G&L, Leocaster?

Sprinter 92 · Post by **Sprinter 92** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 12:48 pm

I stumbled upon a guitar with the name Leocaster on it. The guitar is at Carter Vintage Guitars. www.cartervintage.com They say its original name was Le Caster. Anyone know anything about this guitar? They also have an interesting prototype Asat bass.

Post by **Craig** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:53 pm

Sprinter 92 wrote:I stumbled upon a guitar with the name Leocaster on it. The guitar is at Carter Vintage Guitars. http://www.cartervintage.com They say its original name was Le Caster. Anyone know anything about this guitar? They also have an interesting prototype Asat bass.

I have not seen this one before, but see this post regarding the LeCaster/LaCaster replacement names for the Broadcaster: http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic ... 294#p50294, especially this link in that post: http://www.ggjaguar.com/lecaster.htm.

Interesting that this ASAT has the version of the DF trem that G&L sold as an aftermarket assembly kit.
I hope Fred Finisher see this post and can comment on this guitar or at least the authenticity of the neck.

I really wonder how authentic it is???

fianoman · Post by **fianoman** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:01 pm

How cool is that if it's true? G&L should release a LeoCaster now. And a Leo's StrayCaster or some such thing. Kick up some dust in the marketplace!

KenC · Post by **KenC** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:26 pm

I'm going to guess it was either an employee build or a parts guitar. The headstock looks like it was for a Kahler-equipped Broadcaster or ASAT, and has a had a very non-G&L string tree added. The white pickguard and pickup covers didn't show up on ASATs until the early BBE days. Ditto for the chrome control plate. The finish doesn't look like anything that was standard production during the Leo-era, but then again all things were possible with finishes. It also looks like a chrome neck plate with a serial number stamp, which IIRC would be an anomaly. Three-bolt chrome neck plates on production guitars went away right about the same time that serial numbers moved from the bridge to the neck plate. Even if there was overlap (i.e., serial numbers on chrome plates), it would have been a couple of years too early for a Broadcaster/ASAT.

Ken

HLG · Post by **HLG** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:27 pm

Decided to delete this post. My rant is somewhat out of character. I will leave this part in.
For the record the guitar description is complete and utter BULLCRAP!!!

HLG

KenC · Post by **KenC** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:37 pm

Just checked out the ASAT Bass prototype. [deleted] $110K seems a bit steep to me...

Ken

Edited because I didn't see Larry's post. They must have both gone up at the same instant.

HLG · Post by **HLG** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:40 pm

Whew!
Now that I'm done venting can someone get me the serial number on the guitar? The one posted is highly illegible. I'll be able to tell exactly what the guitar is not with the number. The seller should pul the neck for dates and show photos of the pot dates. That will tell the real story.

HLG

KenC · Post by **KenC** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:53 pm

I noticed the "by Leo Fender" decal is incorrect too. Judging from the mid-'80s G&Ls I have within arm's reach at the moment, the decal that went directly under the G&L logo was perfectly straight. The decal on the "LeoCaster" is the type that went below the early ASAT logo, which was curved to follow the contour of the headstock.

Ken

Post by **Craig** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:21 pm

HLG wrote:COMPLETE BULLCRAP!!!!!!!
It's a fake decal on a 90s asat. This guitar shows up from time to time for sale. Don't even consider it unless your happy paying $6500 for a repainted 90s Asat worth $1000 or less. Nothing wrong at all with a 90s asat with a modified paint job if you can live with it. Probably sounds great. I've verified this with my sources. There is only one Lecaster ever produced and it says Lecaster on a black headstock. I'll look for the photo of the real LeCaster. I have It somewhere. The photo is out there and if anybody has it handy please jump in here. I realize it was inevitable but It just pisses me off to no end when people try to rip people off with forgeries for personal gain. Go to the cartevintage.com website and you'll also see a so called prototype bass they claim was one of the last guitars Leo Fender worked on and verified by Lowell Shyette. BULLCRAP!!! Lowell Shyette worked for Dale Hyatt in the late eighties as a west coast rep and sometimes test player for Leo. Lowell had great ideas and had much input on certain models working with Leo. I know Lowell and I know he would not stoop to such low tactics for personnel gain.
For the record on this guitar the guitar description is complete and utter BULLCRAP!!!

HLG

See my post above. I include the link to Greg's page which shows the Le/LaCaster neck.

Fumble fingers · Post by **Fumble fingers** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:39 pm

HLG wrote:Decided to delete this post. My rant is somewhat out of character. I will leave this part in.
For the record the guitar description is complete and utter BULLCRAP!!!

HLG

I was all right with the original post ..... thats how us newbee's learn is from you guy's

fianoman · Post by **fianoman** » Tue Mar 25, 2014 5:03 am

Fumble fingers wrote:
HLG wrote:Decided to delete this post. My rant is somewhat out of character. I will leave this part in.
For the record the guitar description is complete and utter BULLCRAP!!!

HLG

I was all right with the original post ..... thats how us newbee's learn is from you guy's

Ditto. One of the things I really enjoy on this forum is the "direct from the source" knowledge that you veterans have.

It's also good to be reminded that there are sleezeballs out there selling stuff. Sad but true.

landru64 · Post by **landru64** » Mon Nov 03, 2014 5:30 am

i know this is an old thread, but fwiw, i am the owner of the guitar that's shown on GG's site. i never got to see this leocaster, but the Le/Lacaster is quite real.

I don't collect G&Ls anymore-in fact selling one of my last collectibles this week to someone, but glad to see people really enjoying the history of these fine guitars. I can not stop kicking myself for not buying some of the really weird (and still to this day undiscovered) weird prototypes that Dale had for sale at the factory liquidation sale he had right around the time BBE bought the company. I believe there was a guitar called the bobcat. And certainly that's the first time I ever saw the decals for the T-300.

Katefan · Post by **Katefan** » Mon Nov 03, 2014 12:04 pm

Agreed. Lecasters are out there plus probably some really cool other ones.

I hear ya. I'm the (3rd) owner of one of them. I saw it in a post on TDPRI earlier this year and tracked down the original owner who was at that sale and bought it from Dale.
According to him, it resided for years in Leo's office as the musician it was intended for never picked it up...

Its been "proven" not to be an actual prototype by Gabe but I believe otherwise and am going with the original owner and Dale's story.
No disrespect to Gabe but he's not infallible....he recently deemed Jos' 's recent SC-2/HG-2 prototype not to be one but it turns out it is.
I can understand his stance tho as its not listed in the log book + he asked Dale about the guitar and Dale said he didn't recall it .

Cheers,
KF

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