'86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:36 pm

Recently posted on G&L's Facebook page:

Three decades later, this '86 G&L Skyhawk has come home to Fender Avenue for our collection. Sunburst on mahogany, matching headstock, ebony board,
this Skyhawk beautifully captures the 70s - 80s post-Fender Leo vibe. It came with a non-original volume knob but we thought Leo wouldn't mind if we
borrowed one from his lab. Thanks, Leo!

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Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Wed Nov 08, 2017 6:02 pm

Love this thing! Nice to see them pay homage to their own history.

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:19 pm

Suh-weet!

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Wed Nov 08, 2017 8:27 pm

love it! :luv:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Thu Nov 09, 2017 1:26 pm

I love the '86 necks! Ebony board! Mahogany body! That guitar is Sweeeeeet! :happy0065:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Thu Nov 09, 2017 1:43 pm

What and where is this "collection"? Is there a video tour or photos for those of us that are not planning to go to Fullerton any time soon? Would be nice. Otherwise just sell me this Skyhawk.

Of course, I have a lot of spare room and would volunteer to host this collection at my house.

Tom

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:58 pm

They should seriously consider reissuing these exactly as they were then. Pickguard and all.
I personally think Leo's post-fender designs are all just as attractive and ergonomic as his first designs.
It's a shame you can't just buy a new one like this.

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:00 am

What a beauty! Bring them back, bring them back...

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 10:58 am

That's a beauty, but I question it being a mahogany body. Having owned 40+ Leo-era G&Ls over the years, I have never seen a mahogany body after '83-'84. I remember Fred Finisher writing about Leo ordering all of the mahogany stock removed from the factory while he worked there (he left in '85 or '86, IIRC).

The grain pattern is also different from any of the sunburst over 'hog bodies I've owned. It does remind me of some sunburst over maple bodies I've had on Leo-era G&L or Music Man instruments, though.

Ken

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:27 am

Ken,

I think the reflections in the photo are interfering with the my ability to actually see the wood grain clearly. We are just happy to see this guitar and Dave McLaren's black HG-2 show up here at all. My guess is that it is mahogany and not a lightweight. Fantastic guitars!

y2kc

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 11:38 am

I was pondering mahogany possibility also.
I see mineral streaks that don't look 'hoggish',
Nice burst, whatever it is...deserving of a Lab knob.

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 2:41 pm

It does not look like Swamp Ash or Mahogany. What else would it be from that era? They weren't messing around to much with exotic wood, unless it'd an all Rosewood body in several pieces.
The only post '85 Mahogany guitars I own are a pair of 2004 ASAT HB specials.

Tom

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sat Nov 11, 2017 6:05 pm

Looking at more pictures (especially the back) in the eBay listing, I vote mahogany, hands down.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-G-amp-L-S ... true&rt=nc

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sun Nov 12, 2017 3:37 am

tomanche wrote:Looking at more pictures (especially the back) in the eBay listing, ...

Ok..I'm sold too.

So this may be the Last of the 'Mahog'ans ?
:scared0016:
(I'll show myself out)

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sun Nov 12, 2017 9:22 am

Good one!! :lol:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:53 am

tomanche wrote:Looking at more pictures (especially the back) in the eBay listing, I vote mahogany, hands down.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-G-amp-L-S ... true&rt=nc


Agreed...from the auction pics it's for sure Mahogany.

Tom

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:52 pm

Elwood wrote:
tomanche wrote:Looking at more pictures (especially the back) in the eBay listing, ...

Ok..I'm sold too.

So this may be the Last of the 'Mahog'ans ?
:scared0016:
(I'll show myself out)


:lol:
I laughed way too hard at that. You must have taken English Pun-0-one. :banana:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Thu Nov 16, 2017 1:53 am

7.25" radius on this one?

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Thu Nov 16, 2017 4:12 am

A beautiful Skyhawk indeed.
A heavily used Skyhawk was my first exposure to G&L. I wanted that guitar bad but was young and poor. The store it was in became a dealer and that's where I bought my ASAT.
Many years later I bought the one in my avatar. Kinda wish mine had the old style control plate- though I do have the sickle headstock.

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Thu Nov 16, 2017 7:14 am

BoringPostcards wrote:7.25" radius on this one?


It would be either a 7.5" or 12" radius. See: What are the USA neck size options, past and present?
It looks like it has the #2 neck, so the radius is 7.5".

:ugeek:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:11 pm

Craig wrote:
BoringPostcards wrote:7.25" radius on this one?


It would be either a 7.5" or 12" radius. See: What are the USA neck size options, past and present?
It looks like it has the #2 neck, so the radius is 7.5".

:ugeek:


Oh wow. 7.5 really? I thought all this time they were using the same 7.25 as the classic vintage Fender radius. Nuts. I'm guessing there's not really much difference between the two.

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Tue Nov 21, 2017 9:25 pm

BoringPostcards wrote:I'm guessing there's not really much difference between the two.

The 7½" radius fingerboard is about 2 mils lower at the center of the fretboard compared to a 7¼" radius fingerboard for a 1¾" wide neck (i.e. the cord length intersecting the circle) with the same profile. And while we're at it the, for the same 1¾" neck width, a 9½" board is flatter by 11 mils compared to a 7½" board. A 12" board is flatter by 20 mils compared to a 7½" board.

- Jos

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ... getting Plek'd

Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:37 pm

Our 1986 Skyhawk is getting scanned by our Plek. Something about this feels like Back To The Future. What do you think?

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Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ... getting Plek'd

Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:47 pm

Hmmm...or 'Clockwork Orange' :shock:

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:P

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Mon Dec 04, 2017 6:48 pm

This from G&L on the PLEK:

"little wonky up top, and not much fret height to work with. So, we just did a very light, partial dress on the upper frets and general fret cleanup. We could refret it but Dave won't go for that."

adding:

"if he plays it for a while and gets bummed out, he might cave in on a refret. But it's playing pretty well so we doubt it."

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Tue Dec 05, 2017 5:34 pm

She's alive! Our 1986 Skyhawk is playing much better after some of fretwork. The ebony is really looking fabulous.

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Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Tue Dec 05, 2017 7:05 pm



Let's hear her :happy0065:

Re: '86 G&L Skyhawk comes home ...

Tue Dec 05, 2017 9:33 pm

Good one Sam.


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