Questions regarding 30th Anniversary

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

A bit off topic: [Admin split this post off to it's own topic, so no longer "a bit off topic" ]

Is the 30th Anniversary series a prototype? Did G&L offer a pearl white finish or ebony fretboard prior to the 30th Anniversary series? Are the pearl knobs going to be available as an option? What is making this a candidate for a regular build?

The Registry has the 20th and 25th but not the 30th Anniversary series listed as rare birds.

[Craig]

A bit off topic: [Admin split this post off to it's own topic, so no longer "a bit off topic" ]

Is the 30th Anniversary series a prototype? Did G&L offer a pearl white finish or ebony fretboard prior to the 30th Anniversary series? Are the pearl knobs going to be available as an option? What is making this a candidate for a regular build?

The Registry has the 20th and 25th but not the 30th Anniversary series listed as rare birds.

No, the series is not a prototype. It's a limited production release. Not limited by any quantity but
by a limited ordering time frame. The original order deadline was December 2010, but that was
extended due to demand. It is still listed on the home page of the main G&L website and the factory
continues building them as they receive orders for them.

Yes, the Pearl White finish has been a standard finish since at least 1996 and the Ebony fretboard
has been available since at least 1988. Ebony fretboards for guitars, except for fretless fretboards
for basses, were taken off the pricelist for a few years due lack of good quality ebony wood from
G&L's suppliers. Ebony fretboards are again available and is listed in the January 2010 Price List,
the G&L website Options pages.

The reason that the 30th Anniversary models are not listed on the Rarebirds page of the G&L Registry
is that they are still in production and the build numbers have not been made available yet. Once the
factory stops all production of this series and I get the final numbers, I will be able to determine if
any of the model production numbers are 400 or less.

The pearl knobs are not an option for any of the standard production models. They were limited to only
the Custom Creations The Phyllis Model "Blondie" and the 30th Anniversary Series.

The 30th Anniversary Series is not a candidate for standard production and a final date for ordering them
will be coming some time soon.

Where did that photo of a "30th Anniversary Prototype" come from? I will have to check with the factory
to see if this guitar really is a prototype for the 30th Anniversary. I would want written documentation to
prove this claim.

Hope this helps.

[yowhatsshakin]

Hi Michael,

Craig just beat me answering your questions. So I can pare down my response to this:

Note that for instance Special Build models are also not listed are Rarebirds since additional runs can be started at anytime. This even though many models have seen less instruments produced than some Limited Editions, e.g. the 'Special Build' HB (less than 35), Super (about 92), and some spalted models, vs. e.g 250 LE 'Junior's and 250 25th Anniversary Editions.

I cannot tell you whether any prototype was released but all ASAT Classics have ebony board, 3-ply White Pearl pickguard, and 30th Anniversary Pearl Frost finish with matching headstocks. So the guitar pictured does not look out of the ordinary.

Hope this helps too,

- Jos

[louis cyfer]

dness the pearl knobs are not available as a regular option. bad enough that pearl guards are.

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

...Where did that photo of a "30th Anniversary Prototype" come from? I will have to check with the factory
to see if this guitar really is a prototype for the 30th Anniversary. I would want written documentation to
prove this claim.

Hope this helps.

All things considered I think this may be a case of loosely using words with at least one coincidentally having special significance within the G&L line.

That ad is from Pro Guitar Shop.

[Craig]

...Where did that photo of a "30th Anniversary Prototype" come from? I will have to check with the factory
to see if this guitar really is a prototype for the 30th Anniversary. I would want written documentation to
prove this claim.

Hope this helps.

All things considered I think this may be a case of loosely using words with at least one coincidentally having special significance within the G&L line.

That ad is from Pro Guitar Shop.

It looks like a full 30th Anniversary ASAT Classic to me. It's got the 30th Anniversary decal and all other
appointments of one.

[yowhatsshakin]

Somewhat as a post scriptum to all of the above, I contacted the nice people at ProGuitarShop about a particular model that caught my fancy and asked them whether they could tell me something of the history and/or provenance of some of their G&L inventory. I just got a response back that one of them visited the G&L factory a couple of months ago and bought all prototypes available at the time. This included the model discussed in this post which has a Pearl White finish instead of the custom blend Pearl Frost finished used on the 'production' 30th Anniversary models. So it is the slight difference in finish that makes that guitar a prototype.

For those interested, when you go to their website you'll also find other models which are prototypes (with deviations from 'ordinary' specs in italic): a Korina ASAT Classic with rosewood board (instead of Pao Ferro), a Korina ASAT Deluxe with coverless pups and rosewood board, and several guitars with a prototype for new finishes: Invader XL and ASAT Classic in Satin Black, Invader in Royal Purple Metallic, and Legacy in Turquoise Burst.

The model of course that caught my fancy was the Korina Classic. It is not part of the Korina Collection and based on the S/N was built around February 16, 2011, a full 5 months ahead of the official announcement on July 19, 2011 of the new CCD models. So if my suspicion is right, it is one of the first G&L Korina's ever build. But apparently the Korina did not add enough mojo to the Classic? Who knows!

- Jos

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

Somewhat as a post scriptum to all of the above, I contacted the nice people at ProGuitarShop about a particular model that caught my fancy and asked them whether they could tell me something of the history and/or provenance of some of their G&L inventory. I just got a response back that one of them visited the G&L factory a couple of months ago and bought all prototypes available at the time. This included the model discussed in this post which has a Pearl White finish instead of the custom blend Pearl Frost finished used on the 'production' 30th Anniversary models. So it is the slight difference in finish that makes that guitar a prototype.

For those interested, when you go to their website you'll also find other models which are prototypes (with deviations from 'ordinary' specs in italic): a Korina ASAT Classic with rosewood board (instead of Pao Ferro), a Korina ASAT Deluxe with coverless pups and rosewood board, and several guitars with a prototype for new finishes: Invader XL and ASAT Classic in Satin Black, Invader in Royal Purple Metallic, and Legacy in Turquoise Burst.

Thanks for clarifying this.

The model of course that caught my fancy was the Korina Classic. It is not part of the Korina Collection and based on the S/N was built around February 16, 2011, a full 5 months ahead of the official announcement on July 19, 2011 of the new CCD models. So if my suspicion is right, it is one of the first G&L Korina's ever build. But apparently the Korina did not add enough mojo to the Classic? Who knows!

- Jos

This one is not on the website. Did you buy it?

[yowhatsshakin]

This one is not on the website. Did you buy it?

You can still see it on their G&L page as well as for the specific guitar, but in both cases it is marked as Out-Of-Stock. And yes, as an avid collector of relevant, unique, and/or interesting ASAT models, I might have something to do with that

- Jos

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

This one is not on the website. Did you buy it?

You can still see it on their G&L page as well as for the specific guitar, but in both cases it is marked as Out-Of-Stock. And yes, as an avid collector of relevant, unique, and/or interesting ASAT models, I might have something to do with that

- Jos

Congratulations on snagging that one. They should have produced a Classic Korina. The Classic has mojo in any flavor.

It is interesting to see the plate and Schaller tuners used on one of the first Korinas. I think the first Korinas officially in the series had Sperzels and decals until they ran out.

BTW, as much as I am not a fan of the plate, within days of being my most vociferous on the subject I bought a 2011 with the plate. I looked at the plate the day I received the guitar yet my eyes have not caught a glimpse of it since. Handling the guitar you do not see the back of the headstock and I love the guitar more than the thought of it having a plate instead of a decal could bother me...........so I have learned.

Yours may not have the pao ferro rosewood fretboard but it has a flamed maple neck wood and the korina body grain is quite nice.

Click to enlarge:

[yowhatsshakin]

It is interesting to see the plate and Schaller tuners used on one of the first Korinas. I think the first Korinas officially in the series had Sperzels and decals until they ran out.

Keen eye Michael. The flame in the headstock certainly caught my eye too. Reminded me of the neck on my John Jorgenson Signature:


The use of (Schaller) G&L tuners is another indicator that this guitar is not part of the Korina Collection. I'm curious what the spec sheet will say if one comes with the guitar. Keep you posted.

- Jos