thinking about ASAT...but which one to get?

[desertrat07]

In my seemingly never-ending quest (obsession) for new guitars, I have recently become interested in acquiring an ASAT. But with so many different models to choose from in the line, which ones do you like best and why?

[yowhatsshakin]

Hi desertrat07,

My faves are the Broadcaster or any other maple bodied early ASAT. Once in a while one still pops up and usually they are worth the money. All of mine blew me away when I first started playing them. If you're going for something more modern, I love my ASAT Classic too. No pedals are needed to drive my amp into delicious clipping with that guitar and it has this wonderful beefier Tele sound. If you want more versatility, i.e. warmer tones for some comping for instance, the (semi-hollow) Bluesboy is your instrument.

Best advice I can give you is, that if available, go to a nearby G&L dealer and play at least an ASAT Special, ASAT Classic, ASAT Classic Bluesboy, and ASAT Deluxe. This just to assess the sonic differences between the pickup configurations. Cool thing is, you can even do that with Tributes (with the ASAT HB replacing the Deluxe).

As you notice, I didn't really narrow the choice for you. The only person capable of doing that is you.

- Jos

[blargfromouterspace]

I love my semi hollow Bluesboy. It does blues (duh), it does country, it does jazz. That said, I'm dying to get my hands on a Special - IMO they are the G&L guitar and I don't have one

What do you want from this ASAT? What styles are you going to be using it for?

[desertrat07]

What do you want from this ASAT? What styles are you going to be using it for?

I'm 4-years in to teaching myself to play guitar, haven't really found "my style" yet, but very much into good old R&B for learning rhythms right now (how can you not love Steve Cropper) and maybe some alt-country (Wilco, Calexico, Drive By Truckers come to mind). Definitely won't be playing any straight-up country (nothing against it, it's just not my bag). My Legacy has the blues/rock sound down, my Rampage appeases my heavier tastes, and my Mira nails the indie sound (although they are all more versatile than I make them out to be, of course). I guess I'm just a whore for sound!

[desertrat07]

Hi desertrat07,

As you notice, I didn't really narrow the choice for you. The only person capable of doing that is you.

- Jos

Thanks Jos, that's good advice. It's 2 and a half hours for me to get to a shop that may stock G&L, so I want to get a sense of what I should be looking for. The ASAT Special speaks to me for some reason, so that's definitely on my list. And I'll be on the lookout for an older used one too - my "hometown" shop (only 1 and a half hours away) frequently sells used G&L's.

[broadcasterite]

Get any kind of ASAT. They are my favorite G&Ls.

[broadcasterite]

Well, that was a dumb response. I prefer the single coils pups.

[kjohnson]

The necks vary also.I can't stand the generic feel of many of the newer G&Ls.However,I love my '93 ASAT Classic.So twangy and full of attitude that I have a hankerin' for grits 'n' gravy every time I play it!

[sirmyghin]

Hi desertrat07,

As you notice, I didn't really narrow the choice for you. The only person capable of doing that is you.

- Jos

Thanks Jos, that's good advice. It's 2 and a half hours for me to get to a shop that may stock G&L, so I want to get a sense of what I should be looking for. The ASAT Special speaks to me for some reason, so that's definitely on my list. And I'll be on the lookout for an older used one too - my "hometown" shop (only 1 and a half hours away) frequently sells used G&L's.

Special is the route I went and there is no way I regret it. It openned me up to the world of using my neck pickup. The bridge is fantastic, spanky clean but I can take it to Iron Maiden country. It has the balls.

[pico peachy]

ASAT special. the pups are the best. just plug in and play!

[SouthpawGuy]

Bluesboy or Special. The Special certainly has lots of attitude.

[Loobster]

The Specials sound fantastic, truly fantastic. The soapbar MFDs are a work of true genius. Just such toneful pickups, you can't get a bad sound out of it.

[BillEvans1956]

The Specials sound fantastic, truly fantastic. The soapbar MFDs are a work of true genius. Just such toneful pickups, you can't get a bad sound out of it.

I agree. ASAT Special every time. Get a 'Deluxe' if you can. Mmm.

Bill