Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLLOW.

Fri Oct 23, 2020 7:40 pm

Just got this guitar and I can't find one anywhere that has the same look so I'm wondering if this is a fake. Or if there have just been some mod made to it.
ASAT Classic semi hollow. The color is like a TV yellow. The grain is visible through the finish,
It has an ash trey bridge with individual brass saddles. Each saddle is notched for the string. The bridge has ASAT CLASSIC stamped into it and just behind the saddles between the high E and B string is stamped 12.(radius?)
I checked the neck radius when I changed the strings and i was 91/2. The neck is birdseye maple as is the fretboard and appears to be unfinished, Almost like the music man gunstock oil and wax finish. And the neck plate has G&L stamped on it.
The pickups have been swapped out. They are Rio Grand(?) single coils in both the neck and bridge position. Black single ply pick guard. A previous owner also drilled a hole between the volume and tone knobs. I assume there was some kind of toggle there at one time.
The tuning machines are sperzel locking tuners in a brushed chrome finish.
The serial # is CL0xxxx 1997/8 ?
As I said above, I cannot find any pictures or descriptions that match this guitar exactly and I'm wondering what gives,
Any help would be most appreciated.
Not sure how to attach photos. So maybe I'll some pics later.
Thanks everyone. Hope this sounds familiar to someone.

Re: Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLL

Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:14 pm

oooogie wrote:Just got this guitar and I can't find one anywhere that has the same look so I'm wondering if this is a fake. Or if there have just been some mod made to it.
ASAT Classic semi hollow. The color is like a TV yellow. The grain is visible through the finish,
It has an ash trey bridge with individual brass saddles. Each saddle is notched for the string. The bridge has ASAT CLASSIC stamped into it and just behind the saddles between the high E and B string is stamped 12.(radius?)
I checked the neck radius when I changed the strings and i was 91/2. The neck is birdseye maple as is the fretboard and appears to be unfinished, Almost like the music man gunstock oil and wax finish. And the neck plate has G&L stamped on it.
The pickups have been swapped out. They are Rio Grand(?) single coils in both the neck and bridge position. Black single ply pick guard. A previous owner also drilled a hole between the volume and tone knobs. I assume there was some kind of toggle there at one time.
The tuning machines are sperzel locking tuners in a brushed chrome finish.
The serial # is CL0xxxx 1997/8 ?
As I said above, I cannot find any pictures or descriptions that match this guitar exactly and I'm wondering what gives,
Any help would be most appreciated.
Not sure how to attach photos. So maybe I'll some pics later.
Thanks everyone. Hope this sounds familiar to someone.


To post photos, See Tutorial: Posting photos.

The ASAT Classic Semi-Hollow model first came out in 1997, so the early versions would have the CLxxxxx Serial Number format.
Here is a list of the ones we have registered in our G&L Registry:
ASAT Classic Semi-Hollow with CLxxxxx Serial Numbers

Your description of the body color sounds like Butterscotch Blonde which came out as a Premier Finish on Swamp Ash body in 1998.
See: 1998 G&L Catalog, Page 11.

The "12" stamped on the bridge plate is the tooling number for making the bridge.

The neck radius is likely 7.5", 9.5" radius was not available until July 2015. The neck # would be #2.
See: February 1, 1998 Dealer Price List, Page 8.

Looking forward to seeing photos of your guitar.

Hope this helps.

Re: Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLL

Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:39 pm

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Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:42 pm

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Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:43 pm

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Re: Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLL

Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:57 pm

Craig, thanks for all of your info. I spent so much time figuring out how to post the pics that I didn't even notice what you had posted until I finished posting and went back to see the final product. If you have any more info now that the pics are up I look forward to seeing it.
What about these tuners? I suspect they were not stock in 98. Right?
I was going to ask if it could be a newer neck but the serial number is on said neck so that can't be the case.
I guess the answer to the tuner question will shed some light.
Also it has a one ply black pickguard. That looks to be unusual too.
Thanks again man. Very informative and helpful.

Re: Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLL

Sat Oct 24, 2020 8:26 am

oooogie wrote:Craig, thanks for all of your info. I spent so much time figuring out how to post the pics that I didn't even notice what you had posted until I finished posting and went back to see the final product. If you have any more info now that the pics are up I look forward to seeing it.
What about these tuners? I suspect they were not stock in 98. Right?
I was going to ask if it could be a newer neck but the serial number is on said neck so that can't be the case.
I guess the answer to the tuner question will shed some light.
Also it has a one ply black pickguard. That looks to be unusual too.
Thanks again man. Very informative and helpful.



Thanks for posting the photos.

G&L has used both Sperzel and Schaller tuners (non-locking and locking), see this post in our G&L Knowledgebase: What tuners are used on G&L guitars (USA models)?.
Schaller locking tuners were an option in 1998, see Page 8 of the above referenced February 1, 1998 Dealer Price List.
When you do a string change, remove one of the tuners to see if there are two sets of tuner pin holes, one set for Schaller tuners and
one for the Sprezel locking tuner. If you only find one set of holes, then the Sprezel Locking tuners were factory installed.

Regarding the finish on the neck, it would be a Satin Polyurethane finish and does feel like there is no finish.

I am not sure when G&L added the 1-ply Black pickguard, but could have been during this time when the Butterscotch Blonde finish was introduced.
Butterscotch Blonde with a 1-ply Black pickguard is very much a vintage look on the ASAT Classic models.

As you mention, the original MFD pickups were replaced with aftermarket Alnico pickups. Reference post: List of pickups used in G&L guitars.

Please do add your guitar to our G&L Registry.

Hope this helps.

Re: Tryin to Identify my new(old) G&L ASAT CLASSIC SEMI HOLL

Sat Oct 24, 2020 9:25 am

Will do Craig and thanks again for all the help.