Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

The place to discuss, post photos, video, and audio of the G&L products (US instruments, stomp boxes, etc.) produced after 1991, including the amps & gear we use with them.
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darwinohm
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Location: Minneapolis/St Paul

Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by darwinohm »

I have doing my winter maintenance recently and I posted pictures of my CAR Legacy earlier this week. The G&Ls are bullet proof for the most part. I did order a tone knob in cream color for my Blonde Legacy. Also a switch tip for my s-500. I thought the prices for them were reasonable from the G&L store considering they are available and we have to pay shipping from anywhere so I thought is was a reasonable deal and are looking forward to receiving them. Part of my winter setup is new strings, a complete setup and then I plug them in, listen and am generally marveled by what I hear, kind of a falling in love again. These G&Ls are so fun to play as they are consistent and they all sound great. Last night was PRS Johnny Hiland night. This is a sweet guitar and the workmanship is quality. After installing new strings, I had a problem with the high E string slipping in the tuner. These are locking tuners and I think they are the marginal. The screw goes into the top of the tuner and is a steel rod, coated with plastic (plastic threads) about a 5-32 size and they have a screwdriver slot in the top. Now, who put a screwdriver slot in a plastic thread. The guitar comes with 2 extra screws and I bought it used and it came with everything but the screws. I finally tightened it to where I was worried but it didn't strip. I contacted PRS and they have the screws and would be happy to send them tome for $33 plus shipping. Damn, I hope their heart doesn't fall out. I passed and went to the hardware store today and bought 6 Hex screws for $1.75 and this is an expensive hardware store as they have everything. Anyway, I wonder how many of these Johnny Hiland blew out! Here is what they look like and the hex screws with an allen wrench are in the case for backup. I cannot get a clearer picture.

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Tonight I take my Taylor SB-2 and it gets the tuneup. It is a quality guitar, impeccable build and certainly a looker. I plugged it in after new strings and a setup and it could be the one guitar that does most everything. There are no flaws or shortcomings in this baby, it delivers but at a hefty price. They are not cheap but I am proud to own it. It does have almost any tone I could ask for. As long as it is shined up, here it is.

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That brings up my Z-3. I did the works on this one and they don't get much better than this. Gitman was lusting for a Bigsby the other day and I can see why. G&L did this one just fine. It is a 2002/2003 and they had it right. I sold a Fender American Deluxe Tele with a Bigsby, that I had installed, to buy this. I have never looked back.

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Ginny and I were at Big Louies tonight and while sipping my large Grain Belt Nordeast, she mentioned that she should have a big blast for my 70th birthday coming up soon. Now, is this an opportunity or what????? "That would be the perfect time to present me with a new G&L and Tim at AGB knows what I want" was my instant reply. She responded "you have to be kidding, I'm not doing that anymore" Stay tuned! :evilgrin: -- Darwin-- Have a great evening.
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gitman001
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Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by gitman001 »

Hey Darwin,

I have been starring at the z-3 Bigsby for about 5 minutes now..... It is certainly NOT going to help cure my GAS. That is one outstanding guitar. You may get the blame when i pull the trigger on one sooner that expected! :D

Scott
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blargfromouterspace
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Location: Central Highlands, Australia

Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by blargfromouterspace »

I always thought those PRS locking mechanisms looked like a weak point, and to charge $33 for a couple of replacement ones is nothing short of robbery.

Have you had any trouble with string breaks and tuning instability on the Z3? I'm thinking that a transparent orange, double-bound ASAT Deluxe with a Bigsby could be in my near future but I've never owned a guitar with a one nor do I know anyone who has.

And good luck with the 70th birthday present :thumbup:
-Jamie
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darwinohm
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Location: Minneapolis/St Paul

Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by darwinohm »

Scott, I had the same sentiments when I first saw it in a store. I sold the Fender American Deluxe Cherryburst Tele I had installed the Bigsby on, one I swore I would never part with!

Jamie, I do think the PRS tuners are a weak point. They used to send a couple of extras with a new guitar. The price I quoted was for a set of six. As for the Bigsby, I have not had tuning stability problems. I did have an issue while raising the trem at one time but resolved it. The bridge does rock. I have several Bigsbys and have not had tuning stability issues with any of them, nor do they have string braking issues. I do like locking tuners on Bigsby equipped guitars but Bigsbys have been maligned by many because of bad installations/bridge choice issues. I like the finer control that you get with a Bigsby. Also many complain about string changing and it is a breeze once you use a little trick. Thanks guys-- Darwin
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blargfromouterspace
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Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by blargfromouterspace »

Thanks Darwin. Any chance you could post a photo of the saddles on the Bigsby equipped Z3?

I just noticed your matching plectrum in the strings, nice touch!
-Jamie
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meowmix
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Location: California

Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by meowmix »

Wow! :shock: You pay a shinny penny for the PRS and they install flimsy tuners, which will need replacing every so often.
Plastic in the tuners. :crazy:
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darwinohm
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Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by darwinohm »

Meow, it is only the plastic screws in the tuner that is plastic coated with plastic threads, but I consider it a weak point.

Jamie, happy to post a couple of pics. The first is the standard factory G&L with the TOM bridge. You will notice that they use a recessed, I believe B-5 Bigsby. It works quite well and I am happy with it. The bridge does rock with the Bigsby movement.

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I installed my own Bigsby on a G&L Bluesboy and here is how I did it. I used the Fender F Bigsby with a Jazzmaster bridge and it doesn't have to be recessed. Keep in mind that G&L probably can't use this as I sure it is proprietary to Fender, but it is totally stable and I like this setup. If I had a choice I would prefer this. It was a difficult installation and not simple like installing on a Tele. The body dimensions are a bit different. Anyway the G&L Bigsby is a very nice setup. Here is what I did to the Bluesboy. I did trade it and it sold immediately as have my other Bigsby installations.

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You will notice that the Bigsby went almost to the base of the guitar with this installation. It was a sweet player when I was done. It was a heavy Bluesboy to begin with and the Bigsby added a bit of weight. I may do another some day.-- Darwin
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blargfromouterspace
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Re: Technical Thoughts- Quiet Friday Night

Post by blargfromouterspace »

Thanks Darwin. Interesting to see that its recessed like that. I'm still not 100% sold on the Bigsby - I'm sure that the DFS is a more practical option - but they look really, really cool.

I remember that thread on the Bluesboy, getting it installed correctly was quite an achievement!
-Jamie