The place to discuss, post photos, video, and audio of the G&L products (US instruments, stomp boxes, etc.) produced after 1991, including the amps & gear we use with them.
Hey Guys,
I thought I would share my newest addition to the G&L family…I saw this a few weeks ago and ended up being the only bidder - it finally arrived today.
It is one that I think is going to raise a lot of eyebrows (both good and bad). She is a 06’ ASAT Special Deluxe – With a lot of twists! It is vintage white, maple GOT v-neck, reverse painted headstock with locking tuners and has both belly and forearm cuts. I think the guy who originally ordered it checked as many option boxes as he could. The listing said the body was Alder – which I am suspect of, but I will hopefully have a chance to remove the neck and check out the unfinished area of the body to get a better idea this weekend.
I also found this hangtag in the case and was wondering if it was from the factory or from the dealer that had ordered it originally. It has abbreviations for all of the options the guitar has, plus some numbers and abbreviations I don’t understand… does anyone else have a tag like this? Is it a dealer or factory thing?
Anyway, when I showed my wife she thought it was pretty ugly, but I think it is the perfect yang to the yin of my 25th anniversary. Plus I think it will be a cool looking guitar on stage. Let me know what you guys think…. And you certainly won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t like it (I have plenty of traditional G&L’s to go along with it).
Scott
Last edited by gitman001 on Thu Jun 23, 2011 9:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
gitman001 wrote:Hey Guys,
The listing said the body was Alder – which I am suspect of, but I will hopefully have a chance to remove the neck and check out the unfinished area of the body to get a better idea this weekend.
The stock body is Mahogany with a Maple cap. You should be able to see the main body wood by removing the rear cover for the contols, but it will be difficult to determine if it has a Maple cap.
I also found this hangtag in the case and was wondering if it was from the factory or from the dealer that had ordered it originally. It has abbreviations for all of the options the guitar has, plus some numbers and abbreviations I don’t understand… does anyone else have a tag like this? Is it a dealer or factory thing?
That's a factory production hang tag:
The top number is the serial number (sans the CLF prefix).
The bottom six digit number is the internal order tracking number.
TGN = Tinted Gun-oil Neck.
PH = painted headstock.
v-neck = V-neck shaped neck.
DLX = Deluxe model.
LN#1 = ? (may be the neck radius size - 12")
RH = reverse headstock.
#4 = ?
Thanks for the insight - that really helps out. It is a 12" radius so that LN #1 must refer to that. I did take the control plate off, and it was painted inside so i couldn't determine much... hopefully the neck pocket will reveal some info.
I love the gun-oil finish on the neck. Before I got my USA Legacy I was discussing opitions with the UK distributor for a bespoke build - and every combination I could think of involved a gun-oil neck. I am sure it plays as well as it looks...
soft v neck???
Dealing with the devil at the crossroads
Guitars
G&L USA Spalted maple Legacy
G&L Tribute Asat Classic (Indonesia)
Amplification
Vox VT-15 Valvotronix
Influences
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Richie Sambora
Hey Doc, Yeah it is a pretty soft v, but still something that was a little foreign to my hands at first. A few hours in and it feels really comfortable. I dug a little deeper and went back into the control plate and it for sure is a regular deluxe with the maple top. The cavity is routed all the way up to the maple cap and you can see the joint between the body and the top.
I took it to a jam last night and was blown away....it may be my best sounding G&L. When i saw that it was in fact mahogany and maple i was a little concerned as most of the other G&Ls are ash, but it was crisp, articulate and full sounding. A combo that i would certainly recommend for anyone, and in a way I am glad it is not alder. I will take it to rehearsal on tuesday and hopefully get some video of it in action.
Thanks guys
Scott
Here is a follow up..... after a few weeks off, we finally had rehearsal last night. I took the Special Deluxe and recorded some clips. Like i mentioned earlier i am really digging the tone of this guitar, it has a lot of snappiness to it and it seems to really drive my Dr Z well. Here is she is rocking out on Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell"
Your bassist has a sort of Sammy Hagar/Kurt Cobain thing going on.
I think the double body cuts look quite good. It is not anything that would stop me from getting one, however, in my mind an ASAT/Tele body looks like a slab of wood with the corners rounded. I have not played one with the contour cuts. With my Legacy I don't think of the body shape as a belly and forearm cut. It just feels good to handle. I imagine the cut on an ASAT is a better fit to any body as I do not have a belly to accommodate.
The guitar does look great when it is being played with the band.
It is far less of an oddity than it is a special design.
Thanks for the comments gents.... I have now had this guitar for just about 2 years, and it certainly is one that people tend to gravitate towards. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that vintage white looks so darn good! What a great finish. After not playing it out for almost a year, i took it to the gig last weekend - here's a shot..
I think it will make it to the upcoming St. Patty's Day gig
That's exactly the spec I'm hoping comes up on ebay in the UK sometime, although I'd go for a non-solid colour most likely, given the choice. It would partner my ASAT Deluxe perfectly and be great for P&W work.
I like reverse headstocks - they just make sense to me - and the belly cut on my Deluxe is nice; I like the idea of a double cut, having played strats for years. Yours sounds great too!
