rare bird ??

Fumble fingers · Post by **Fumble fingers** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 11:44 am

G&L acoustic Elwood posted in the classifieds .... the rarest of rare ??..... and it's only BIN of 700.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-Acoustic-Gu ... SwMNxXaYBE

KenC · Post by **KenC** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:32 pm

I've heard that an acoustic prototype had been built a couple of years ago. There was also supposedly a prototype amplifier. Too bad this seller won't ship.

Ken

yowhatsshakin · Post by **yowhatsshakin** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:08 pm

KenC wrote:Too bad this seller won't ship.

+1

Otherwise it would have been here a month ago

- Jos

Challenger · Post by **Challenger** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:20 pm

They originally had it listed for $750 and there were no takers. They lowered the price to $700 when it was relisted.

sam · Post by **sam** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:38 pm

Someone needs to pick that up.

Ken, if I recall correctly the acoustic prototype was by Tacoma guitars, and the amp was called the Whipper Snapper, don't remember who made. I liked the general layout of the amp.

Did someone just buy it? When I looked while writing this it appeared to be removed.

sam · Post by **sam** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 6:41 pm

Now it's back

yowhatsshakin · Post by **yowhatsshakin** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 10:25 pm

sam wrote:Ken, if I recall correctly the acoustic prototype was by Tacoma guitars, and the amp was called the Whipper Snapper, don't remember who made. I liked the general layout of the amp.

If Tacoma was responsible for the acoustic prototype, no wonder nothing happened. It got bought by FMIC and then subsequently run into the ground. I could have used more colorful language ...

- Jos

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 10:56 pm

Yeah, that's sad. It looked liked a cool place to work before the takeover.

In this thread it's mentioned that the neck is bolted on(internally):
http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=5908

...and a nice synopsis of Tacoma's history:

http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php/4 ... -by-Fender

Post by **Craig** » Tue Jul 19, 2016 8:40 pm

Fumble fingers wrote:G&L acoustic Elwood posted in the classifieds .... the rarest of rare ??..... and it's only BIN of 700.00

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-Acoustic-Gu ... SwMNxXaYBE

See this post on the bassesbyleo.com forum, for more details: G&L Acoustic Guitar (huh?).

Years ago, I was able to play Dave's prototype, also built by Tacoma:

sam · Post by **sam** » Wed Jul 20, 2016 1:13 am

So Craig, what was your take on it? Inquiring minds want to know.

NITTANY78 · Post by **NITTANY78** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:23 am

All,

I picked up the dreadnaught that was on Ebay and found a Southern CA music shop that would ship it..the seller was nice enough to drop it off! Should be here in VA tomorrow 5 AUG. Her story matches all of the posts...employees gifted it to her and noted it was a prototype that never went into production. The threads seem to have a wide range of numbers produced fromn10-12 to 100-200..anyone have a clue which is closer?

Does anyone have a clue what year these were produced? I've contacted the company but no response yet. Thanks for any info...if I can figure how I'll post pics if there is interest!

Post by **Craig** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 7:02 am

NITTANY78 wrote:All,

I picked up the dreadnaught that was on Ebay and found a Southern CA music shop that would ship it..the seller was nice enough to drop it off! Should be here in VA tomorrow 5 AUG. Her story matches all of the posts...employees gifted it to her and noted it was a prototype that never went into production. The threads seem to have a wide range of numbers produced fromn10-12 to 100-200..anyone have a clue which is closer?

Does anyone have a clue what year these were produced? I've contacted the company but no response yet. Thanks for any info...if I can figure how I'll post pics if there is interest!

From the link I posted previously:

Paul was involved with that one. I'll be talking to him on Monday, so a brain-picking will take place.
==================

All picked!

The G&L acoustic was a kinda-sorta collaboration between G&L, some key people and friends at both Taylor and Martin, and a fledgling guitar company called Tacoma. Together they came up with the design you see in the link CL ad. There were about 200 instruments made and shipped to dealers. G&L pulled the plug and returned most of the guitars to Tacoma, but not before a few of them made it out into the wild. Those that were returned were rebranded as Washburn and sold through the usual channels.

Ken...

BTW, Paul Gagon is the Paul mentioned in Ken's post.

So out of the 200 that were made, most were returned to Tacoma and those were rebranded as Washburn. I, too, heard that all but 10-12 were returned.

Please do post photos once you get it. See: Tutorial: Posting photos.

Looking forward to seeing your photos.

Fumble fingers · Post by **Fumble fingers** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:29 am

I missed that link too ..... 10 to 12 sounds right just based on you never see one , let alone for sale .... cool story , would love to have one myself

NITTANY78 · Post by **NITTANY78** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:44 pm

Ebony fingerboard & Bridge, pickup installed and functional but not sure if original. interesting purple stripein bindingabd rosette...will postin next post.

NITTANY78 · Post by **NITTANY78** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:46 pm

NITTANY78 · Post by **NITTANY78** » Sat Aug 06, 2016 12:50 pm

cleaned her up...put on new strings...big balanced sound! just gotta figure out how to adjust neck angle with the bolt on neck...may break down and pay someone!

johnnysavant · Post by **johnnysavant** » Sat Jul 09, 2022 7:38 am

I know it's been years since anyone posted here. But I bought a collection of guitars, and among them was a G&L acoustic prototype, spruce over maple. Then, lo and behold I found what appears to be the same exact guitar and case for sale on Reverb six years ago. Is this yours, NITANNY78? https://reverb.com/item/3094095-g-l-pro ... 0s-natural

Did anyone here previously own this guitar? I contacted G&L and they told what many here already know: these were mid-1990s protopypes, manufactured by Tacoma Guitars in Washington (pre-Fender); the exact number made is unknown, but for sure less than 20.

It's loud, has a confortable neck, and appears to have had a pickup at one time. The bridge saddle needs to be recut so it will intonate better, but other than that, it's a beauty, with abolone fret markers and rosette.

I will be selling this eventually. Right now I'm, just trying to learn more about its history.

yowhatsshakin · Post by **yowhatsshakin** » Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:49 pm

Yes it is/was David's. Now it resides with me.

- Jos

johnnysavant · Post by **johnnysavant** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 6:49 am

Mine is identical to yours right down to the case, except that instead of ebony, it has a rosewood neck w/ebony binding and rosewood bridge (white pins). Neck is one-piece mahogany. Solid spruce top w/laminated flame maple back and sides. Bracing does not appear to be Tacoma style, so possibly designed by someone else and farmed out to Tacoma for manufacturing. Sounds great.

Guitars by Leo (aka "GbL")

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