PLEK

Is there a code in the serial number or on the build sheet, or an obvious way to tell if a G&L guitar has been PLEK’d? I’m thinking of searching dealers for new old stock so that I can have a guitar that’s been PLEK’d.

Thanks for any help...

Is there a code in the serial number or on the build sheet, or an obvious way to tell if a G&L guitar has been PLEK’d? I’m thinking of searching dealers for new old stock so that I can have a guitar that’s been PLEK’d.

Thanks for any help...

The G&L standard production instruments built from February 2011 to January 2017, which have the "Custom Build Specification" Sheets, will have
the Plek information included on the Custom Build Specification sheet. Those instruments will have the Serial Number metal plate on the back of the
headstock. In September 2016 to January 2017 the factory changed back to waterslide serial numbers on the back of the headstock.
Reference post: Serial number significance.

Also, see this post: Are all G&L USA built instruments still Plek'd?.

Upfront Guitars commented on Facebook about 4 months ago that a foreman at G&L indicated they were not currently using the PLEK machine. Can you confirm when they stopped using it and if they have resumed using the PLEK machine?

Both of my PLEKed G&Ls, an L100 bass and a ASAT Bluesboy Special 90, have a line on the build sheets for "PLEK and fret technician".

I think it's worth mentioning that I had my usual setup person do a setup on the ASAT, and he made it play a whole lot better than the PLEK machine. Unfortunately, he's retired now, and people like that are hard to find, even in Austin.

---Al Evans

Upfront Guitars commented on Facebook about 4 months ago that a foreman at G&L indicated they were not currently using the PLEK machine. Can you confirm when they stopped using it and if they have resumed using the PLEK machine?

I saw this on facebook regarding to a question "Are all of the new American guitars and basses plek’d? [July 3, 2020]

CornerStone Music
I was informed by G&L they are no longer plek-ing their instruments. I am a G&L dealer and have a customer who recently ordered a guitar asked that same question so I contacted the national sales manager to check. He said they are not and felt they were doing a better job by hand.

I had sent emails to my contacts asking about the current usage of the PLEK machine in July of 2020.
I also pointed out that the G&L main website had some specification listings which mention "Plek dressed."

I did hear back from Steve, who is webmaster for the G&L main website, in October of 2020. He said the Fullerton Deluxe models are not being Plek'd.
Later, I noticed that the previous list of those models which I sent him have since been changed to remove the Plek reference.

I am waiting for the new G&L Dealer Price Lists for this year to see if there are any references to "Plek dressed".
The latest G&L Custom Shop Dealer Price List I have is the 1/16/2020-present Custom Shop Specifications & Options.
and it states this in the CUSTOM SHOP COMMON SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES Section:

World-class fretwork finishing including Plek process ensuring the ultimate in player comfort and feel.

As always, as soon as I get the newest Price Lists, I will add new posts in the G&L Specifications and Options.

Stay tuned.

Interesting Craig,

So to clarify, Fullerton Deluxe models are no longer PLEKed, but custom shop guitars are? What about option order models?

Inquiring minds with option orders currently in queue wish to know.

Ultimately, I've never owned a G&L with PLEKed frets, as they've all either preceded the PLEK machine or they've been fretless, so I'm not terribly concerned either way. It's just odd that they're not being really clear.

Cheers,
Chris

Interesting Craig,

So to clarify, Fullerton Deluxe models are no longer PLEKed, but custom shop guitars are? What about option order models?

Inquiring minds with option orders currently in queue wish to know.

Ultimately, I've never owned a G&L with PLEKed frets, as they've all either preceded the PLEK machine or they've been fretless, so I'm not terribly concerned either way. It's just odd that they're not being really clear.

Cheers,
Chris

As I mentioned, they removed references to Pleking on the Specification pages which includes the Option Order spec pages. There is no reference on the G&L
main website to the Custom Shop using the PLEK machine for building the CS instruments. It is mentioned in the G&L Custom Shop U.S. Dealer Price List dated January 16, 2020.

I suggest that you contact the G&L dealer you ordered from and ask them if your Option Order instrument will have the nut cut and frets dressed by the PLEK
machine. If you do, let us know what they say.

Thank you Craig,

I'm honestly not worried about it enough to bug my reseller about it. I will definitely report back once the guitar comes in however. I was more just curious as I've never had a Plek'd guitar before.

Cheers,
Chris

Thank you Craig,

I'm honestly not worried about it enough to bug my reseller about it. I will definitely report back once the guitar comes in however. I was more just curious as I've never had a Plek'd guitar before.

Cheers,
Chris

You won't know by looking at the Specifications sheet because they removed the PLEK details when they switched from the Custom Specifications sheet to the
Specifications sheet in February 2017. The dealer should be able to find that out for you.

Thanks for the replies. I really didn’t want to go backwards with regards to quality, but if this is the new G&L then it is. It took a little doing to get my head around buying something that less effort is going into than in past models of the same thing. But I decided to give one a try before moving on. I just checked tracking and a Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Special is on the FedEx truck as I type and out for delivery. I have for this guitar and am pretty excited. If I were being honest though I do feel a bit chumpy for buying one that is less finished than others got..

Thanks for the replies. I really didn’t want to go backwards with regards to quality, but if this is the new G&L then it is. It took a little doing to get my head around buying something that less effort is going into than in past models of the same thing. But I decided to give one a try before moving on. I just checked tracking and a Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Special is on the FedEx truck as I type and out for delivery. I have for this guitar and am pretty excited. If I were being honest though I do feel a bit chumpy for buying one that is less finished than others got..

You are not going backwards with quality at all. The G&L Fullerton Deluxe models are of the same quality as the Open Order builds, they are not less finished.

I look forward to seeing your Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Special and reading about your impressions of this guitar.

... It took a little doing to get my head around buying something that less effort is going into than in past models of the same thing. ..

The PLEK machine had a short period during which it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Then people found that it often did only a mediocre setup job. See my post above -- my regular setup guy had no problem making my ASAT play MUCH better than it did from the factory setup. Find yourself a good luthier, and you'll be glad.

--Al Evans

Well I decided to go ahead and buy the Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Special and the guitar is actually pretty wonderful. I'm going to try to post an image or two if I can get them to load. It'll probably take a few edits to get it worked out though.. Here's a pic I took of of it next to her getting acquainted with my other ASAT, a Custom Shop HH.. (Sweetwater Rep said, of course we send you those pics to share. As you can see they use better cameras and lighting than me. LOL) Okay, I admit it. From the couple hours of playing it the new guitar is a much better example of being a guitar than I am of being a player.

They both look great, thanks for posting the photos!

When you get a chance, please do add them to our G&L Registry.

They both look great, thanks for posting the photos!

When you get a chance, please do add them to our G&L Registry.

Added!

You have two amazing looking ASATs!

Thanks for the replies. I really didn’t want to go backwards with regards to quality, but if this is the new G&L then it is. It took a little doing to get my head around buying something that less effort is going into than in past models of the same thing. But I decided to give one a try before moving on. I just checked tracking and a Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Special is on the FedEx truck as I type and out for delivery. I have for this guitar and am pretty excited. If I were being honest though I do feel a bit chumpy for buying one that is less finished than others got..

For what it's worth, the three fretted G&Ls that I have had over the years (two L2000s and an ASAT Special), were the best playing guitars off the shelf I've ever played, and they were all pre-PLEK machine. I don't see it as a downgrade, if anything I prefer hand polished frets by someone who knows what they're doing.

Cheers,
Chris

The guy I've used for my guitar work for decades has a PLEK machine. His take is that it's a tool, like a fret file. In the right hands a PLEK machine can give good results, but it may still need some TLC by hand. He looks at it as saving some time, but it's not the only tool he uses.

Interesting Craig,

So to clarify, Fullerton Deluxe models are no longer PLEKed, but custom shop guitars are? What about option order models?

Inquiring minds with option orders currently in queue wish to know.

Ultimately, I've never owned a G&L with PLEKed frets, as they've all either preceded the PLEK machine or they've been fretless, so I'm not terribly concerned either way. It's just odd that they're not being really clear.

Cheers,
Chris

As I mentioned, they removed references to Pleking on the Specification pages which includes the Option Order spec pages. There is no reference on the G&L
main website to the Custom Shop using the PLEK machine for building the CS instruments. It is mentioned in the G&L Custom Shop U.S. Dealer Price List dated January 16, 2020.

I suggest that you contact the G&L dealer you ordered from and ask them if your Option Order instrument will have the nut cut and frets dressed by the PLEK
machine. If you do, let us know what they say.

As of the G&L Custom Shop U.S. Dealer Price List dated June 1, 2022, there is no reference to the Custom Shop using the PLEK machine for building the CS instruments.

I have a pretty large collection of G&Ls and one thing I've found with the Plekd guitars that the nut slots are cut quite low on all of them. Three of mine had the slots cut so low that the 1st string buzzed on the first fret.

I've also got one Plekd G&L that had a very roughly filed and uncrowned 2nd fret that should not have left the factory. I actually bought that guitar direct from the G&L online store (as I have a dozen or so others over the years) so don't know if it was a Plek error or someone's goof after the fact. I asked about it and never received a reply from G&L which kind of soured me on the online store guitars.