I bought this off TalkBass, after seeing an ad for multiple G&Ls last way too long. I still can't figure out why it didn't go quickly, other than the seller disclosing some fret buzz high on the G string. Anyway, this was one of the last Leo-era basses I've been trying to track down, so the deal was done. I was really just expecting to fill one of the gaps in my Leo-era bass collection, and hoping that I could enjoy a sweet player in the process. It's always nice when expectations are exceeded.
She has a two-piece maple body. There is quite a bit of flame in the wood, but the sunburst finish is thin - almost a satin - so the grain does not pop. It took me a couple of minutes to convince myself that the body had not been refinished, as the buckle rash on the back seems to dent rather than remove the finish. The couple of small dings through to the wood show a much thinner finish than the 'burst on my '84 SB-2. I'll have to look closely at my SC-series guitars and Lynx to see whether they have similar rash. After checking the neck pocket, I'm am completely convinced that the bass left the factory with this finish. I'll have to hunt down the thread where Fred Finisher described the differences between finishing an SC or SB body and a "professional" model. I recall him saying that fewer coats were applied to the SCs and SBs, and a lot of sanding was omitted. It's interesting that the neck has the same rich gloss finish as any other 80s-vintage G&L I've played.
The neck and body have a wonderful feel and resonance. I look forward to doing an A/B between this bass and the Lynx to see which one is more comfortable. It's taken me a while to bond with several of my recent G&L purchases (usually after a thorough cleaning, string change and setup), but with this one it was immediate.
The bass came with a split-coil MFD installed, and one of the Schallers from the early days of SB-1 production in the case. I haven't had a chance to play amplified yet, but through a recording interface and headphones it seems very hot, especially on the E string. It has round wounds that seem brand new. I hate taking off good strings, but this bass seems to be calling out for a set of flats. I will probably change back to the Schaller pickup at some point just to see how it compares to the MFD.
I had this bass pegged as a very early one, probably from the summer or fall of 1985, due to the single-ply plastic pick guard and Schaller. It turns out that the body is dated December 20 1985, and the neck January 30 1986. I didn't realize the "experimental" Schaller pickups were still being used that late. Of course, there's always the possibility that it was from an earlier instrument and just ended up in the case with this one somewhere down the road.
My son recommended that I name this bass "Root Beer" because of the browns in the sunburst, which are much darker in person than in the photos. That just didn't work for me. Thinking back to the production dates, I spent a lot of time in January 1986 on the banks of the Ashley River in Charleston SC. The browns do look a lot like root beer, but they also remind me of the shades of the Lowcountry salt marsh at low tide. So, "Ashley" she is...
Ken
ps - I know the iPad photos on the living room couch aren't that great. The next clear day I will try to get some better shots outdoors.
She's a beauty.