ASAT Bluesboy or ASAT Deluxe?

[Zeldoom]

Hi guys.
I really dont know what to do .. i am considering buy a new guitar ( my equipment : Mesa Boogie Expres 5:25 Plus , Epiphone Les Paul 100) .
I want to be able play more easly more genere of music that i couldnt played with my Epi.. i want a singelcoil guitar.
the thing is, there is 2 guitars I debated which one to buy. Bluesboy or Deluxe.
Both of them are awesome guitars. the bluesbouy has the combination of humbecker and single, and the Deluxe offer you 2 guitars in 1
(thanks to the split coil).
Its really hard decision , i need your help guys. thanks!

[Craig]

Hi guys.
I really dont know what to do .. i am considering buy a new guitar ( my equipment : Mesa Boogie Expres 5:25 Plus , Epiphone Les Paul 100) .
I want to be able play more easly more genere of music that i couldnt played with my Epi.. i want a singelcoil guitar.
the thing is, there is 2 guitars I debated which one to buy. Bluesboy or Deluxe.
Both of them are awesome guitars. the bluesbouy has the combination of humbecker and single, and the Deluxe offer you 2 guitars in 1
(thanks to the split coil).
Its really hard decision , i need your help guys. thanks!

Which bridge type do you prefer? Saddle-Lock or traditional boxed steel?

[Fumble fingers]

you can also order a vibrato on the Deluxe , DF or Bigsby , you can't on the Blues boy .... I have a Deluxe with Bigsby on order right now myself

[louis cyfer]

if you actually want acceptable single coil tones from the deluxe, you'll have to replace the pups with fralin unbuckers.

[suave eddie]

if you actually want acceptable single coil tones from the deluxe, you'll have to replace the pups with fralin unbuckers.

I have no experience with the Fralin Unbuckers, but Lucifer is correct in that in general you will not get the single coil tones you are after with a split Humbucker pickup. It is a compromise at best usually.

[NickHorne]

I agree with L.C. that you will want to change the Deluxe's pups if you are after a big single-coil sound.

The Bluesboy, however, has a great bridge pup already (and in the unlikely event you disagree, it can be modded with any Tele back pup in the world).
The Seth humbucker will want changing, though. Again, Louis's idea of the Fralin Unbucker is very interesting. Possibly Humbucker neck / Fat coil only of neck / Fat coil of neck plus bridge / Bridge, on a 4-way switch? Again, the humbucker format is so standard, your modding options are wide open.

My view is that you will want to mod either guitar. The Deluxe has the saddle-lock, which is nice though not game-changing, but your pup options will be a bit limited by the need to use a "Fender - spaced" pickup there.

The Bluesboy you can mod every which way (but no tremolo).

Question is, I suppose, do you want to mod at all? Or simply buy it and get on with using it?
And have you tried an Asat Special?? Or, if you love that look, an Asat Special Deluxe?

There are also discontinued-but-great things out there called Asat III's, which have three S500 pups in. Sort of a turbo-Strat in a Tele form. If you must have new, then a modern III could be made from an Asat Z-3, a new guard from Chandler, and some S500 pups. Not cheap, but perhaps not massively different, pricewise, from a Deluxe.
You might like the Z3 just as it comes, too!

[Zeldoom]

Hi guys.
I really dont know what to do .. i am considering buy a new guitar ( my equipment : Mesa Boogie Expres 5:25 Plus , Epiphone Les Paul 100) .
I want to be able play more easly more genere of music that i couldnt played with my Epi.. i want a singelcoil guitar.
the thing is, there is 2 guitars I debated which one to buy. Bluesboy or Deluxe.
Both of them are awesome guitars. the bluesbouy has the combination of humbecker and single, and the Deluxe offer you 2 guitars in 1
(thanks to the split coil).
Its really hard decision , i need your help guys. thanks!

Which bridge type do you prefer? Saddle-Lock or traditional boxed steel?

i dont really mind what type of bridge the guitar has, as long as it has constant bridge.
i really want to cover a lot of genre of music that i cant completly cover with my Epi.. but still ןi dont want to compromise on quality.

[Elwood]

If I had only a LP style guitar and wanted a good compliment,
I'd be after a nice Legacy or S-500, or at least consider a Bigsby equipped ASAT.

Those Dual Fulcrum Vibrato bridges have a nice liquid feel, and are very stable when not in use.


edit: I'm guessing 'constant' means fixed,hardtail.
What's the reason(s) for staying away from the vibrato bridges ?

[Zeldoom]

If I had only a LP style guitar and wanted a good compliment,
I'd be after a nice Legacy or S-500, or at least consider a Bigsby equipped ASAT.

Those Dual Fulcrum Vibrato bridges have a nice liquid feel, and are very stable when not in use.


edit: I'm guessing 'constant' means fixed,hardtail.
What's the reason(s) for staying away from the vibrato bridges ?

The reason i want only a 'fixed' bridge, because i dont want to get into the all thing that i cant change my tuning on the guitar everytime i want- what i can do with a fixed bridge.

i dont see myself buying ( at least now) a Legacy model. i am in "LOVE" with the ASAT model.

[Elwood]

Gotcha, totally understand .
elwood

[Zeldoom]

Gotcha, totally understand .
elwood

So can you tell me what is your advice? i am really dont know what to choose.. Bluesboy or Deluxe?

[louis cyfer]

if i were you, i would go with an asat special or special deluxe or asat z3. at least you wont have to change pups. on the asat deluxe, you will not get a decent single coil sound with the coil tap without changing the pups. we can't tell you which one to choose, we can only point out the differences, the pros and the cons. the choice has to be made by you, but if you already have a humbucker guitar, going with single coils makes more sense.

[blargfromouterspace]

i dont see myself buying ( at least now) a Legacy model. i am in "LOVE" with the ASAT model.

If you want a guitar with single coils and a fixed bridge and love the ASATs, then IMO you'd be better of getting an ASAT with single coils - Classic, Special/Special Deluxe, Z3.

I'll back up what has been said about coil splitting humbuckers, I reckon they ALWAYS sound crap.

[KenC]

if i were you, i would go with an asat special or special deluxe or asat z3. at least you wont have to change pups. on the asat deluxe, you will not get a decent single coil sound with the coil tap without changing the pups. we can't tell you which one to choose, we can only point out the differences, the pros and the cons. the choice has to be made by you, but if you already have a humbucker guitar, going with single coils makes more sense.

I agree. I almost chimed in a while back with the same question, but figured I must have missed a reason you were sticking with HBs. The basic ASAT platform gives you a lot of options. Jamie (Blarg) mentioned a couple, but if you look through the listings on G&L's main website or the AGB G&L Generator you'll see even more. Each of those ASAT models has its own distinct single coil sound.

Ken

[crfowler]

I don't really get why you've picked the two ASATs you have as your 'choose-betweens' when you've said specifically that you want a single coil guitar.

Get an ASAT special and don't look back would be my advice.

[Elwood]

I don't really get why you've picked the two ASATs you have as your 'choose-betweens' when you've said specifically that you want a single coil guitar.

Get an ASAT special and don't look back would be my advice.

+1

another option:
ASATCat

[dominic]

Jumping on this thread because I am also looking at getting an ASAT Deluxe semi - hollow. My main guitar now is an S-500 and I am after a Tele body style, semi hollow for a more open sound, and the ability to get single coil sounds along with humbucker sounds. In the few videos I listened to on you tube I thought the single coil sound was pretty good on the Deluxe - but you all have me re-thinking this.....can anyone elaborate on the compromises / limits / weaknesses of the deluxe pickups in single coil mode? If it is because they have less spank / high end - that is fine for me.....maybe not for others.....because I get that with the S500. Or is it something else? And, I wouldn't be opposed to swapping out for unbuckers - just didn't think I would have to.....

[louis cyfer]

Jumping on this thread because I am also looking at getting an ASAT Deluxe semi - hollow. My main guitar now is an S-500 and I am after a Tele body style, semi hollow for a more open sound, and the ability to get single coil sounds along with humbucker sounds. In the few videos I listened to on you tube I thought the single coil sound was pretty good on the Deluxe - but you all have me re-thinking this.....can anyone elaborate on the compromises / limits / weaknesses of the deluxe pickups in single coil mode? If it is because they have less spank / high end - that is fine for me.....maybe not for others.....because I get that with the S500. Or is it something else? And, I wouldn't be opposed to swapping out for unbuckers - just didn't think I would have to.....

the split sounds on the deluxe are thin and shrill and a big drop in volume. splitting humbuckers in half does this. the unbucker has one big coil and one small one, and when you split you go to the big coil, which is actually a single coil.

[SamIV]

I own an ASAT classic and an ASAT tribute deluxe. With the humbucker split on the deluxe it sounds good, but nowhere near as good as the single on the Classic in the bridge or the neck position. It is one of the better humbuckers that I have heard split though. The singles on the ASATs are just so good though. My brother has an ASAT Special and those pick ups are sweet as well. They are singles which are quite a bit hotter than my classic's pickups, but can be tamed with the volume control and might be of some interest to you. Hope this helps.

[helle-man]

I don't really get why you've picked the two ASATs you have as your 'choose-betweens' when you've said specifically that you want a single coil guitar.

Get an ASAT special and don't look back would be my advice.

The best advice I've seen here. You don't understand G&L's if you don't have an ASAT Special. Then you'll get it. And if not, G&L's aren't for you.

Will

[Zeldoom]

i really appriciate all the help guys! thanks!
i will definitely try the Special.
the reason i wanted the deluxe is simple. instead of buying 2 guitars in the future- i can buy 2 guitars in 1 -the Deluxe.
and again , thanks !

[ChinoGee]

i really appriciate all the help guys! thanks!
i will definitely try the Special.
the reason i wanted the deluxe is simple. instead of buying 2 guitars in the future- i can buy 2 guitars in 1 -the Deluxe.
and again , thanks !

Special woould be a GREAT choice. Fantastic (and unique) guitar.

[KenC]

i really appriciate all the help guys! thanks!
i will definitely try the Special.

Happy hunting! In case you don't know, the model names ASAT and ASAT Special are pretty interchangeable. They started off in '86 as ASAT, and then through the 90s they were called ASAT if the hardware was black and ASAT Special if the hardware was chrome. Later the black hardware option went away. IIRC, the headstock decals never had "Special" on them throughout this whole evolution. There were a few other details, but that's the gist of it. I just mention this so you don't let ones without "Special" in the name pass you by...

Ken

[helle-man]

i really appriciate all the help guys! thanks!
i will definitely try the Special.

In case you don't know, the model names ASAT and ASAT Special are pretty interchangeable. I just mention this so you don't let ones without "Special" in the name pass you by...

Ken

I disagree. A lot of people get ASAT Classics and Specials confused. But they are quite different.

Will

[KenC]

Will,

Thanks for pointing that out. I was referring to guitars with decals that only say "ASAT" on the headstock...which would be '86 to '90-something ASATs and '90-something to present ASAT Specials....

Ken

[Salmon]

In addition to a standard ASAT Special with two large MFD's there are Classic S guitars with three small MFD's, ASAT Classic S Alnico's with three Alnico pickups, ASAT Cats with two large and one small MFD, there is also an ASAT 3 Special made with three large MFD's in addition to Deluxe models with fancy features. (Sorry to overlap/repeat what may have been said previously):

ASAT Classic S with three small MFD's
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp

ASAT Classic S Alnico with three Alnico pickups
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp

ASAT 3 Special (specially made for Midlothian Music) with three large MFD's
http://www.gbase.com/gear/61592-g-and-l ... andy-apple
http://www.gbase.com/gear/61673-g-and-l ... -lim-clear

ASAT Special with two large MFD's
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/US ... /index.asp

ASAT Cat (specially made for Alley Cat Music) with two large and one small MFD
http://www.asatcat.com/asatcat/index.php

[JagInTheBag]

I don't really get why you've picked the two ASATs you have as your 'choose-betweens' when you've said specifically that you want a single coil guitar.

Get an ASAT special and don't look back would be my advice.

The best advice I've seen here. You don't understand G&L's if you don't have an ASAT Special. Then you'll get it. And if not, G&L's aren't for you.

Will

+1

This is why I love my SC-2's and patiently await the WR Z-3. Between the DF and the saddle lock SC-2's I think I prefer the Saddle Lock- total tone monster.