Just Announced: The G&L 2012 Special Collection

[Craig]

Just announced to the G&L Dealers!

The G&L 2012 Special Collection

If you’ve got a thirst for thin finishes, you’ll find these refreshing axes from the G&L crew in Fullerton especially satisfying.
This 2012 Special Collection features G&L’s newly-developed Nearly Naked™ (NENA) finish in a delectable hue called
Honey Ale, applied over premium two-piece swamp ash bodies and tastefully paired with a rare, NOS Baltic Amber
pickguard (where applicable).

Having worked with a variety of staining and burnishing techniques, G&L craftsmen developed the Nearly Naked finish
blending old-world techniques with modern finish technology. Conventional staining techniques can produce stunning
results on flame or quilt maple with their uniform grain patterns, but these same techniques applied to swamp ash with
its wide grain variation often provides disappointing results. Applying a dark stain can hide a mottled appearance, but
this masks much of the wood’s beauty. G&L’s Nearly Naked finish is different, using a proprietary finishing technique for
a naturally balanced appearance. What’s more, the Nearly Naked finish is surprisingly durable yet still manages to reveal
the wood’s natural texture to the touch.

View the 2012 Special Collection

Last edited by Craig on Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Fixed link to Internet Archive version.

Nice! Love the look of it And nice the low-enders have some choices too now.

- Jos

Methinks that finish would look sweet on an LE 2.

looks great. just needs maple fretboards and better pickguards.

The LEII in that finish would be nice... W/ a quartersawn maple neck too...

The LEII in that finish would be nice... W/ a quartersawn maple neck too...

And a maple body to boot. No need for figured wood, just regular old maple...

I'll bet Craig didn't anticipate this highjacking!

Ken

In anticipation of questions from members here, I asked Steve Grom the following:

Will left-handed versions be available to order?
Are different neck options available, such as: size, fretboard wood, radius, and fret type?
Is the DFS tremolo system an available option on the Legacy and S-500?
Is there a set production number for each, or just a limited ordering time frame?
Will this Honey Ale finish be available as an optional finish for standard production after the
2012 Collection run has been completed?
Will the NENA finish process be available for standard production models in the future?

Here is Steve's reply:

Hi Craig,

Left hand models will only be available on the guitars. At the moment, we don’t
offer left hand versions of the JB or M Series

Neck options are OK, but they will all have the same clear satin finish and
rosewood fingerboards

DFS is OK as an option

We have set a time limit on order … end of Sept. 2012. No limit on how
many of each

We haven’t decided about the Honey Ale finish beyond the Special Collection
and where we are going with the NENA finishing process going forward.
We want to see the reaction to these instruments and that will help us
determine what direction makes the most sense.

Thanks

Steve

Would an F-100 or an SC-2 count as an option?

I'm not usually into the "natural" look for electrics...prefer burst finishes personally...but I've got to say these look rather stunning!

Beautiful guitars!

I guess you can't order another neck size like a #3?

Beautiful guitars!

I guess you can't order another neck size like a #3?

Yes you can! See my post above.

Neck options are OK, but they will all have the same clear satin finish and
rosewood fingerboards

Hope this helps.

oops! Thanks!

Beautiful guitars!

I guess you can't order another neck size like a #3?

Yes you can! See my post above.

Neck options are OK, but they will all have the same clear satin finish and
rosewood fingerboards

Hope this helps.

it's horrible news that they only offer rosewood boards. i am rather liking these guitars, and rosewood just won't cut it.

i am rather liking these guitars, and rosewood just won't cut it.

That's just what I thought .
A tight grain quartersawn maple neck would put my GAS for a new G&L over the top.

If there was a Comanche in the lineup, I'd very likely order one. But if I can figure out what color pickguard would actually look good on the ASAT, I might consider that. A "no pickguard" option would seem to suit the "nearly naked" theme best.

If there was a Comanche in the lineup, I'd very likely order one. But if I can figure out what color pickguard would actually look good on the ASAT, I might consider that. A "no pickguard" option would seem to suit the "nearly naked" theme best.

indeed. i could definitely go for that. alas the top butts won't offer that on asats.

No ebony fret board. Have to special order the DFS. And no matching headstock.
Glad I bought the 30th. Money well spent.

i am rather liking these guitars, and rosewood just won't cut it.

That's just what I thought .
A tight grain quartersawn maple neck would put my GAS for a new G&L over the top.

We want to see the reaction to these instruments and that will help us
determine what direction makes the most sense.

Make this known to you favorite G&L dealers. As mentioned above, customer and dealer
feedback will determine how this collection and any future production move forward.

G&L's press release is up on the guitarplayer.com site:

G&L Unveils New 2012 Special Collection

Check it out.

Way cooler than I thought it would be. I need to get more in. The first one was already stolen by a teacher.

New G&L 2012 Special Collection Ad Debuts in Guitar World Buyer's Guide:

Played the 2012 Asat Classic the other day. It is one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played...and sounds better than any of the 12 electrics I have (including 4 Fender Custom shop guitars and my 93 Asat Classic). Don't know if that sound quality goes throughout the whole batch but the one I played was outstanding.

Update: the ordering date has been extended beyond September 30th.

Update: the ordering date has been extended beyond September 30th.

Given that orders for the 2010 30th Anniversary Collection were possible 'til January of this year, not entirely surprising When you got a good thing going ...

- Jos

Just ordered the asat classic s can't wait to get it. If anyone already has one of these let me know how you like it. I have never seen the NENA finish up close was lookin for feedback on it.