Dear G&L, please make an offset guitar

[rhythmicist]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forum and I've been a fan of G&L guitars for many years. I follow them on Facebook and Instagram and often drool over the pictures they post everyday. Someone made a comment on one of their posts recently and asked if they were thinking about building an offset body style. Someone with G&L then responded that they were seriously pondering this idea but have not yet pulled the trigger.

I think they should build an offset for a few reasons:

- Leo invented the Jazzmaster and Jaguar designs
- Many boutique companies have an offset offering (but they are in the $2K - $3K range)
- G&L could hit a spot in the market with offering a quality offset guitar in the $1200 - $1500 price range
- Lastly, because I know they would do something with a better bang for your buck vs. brand F.

I'm sure that this this is probably not the first time this topic has been brought up. I feel like G&L has just about perfected their offering of ASAT and S style guitars.

Is there any other support here for a G&L offset offering?

[JagInTheBag]

I support it. It just can't outright copy the Jazz/Jag body shape.

[rhythmicist]

I would think the patent on the body shapes is expired. If not, are folks just tweaking it just enough to not be a JM or Jag shape?

When you look at the boutique guys like such as

Fano
Knaggs
K-Line
Grosh (Theirs is actually a unique shape)

Most of their offset models look like straight JM copies to my eye but they could be tweaking a couple dimensions to get around it. Obviously, they have their own headstock designs just as G&L does.

Even though these look like Jazzmasters and they are of good build quality, I just can't see dropping $2K-$3K on one of these.

[Theguitarstore]

So Let's just say there was an offset guitar offered in the near future? Maybe a Jazzy kind of thing with a contour top.
What bridge do you see on it? Dual Fulcrum? Bigsby?
Pick ups? MFD? P90? A boutique offering such as Lollar?
Would a wider body be good? Or thin it out?
Would you pay more for a nitro finish? Semi hollow? Mahogany body? Basswood with a cap?

I am not saying I have any plans or anything.

[blargfromouterspace]

They already do and one of their best shaped guitars - the SC2. It's definitely in the offset camp more than the usual strat/tele style. It's also one of the cheapest models they make.

[rhythmicist]

So Let's just say there was an offset guitar offered in the near future? Maybe a Jazzy kind of thing with a contour top.
What bridge do you see on it? Dual Fulcrum? Bigsby? Pick ups? MFD? P90? A boutique offering such as Lollar? Would a wider body be good? Or thin it out?
Would you pay more for a nitro finish? Semi hollow? Mahogany body? Basswood with a cap? I am not saying I have any plans or anything.

Yeah, it would need some type of vibrato. Maybe Dual fulcrum with Bigsby as an option. That way you could do the surf thing with it. I'm not looking for this for jazz style music. I like watching the alt rock guys like Nels Cline from Wilco that use these style guitars.

As far as pickups, I would lean towards P90s. G&L has plenty of offerings with their MFDs. Other than the Bluesboy 90 and that Tribute Ascari model, they don't really have a lot with P90s.

Not many people offer the JM style body in a thin line with f-hole so maybe that is an option but I would prefer a solid body in this style guitar.

I would lean alder, ash, or korina on this style.

The other thing I've noticed is that a lot of the boutique guys are not bothering with Leo's original "jazz circuit" switches. Do you think folks would really need that? Who uses a preset for a 2nd neck pickup setting? I think that was originally intended so one could have a warmer jazz neck pickup setting and then switch to a brighter setting. Maybe G&L could update this with a toggle switch or something.

[rhythmicist]

They already do and one of their best shaped guitars - the SC2. It's definitely in the offset camp more than the usual strat/tele style. It's also one of the cheapest models they make.

I like the SC-2 shape but I put it in the "Mustang/Musicmaster" family as far as body shapes go.

[JagInTheBag]

I too, am an SC-2 shape fan. I think a Jazz/Jag shape would be key to feel the SC-2 is too small a fit for their body. Ironically, I love both shapes, the ASAT shape and Legacy style are a distant 3rd and fourth to me.

Regarding bridge, I'd like to see a Saddle Lock as standard and DF virbrato option, offering both solid body and semi hollow, with the Bigsby coming in later as more pickup options are offered. I dig the dual P90 idea, although, I'd love to see what Paul Gagon can do with a Jazzmaster big bobbin for AlNiCo pickups. Concerning MFD's I think dual big soap bars would also be an awesome thing. Particularly because they were first conceived as the next evolution of the Jazzmaster pickup set. I'd leave the neck pup standard (why mess with perfection) and load the bridge with a horizontally oriented ASAT Super spec pickup. I have an SC-2 set up with ASAT Supers- I can take or leave the neck, but the bridge pup is friggen awesome!