the instructions more closely
[timage=][/timage]https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AACdbxr6u7cQsLhqQmPvBU6EmWamvBhvqAmizeOS2TqTVQ/12/322835081/jpeg/32x32/1/_/1/2/IMG_1155.JPG/EM6P4b8CGJwDIAIoAg/avkRMaTszYuPwBZ-ZRj_Iz8Prra4Q7NPLHwoXzAreaU?size=1280x960&size_mode=3

[timage=][/timage]

https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AACdbx ... ize_mode=3

It looks like those links are all password protected. Try putting the imapge link between img tags, like this: [img]url%20goes%20here[/img].

Ken

ONe more ( following the instructions more closely
[timage=][/timage]https://photos-4.dropbox.com/t/2/AACdbxr6u7cQsLhqQmPvBU6EmWamvBhvqAmizeOS2TqTVQ/12/322835081/jpeg/32x32/1/_/1/2/IMG_1155.JPG/EM6P4b8CGJwDIAIoAg/avkRMaTszYuPwBZ-ZRj_Iz8Prra4Q7NPLHwoXzAreaU?size=1280x960&size_mode=3

It looks like those links are all password protected. Try putting the imapge link between img tags, like this: [img]url%20goes%20here[/img].

Ken

ched, you need to make sure your images permissions are set to shared for all. Then review the Tutorial and follow the instructions closely and pay attention to the examples shown.
When using the timage tags, you must specify the width and height in quotes after the equal sign and include the actual url to the jpg image file between the timage tags.

Hi, my first post here, I hope I'm doing it correctly...
I'm looking around for a F100 with fixed bridge, not so many available around, many not in such good conditions, and something strange like this I found for sale from a private:
http://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_g ... 55559.html
Now the question: what is that plate on the headstock? Why not a regular headstock? From the serial on the bridge it seems to be a 1981 guitar but none of the 1981 guitar I've seen have a headstock like that? What do you think about it?

More, it seems from G&L website that F100 is or will be soon available brand new (am I wrong? F100 appears among the US models as if it was available). What do you suggest? Wait to have a new one or still look around to have an used one?

Last edited by gillian67ec on Mon Mar 06, 2017 2:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hi, my first post here, I hope I'm doing it correctly...
I'm looking around for a F100 with fixed bridge, not so many available around, many not in such good conditions, and something strange like this I found for sale from a private:
http://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_g ... 55559.html
Now the question: what is that plate on the headstock? Why not a regular headstock? From the serial on the bridge it seems to be a 1981 guitar but none of the 1981 guitar I've seen have a headstock like that? What do you think about it?

More, it seems from G&L website that F100 is or will be soon available brand new. What do you suggest? Wait to have a new one or still look around to have an used one?

Here are some of the photos:




The headstock has been sanded/refinished and reshaped. And the metal "decal plate" is not original, but someone's made up one.
Here's what a stock headstock looks like:


Also, the two mini-toggle switches on the control plate are not original.
I would also suspect that the control wiring may have been changed, too. But you cannot tell without testing all settings.
Here is what the stock settings would be:


G&L did bring back the F-100 model; first with the Custom Creations 2007 Return Edition and then added it to the standard production catalog in 2009.
The pickups are wound much differently than the original models and the controls are different as well. See: List of pickups used in G&L guitars and current F-100 specifications.

Hope this helps.

Yes Craig, it helps a lot! ...I better stay away from it...
Just a question, why I can't see any new F100 for sale? Are they available just on request or something like that?

Yes Craig, it helps a lot! ...I better stay away from it...
Just a question, why I can't see any new F100 for sale? Are they available just on request or something like that?

Frankly, it's not a very popular model so dealers/distributors aren't likely to stock them. Since there are so many options available for most G&L instruments,
customers usually order them to their own specification. See: March 1, 2016-present G&L U.S. Specifications and Options.

Here's the last one I saw on G&:L's facebook page, posted on May 6, 2015, [note: G&L only posts photos of about 20-25% of the instruments they make]:

Here's an F-100 in Natural Gloss over Mahogany, rosewood board in Clear Gloss finish.
CLF973645 is headed to our distributor CAMAC/Algam in France.

Hope this helps.

Here is my F-100 collection.
October 1980 in Candy Apple Red Metallic
Clear Foest Green with bi-cut neck and G&L branded tuners body dated 1981, neck dated 2-1-83
Clear blue with black crinkle plates, serial number on neck plate and sealed G&L branded tuners on a bi-cut neck, sold to me as 1983
30th Anniversary model in Pearl with ebony fingerboard and DFS vibrato

Amazing collection you have
The fact that this guitar wasn't/isn't popular is unexplicable: That body shape is just perfect to my eyes. Probably it was a case of "the right thing in the wrong period". ...If I had known this model before I would have saved time and money to have one.

Here is my F.100 series 2 that was formerly Candy Apple Red Metallic.
When I bought it in 1989 it had been painted white with latex house paint and had black electrical tape stripes
(in an attempt look like an Eddie Van Halen guitar?).
I removed all the paint from the body and found it is made of three pieces of wood.
I didn't mind the look of it so I sanded and finished it with clear-coat and put it back together.
It was my only guitar for most of my learning.

I need to fix a loose wire to one of the pickups but instead I think I'm going to bring it to a professional.
I bought a Tribute Legacy a few years ago in anticipation of restoring this guitar
and to prove to myself that I could actually play something else because the F.100 is just so easy to play.

I had an invader with house paint , it's much better naked also.
Welcome to the G&LDP!