G&L L-2000 Pickup Covers...Is this normal?

[malachi71]

I recently bought a used 2007 USA L-2000. I noticed that both pickup covers are slightly humped on both ends where the pole pieces are located and have a slight valley in the center of each pickup. Is this normal? The bass is very clean and nothing on it appears abused.

[Craig]

I recently bought a used 2007 USA L-2000. I noticed that both pickup covers are slightly humped on both ends where the pole pieces are located and have a slight valley in the center of each pickup. Is this normal? The bass is very clean and nothing on it appears abused.

I don't think so, but if you could post some pictures it will help
see what you are describing.

Hope this helps.

[Ken Baker]

I don't think so, but if you could post some pictures it will help
see what you are describing.

Not normal, but actually not at all uncommon. My response to him earlier today:

RE: The pickup covers... I'm having a little trouble visualizing what you're telling me. If it's what I think it is, the cover has been distorted because a previous owner wanted to lower the pickups (a normal thing with this bass), but overtightened and distorted the covers. A picture posted to a thread on the forum (hint-hint) would help here. The coils and bobbins aren't distorted, so no worries there. This is strictly a visual thing.

He also asked about pickup springs vs foam.

RE: Springs vs foam, which will dovetail into the above. Springs are better. Foam is easier for G&L to deal with. If your pickups have foam they do not have the necessary indents to use springs, so retro-fitting isn't going to happen. The foam used is typically too thick, which means that people have trouble lowering the pickups as much as they'd like, which means that covers get distorted. You can replace the foam with thinner stuff, which is what I've done, or you can trim it thinner with a sharp knife. G&L is aware of this and should be using thinner foam by now.

As we know, the L series soapbars are hellishly hot pickups. Consequently, the rule of thumb is to lower them - many times as far as they'll go. The foam doesn't allow too much lowering, but many keep cranking on the screws anyway. I had a member report that his covers were badly distorted and that the foam was so smashed that it quite securely stuck the pickup base plates to the body. Distorted covers, even broken screw bosses, do occur. Until the screw bosses get broken, it's just a cosmetic issue.

Ken...