New Arrival/Tribute ASAT Special

Having just traded my 2015 ASAT Special a week ago for a really fine bass cab I've been after I began to have immediate separation anxiety even knowing before I did it that was my only choice for an easy replacement.

Thanks to some dealer promos and terms I was able to purchase a new one for just a bit more than I had paid for my 2015. It's an Irish Ale finish with a Mahogany body which despite it's unique appearance is the biggest issue.

The minute I took it out of the box I knew I had "brute" in my hands. This boy is heavy and I mean Les Paul kinda heavy. It even outweighs my Les Paul by over a pound. Weighed on my trusty postage scale it tops out at 9lbs 5 ozs or right about the same weight as my ash body Tribute L2500 and nearly 2lbs heavier than my 2015 ASAT.

Luckily I've been a bassist much of my musical life as well so 9lbs + instruments doesn't intimidate me but I feel like asking G&L to check in with Cor-Tek and ask how much lead content has been measured in their Mahogany blanks. In 50 years I have never owned any Tele or Tele style guitar that weighed anywhere near this much.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with this or any other G&L Tribute model guitar?

Last edited by soulman969 on Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.

My Tribute ASAT (mahogany) is actually really light - but every other G&L I’ve handled has some heft. To be honest, I don’t mind/prefer a guitar that’s more ‘solid’ feeling, to a point of course. But to this point I’ve sort of considered G&L weight a ‘signature’ thing.

My Tribute ASAT (mahogany) is actually really light - but every other G&L I’ve handled has some heft. To be honest, I don’t mind/prefer a guitar that’s more ‘solid’ feeling, to a point of course. But to this point I’ve sort of considered G&L weight a ‘signature’ thing.

It could well be except that "signature thing" seems to vary a whole hell of a lot.

My 2015 (also a Mahogany body) weighed 7 1/2 lbs whereas the new one is nearly 9 1/2 lbs. Even considering variances that's a huge jump for models both coming from a slab of Mahogany.

The original Kiloton I bought in June had a Basswood body and weighed 9lbs 4ozs. It had a problem with the truss rod so I exchanged it for an Ash body Irish Ale the dealer had in stock. That one weighs only 8lbs 5ozs.

So as far as Tributes go they're like Forrest Gump's chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. LOL

no, 9lb+ seems heavy for an ASAT.
I have an alder body ASAT special with classic 1C neck that is 8lb 15oz, feels solid/heavy.
My 2014 mahogany trib ASAT special was never weighed but felt light to me.

My Tribute ASAT Special Deluxe is very light, less than 7 lbs. In general, when I've tried the Tribute Legacy, S-500, and Comanche in stores, they all felt heavier than their USA counterpart to me. Not sure why my Tribute is so light, but in my experience Tributes tend to run heavier.

Cheers, Dan

No doubt there seems to be far more of a variance in weights with Tribute models than US models so I guess it's something we simply have to accept as part of the deal. But I have to say that I was pretty shocked the new one weighed that much more than my 2015. One pound or so I may have expected but nearly two pounds was beyond my expectations.

I don't mind it so much myself. I use 3 1/2" neoprene "flex" straps on my LP and all of my basses so this one will also get one. They really do help. But I can help but thinking this is another that may go to my grave with me. There can't be a huge market for 9lb plus Tele style guitars these days although some hit that mark in the '70s as I recall.