G&L ASAT Classic value? HELP!

[bluesguitar1972]

Hi all - new to the site. For quite a while I've been wanting to get a G&L Tele style guitar. I have an opportunity to make a trade online, but I can't figure out the value of the guitar coming. The ASAT prices are all over the place, and I've no idea what this one would be worth. It's trans blue - I was told it retailed for $1400 new.

Here's some pics of it - if anyone has any knowledge of the guitar it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

[louis cyfer]

600-700 range

[KenC]

600-700 range

$600-$700 at most, if it has an original case. Those aren't G&L MFD pickups. The guitar would give you G&L build quality, but it's not going to sound like a G&L. I'm not into swapping pickups, so I can't offer any opinion on what these pickups may be or how they would sound. If you want to make it sound like an ASAT Classis again, count on adding a couple of hundred dollars to the cost...unless the seller can throw the original MFDs in with the purchase.

Ken

[bluesguitar1972]

600-700 range

$600-$700 at most, if it has an original case. Those aren't G&L MFD pickups. The guitar would give you G&L build quality, but it's not going to sound like a G&L. I'm not into swapping pickups, so I can't offer any opinion on what these pickups may be or how they would sound. If you want to make it sound like an ASAT Classis again, count on adding a couple of hundred dollars to the cost...unless the seller can throw the original MFDs in with the purchase.

Ken

Thanks guys - it does have the original case and I'm pretty sure he's sending the original pups with it. Would the pups increase the value any, or is the 600-700 the most these are ever worth? Any notion of what they sold for new?

Thanks again for all your help - really don't know a whole lot about G&L's

Also, do they sound much different from a standard Tele?

[blargfromouterspace]

That used price is about right, for the new price check HERE and add it to the cart (posting new prices is against forum rules).

With more traditional tele pickups it'll sound exactly like a tele. The original pickups sound pretty different to a traditional tele IMO. Any modifications the guy has made do not add to the value of an instrument - there was a guy around here trying to offload a guitar that retailed at about $2000 for $4000 because he'd spent at least that having it stripped, resprayed, changing the pickups, filling in routes and added new ones etc. Bit cheeky really.

What are you trading for it?

[huck]

The original pups seem to have more bark and growl than than the tele pups but can also sound nice and mellow for jazz if your into
playing that style? ,ps, that bridge pickup looks like a Bardon? not a bad pickup at all just not a mfd! six would be a decent deal!

[KenC]

it does have the original case and I'm pretty sure he's sending the original pups with it. Would the pups increase the value any, or is the 600-700 the most these are ever worth?

With the original pickups and case it would probably go in the $700-$900 range. I do see them go higher and lower at times, but that would be a reasonable ballpark. I paid $750 for mine (blonde with birdseye maple neck and board), and still think I got a very good deal. It's hard to tell what the body wood is like from the photo, but any figure or particularly attractive grain in the swamp ash will drive the value up. Flame or birdseye in the maple neck will do the same. It looks from the photos like this one is in clean condition, which would also drive it toward the upper end of the price range. G&L's transparent finishes are some of the very best on the market.

Also, do they sound much different from a standard Tele?

IMO, a stock ASAT Classic sounds much better than any Tele. You'll get all the traditional Tele crunch and clarity you could want out of the bridge pickup, but to me the neck pickup seals the deal. To my ears it has a lot more fullness than a Tele neck pickup, and can actually give a nice warm sound for jazz solos or chord melodies.

Aside from the sound, you'll probably find that the materials and build quality are quite a bit better than any production Fender, and comparable with Custom Shop instruments. Odds are that a used G&L will have been 100% hand-built. Do you know what year this one is from? If not, the age can be approximated from the neck attachment (three- vs. four-bolt), the serial number format (starting with "G", "CL" or "CLF"), and serial number location. Age won't have a big impact on value, but it will let you know whether it was hand built and/or PLEK'ed at the factory.

I hope this is helpful!

Ken

[bluesguitar1972]

Hey Ken
Thanks for the extra info - mind if I buzz you when it gets here? Love to find out more about it (year, etc).

Cheers guys - thanks again!

[helle-man]

"IMO, a stock ASAT Classic sounds much better than any Tele. "
Ken
================================

I totally agree. Also, I would make sure that it is indeed a G&L body under those pickups, and that the seller will throw in the original pickups. That will add the most value to the guitar. Without the original pickups, you have just another modified Tele with a G&L neck.

My 2¢

[KenC]

Thanks for the extra info - mind if I buzz you when it gets here? Love to find out more about it (year, etc).

Glad I could help. Please feel free to PM me or just post back to this thread...

Ken

[bluesguitar1972]

Will do - not sure how long it will be. Shipping USPS from Chicago to eastern Canada, so probably a couple weeks. Will definitely post when she arrives. Will be my first G&L, joining 2 Gibson LPs, a Duesenberg, Strat, Tele, and Godin Archtop.

[louis cyfer]

The original pups seem to have more bark and growl than than the tele pups but can also sound nice and mellow for jazz if your into
playing that style? ,ps, that bridge pickup looks like a Bardon? not a bad pickup at all just not a mfd! six would be a decent deal!

definitely not barden pup, and i have never heard of a bardon. bardens are dual blade.

[bluesguitar1972]

The original pups seem to have more bark and growl than than the tele pups but can also sound nice and mellow for jazz if your into
playing that style? ,ps, that bridge pickup looks like a Bardon? not a bad pickup at all just not a mfd! six would be a decent deal!

definitely not barden pup, and i have never heard of a bardon. bardens are dual blade.

Pretty sure it's a Duncan Hot lead, which would make me think there's probably a Vintage Stack on the neck. They'll end up in the parts drawer or up for sale I'd say.

Probably switching the pups out of my other Tele - going to go with a Lil 59 duncan and a Gibson mini hum on the neck.

[bluesguitar1972]

Just got the tracking number - ETA is this Friday, which would be super cool Won't get my hopes up.

[KenC]

Will be my first G&L, joining 2 Gibson LPs, a Duesenberg, Strat, Tele, and Godin Archtop.

Not to highjack the thread, but what do you think of the Godin? I bought the two pickup version a couple of years ago. It was the first brand new electric I had ever purchased, in 30+ years of playing. I could always hear a high pitched rattle/buzz and wolf tones, even with soft fingerstyle playing. Fortunately Elderly Instruments took it back without any fuss. I was bummed about the results from that guitar and having to eat the return shipping (I had gone a couple of days past their return policy), but on the bright side I found my ASAT Classic the next day...

Ken

[bluesguitar1972]

Will be my first G&L, joining 2 Gibson LPs, a Duesenberg, Strat, Tele, and Godin Archtop.

Not to highjack the thread, but what do you think of the Godin? I bought the two pickup version a couple of years ago. It was the first brand new electric I had ever purchased, in 30+ years of playing. I could always hear a high pitched rattle/buzz and wolf tones, even with soft fingerstyle playing. Fortunately Elderly Instruments took it back without any fuss. I was bummed about the results from that guitar and having to eat the return shipping (I had gone a couple of days past their return policy), but on the bright side I found my ASAT Classic the next day...

Ken

Wow, that's surprising. I had the single pickup version and traded it a while ago... regretted it ever since, so a little over a year ago I had the guy at my local Music store keep an eye out for the double pickup version, and a week later he located one for me. Love the guitar. Only complaint is that they put crap tuning keys. But I did mine over with all gold hardware (Grover tuners).

By far the best archtop in its price range I've tried.

[KenC]

I love that burst finish. I was only able to get natural at that time due to backorders. The only thing that I didn't love about the guitar were those extra noises.

Ken

[bluesguitar1972]

Hi all to those who posted. Guitar arrived great, but in a flurry of trades I hadn't had time to take and post any pictures.
Here's my 96 G&L in her new home with her new family.

[KenC]

Wow. It looks much nicer in your photos than I was expecting from the original post. I just made my first attempt a photographing a transparent blue finish a couple of minutes ago (NBD porn to be posted shortly). It's amazing how much the flash will pull out the wood grain.

More importantly, how does she sound? Did the seller reinstall the MFDs, or did you have to?

Ken

[Boogie Bill]

Pretty! Looks like you got the original pickups.

I bought an old Transparent Blue Legacy with a maple neck about three months ago, and I love the color! Gotta get some pics up.

Bill

[bluesguitar1972]

Wow. It looks much nicer in your photos than I was expecting from the original post. I just made my first attempt a photographing a transparent blue finish a couple of minutes ago (NBD porn to be posted shortly). It's amazing how much the flash will pull out the wood grain.

More importantly, how does she sound? Did the seller reinstall the MFDs, or did you have to?

Ken

Both sounds and plays great. It's a very well put together guitar. I pulled the neck and you actually had to "pull" to get it out of the pocket, it was such a good fit. The colour/grain was hard to tell by the original shots, as you say...but I was hopeful as you could tell they were not in the best light.

I put in the original pickups. Pretty easy operation, as long as you take care not to scratch up the finish. My only beef is I prefer the Fender pickguard mount on the neck pickup, vs the GL direct into the body.

As to the pics, I try and avoid flash photography all together. I find sunlight is the best for really seeing the guitar, and use angles to avoid reflections and bright spots. With the winter sun here now, it's hard to get good shots outside though. You can see more shadow on my guitars than when I have a higher sun.