Legacy HB Owners- Help.

[JWALKER]

Hello to everyone here in G & L land. I am new to the Forum, and this will be my first G & L guitar.
I have been agonizing over whether to order a Legacy HB now, or just wait until the new line up comes out in 2011. I have also looked very hard at the Invader Plus with H-S-H combo. However, it seems like the Legacy HB offers the best scenario, with S-S-H pups. Although, I was disappointed to learn that you cannot get the new DFS vibrato system as an option. I wonder if this will be a standard feature or standard option next year? With the Invader, You can only get a Floyd Rose Tremelo or a fixed bridge. I am not a fan of having locking nuts on the top fret or nut, so the Invader is pretty much out.
Here is what I plan on getting.
Guitar: Legacy HB. Body-Ash or Alder in Cherry Burst Finish with a bound Ebony Fretboard-Graph Tech nut, # 4 Neck-Sanded down to be flat as possible-or as flat as the factory will sand it. Dual Fulcrum Vibrato with a Tortoise Pickguard. All else is pretty much standard.
Questions:
Which is better an Ash body or an Alder body?- Will I even have this choice?, as G & L seems to use certain woods with certain colors.
Are Locking tuners necessary? I have a MIM Strat now that has a vintage style vibrato with non-locking tuners, and I have never had any problems with intonation or tuning issues with this guitar. I do not use the vibrato extensively on average either, but I have also never had a top quality guitar with a vibrato.

Should I order the Legacy HB now, or would it be better to wait for the 2011 models to come out? With the exception of the DFS vibrato issue, I think I would be pretty happy with the Legacy HB. I would love to try a H-S-H pup version, but this is not an option on the Legacy line, and the Invader Plus only comes with FRT or fixed bridge.

I would welcome any help or suggestions on a Legacy HB, as I have not played a G & L guitar for years, and there are no dealers any where near me to play or try any models out. So, I am going off of research only, which is not quite as good as field experience.
Regards.

[JWALKER]

Wow, the great responce I received from you guys has overwhelmed me, or should I say underwhelmed me. I ordered a Legacy HB by the way, but it seems that no one much cares about that. I have other guitars from boutique type shops, where I even get replys from the builders and owner. The lack of support here makes me question my purchase.

[sirmyghin]

I am sure a snarky reply will garner enough attention to make people want to help you out to boot.

But seeing as I am the bigger man..

No, locking tuners are not necessary but they are wonderful and facilitate string changing.
The wood is irrelevant, picking style, amp, pickups and whatever effects you use if any will have a much greater effect on the overall tone of your guitar. Get what you think looks prettiest.
I don't know anything about a new line for 2011, are you working on assumptions here?

That is all.

[JWALKER]

I really was not trying to be snarky, as sirmyghin puts it. so, I apologize to anyone that I offended with my reply. However, after several days of no replys, I figured I would reply to myself with an honest opinion or observation. So, if sirmyghin thinks he is a bigger man, well this would be an opinion as well, would it not. Nevertheless, my own reply did garner a responce, so it apparently worked.
By new line up, I meant that G & L may offer a new version of an existing model or even a new model guitar that I am really interested, but this is only speculation on my part. The question was put forth to see if perhaps anyone had heard of anything new that may be offered next year. For example, Is the new DFS Vibrato going to replace the Dual Fulcrum Vibrato now used? Is the DFS Vibrato better than the DF Vibrato?

[sirmyghin]

The word on the DFS was 'maybe' if I recall. Nothing else since. The maybe may have also been in response to retrofit kits (as there was some interest). I think these popped up in the 30th anniversary thread a while back.

[Craig]

The word on the DFS was 'maybe' if I recall. Nothing else since. The maybe may have also been in response to retrofit kits (as there was some interest). I think these popped up in the 30th anniversary thread a while back.

Yes, that is correct. And still no word on the kits yet.

Stay tuned.

[Craig]

I really was not trying to be snarky, as sirmyghin puts it. so, I apologize to anyone that I offended with my reply. However, after several days of no replys, I figured I would reply to myself with an honest opinion or observation. So, if sirmyghin thinks he is a bigger man, well this would be an opinion as well, would it not. Nevertheless, my own reply did garner a responce, so it apparently worked.
By new line up, I meant that G & L may offer a new version of an existing model or even a new model guitar that I am really interested, but this is only speculation on my part. The question was put forth to see if perhaps anyone had heard of anything new that may be offered next year. For example, Is the new DFS Vibrato going to replace the Dual Fulcrum Vibrato now used? Is the DFS Vibrato better than the DF Vibrato?

Yeah, we seem to have a lot more lurkers than responders lately.

You will have to wait for any announcement G&L makes on new/updated offerings during Winter NAMM. They may give me some early info to post here. So, stay tuned.
No, the DFS is not going to replace the DFV. Here's a link to the G&L webpage about the G&L DFV and DFS Vibrato Systems.

Hope this helps.

[JWALKER]

Thanks guys. I had asked my G&L dealer about a retro fit of DFS Vibrato, and he stated that it should not be a problem to fit it on an existing G&L guitar with a DF Vibrato. So, if it turns out that the DFS puts the DF to shame then, I suppose we must all have that, if not, I will probably be happy with the DF V.

[sirmyghin]

Imo, I doubt G&L would have put all the extra time refining the bridge saddles and changing the sustain block if they were not planning on marketing it thereafter. Too much work for a single run. But like Craig said, we will need to wait.

[Craig]

Imo, I doubt G&L would have put all the extra time refining the bridge saddles and changing the sustain block if they were not planning on marketing it thereafter. Too much work for a single run. But like Craig said, we will need to wait.

Having re-read the G&L webpage, they do say: "New for 2010! The DFS Vibrato System makes its debut on the 30th Anniversary F-100 and Legacy models and is optional on other USA G&L guitars."

Hope this helps.