Any F100 fans out there?

[darwinohm]

I was at American Guitar and Band in Mpls today and ended up looking at a S500 chambered F body and I didn't like the residue in the F-hole. They had a F100 that was beautiful. I plugged it in to a small Egniter amp and WOW! Dual humbuckers with a splitting sw on the tone control. I had equipment along to trade and it was a done deal.I am not adding any more guitars but trying to maintain at this level. You have to understand that my wife is out of town for a week and mentioned that she was afraid of what she may come home to. So this is my second G&L in the last 3 days. I explained to her over the phone that for some reason my Karma was really good the last few days. I found my hearing aid in the snowbank which I lost in December and snagged that L2000 a couple of days ago. It turned out that after I did some research when I got home with the F100, I found that is a Return Edtion F100 number 21 of 100. This is not a case of GAS. I originally went to buy a Mahogany Legacy and diverted to the S500. This has to be a classic case of good Karma and it could end at any time. I am not going to push my luck with my Mrs. and am happy for this week, so any F100 reports out there?---- Darwin.

[Elwood]

I haven't read any reviews of the reissues here ,
There are a couple older F-100's in my stable but I bet the new ones are a different beast.

Congrats on your spring harvest...looking forward to pics and thoughts on the reissue F-100.

She must be nice if you opted for it over a legacy and S-500.

[darwinohm]

Elwood, I already have 4 Legacys and 4 Asats. I have a roost of Fenders and am loaded with single coil guitars. I tried the F100 today and it does have tone. I also like the tapered upper body (front and back) with the untapered bottom side more like an Asat. It has a Port Wine flamed maple top and is a looker. It is on the Custom Creations part of G&l web page. I just was not aware of it before I bought it. I will be posting pics soon. Thank for your input-- Darwin.

[MrRoundel]

I have an '82 F-100 in basic black. It's one of two humbucker guitars that I own. It's a very comfortable guitar to play, and seems to have great potential for cutting lead work. JefF-100 swears by them.
I saw one of the prototypes for the reissue F-100 while at the G&L open house/jam a couple of years ago. It looked very sweet indeed. I'm looking at a picture of one that probably looks just like yours right now. It's featured in a brochure on the F-100 RI that was given out during the factory tour. They are gorgeous. Hopefully, you'll give a tone report on yours.

[asphalt-abate]

Darwin:

I just picked up a strat style, kit guitar from a pawn shop. It's weight and it's acoustic tone lead me to believe that it is a mahogany body. The guitar is really sweet except I do not like the pick up selection the builder used. He used Lace Sensors (slug pole style). They are very hot and distort when played hard. I'm sure they are great for hard rock but I play classic rock, country etc. I really want to switch out pick ups with some vintage style (maybe even Legacy PU's). However I'm not sure how they will sound with a mahogany body. Do you have experience with single coils in mahogany? I noticed you were looking into a mahagony body Legacy. What type of tone can I expect? I've played ash and alder strats but never a mahogany one.

Thanks,

Tom

[darwinohm]

Tom, there are other people on this board who are more qualified to answer this question. You describe Lace Sensor pole type. I am not familiar with them. I have three lace sensor equipped Fenders, 88 Strat Plus, 97 Tele plus and my own build Fender with Chrome Domes (Hot Gold) and I really like them. My own build is American Deluxe parts and I have a Clapton Custom shop which is really unique in tone, what I perceive as vintage Fender Quack. The Chrome Domes are the closest to the Clapton of any I have. I have several mahogany bodied guitars, Gibosn LP. Hammer Artist with P 90's, a Fender mahogany with maple neck. I do not notice a lot of difference but have attributed the differences to the pickups. The Legacy Mahogany is actually a Swamp Ash body, mahogany color to mach the Mahogany neck. So they call it a mahogany but is a bit misleading. I also have a special build Bluesboy that is mahogany. I love the sound of all my guitars and I am basically a Bass player but do my own guitar work for recording. So there are many others her who can amswer this better than I. The distortion you are describing sounds like the pickups may be overdriving or possibly a wiring or phasing issue with the pickups or are they simply too close to the strings. So, others on the board, what do you think? -- Darwin

[Miles Smiles]

There are a couple older F-100's in my stable but I bet the new ones are a different beast.

Do the reissues have coil splitting? Probably not, as it's not mentioned in the specs.

I have got an old F-100 and I love the single coil sound, while I have no use for the of phase switch. The F-100 circuit shows the humbuckers are not simply split, but the "dead" coil is running through 2 capacitors to ground. So there's one coil at full range and the other, which would be simply off in a regular coil split circuit, has just the very low frequencies left, which gives a full sound with lots of bass and keeps the hum canceling still in effect, at least partially. If you prefer a thinner sound though, you may use the bass cut control, which isn't there at the reissue model too.

In my opinion the original F-100 has very cool electric features, which results in 8 different sounds, the variations which can be done with the both tone controls not yet counted, and I cannot understand, why the reissue model doesn't have it all too.

[darwinohm]

The new one has a pull switch on the tone control,so it does split the coils. I used it a bit last night and I really like the tones I can get. This doesn't have a control plate so I would have to get in the back to see what it has. Haven't had time yet but will soon and will let you know. Thanks-- Darwin.

[Craig]

There are a couple older F-100's in my stable but I bet the new ones are a different beast.

Do the reissues have coil splitting? Probably not, as it's not mentioned in the specs.

I have got an old F-100 and I love the single coil sound, while I have no use for the of phase switch. The F-100 circuit shows the humbuckers are not simply split, but the "dead" coil is running through 2 capacitors to ground. So there's one coil at full range and the other, which would be simply off in a regular coil split circuit, has just the very low frequencies left, which gives a full sound with lots of bass and keeps the hum canceling still in effect, at least partially. If you prefer a thinner sound though, you may use the bass cut control, which isn't there at the reissue model too.

In my opinion the original F-100 has very cool electric features, which results in 8 different sounds, the variations which can be done with the both tone controls not yet counted, and I cannot understand, why the reissue model doesn't have it all too.

It's not intended to be a "Reissue", that's why they called it the "Return Edition".
Yes, it has a coil splitter and it is listed in the specs and the description. Here's the Custom Creations F-100 Return Edition link.

There is also the standard production model and it does not have the coil splitter. It also has two other pickup sets option.
Here's the F-100 link.

Hope this helps.

[Miles Smiles]

Hope this helps.

OK, thanks, I see, it's the production model I meant, but that Return Edition from Custom Creations would really be nice to have, especially for the tremolo.

In the meantime I'm still looking for an old F-100 with a trem, although the headstock of the old ones is pretty ugly.

I've been an idiot not pushing hard, when this guitar had been on Ebay, I missed it and it bugs me since then:

[asphalt-abate]

Darwin:

Thanks. I practically stole this guitar from the pawn shop. They really don't have a clue when it comes to kit guitars. She has an ebony board, beautiful dark red color w/all black hardware, gotoh tuners and Buzz Feiten nut. Since I have so little into it I won't feel too bad dropping a bit of money on it. I'll keep my eyes open for a set of vintage style single coils. The pickups in it now are amazing - from clean to dirt depending on attack- but just not my style. She's a little bit heavy but really solid and a nice player. She's almost the polar opposite of my ASAT. They both have single coils and both have 25-1/2 inch necks but that is were the simularity ends.

Tom

Tom

[Randy]

I really dig the F100 & would love to own one... been keeping my eyes open for one i can afford

Great guitars, wonderful sound...

~Randy

[shawn500]

Love mine!

Kinda wish it was a hardtail, but it rocks hard. Love those mahogany bodies.



Back of the headstock was signed by Mr. Fullerton.

[Craig]

Hope this helps.

OK, thanks, I see, it's the production model I meant, but that Return Edition from Custom Creations would really be nice to have, especially for the tremolo.

In the meantime I'm still looking for an old F-100 with a trem, although the headstock of the old ones is pretty ugly.

I've been an idiot not pushing hard, when this guitar had been on Ebay, I missed it and it bugs me since then:

The standard production model does come standard with the G&L Dual Fulcrum bridge. The Saddle-Lock bridge is an option.

[JonL]

I'm an F-100 fan!

I bought my '84 F-100 in the spring or early summer of '09. It's a mahogany body, maple neck, hardtail. I bought it off e-bay on a whim. I immediately fell in love with the neck, and after learning how to use the controls I've come to love the way the guitar sounds for certain music. I also play a vintage strat, my rig consists of an original '61 brown reverb tank feeding a '61 brown Vibrolux with a C12N. One channel in the amp has been modified for a bit more gain. I use both channels in parallel, with only enough of the high-gain channel in the mix to give it a little more drive. My strat sounds better for cleaner tones, and I use the strat when I play in a straight blues band. My main band's music is louder and has more of a blues-rock feel. Kind of Allman Bros meets Dead meets Cream. For that stuff my F-100 works great with the amp moderately overdriven and I get amazing '70s rock sounds from the guitar. It doesn't sound like a Fender or a Gibson, rather it has it's own unique vibe. Warm, overdriven, gutsy, and with sustain; yet still very articulate and clear. I can't get behind the tone of the F-100 when it's really clean, but a bit of drive and it's magic. All the pickup positions give me tones that inspire me to play, and each one pushes me in a different direction. Even the out of phase tone sends me off in some really cool directions.

So yes, I'm a huge F-100 fan.

I'm starting to look at other G&Ls to use sometimes in place of my Strat. I'd rather not take the Strat out to clubs as much as i do, so I'm looking at G&Ls that will give me a great clean Stratty tone. Legacy, SC-3, S-500... I have to find some to play a bit. Maybe I'll end up with one of each!

[Miles Smiles]

so I'm looking at G&Ls that will give me a great clean Stratty tone. Legacy, SC-3, S-500...

I think the Legacy will come very close, mine does.

[ChinoGee]

Hi friends,

I didn't want to buy myself an other guitar for now BUT I've seen for sale a 1981 G&L F-100 Serie II (serial number in the range G0059XX), and GAS is back...

Condition of this F-100 is excellent (just a few dings) and if my memory is good, the price asked is 560€ (less than 750 USD).

Here it is:





Several questions:

- Is the F-100 a good guitar (I haven't make a research yet...)?
- What are the specs of the Serie II?
- What type of pups and sound is it ?
- Is 750 USD a good price?

Thanks in advance!

[KenC]

I love them. I currently have two: an '80 in swamp ash with DFV, and an '81 'hog hardtail. The 'hog is my favorite of the two.

I can't tell for sure from the pics, but the root beer brown finish means this one most likely has a mahogany body. I don't see any indications that it's been modified, either.

The F-100 was G&L's first guitar. You could think of it as a follow-on to the Sabres they had just finished making for MusicMan.

As far as specs, it has the two MFD humbucking pickups. The switching is a bit unusual. You can get the regular dual-humbucker switching options, plus series-parallel and out of phase options. Some of these were made with active electronics as well. I find that these MFDs pair very nicely with a mahogany body. I use mine on the neck pickup for chord melodies, either clean or with a bit of overdrive. The bridge pickup gets a brighter tone, but not quite as bright as they do in an ash body. These aren't Gibson-type humbuckers, or high-gain screamers. The F-100 was intended to be one guitar that could cover all the bases for players back in the early 80s: classic rock, blues, jazz, country, etc. It should handle any of those styles, but I wouldn't count on it for heavy metal...

The "Series II" designation just means the fretboard has a 7.5" radius. Series I had a 12" radius. Both models were made at the same time, starting in the late summer of 1980.

I'd say $750 is a reasonable price in the US, especially if it has a decent case. I paid under $600 for each of mine (one last month, and the other in early 2011), but those were very good deals and both were in non-original 30-year old cases.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Ken

[StratsRock]

I've got my F-100 BlackBurst w/flamed maple top currently on eBay. I'm needing a new Taylor acoustic so it must go. Sold!

[Craig]

There are several posts on the F-100 in the General G&L Questions sub-forum of the G&L Knowledgebase you should check out.

Helpful Hint: At the bottom of each sub-forum you will find the "Display topics from previous:" settings.
Try using the Sort by Subject setting.

Hope this helps.

[ChinoGee]

Thanks a lot Ken and Craig for those infos, greatly appreciated.

[Its_Him_Again]

I'd love to get one. I cannot seem to find one locally, though. Kind of a shame, as they are made 35 miles from my house.

[JagInTheBag]

I've played a couple of vintage ones, never the returns edition. I really like the sound and feel, haven't found the right one to buy yet. Good "get" Darwin!

[KenC]

I have nothing significant to add to the discussion at this point, but this thread is running low on porn.





Ken