Newbie: which ASAT for jazz?

[LiquidSmoke]

Hi all,

New guy here thinking about ordering a USA ASAT. What model would you recommend to me? I play straight ahead jazz and solo chord melodies (think Ed Bickert). I'm sure folks will suggest the Bluesboy, but I've got humbuckers covered.

In any case, I'm leaning to a couple options: extra wide (1 3/4" nut) neck, SS vintage frets, ebony fretboard. Let me know if you have any advice on options, too.

Thanks,
Smokey

[JagInTheBag]

ASAT Special Deluxe! http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp

-Or-

My Favorite, ASAT Z3

http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp really gorgeous and versatile sound...

[LiquidSmoke]

ASAT Special Deluxe! http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp

-Or-

My Favorite, ASAT Z3

http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp really gorgeous and versatile sound...

Thanks! Is the Special Deluxe sonically the same as the Special? I tend to lean toward understated guitars, but the Special is my first choice so far.

Z3: I'm a neck-pickup-exclusively kinda guy; I'd be lost with three pups!

[astutzmann]

if you are exclusively a neck pickup type of guy then I would say you have two choices.

The special which has the very clean single coil in the neck, or the bluesboy which has a very clean humbucker in the neck, the seth lovers SD

Special and special deluxe would sound the same, controls are layed out differently, thats all.

[Philby]

I play some finger style jazz occasionally and can get some nice tones out of my ASAT Special with the tone knob rolled down on the neck pickup.

If I was playing jazz exclusively I'd consider getting a semi-hollow ASAT Special to soften the attack and round the sound out further.

As far as options go, double binding makes guitars sound more jazzy doesn't it?

[LiquidSmoke]

If I was playing jazz exclusively I'd consider getting a semi-hollow ASAT Special to soften the attack and round the sound out further.

As far as options go, double binding makes guitars sound more jazzy doesn't it?

I like the semi-hollow idea -- I like a lighter body anyway -- and going with my minimalist approach I'd dig it without an f-hole.

One more thing: I found out stainless steel vintage frets are a $400 upcharge: yikes! On the Warmoth neck builder, they're just $20 more. Does it really cost that much more to PLEK SS frets?

[KenC]

Smokey,

I'm also partial to chord melodies and stick to the neck pickup. My hands-down favorite for this is my ASAT Classic. It has a solid swamp ash body, but I suspect a semi-hollow would give an even better tone for what I like to play. It beats my ASATs for this sound, but then again my ASATs are all from the 80s and have maple bodies.

In my experience the regular ASAT (or ASAT Special) has a lot more bite than an ASAT Classic, more in the neighborhood of a Telecaster. But again, my ASATs may not be typical of the current production.

If you speak with a dealer or check the G&L Guitar Builder app that Darwin has posted about, you may find that the price for SS frets comes in below the official up-charge. One of the G&LDP rules is that we can't post prices for new G&Ls (this is to protect the dealers). Just so you know, that's why you probably won't get (m)any responses to your last question...

Ken

[LiquidSmoke]

If you speak with a dealer or check the G&L Guitar Builder app that Darwin has posted about, you may find that the price for SS frets comes in below the official up-charge. One of the G&LDP rules is that we can't post prices for new G&Ls (this is to protect the dealers). Just so you know, that's why you probably won't get (m)any responses to your last question...

Sorry about the price quote, but maybe I can rephrase it: why are SS frets so spendy?

Thanks for pointing me to the guitar builder. I'm going to play with it now!

[louis cyfer]

If you speak with a dealer or check the G&L Guitar Builder app that Darwin has posted about, you may find that the price for SS frets comes in below the official up-charge. One of the G&LDP rules is that we can't post prices for new G&Ls (this is to protect the dealers). Just so you know, that's why you probably won't get (m)any responses to your last question...

Sorry about the price quote, but maybe I can rephrase it: why are SS frets so spendy?

Thanks for pointing me to the guitar builder. I'm going to play with it now!

remember warmoth just presses the frets, they are not leveled, crowned and polished, and even the pressing is not that good. they make good necks, but you will likely need to reseat the frets (my tech has had to with all warmoth necks) and have them finished. stainless frets are usually a lot harder to work with, wear out the tools much faster, need diamond fret files, so on. most techs will charge at least double to refret with stainless. on the other hand, fret dressings and refrets will be not likely to be required anytime soon, so you actually save money. the actual upcharge is in the builder, about half or so of the quoted price.

[LiquidSmoke]

Thanks. I am thinking that SS frets are worth it, especially since I want vintage-sized wire.

The hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

[Philby]

Thanks. I am thinking that SS frets are worth it, especially since I want vintage-sized wire.

The hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

Shoes, handbags and sports gear have got me off the hook a couple of times.

[KenC]

he hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

Realizing that I'm spending money on 25 year old guitars when a lot of guys my age are spending money on 25 year old women goes a long way...

We look at the pricier ones as safe places to put money - an autographed John Jorgenson Signature ASAT isn't going to decline in value, and will probably be worth quite a bit more than I paid for it when the time comes to sell (as long as it's insured against loss and I don't do anything stupid to it). Willingness to wait a couple of years for the perfect deal to show up helps too, but that only works once your basic GAS needs are covered and you're filling gaps in a collection.

Jaystrings came up with the phrase "Creative Responses to Acquisition Protests" (CRAP) and gave lots of examples in his book. You can find his homepage if you look up his G&LDP user profile. I got plenty of CRAP ideas from his book.

I've been able to get plenty of leverage out of furniture and appliance purchases, as long as they happen before the old stuff has failed completely and needs to be replaced. I also got a big boost when we found out a neighbor collects Les Pauls at $3000 a pop, compared to the $600 I've paid on average for Leo-era G&Ls. He's started buying G&Ls instead of Gibsons now, so that CRAP is fading away.

When all else fails, go with the stealth delivery and wait several months before letting her see it. Then you can say "oh, I've had this thing for a long time - haven't you noticed it before?"

I hope none of these suggestions get you into deep trouble...

Ken

[louis cyfer]

Thanks. I am thinking that SS frets are worth it, especially since I want vintage-sized wire.

The hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

back of the hand or divorce. works much better. or just tell her you always had it, and be upset that she doesn't even pay attention to you. "who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

[yowhatsshakin]

The hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

I first wanted to post (and actually did) some smart-alec kinda thing about not caring because it is better to ask forgiveness than permission and there is always make-up sex, etc. And then I thought the better of it. I have found that being honest gets me the farthest. Buying a fairly large number of guitars each year to extend my collection for the last give and take 4 years, I have on several occasions just explained to her what the particular thing is I'm after. And sometimes that leads to buying 2 or 3 guitars in 2 weeks when the right opportunities present themselves. I can guarantee you that is hard to explain, but always referring back to that bigger picture and making sure it never comes at the detriment of anything else (house, dinners, fun, vacations, whatever she likes to spend money on, etc.) has always gotten me out of that mess, every single time.

In short, if you are passionate about that something, a guitar or whatever, and it is all within your means (THE most important part), tell her, explain the hows and whys, and go for it. Life is too damn short not to be enjoyed.

- Jos

[LiquidSmoke]

Shoes, handbags and sports gear have got me off the hook a couple of times.

Durn, my wife is so thrifty! I mean, she was canning peaches last week. I may have to wait until I get a bonus at work.

[KenC]

I may have to wait until I get a bonus at work.

That's how I managed my first G&L!

[LiquidSmoke]

I'm waffling over either getting a Special with few options versus going all out (Semi-hollow, ebony neck, SS frets).

[astutzmann]

I custom ordered mine, special deluxe (mahogany with maple cap), #3 wide neck, ss frets, ebony board, locking tuners, graphtec nut, gloss neck

It was expensive, but its an amazing guitar, very bright.

I will only have so many guitars (famous last words) so I try to make each one a keeper.

Good luck

[LiquidSmoke]

It looks like it will be a while before my ship comes in, and in the meanwhile I spend too much time weighing the options. For example, I've been warming up to the idea of the ASAT Special Deluxe, but what I'd really like is a Special Deluxe Semi-Hollow. But there is no such beast :shakesfist:

[KenC]

It looks like it will be a while before my ship comes in, and in the meanwhile I spend too much time weighing the options. For example, I've been warming up to the idea of the ASAT Special Deluxe, but what I'd really like is a Special Deluxe Semi-Hollow. But there is no such beast :shakesfist:

There are lots and lots of used ASATs floating around out there...

I'll put in a plug here for considering the early ones. If you can find one built between '86 and early '88, it's very likely to have a maple body. I own three maple ASATs, and swear by the tone I get from them. Twenty-five year old swamp ash would also sound pretty sweet, I'm sure. Two of my maple ASATs were under $600 used, and the third wasn't much higher. Those prices were within the past two years, from a major retail chain that is very inconsistent in their used guitar pricing. The values are still out there!

Ken

[huck]

Thanks. I am thinking that SS frets are worth it, especially since I want vintage-sized wire.

The hardest part is convincing my wife! How do you guys do it? Flowers and chocolate?

back of the hand or divorce. works much better. or just tell her you always had it, and be upset that she doesn't even pay attention to you. "who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

THAT WOULD NOT FLY WITH MY OLE LADY BECAUSE SHE KNOW WHERE ALL MY GUIT'S AND GUNS ARE AT AND SHE KNOWS
HOW TO USE BOTH OF THEM, ...LOL....

[LeoFThe Champion]

I'll offer no advice as I am going through a bad divorce.

[louis cyfer]

I'll offer no advice as I am going through a bad divorce.

congratulations