Vintage G&L Sound

[goatofballstreet]

So I've had the fortune of owning a few early 80s G&L and I particular loved how the SC2 and original S500 sound. I've tried a few modern variants of and they seem to sound darker. Is this a matter of the capacitors used in the electronics or are the pickups just voiced darker.

[Craig]

So I've had the fortune of owning a few early 80s G&L and I particular loved how the SC2 and original S500 sound. I've tried a few modern variants of and they seem to sound darker. Is this a matter of the capacitors used in the electronics or are the pickups just voiced darker.

Here's a couple of posts from longtime G&L Historian Gabe Dellevigne (aka GPD), which might explain some of the reasons:
pre-BBE ASAT vs. '07 ASAT Special: Differences? and S500s: 1984 vs. 1994 vs. 2004???

Also see: List of pickups used in G&L guitars

Hope this helps.