Lunch Report - Thursday February 24, 2011

Lunch:
I'm not quite sure what it's going to be today. A co-worker is coming over from a different office, and usually that means going out for a bite. It will be a group decision. Lunch out for my work group typically means rotisserie chicken. My vote will be for Sardi's, a mom & pop Peruvian restaurant. If that's where we go, lunch will be half of a chicken, arroz chaufa (a kind of fried rice) with pinto beans, and fried plantains. A can of coconut water will round it out. If we go the generic fast food route, my menu selection will be totally random.

Non-G&L Topic:
I know I'm out of the usual order here, but I want to build off the lunch topic. Through the 2000s I worked at a large research institute. If you've ever seen the TV sitcom "Big Bang Theory", it's amazingly close to reality in its portrayal of research institute life. Just before I stated there, several of my soon-to-be co-workers had gotten tired of fighting every day over where they would go for lunch. One of the statisticians had been working on a computer program that would generate random scenarios, so he decided to test it by loading data about all of the local restaurants. The "random lunch generator" was born. A couple of clicks of a mouse, and the computer would tell the researchers where they were going to eat. The program remembered where they had gone the last couple of times (to avoid ruts), knew the preferences and dislikes of each group member, and sent them to closer and more popular places more often than distant or less popular ones. The group agreed to go with whatever the computer recommended, and the pre-lunch arguments became a thing of the past (at least until somebody decided to argue that the logic was flawed). Question of the Day: How do you negotiate lunch plans with co-workers and/or family? If it's not an easy process, have you found a creative or unique solution to reaching agreement?

G&L Topic:
Speaking of "creative" and unique"...

A lot of us seem drawn to G&Ls "rarebirds" - instruments which had very limited production runs. I don't know if there is a firm upper limit on numbers that confers rarebird status, but looking at the registry it seems to generally be below 500 or so. Of course, a quick check of eBay suggests some on-line sellers consider any G&L more than two weeks old to be "exceptionally rare and historically significant", but that's another topic for another day. G&L had a history in the early days of letting unique instruments out of the factory; these included prototypes, employee's personalized instruments, builds to test new electronics or finishes, etc. - definitely far beyond the spectrum of custom options for production models. I'm wondering more about these "oddbirds" than the "rarebirds" with this question. My SB-1, for example, has the original neck and headstock finish but no decal. The body finish appears to be an original blonde nitrocellulose lacquer that shows the grain of the maple body. This finish doesn't show up on any list of options I've seen for the student models of that era (first body style and headstock, so it should be no later than 1984). There are a couple of minor imperfections in the routing and finish, which wouldn't have been unusual for a Fender of that period but seem very out of place on a G&L. This leads me to suspect it was either a practice piece for a new employee, or a test instrument for a finish that never reached production. Question of the Day: What's the most unusual or unique G&L you've encountered?

Next week's Lunch Reporter:
Any volunteers? How about another new member who hasn't gone yet? Please PM me if you're interested or have any questions.

Ken

One thing that you guys in the States have that we don't have here is good South American restaurants. I'd love to try some of that Peruvian chicken.

Lunch Plans: I don't go out for lunch all that often, but I generally choose the restaurants when I go out to eat with anyone - family and friends. I believe I have a good sense of what a good restaurant looks like, that's why I end up choosing all the time.

Rare G&L's: I've only ever encountered a couple of G&L's in shops, and none of them have been rare ones.

One of my favourite rarebirds I've seen here is Jos' ASAT '50.



I don't know how many were made, but I love Esquires and a G&L one would be great.

Hey Ken,

Non-G&L Topic:
Love "Big Bang Theory" Cool program you guys had as well, ya still have a variation hanging around?

Question of the Day: How do you negotiate lunch plans with co-workers and/or family? If it's not an easy process, have you found a creative or unique solution to reaching agreement? I usually spend the lunch hour at the gym (except last two months recouping from surgery ) When I do go out it is usually a sandwich shop or a local place called Taco Mac which is more a burger/salad place with wide variety of beers. Unfortunately the beers don't get sampled over lunch.

G&L Topic:
Question of the Day: What's the most unusual or unique G&L you've encountered? Can't say I have seen too many true rarebirds. Have seen a few Broadcasters and played a ASAT III back in 1998 that I did like but had no funds. Did see one Mac's burnt geeters, man I would like one of those. Would like to get my hands on a G-200, Intercepter or a Z-2, even just to play and hear what they sound like.

Lunch update:
The group chose a generic fast food burger chain which I would usually avoid at all costs. I had no way of backing out of a burger and fries. I still feel gross four hours later and will probably skip dinner. You win some, you lose some. I do love burgers, but not when they're prepared according to corporate policy.

Sam: I've since moved on to another employer. Most likely the "RLG" as it was called was deleted as the project moved forward and got real data, plus the guy who programmed it retired a couple of years ago. Sorry!

Judging by the lack of responses, I guess the really rare ones really are rare ones...

Ken

Oh what the heck....

I own a 1st style SC-3 which is considered a "Rarebird" as there were only about 350 made. I posted a photo of this the other day. It's the only rarity I own or have actually laid my hands on. I like it so much that I sold my treasured Legacy to a member here as I only needed one "S" style guitar (I gravitate to T-style instruments).

Lunch question: I work for myself these days so lunch is whatever I find in the kitchen, though sometimes I'll go out and buy 2 fast food breakfast sandwiches and save one for lunch. I love breakfast! - ed

Question of the Day: How do you negotiate lunch plans with co-workers and/or family? If it's not an easy process, have you found a creative or unique solution to reaching agreement?

Fortunately, not too hard. The young 'uns usually eat the free food provided every day by our employer. I and my good friend/manager have about 2 dozen good places in the neighborhood that we cycle through. As far as family is concerned, I let my wife chose. It is usually good stuff anyway.

Question of the Day: What's the most unusual or unique G&L you've encountered?

I call myself lucky owning many a Rarebird. And thanks for the reference Jamie. The ASAT '50 is indeed a beauty and sonically quite different since the tone control works only in the center position. Turns out to be standard Esquire fare but, initially not knowing that, it came as a surprise. But the 'weirdest' setting on any ASAT I have played and/or owned is the combination of the HG-2 bridge pickup and the middle MFD on a ASAT III SSH. Imagine this: a wah pedal that is not entirely floored but has plenty of funky highs. Pretty weird/ I wish a had a sound file to demonstrate but here is a link to Jeff Byrd's ASAT III SSH so you know what it looks like. Greg Gagliano also shows one on his website with a sonic description. Still looking for a Z-2 myself too though ...

- Jos

One thing that you guys in the States have that we don't have here is good South American restaurants. I'd love to try some of that Peruvian chicken.

Lunch Plans: I don't go out for lunch all that often, but I generally choose the restaurants when I go out to eat with anyone - family and friends. I believe I have a good sense of what a good restaurant looks like, that's why I end up choosing all the time.

Rare G&L's: I've only ever encountered a couple of G&L's in shops, and none of them have been rare ones.

One of my favourite rarebirds I've seen here is Jos' ASAT '50.



I don't know how many were made, but I love Esquires and a G&L one would be great.

Hey Jamie,

There's one up for sale in the Marketplace (no association with seller).

Hi Craig - I saw that one and I'm incredibly tempted to pull the trigger on it, but in two minds - I'm GASing for something with the large MFDs plus I really don't need a fourth Classic in the stable..... or do I????

Hi Craig - I saw that one and I'm incredibly tempted to pull the trigger on it, but in two minds - I'm GASing for something with the large MFDs plus I really don't need a fourth Classic in the stable..... or do I????

You just do see one of these up for sale very often, since only 10 were built. But if large MFDs are what you are looking for the SC-2 will do nicely, I think.

Happy GASing