SC3 Rev. 3 Repatriated

[Danley]

I used this balmy, 80 degree December day to repatriate an SC3 from Los Angeles back to North OC Saluted the factory as I drove by.

$399 with a hard-shell case (well-fitting but likely not original;) no parts changed. I'm in love with this guitar, plays/sounds beautiful. Should be an '87 per the serial, but don't want to dig in and disassemble to look for markings just yet (like I usually do,) plays too well as-is. I was alarmed, it didn't look this good in the ad. Almost no fret-wear.

[sam]

Danley,

Excellent score and great price. Glad to hear she sounds and plays so well. Based on the color she should, because I have heard black guitars sound better. haha Enjoy for sure!

[Kit]

That is a steal! If it sounds as good as mine, you will never ever let it go.

[Elwood]

woohoo!

[y2kc]

Nice! Great price and condition.

y2kc

[yowhatsshakin]

Woot. Great guitar!

- Jos

[FZTNT]

Sweet deal...congrats! I don't believe I had seen it on the usual auction sites, where did you find such a steal?

Tom

[Danley]

Thanks! Was eBay, but I opted for local pickup so skipped shipping. I was the only bidder:

(I really sort of thought it might be junk from the low-resolution pics. There is no wear for example on the neck . I was happy the backplate came with the guitar )

Code: Select all

https://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-sc-3-black-/202154167129

[JagInTheBag]

Thanks! Was eBay, but I opted for local pickup so skipped shipping. I was the only bidder:

(I really sort of thought it might be junk from the low-resolution pics. There is no wear for example on the neck . I was happy the backplate came with the guitar )

Code: Select all

https://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-sc-3-black-/202154167129

Nice SCORE!

[glvourot]

Great score ! I am very happy for you. Those old G&L's are very special guitars.

[john o]

Danley, sweet SC-3, very cool looking guitar, i'll bet the tones are just oozing out of it! enjoy!

[Danley]

Just getting time to spend with it: A bit of background, my G&L search began about my join date on this forum, but I got distracted buying things like an Am. Deluxe Strat or cheap project guitars to mod (no mods will occur to the SC3 .) My only experience with MFD singles was an ASAT Classic, so I didn't quite know what I was getting with this guitar beyond my knowledge that G&Ls in general and old ones in particular are built rock solid and sound uniformly great. So a few findings on how it sounds and plays:

-It responds really well to manipulating the volume/tone; the guitar doesn't feel like it "loses" something when you roll anything back. Just sounds solid and makes for a very dynamic playing experience
-The pickups punch, bark, and throw tons of treble at your speakers (but easy to control this with knobs.) Treble breakup occurs well before either of my JB humbucker-equipped guitars, and there's a very solid bass you don't get with alnico singles. They LOVE gain, just crushing, defined and thick in a way maybe none of my other guitars matches. But if you roll back and turn it down, there's a lovely, twangy, clucky clean sound. Really a best-of-both-worlds thing
-The pickups can also be very quacky in positions 2 / 4 ; very good
-The DFV isn't a vast diff. feel-wise vs. say my Am. Deluxe Strat bridge, but it is more comfortable
-I want to measure the neck radius next time I remove the strings, it feels fairly flat although I understand it should be small
-It's built like a safe

[yowhatsshakin]

Just getting time to spend with it: A bit of background, my G&L search began about my join date on this forum, but I got distracted buying things like an Am. Deluxe Strat or cheap project guitars to mod (no mods will occur to the SC3 .) My only experience with MFD singles was an ASAT Classic, so I didn't quite know what I was getting with this guitar beyond my knowledge that G&Ls in general and old ones in particular are built rock solid and sound uniformly great. So a few findings on how it sounds and plays:

-It responds really well to manipulating the volume/tone; the guitar doesn't feel like it "loses" something when you roll anything back. Just sounds solid and makes for a very dynamic playing experience
-The pickups punch, bark, and throw tons of treble at your speakers (but easy to control this with knobs.) Treble breakup occurs well before either of my JB humbucker-equipped guitars, and there's a very solid bass you don't get with alnico singles. They LOVE gain, just crushing, defined and thick in a way maybe none of my other guitars matches. But if you roll back and turn it down, there's a lovely, twangy, clucky clean sound. Really a best-of-both-worlds thing
-The pickups can also be very quacky in positions 2 / 4 ; very good
-The DFV isn't a vast diff. feel-wise vs. say my Am. Deluxe Strat bridge, but it is more comfortable
-I want to measure the neck radius next time I remove the strings, it feels fairly flat although I understand it should be small
-It's built like a safe

Great review. And I wholeheartedly agree although I cannot make a statement on how the DFV compared to a more traditional vibrator unit. Never owned a guitar with the latter

One fun thing to check it whether there is a 'copper' string in the middle. This would be a spring which did not get its final nickel or chrome plating and is slightly less stiff than the ones on the outside. This triplet of strings is most definitely a factor in the unique feel of a G&L DFV.

- Jos