Friday July 6th

[westsideduck]

I've been doing these lunch reports for over 10 years now and by friday it's gets tough to come up with something to say! You will notice that nothing this week has had a specific G&L content, except for the pics of course. So let's talk some G&L!

Before the format changed a couple of years ago most of the people that hung here were heavy into the Leo era guitars and the history of G&L, thanks to collectors and historians like Gabe D., Greg G and Tim from Buffalo Brothers, and I hope Fred Finisher will stay around and tell us some more stories about what it was like "back in the day", since the format has changed, a lot of those guys have dissapeared and it looks like a lot of newer G&Ls are showing up around here. I own both Leo era and BBE era guitars but still lean toward the Leo era guitars the most. and that has me thinking that I'm going to pick Darth Invader for next weeks lunch reporter as I'd like to hear, and I'm sure most of you do too, what's going on at G&L right now and what's in the future for G&L and where better to hear it from then from Dave, he's a hands on guy and has a lot of input as to what goes on around there.

So let's take a poll, How many G&L's do you own and how many are Leo era and how many are BBE era?

It seems likle magazines and books are disapering from the landscape, do you still get any mags or do you do most of your reading on line? I still get Vintage Guitar and Guitar player.

What's on your I-pod, tape deck, record player right now? I've been heavy into the old acoustic blues players lately.

Some random pics to close out the week.

MY TA



My favorite pic of George Fullerton







Have a great weekend!

Gary

[Fred Finisher]

I am also interested in what's going on now at the plant. I hope to make a trip out there soon and maybe I can arrange to see the place again. Great job with the pics this week.
Fred

[louis cyfer]

did george really have that big a head and such tiny feet?

on the guitar headstock pic, what does it mean by string splay? the top and bottom pics are taken at very different angles, comparison would be difficult.

[westsideduck]

Louis, the angle of the pic has nothing to do with it, just look at how the strings come off the nut and line up perfectly in a straight line to the tuner, there is not enough angle on the BBE headstock.

[bassman]

I have 7 Leo era G&Ls, 5 BBE era, one of which is a Tribute L2k bass.

The angles of the headstock pics make a difference b/c the height of the fingerboards in relation to the headstock faces will make the "e" strings appear to be more off axis than they would appear if shot straight on.

Good job on the LRs this week, Gary.

[Craig]

Here is better photo showing the splay (on both the low E and A) of the 2007 F-100 Return Edition



This was corrected with the 2009 and up F-100 production models and the 30th Anniversary F-100:

[louis cyfer]

I have 7 Leo era G&Ls, 5 BBE era, one of which is a Tribute L2k bass.

The angles of the headstock pics make a difference b/c the height of the fingerboards in relation to the headstock faces will make the "e" strings appear to be more off axis than they would appear if shot straight on.

Good job on the LRs this week, Gary.

exactly. that is what i was pointing out. thank you.

[RampageFan]

Gary, As always, great reports this week. I always enjoy your input on the boards. Unfortunately I haven't been able to participate much the past several weeks because of the crazy overtime I've been working. I wish more of the guys from the old forum would come back around. I am fascinated with the history of G&L and would love hearing from them. I really enjoyed seeing Jay back on here, and Fred was outstanding.

I have 3 Leo era's and 1 BBE. I am right in the middle here. There is really something special with the Leo era. I just love the feel of the Leo era guitars, and the classic look. My favorite is the white '86 Rampage that I lucked out when I found it. It was unplayed and I believe it still had the factory strings on it. I can't put it down. I also like the new stuff G&L is putting out. Very high quality guitars. I plan on ordering an Asat Classic soon, and of course can't wait for the Superhawk! I am slowly becoming a G&L collector, old and new.

Currently on the Ipod is John Fogerty, Centerfield 25th anniversary remaster. I really like his sound. I am also into the Phantom, Rocker and Slick re-release. Some great playing by Earl Slick.

Thanks for a great week!
Dave

[yowhatsshakin]

Hey Gary,

Thanks for a great set of LR's! Really enjoyed the winter pictures because there is so much inherent beauty in it. Certainly now summer has started here in the Pacific NW too

So let's take a poll, How many G&L's do you own and how many are Leo era and how many are BBE era?

Currently the collection is up to 38 G&L's: 6 of which are Leo era outright, 3 are Commemorative models (which I consider to be representative of the transition) and the other 29 are BBE-era.

It seems likle magazines and books are disapering from the landscape, do you still get any mags or do you do most of your reading on line? I still get Vintage Guitar and Guitar player.

Beyond the VG and GP also mentioned by you, I do get Acoustic Guitar. For some reason I really have a hard time reading magazines on the computer. I do it with some IEEE and ACM periodicals but getting a hardcopy that you can leaf through is still by far my favorite.

What's on your I-pod, tape deck, record player right now?

Lately I've been listening to the Tedeschi Trucks Band (both their studio and live album), John Mayer's latest, and (for something completely different) The Feynman Tapes, a set of CD's with stories by the late great Richard Feynman as told to Ralph Leighton, with some nice drumming to boot. All this beyond my usual slate of podcasts: 'The Fretboard Journal', 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell', 'This Week In Science', 'Le Show', 'Left, Right, And Center', and 'World Café Music'.

- Jos

[Sprinter 92]

So let's take a poll, How many G&L's do you own and how many are Leo era and how many are BBE era?

I have 7 Leo era G&L's and 1 BBE era guitar.

It seems like magazines and books are disappearing from the landscape, do you still get any mags or do you do most of your reading on line?

The only magazine I read is Vintage Guitar.

What's on your I-pod, tape deck, record player right now?

I have a Jethro Tull, CD in player in my truck. I forget which CD it is.

MY TA

Nice car, Gary! What year is it and what engine is residing under the hood?



You did a great job this week, Gary!



Sprinter 92

[KenC]

Gary,

It's been a great week. I've enjoyed your posts, although I've gotten around to them too late to join in.

So let's take a poll, How many G&L's do you own and how many are Leo era and how many are BBE era?

I'm closing in on twenty. I didn't plan on getting there so quickly, but several deals that were too good to pass by popped up right in front of me this year. A third of mine are basses (which is my main instrument). Like you, I am mainly interested in Leo-era instruments, which outnumber the BBEs in my collection by five-to-one. My BBEs are much more attractive on the whole, but there is just a vibe about the early ones.

It seems likle magazines and books are disapering from the landscape, do you still get any mags or do you do most of your reading on line?

The only magazine I get is The Wire, a British mag that reports on experimental and electronic music. I get it mainly for the music reviews and the CD of obscure new music that comes with it several times each year.

What's on your I-pod, tape deck, record player right now?

I do most of my listening in the car. The ride home today features REM's New Adventures in HiFi. It's a studio album recorded on the road during a tour (similar to Jackson Browne's Running on Empty), and IMO was their strongest effort in terms of lyrics and blunt musical force. Before that I was going through a heavy rotation of classic reggae and dub. At night I've been YouTubing songs from Joni Mitchell's Hejira album to cop Jaco Pastorius lines on my recently acquired fretless L2K.

Ken

[blargfromouterspace]

Killer car Gary. I can only imagine the looks you'd get driving one of them around

I currently own 4 G&Ls, all BBE era ones. I'd like to own a Leo era in the future, specifically an '82 SC1.

I've been listening to Los Lobos for the last week. Our large music chain has been selling these 5 Original album sets for $20, best $20 I've spent for a long time, what a great band. Robert Plant and the Band of Joy have been getting a fair bit of play too.

[zapcosongs]

I've enjoyed your week as usual, Gary. Again, sorry I have not had more time to participate.

G&L Guitars: I think I have seven (including 2 basses, which I don't know how to play) and except for my double-bound Bluesboy, they are all Leo-era. The old G&Ls, if you close your eyes, feel like vintage Fenders.
But they sound better; their bridges and pickups are better. The Bluesboy does not feel like a vintage Fender, but it is a wonderful and versatile quality instrument.

Currently listening to: Edgar Winter: They Only Come Out at Night. Great album. Love to hear "Autumn" in October or thereabouts. Guess I'll stay here in New England, for Autumn...... Frankenstein is awesome all year 'round! Alta Mira makes me smile.

- ed

Sprinter: I often have Tull in my CD player. What the heck have you got in there?
Yo!: You clearly have too many G&L guitars. Always happy to help.....
Gary: Great photo of George. Kind of makes me want to challenge him to a dual (sp?).

[Sprinter 92]

Sprinter: I often have Tull in my CD player. What the heck have you got in there?

Ed, I went out to the truck and looked to see which Tull CD it was. It's Crest of a Knave. It's a good CD and the one that won the 1988 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental.

Sprinter 92

[zapcosongs]

Yeah, Metallica was as surprised as it was pissed, lol. Great album! - ed

PS: Martin Barre kicks ass!

[Brock]

Fascinating look at headstocks, especially the 1990 F-100.

My G&L count is 3, all Leo-era, two are from 1984. None of the models I have are still in production (the first-style SB-2 became the Lynx Bass more or less), and if I added a fourth (L-1000), it's not being made either.

In the tunes department, The Replacements "Tim" and Van Dyke Parks "Tokyo Rose" seem to be getting the most play recently.

-Brock

[westsideduck]

Thanks for your participation this week!

Sprinter the TA is a 79, my sister bought it new and after her boyfriend beat the crap out of it for five years I bought it from her, after only five years it needed a pretty total restoration, I dumped the 6.6L and replaced it with an older 400 I found at the junk yard, great running motor compared to the 6.6 on the interior, new carpets, headliner and painted the dash and door panels, body, no dents but it was repainted with a zillion coats of laquer, the bird is hand painted on the hood, not a sticker.

Ed, your take on the Leo era guitars is right on!

Jos, you have way too many guitars, I was up around your numbers at one time, I'm down to about 10 now

Dave, The rampage is one of the few G&ls I haven't owned, I'd like to find an origonal but they are getting pricey

[Jaystrings]

Great reports this week & some nice pics in this one. Loved the one of good ole George.

Not exactly sure how many G&L's I have now. Several of the oldies are in the closet to go on the block. My collection is roughly 50% G&L, 25% Cp Thorntons, & 25% other [Fender, Gibson, RSS, Ibanez, Martin, Taylor, Yamaha. Wechter, Cort]. And a Froggy Bottom parlor geetar that is about half paid for; tucked away in the back of a booteek store. Speaking of Cort, I swapped a MIM Fender Strat for a Cort Yorktown hollowbody jazzbox a few weeks ago & man, that is one impressive guitar. I like it better than a Gretsch hollowbody I owned once.

Hoping Darth Dave grabs the reins or Craig. Would be nice to get some insider scoop.

Thanks for good 4th of July week, you ole patriot!!

Jay