I've got a really busy day today so I won't be
getting into eating much today.
G&L: ASAT Count Down
The first time I picked up and played an ASAT it
was tribute ASAT Special through a Kustom 72 Coupe
running 4 6L6's in the finals and my jaw dropped. I
couldn't believe a guitar could sound so dominant - incredible -
life altering! The only other time I experienced something
similar was standing by a crossing gate when a freight train
came through.
The ASAT has its roots in Leo's Lap Steel guitar particularly
that instrument's pickup that would morph into the bridge
pickup of the 1951 esquire and eventually evolved into the MFD.
While there isn't much interest today (or in yesterday's
lunch time report) in Leo's lap steel ,the first bolt on electric
guitar that sprung from that foundation is still rocking the
planet today 60 years later. Leo's vision was to have a gig
worthy instrument that could replace the brass section of
the then waning big bands of the 1940's. Together with
George Fullerton back in 1949 they conceived (and realized
in 1951) what would ultimately become today's ASAT. Leo's
second guitar designed to replace that first design went on
to become it's own star and what is now the Legacy. But the
ASAT form factor will remain with us as long as pop music is
played on this planet. Plans to retire the first design
were abandoned. The ASAT remains one of the most
expressive and challenging electric guitars to master a
guitarist will ever encounter. Because it is so transparent
to the emotions and skill of its owner it is not surprising
that today's ASAT is powered by 8 production pickup
configurations - more than any other G&L model!
ASAT classic
ASAT classic bluesboy
ASAT classic custom
ASAT classic S (now a production model?)
ASAT special (& special deluxe)
ASAT deluxe
ASAT Z-3
ASAT Korina Jr (P-90's)
Did I miss any? Using G&L's rule of thumb that
60% of the tone of an electric guitar is derived from
it's pickups, 30% from the body and 10% from the
neck taken together with the expressive nuances of the
ASAT platform this gives us an impressive array
of variations of expression/sound for the discerning ear.
If you think about buying an ASAT and that it will
be your last guitar let alone ASAT think again. Don't
say you weren't warned. Seasoned G&L veterans don't
need to read the warning label - they know the magic
of the ASAT.
For the benefit of our visitors perhaps the G&L vets
here can relate their ASAT war stories, why they play the
ASAT, which ASAT's are in their battle axe arsenal, which
ASAT they play for which song, what mods they made
if any and if they have a video or mp3 of their most awesome
ASAT performance perhaps they can share it here so future
recruits can get some kind of idea of how a freight
train can shake the ground.
My favorite ASAT hasn't been built yet.
...
Say what?
...
That is I haven't ordered it yet!
Thought you were going to catch me right!
I'm still saving up. There is a blues boy semi hollow
body at a local dealer with a flame maple top, black
burst with the old fat neck on it that I've had my eye
on. That's going to take some saving and I've been
fussing around with the idea of ordering a classic and
modifying it into a one pickup version with Leo's 1951
wiring scheme. If picking a wife were this difficult
I'd be in big trouble. I've been like the preverbial
donkey that starved to death tied up between a bucket
of oats on his left and a bucket of barley on his right
unable to make up its mind what he wanted to eat
for lunch! I still have time though because I'm still saving
and my Legacy is keeping me from starving to death in the
mean time. And the money I'm saving on my food bill goes
into my music fund.
)Non G&L: Lunch? How can you expect me to think
about lunch when I'm so lathered up planning the
perfect ASAT configuration? If you already have a
garage full ASAT cases then, yes then I can understand
you planning lunch instead of your next ASAT order.
Have a great day! There is an old saying "see Venice and
die". I say if you haven't played an ASAT why bother -
because you never lived!
