Legacy Special and S-500 owners

[glvourot]

Does anybody here own both an S-500 and a Legacy special ? I am considering trading for a 93 Legacy Special .
https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/pml/msg ... 42537.html

I have had some initial contact with the seller as he is interested in my American Precision bass. I'm a little bit torn. I need somebody to chime in on the merits of having both. I have been playing my S-500 quite a bit lately and I forgot just how versatile it is. To complicate matters there is also this available as well

https://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/msg ... 65440.html

I don't play bass all that much these days. But I want to try and spin this and get the special and the SB-2. I really don't need either of them. You guys know how it goes. My Precision does bring brand recognition to the table so it is probably worth more than the Legacy Special. I don't know. I have never heard or seen a Legacy Special or an SB-2 in the flesh so to speak. G&L is virtually non existent in Metro Vancouver.

Paul

[Challenger]

I have a 2002 S-500 Deluxe, 1995 Legacy Special and 2002 Legacy Special. The Legacy Special is my preference. The LS has lower output pickups and sounds more Legacy like than the S-500 MFD's. The LS can cover a wide range of playing styles by dialing in the tone controls. Think of the LS as a darker sounding Legacy without the single coil hum. The bridge pickup on the LS is hotter, but not ridiculously louder like some SSH setups I've heard.

I plan to add the S-500 switching to one or both of my Legacy Specials. I asked Paul Gagon (designer of the LS) what he thought and he recommended it and stated that he did that with his Legacy Special.

[Crusher]

Played both and own the S500. To be honest, I haven't played the legacy special in a band but plenty of it alone with an amp and all. It sounds like a regular legacy without the noise, a tad more balls, just a bit more dark maybe, really awesome... but I cannot comment on it playing in a band situation. Am going to mod my regular legacy by adding blades in. I really recommend it though, over a regular legacy, but it's a matter of taste.

S500 is an awesome guitar and I think you will have another great guitar with the Legacy special. Really coming close to a regular legacy without the noise. Like Challenger said, the bridge is hotter, but not crazy hot, just the right amount to go rock! To be honest, you're gonna have a really different guitar. Not gonna sound the same for sure. Two different guitars.

I also recommend the switch that add the bridge pickup to any other configuration (I think that is what Challenger was saying), and be able to get a good rock sound with it, even though it can get a little too twangy on the S500, dropping the treble can help, and with the legacy special, might just be the way to add another zillion tone!

To be also honest, I really am a bass player at heart too, and I would probably dive in for the SB-2 as they are pure goodness!!! The legacy is easier to find than the SB-2, you will probably never see one again. Within my 5 years of instrument GAS searching, I found about 1/4 bass vs guitars. Legacy and legacy specials go often, bass don't. I was lucky to get a L2000 used in PERFECT shape, but it took me 5 years to get one. Had one 5 years ago by buying it used, and the truss rod was blown. I had to deal with loosing it but been searching for one ever since, and let me tell you, when I traded for it, I was lucky because it was gonna sell if I didn't asked the guy (I knew him) to do me that favor. So, all in all, you can get both, eyes closed, and will be happy. Trust me on this!

Be I in your hometown, I would pick it up in a hearbeat, especially at that price... but well, being from Quebec makes it hard as hell... Don't let the S500 go, it's a REALLY nice guitar. The best I've played... I wish I would play less punk rock, it would go out way more often - am trying to add a F100 in the bridge of my S500, would probably help getting THAT sound for punk rock.

[glvourot]

Thank you for the replies gentlemen. I took out my P-bass and played it for a few days and have decided it would be a bad decision to trade it away for the legacy special, lovely as it appears. If it is still available when I free up some funds I might consider it again.

[Crusher]

Wise decision. GAS got the best of me so many times by the past... here, today, I'm picking back the 2012 nena collection legacy I dumbly sold last month with lots of regrets. Won't get me again. GAS is over, gotta be rational now!

Keep the good stuff, sell what's not playing and not good.

Peace!