Tribute S-500 query - Can it come with Legacy pups?

Hello,

First post, mainly meant to get the word out there as I think this is weird (or bad).

Ordered an S-500 mail order. Description mentions MFD pups, push-pull pot, and tremolo bridge (presumably with arm).

Received guitar, it's beautiful and plays well. However, no MFD pups, no push pull pot, no tremolo arm.

The pups have a G&L logo molded into them, but they appear to be regular strat pups. Is there a chance they're selling S-500's with Legacy pups? Still no tone switch of any kind...

I've emailed the retailer and G&L asking similar to try and figure it out. Just wanted to share in case anybody knows about a secret limited edition wacky S-500 series...

Thanks!

henry

Hi Henry,
That does sound wacky . Pics will help , and the serial # will help the moderator if he needs to contact factory folks.

I just wanted to say hello and welcome,
elwood

Henry,

I assume the model on the headstock states S-500, doesn't it? And do your pups have the hex inserts (typical for the MFD pups used on an S-500) or flat Alnico slugs (typical for the CLF-100 pups used on the Legacy)? In both cases you'd find the G&L logo molded on the pickup covers, but the above would indicate which ones you're dealing with. You can compare the pics for the 2012 Special Collection S-500 vs. Legacy. You can click on the pics to get larger versions.

The dealer seems to have copied their advertising blurp for the Tribute S-500 straight from the sited G&L page, including the reference to the push-pull treble pot. For American made models, only the S-500 Deluxe has a push-pull pot with the other variants having a mini-toggle to get the same thing done, but if you neither have a push-pull nor a mini-toggle and your headstock says 'S-500', indeed something is fishy in the state of Danmark (and beyond ....).

But besides all of that, to have a guitar delivered with DFV without a trem arm is rather sloppy. Although I am not familiar with the warranty terms, if any, for Tribute models, I certainly hope you have gotten some paperwork or a receipt that would entitle you to get this all fix by the dealer!

Hope this helps and that things will work out for you,

- Jos

Hello,

Thanks for the replies guys. As I said originally, I've emailed the retailer and G&L, I just thought putting it out there couldn't hurt.. Here's pics:

http://imgur.com/FrNyHAr
http://imgur.com/ntZz1Tm
http://imgur.com/Wgv0W4M
http://imgur.com/9uLYWsg

Sorry, I didn't know how to attach..

Also, from the G&L website Tribute S-500 Specifications:


• CONSTRUCTION: bolt-on
• SCALE: 25 1/2"
• PICKUPS: Leo Fender†-designed G&L MFD™ single coils made in Fullerton, California
• BODY WOOD: Mahogany
• NECK WOOD: Hard-Rock Maple with Rosewood fingerboard
• NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 1 5/8"
• NECK RADIUS: 12"
• NECK PROFILE: medium C
• FRETS: 22 medium jumbo, nickel
• TUNING KEYS: 18:1 ratio, sealed-back
• BRIDGE: Leo Fender-designed G&L Dual-Fulcrum™ vibrato
• CONTROLS: 5-position pickup selector, volume, treble, bass (PTB™ system), push/pull expander on treble pot enabling additional pickup combinations of neck+bridge or all three pickups together.

So, at the very least you can see the pickups look wrong, and you'll have to believe me when I say there was no whammy bar... I hope to get clarification soon. I do have reciept, and all shipping stuff to return or exchange. Needless to say the price was great, but if it's a great price for a stripped down version I would want to know ahead of time...

Thanks!

henry

hard to say what happened , Legacy PU's and switches for sure ..... if it came from the factory that way , it either got the wrong decal or someone put in the wrong loaded pick guard assembly , new employee or something ...... otherwise someone was messing with it

Welcome, Henry. I'm sorry that it wasn't under better circumstances!

It looks to me like you have an S-500 that had its loaded pickguard swapped for a Legacy's. It could have happened at the factory in Indonesia, but I can't imagine that would have gotten past G&L's setup department in the US. Did you buy this from an authorized G&L dealer? Was it specifically advertised as a new instrument?

Ken

Hello,

The packaging was definitely either factory or distributor, not repackaged by dealer. The shipping box on the outside was square with the guitar box on the inside with logos and taped very well. To my untrained eye it looked like i would imagine it from the factory, an dmerely drop shipped. I agree with your monday morning new employee wrong pickguard scenario more than the tampering scenario. I just hope I can get it resolved quickly so I can play it as I'm holding off in case I have to return...

The instrument was as new, and the fine print says the dealer is not an authorized dealer for all brands, could void warranty etc... Okay, I got it from Hello Music... Please keep the flames down...

thanks!

henry

Here are your pics Henry and the Tutorial on how to get it done. I left it as a quote to retain the proper source.

Don't have much to add to the analysis given by others except that it also could be the incorrect neck mopunted to a loaded Legacy body. But it sure isn't an S-500 as far as electronics go! Rather sloppy to say the least.

- Jos

To my untrained eye it looked like i would imagine it from the factory, an dmerely drop shipped. I agree with your monday morning new employee wrong pickguard scenario more than the tampering scenario.

Henry,

Tribute Series guitars are supposed to go through G&L in the US for a quality check and final setup. I can't imagine something like this being missed, but I guess anything is possible. Craig (the moderator) may have some other ideas when he reads this thread.

Ken

I doubt it would have got through Fullerton like that , I bet someone switched it out like you mentioned earlier

Here are your pics Henry and the Tutorial on how to get it done. I left it as a quote to retain the proper source.

Don't have much to add to the analysis given by others except that it also could be the incorrect neck mopunted to a loaded Legacy body. But it sure isn't an S-500 as far as electronics go! Rather sloppy to say the least.

- Jos

What I see is a Tribute S-500 guitar with a Legacy loaded pickguard. Only the Tribute S-500 comes with a Tobacco Burst finish on a Mahogany body.

Hello,

The packaging was definitely either factory or distributor, not repackaged by dealer. The shipping box on the outside was square with the guitar box on the inside with logos and taped very well. To my untrained eye it looked like i would imagine it from the factory, an dmerely drop shipped. I agree with your monday morning new employee wrong pickguard scenario more than the tampering scenario. I just hope I can get it resolved quickly so I can play it as I'm holding off in case I have to return...

The instrument was as new, and the fine print says the dealer is not an authorized dealer for all brands, could void warranty etc... Okay, I got it from Hello Music... Please keep the flames down...

thanks!

henry

It's very unlikely that Hello Music is a G&L dealer, so they would not have gotten this guitar directly from G&L. While there is really no way to know
how it ended up with a Legacy loaded pickguard, it is not as it was represented to be, so I suggest you contact Hello Music and ask them to authorize
a return of this guitar and either replace it with a complete Tribute S-500 or return your money.

If you decide you want to keep it and replace the pickups with stock MFD's and electronics and the missing trem bar, it will cost you at least $325 + shipping and tax
from the G&L On-Line Store.

Hello,

In all fairness I felt compelled to post the end of the story. After many weeks of barely any communication the refund posted on my credit card. Although I appreciate it I wish hello music was more on their game. A recap

1. ordered guitar, got it in short order around 8/11/13
2. found no whammy, wrong pickups, wrong tone circuit
3. opened dialogue with HM
4. shipped guitar back
5. waited... got a few emails from Nicole in customer support
6. after filing descrpancies with paypal, and the mastercard people I see the credit on 9/25/13

I wouldn't say DON'T buy from HM, however, I would say buyer beware if there's a wrinkle in the order.

and I AM sorry HM didn't offer to work with me so I could keep the guitar by getting me the right stuff.

thanks everyone for reading!

Thanks for the update and good you don't have to feel any pain due to this episode.

- Jos

I'm glad to hear you got the refund, even if it was a long process. Will there be a different G&L in your future?

Ken

glad it worked out !! ...... don't give up on G & L , you need to get your next one from a "real" dealer