Hi Everyone- Skyhawk Owner here

I got my G & L Skyhawk IN 1986. Played the heck out of it since then. It is my main axe. Slide Heaven.

I got my G & L Skyhawk IN 1986. Played the heck out of it since then. It is my main axe. Slide Heaven.

Welcome, Baldy!

Very nice looking Skyhawk and I see you have kept it in great shape.
If you have not registered it on our G&L Registry yet, please do. Thanks!

Welcome! and thats a SWEET G&L!

Welcome, Baldy! That's a fine 'Hawk you've got there.

Ken

Yes, Welcome!
What color is that - dark green? It looks lighter than the black pickguard to me.... - ed

Welcome to the forum Baldy. A massage table and G&Ls. Just like at my home

- Jos

Been a while some I've been on. I am not normally a forum guy.
I just took off the Skyhawk neck and neck date is in March 1984. I did not see a date on the body.
To answer you questions:
I will register when I get back home to the guitar & my computer.
Not my massage table.
Skyhawk Color is black.

That's a really early date for a Skyhawk. Do you know whether yours has the S-500/Nighthawk circuit?

Ken

Welcome fellow 'hawker! ~Patrick

That's a really early date for a Skyhawk. Do you know whether yours has the S-500/Nighthawk circuit?

Ken

Don't know. What is S500/Nighthawk circuit? How can that be identified?

What is S500/Nighthawk circuit? How can that be identified?

G&L's first take on a Strat-type configuration was the S-500 in 1982, which was quite a bit different from the current S-500. The original S-500 pickups had a different size and shape than Fender Strat pickups, so they couldn't be sold on the replacement pickup market. New pickups with the exact footprint of a Fender Strat's were introduced in 1983 in the Nighthawk, which was basically an S-500 with a plastic pickguard and the new pickups. Threat of a lawsuit led to changing the model name to Skyhawk at the beginning of 1984. The first Skyhawks were identical to Nighthawks, except for the headstock decal. A couple of months into 1984, an new circuit was used in Skyhawks to make them more distinct from the S-500 (as it was back then) and give more of a traditional Strat-type sound.

I don't think either circuit would have a clear edge over the other. What matters is that the guitar sounds good, which all of these do. It's mainly a matter of curiosity, as there were probably aren't many of these transitional models around.

The only way to tell the difference is by checking the wiring. There are no old S-500, Nighthawk or Skyhawk wiring diagrams in the Gallery for reference. If you would like, I can try to get photos of my Nighthawk and '85-'86 Skyhawk control circuits for comparison.

Ken

What is S500/Nighthawk circuit? How can that be identified?

G&L's first take on a Strat-type configuration was the S-500 in 1982, which was quite a bit different from the current S-500. The original S-500 pickups had a different size and shape than Fender Strat pickups, so they couldn't be sold on the replacement pickup market. New pickups with the exact footprint of a Fender Strat's were introduced in 1983 in the Nighthawk, which was basically an S-500 with a plastic pickguard and the new pickups. Threat of a lawsuit led to changing the model name to Skyhawk at the beginning of 1984. The first Skyhawks were identical to Nighthawks, except for the headstock decal. A couple of months into 1984, an new circuit was used in Skyhawks to make them more distinct from the S-500 (as it was back then) and give more of a traditional Strat-type sound.

I don't think either circuit would have a clear edge over the other. What matters is that the guitar sounds good, which all of these do. It's mainly a matter of curiosity, as there were probably aren't many of these transitional models around.

The only way to tell the difference is by checking the wiring. There are no old S-500, Nighthawk or Skyhawk wiring diagrams in the Gallery for reference. If you would like, I can try to get photos of my Nighthawk and '85-'86 Skyhawk control circuits for comparison.

Ken

As I said before I'm not really a forum guy- took me 2 weeks to reply. Not sure if the photo would help but can't hurt. I'm gonna email you also Ken. I noticed your location- I am in that area also.

Welcome to the forum Baldy. A massage table and G&Ls. Just like at my home

- Jos

Mine too!

Baldy, great vintage guitar, especially that you are the original owner!-- Darwin

@Ken. I'd really like to see a comparison pic of the wiring. I'm about to acquire a Skyhawk with a neck date of Jan 84 & body date of Dec 83.

@Ken. I'd really like to see a comparison pic of the wiring. I'm about to acquire a Skyhawk with a neck date of Jan 84 & body date of Dec 83.

I just posted them in a new thread in "Let's Talk G&L Products".

Ken