Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 8:08 am

Hi all. I picked up a second hand Bluesboy Thinline Asat Tribute a couple of years ago. 2009 / 10 model I believe. Tobacco sunburst. Humbucker front, single coil rear. Was always suspicious of the front HB. I don't have a photo but standard nickel plated HB. I thought maybe the HB was retro fitted in place of single coil as the pick guard obviously not nicely cut out. On reflection, the routing looks original so I suspect it always had a HB in the front, but the pick guard itself has been changed and they didn't do a very good job making a cut out for the HB. Maybe it was a single coil front and back pick guard. I think the Tobacco Sunburst came with the brown tortoiseshell pick guard. One on mine pearl mother of bowling ball.

There are no markings at all on the back of the HB. Bit of scribble in felt pen. I see other G&L HB I have seen have G&L stamped on the back. I believe the Indo tributes had USA pick ups? There is definitely an MDF single coil in the back, or do the Tributes have Asian HB?

Unfortunately can not supply a photo at the moment. Guitar at a friends house. Any help appreciated.

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:47 am

Kenny202 wrote:Hi all. I picked up a second hand Bluesboy Thinline Asat Tribute a couple of years ago. 2009 / 10 model I believe. Tobacco sunburst. Humbucker front, single coil rear. Was always suspicious of the front HB. I don't have a photo but standard nickel plated HB. I thought maybe the HB was retro fitted in place of single coil as the pick guard obviously not nicely cut out. On reflection, the routing looks original so I suspect it always had a HB in the front, but the pick guard itself has been changed and they didn't do a very good job making a cut out for the HB. Maybe it was a single coil front and back pick guard. I think the Tobacco Sunburst came with the brown tortoiseshell pick guard. One on mine pearl mother of bowling ball.

There are no markings at all on the back of the HB. Bit of scribble in felt pen. I see other G&L HB I have seen have G&L stamped on the back. I believe the Indo tributes had USA pick ups? There is definitely an MDF single coil in the back, or do the Tributes have Asian HB?

Unfortunately can not supply a photo at the moment. Guitar at a friends house. Any help appreciated.


See these posts:

2009-2010 Tribute Series Standard Production Models
List of pickups used in G&L guitars

Hope this helps.

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:21 pm

Thanks so much for your reply :-)

I believe mine is a Tribute Asat Classic (on the head stock) Bluesboy. It is a Thinline. I was told 2009/10. And based on the lists should be an Alnico V I think but ones Ive seen have G&L stamped on the back. Nickel cover, 6 screw poles. Looks like standard nickel G&L Alnico 5 HB from the front. Mine doesn't have any G&L stamp or stickers on the back, no ID at all.

Has anyone seen stock G&L HB like this or should it have a stamp? Did the Seymours have any ID on them? All the photos I can find on Tribute pickups have a G&L stamp on the back.

Were the G&L HB American pick ups or made in Asia?

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 9:53 pm

Kenny202 wrote:Thanks so much for your reply :-)

I believe mine is a Tribute Asat Classic (on the head stock) Bluesboy. It is a Thinline. I was told 2009/10. And based on the lists should be an Alnico V I think but ones Ive seen have G&L stamped on the back. Nickel cover, 6 screw poles. Looks like standard nickel G&L Alnico 5 HB from the front. Mine doesn't have any G&L stamp or stickers on the back, no ID at all.

Has anyone seen stock G&L HB like this or should it have a stamp? Did the Seymours have any ID on them? All the photos I can find on Tribute pickups have a G&L stamp on the back.

Were the G&L HB American pick ups or made in Asia?


See this post: ASAT Bluesboy Neck Pickup Confusion

Hope this helps.

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:14 pm

Thanks again my friend. From what I can garner the pick up should be a AS4250B Alnico humbucker, used on Tributes prior to 2012 and made in the Cort factory. I found another link showing some of the earlier Tribute HB and looks like they don't have a G&L sticker on them, only and F or R stamped. I'll have to pull the neck off and have another look :-(

http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatssha ... er.html#17

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Tue Oct 13, 2020 10:23 pm

By the way, how do you guys set your pick up height? I have the MDF single coil on the back and the HB on the neck. I like bright and clear with plenty of bite.

Set up near the strings or lower?

Raise higher on the treble side or have pickup sitting parallel to string height?

Re: Tribute Asat Bluesboy humbucker

Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:58 am

Kenny202 wrote:By the way, how do you guys set your pick up height? I have the MDF single coil on the back and the HB on the neck. I like bright and clear with plenty of bite.

Set up near the strings or lower?

Raise higher on the treble side or have pickup sitting parallel to string height?


For the MFD pickups, you can raise/lower individual pole pieces to balance each string with the other strings.

Pickup height has been discussed many times on the G&LDP. Do a Search using this keyword string "pickup +height".

Hope this helps.