Breakfast Report Tuesday, July 29, 2014: Solamente Part 2

Hi gang,

Breakfast
Another sunny day in the Pacific Northwest. is that even possible?? Drinking some coffee again while eating a cheese sandwich with the soundtrack of birds in the background. Pretty good start of the day.

G&L stuff
Today Part 2 featuring the other variant of G&L's version of the Esquire: the ASAT Classic Solamente Alnico.

This model is basically identical to the ASAT Classic Soilamente shown yesterday were it not that this one has a Swamp Ash body and a single Paul Gagon spec'ed Alnico bridge pickup:




Also here we still find a rout in under the pickguard for a neck pickup which can be added later:


And although I have not really peeked under the hood, according to this schematic in the Gallery, the electronics are completely identical to the ASAT Classic Solamente, i.e. in the bridge position one by-passes the tone control, in the neck position the tone control is by-passed again but with a fixed capacitor bleeding some highs to ground, and in the middle one has access to the single tone control to create beautiful tones. So also here, just selecting the bridge position is different than doing the same on the ASAT Classic Alnico or ASAT Classic 'S' Alnico, which still engage the tone circuit. You can get more biting tones on this model for sure, but still without 'ice-pick'. Bell-like is more what I would call it. But also more tamed than the ASAT Classic Solamente of yesterday which is capable of overdriving the front-end of my Mesa Express 5:25 much easier.

Like the neck pup cavity, both neck pocket and neck heel have no markings of any significance, seemingly indicating this guitar was put together under different circumstances. S/N CLF066878, completed 2/28/2013 i.e. almost a full 5 months prior to yesterday's guitar, might actually be (one of) the first Solamente of either kind ever assembled.


In this case, the neck has a Light Tint Satin finish:


I hope that these reports will nudge G&L to add these models to their model index. They are unique enough and there might certainly be a market for them.

- Jos

Jos, another sweet one. I could imagine this model without a rout and no pickguard. That would be the ultimate. I happen to really like the new Alnicos for tone. Breakfast was a left over hamburger from last night. Weather in Minnesota is perfect, cooler than normal and sunny all week! -- Darwin

I agree with Darwin, I'd like to see them drop the neck rout and make the pg optional. They'd save time valueable CNC machine time. It all ads up from a production cost perspective. The empty rout? You can keep your weed in there! ;p

a "no route no pickguard" asat with a saddle lock and large MFD neck pickup is something I've asked for several times, and have been turned down each time.

The empty rout? You can keep your weed in there! ;p

The empty rout? You can keep your weed in there! ;p

Don't know what you guys are smoking ...

- Jos

Ole Willie Nelson could of used that option a couple times ...lol

The empty rout? You can keep your weed in there! ;p

Don't know what you guys are smoking ...

- Jos

Ahh, the creativity on this forum...

I might have to special order one with a bathtub route and then try and score some weed (do people even say that anymore?).. just to have the cool stash for it.

Another beauty Jos! I also agree - it would be nice to see one with no pickguard. Minimalist.

Sweet pair of solamentes Jos. I'm holding off on getting one until they put ' Solamente' on the headstock, which might be a while!