G&L Innovator prototype

Wow...just popped up on ebay.
normally I'd post these in the PSA area, but thought this deserved a good discussion
on the main floor.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-Innovator-L ... 720wt_1112

Last edited by Elwood on Wed Apr 25, 2012 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

Wow indeed. I'm intrigued about the pickup design and how the noise cancelling config might sound.

Wow indeed. I'm intrigued about the pickup design and how the noise cancelling config might sound.

Alembic has been using them on their series instruments since the early 70's,
you might find something interesting stuff researching them.
Here's Ron Wickersham (co-founder and elec. wizard) calibrating an instrument to
be dead quiet with a RF generator wrapped around it.



There are some hits that the Alembic basses really cut through the mix ( Fleetwod Mac-The Chain,
Heart-Barracuda ,The Who mid to late 70's...also listen to most any Stanley Clarke and chances are he is playing one.)
The Alembic guitars are great clean, but due to the buffer(s) in the active circuitry they don't come alive like good'
ol' passive circuitry and high imp PUp's.
I wonder how the Innovator does with a wah and a fuzzface ( a couple things that don't always like buffers).

Last edited by Elwood on Mon Apr 23, 2012 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Check out our Innovator Album in our Gallery.
We have another prototype (notice the difference ) and a finished version, plus a photo of one of the G&L blueprints.

This auction will be one to watch, for sure.

Thanks for posting this, Elwood.

so the one for sale is the one in the registry. very interesting.

so the one for sale is the one in the registry. very interesting.

Can you post the link to the registry entry? I searched the Registry and could not find
any entry which could be one of these Innovator prototypes.

Thanks.

so the one for sale is the one in the registry. very interesting.

Can you post the link to the registry entry? I searched the Registry and could not find
any entry which could be one of these Innovator prototypes.

Thanks.

sorry, i used the wrong word. i meant gallery.

so the one for sale is the one in the registry. very interesting.

Can you post the link to the registry entry? I searched the Registry and could not find
any entry which could be one of these Innovator prototypes.

Thanks.

sorry, i used the wrong word. i meant gallery.

Okay, the one for sale on eBay is not the one shown in the Gallery. Look at the controls and you will see
that the eBay one has 3 toggle switches. The two in the Gallery have only two toggle switches and each has a
slightly different control plate.

eBay auction image:



Gallery image#1:



Gallery image#2:

eBay auction image:



Gallery image#1:

You are right about the controls but the body it IS the same guitar. Look at the wood figuring and grain around the control plate for the two pictures and it is entirely identical. It would be a very large coincidence if this were for two sepate pieces of wood. So we have to conclude that in the time between the two pictures a toggle switch was added in between the 2 tone controls and that the toggle switch above the lower tone was replaced or a washer was added.

_ Jos

eBay auction image:



Gallery image#1:

You are right about the controls but the body it IS the same guitar. Look at the wood figuring and grain around the control plate for the two pictures and it is entirely identical. It would be a very large coincidence if this were for two sepate pieces of wood. So we have to conclude that in the time between the two pictures a toggle switch was added in between the 2 tone controls and that the toggle switch above the lower tone was replaced or a washer was added.

_ Jos

Good eyes, Jos

Also, notice the fretboard streaks. They are the same.

Larry Garrett (HLG) provided the photos in our Gallery, so hopefully he will see this thread and
possibly provide some more details about this prototype being sold on eBay. Larry, are you around?

Jos, are you bidding on this one?

i noticed the wood as well, also another mark under the pickguard that made me positive it is the same guitar. at least jos is paying attention

Jos, are you bidding on this one?

Haven't yet and the price has gone up a bit since this morning. But should I?

- Jos

The seller has updated the description on this auction:

G&L Innovator Leo Fender Prototype one of two made in 1984. Handmade by Leo Fender. Special Patented 60 Cycle Hum Cancellation Circuitry. There are dummy coils concealed under the pick guard and an active preamp used as a buffer. There a bypass switch that bypasses the hum cancellation circuitry. There's also a gain control between the Bass and Tone, when noise cancellation circuitry is activated gain can be adjusted to produce a violin like overdrive or unity (no gain boost) I purchased this guitar from Dale Hyatt. I have documentation and pictures of Dale and me + guitar. I will include. There is another Innovator, I don't believe it says Innovator on the Head Stock.Innovator has the most Advanced Guitar Electronics made by Leo Fender. Because of excessive costs in manufacturing guitar was never put into production. Shipping will be $65 in USA with Insurance and $150 International with Insurance.

On Apr-26-12 at 02:10:35 PDT, seller added the following information:
I've had a lot of e-mail's. There are two Innovators however this is the only one that has the bugs worked out, the original design had too much resistance ahead of the operational amplifier or OP amp which produced excessive white noise, also 60 cycle hum cancellation did not work. Since this guitar was Dale Hyatt's personal Innovator given to him by Leo Fender himself, Dale had Leo update the circuitry to eliminate the white noise and also enable the 60 cycle hum circuitry to actually work. The other innovator that can be seen on guitars by Leo website has not had the updates, and I seriously doubt it ever will, Leo Fender died in 1991 Sincerely Richard Lohmann.

BTW, high bid is currently at $1425 and no, I'm not bidding on it.

I have some pics od Dale's Innovator and the one on the bay looks like it!

I have some pics od Dale's Innovator and the one on the bay looks like it!

Yep, those are the same photos we have in the Innovator Album in the Gallery and
Larry Garrett (HLG) was the one who provided them to me in 2010.

Well, it went for $3,383.33. Way more than I was willing to even put in so I could spare me the trouble of bidding. Hope it is somebody on this board such that we might see/hear more of this prototype.

- Jos

I put in a bid north of 2600 and was beat. What a treasure! Hope it was someone in the Community. - ed

I put in a bid north of 2600 and was beat. What a treasure! Hope it was someone in the Community. - ed

so your bid was the 3333.33? that was the only other bid north of 2600. the 3383.33 was the last bid.

I put in a bid north of 2600 and was beat. What a treasure! Hope it was someone in the Community. - ed

so your bid was the 3333.33? that was the only other bid north of 2600. the 3383.33 was the last bid.

hehe interesting, I put in the first bid at 333,
It 'd be cool if the new owner was into sharing soundbytes with fellow enthusiasts.
I'd like to hear one really making music.

some amateur ebayer started bidding at 1800, the 3333.33 was put in at a good time, but i have a feeling the automatic bid of the winner was gonna cover additional bids as well. otherwise the 333.33 would have had enough time to place one more bid, there was 5 seconds left

some amateur ebayer started bidding at 1800, the 3333.33 was put in at a good time, but i have a feeling the automatic bid of the winner was gonna cover additional bids as well. otherwise the 333.33[sic] would have had enough time to place one more bid, there was 5 seconds left

The winner put in his/her max bid already at 13:31 yesterday afternoon. And yes, I think you can bet it would have covered bids upto at least $3,500 if not more. At least somebody really wanted it.

- Jos