Mahogany Cavalier

The place to discuss, post photos, video, and audio of the G&L instruments produced from 1980 to 1991, including the amps & gear we use with them.
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

Tim, you're killing me. Sure, show off all my old babies. ;) LOL. Btw, the other special feature of this particular Cav are the warmer sounding Hummers that Richard had asked for. All in all a very unique and incredible sounding and playing Cav. One of the very best I had ever tried and someone should really nab this.
User avatar
yowhatsshakin
Posts: 3340
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 8:00 am
Location: Seattle

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by yowhatsshakin »

C'mon guys!! Keep it a secret where you can find all the good stuff, will ya! :happy0007:

Been eying that beauty for quite a while but in the same boat as Tim. That's what Lacewood #1 and my next planned purchase will do to ya ...

- Jos
LeoFThe Champion
Posts: 270
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:20 am

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by LeoFThe Champion »

Why did you sell it JonC?
Thanks
Anthony
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

LeoF The Champion wrote:Why did you sell it JonC?
Thanks
Anthony
One day I opened my storage space to put yet another G&L in and couldn't find a spot for it. Could hardly walk in the door. Started pulling things out and counting and had well over 100 in there. Called up Tim and said we need to do something with all these. It was unfortunately the start of one of the worst experiences and times I've had since I started collecting. This Cav and a few others are the ones I regret selling off the most but it had to be done. Hard to believe I'm now down to just 3, and one of those, the ASAT Prototype will I believe be going to a fellow forumite in the PNW later this month.

:)
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:18 pm
Location: None of the above

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by KenC »

I'd love to hear how the Cavalier pickups do in a mahogany body. I'm with Tim on hardtails. I wish my Cavalier had a Saddle Lock instead of a DFV, but not enough to sell or trade it.

Ken
Last edited by KenC on Sat Jun 14, 2014 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
LeoFThe Champion
Posts: 270
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:20 am

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by LeoFThe Champion »

Geez mate, I hope you at least keep 1 of the last two then
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

LeoF The Champion wrote:Geez mate, I hope you at least keep 1 of the last two then
Here's what I'm keeping. The first is a fairly common 86 in see-through blond with ebony neck. Why is this the keeper? The neck profile is very full for a Leo-era G&L and the guitar sings. It can go from thick to piercing and to all points in-between and then dials back for jazzy stuff and comping. Just an amazing example of an early ASAT and Leo's genius with electronics. The second is the G&L that started it all. I was working at my friends music store in NY in 82 and a guy came in with this bass. He had just gotten it for his son and his son hated it because it didn't say Fender on the headstock. His son admitted that the L1k sounded really good and looked better built than a P-bass, but it didn't matter. The only "real" Fender says Fender on the headstock. So, it went direct into my sticky lil hands and has never left since. Probably won't since everyone needs at least one bass right? And little did I know that it would start me on the road to the world of G&L and through that meeting many wonderful folks including the always impressive and irrepressible Tim Page. It's still one of the best basses I've ever played, but then again I might be a wee bit biased. ;) In any case, and in spite of all the gigs, dives, house parties, etc., it still looks as good as the day I got it though not sure how I pulled that one off.

Image

Image
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

KenC wrote:I'd love to hear how the Cavalier pickups do in a mahogany body. I'm with Time on hardtails. I wish my Cavalier had a Saddle Lock instead of a DFV, but not enough to sell or trade it.

Ken
it rounds off the top end and adds a lower mid-range boost. so you still get all the Leo hummer goodness but with some more girth and a pleasing shift in the perceived "energy" point in the eq range. in practical terms it would give you the perception of a brown or milk-shake sound depending on the amp you're using.
LeoFThe Champion
Posts: 270
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:20 am

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by LeoFThe Champion »

I agree everyone needs at least 1 Bass. My 83 L2000 started me off too. I was in a band and stopped at 2 others an Interceptor and a 1984 Mahogany L 1000 . I don't think I'll be able to stop at 4 G&L guitars though .
Do you still have your XBody Interceptor? :)
LeoFThe Champion
Posts: 270
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2015 2:20 am

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by LeoFThe Champion »

Oh and I love that ASAT, the fingerboard looks amazing
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

LeoF The Champion wrote:I agree everyone needs at least 1 Bass. My 83 L2000 started me off too. I was in a band and stopped at 2 others an Interceptor and a 1984 Mahogany L 1000 . I don't think I'll be able to stop at 4 G&L guitars though .
Do you still have your XBody Interceptor? :)

All gone. the Interceptor bass to someone very near, dear and close who also got my very sweet, dark blue Lynx, which was and from all accounts still is, a killer bass, and the sunburst X-body guitar to one of the "old ones" who is another of those great keepers of the flame. Actually many of my former babies are scattered among GBL'ers both current and old board.
Last edited by jonc on Mon Jun 16, 2014 4:43 pm, edited 2 times in total.
jonc
Posts: 336
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:11 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by jonc »

LeoF The Champion wrote:Oh and I love that ASAT, the fingerboard looks amazing
when i first switched to electric - - played only acoustic up to the mid-60's and quit the day after i heard the Turtles do "It Ain't Me Babe" -- i had a choice between a Fender or a Gibson. i never did like the way a Fender maple fretboard felt and the rosewood wasn't much better. then i played a Gibson with an ebony board and that was it. i've had L1k's with maple boards and they were ok but there is nothing like the silky smooth feel and glide of a good ebony fretboard which is why of the many G&L's i had, the two left both have ebony boards. and Leo and George looked down and saw that it was good. :)
User avatar
KenC
Posts: 2344
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 7:18 pm
Location: None of the above

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by KenC »

I had my share of rosewood boards over the years, including some '60s and '70s Fenders. One is my hybrid Jazz/Precision, which is a 30+ year keeper. Overall, though, rosewood just never did it for me. I became a big fan of Leo-era ebony boards, but then a pair of Leo-era basses with rosewood necks found me. The glow that those two have made a convert of me!
jonc wrote: i've had L1k's with maple boards and they were ok but there is nothing like the silky smooth feel and glide of a good ebony fretboard which is why of the many G&L's i had, the two left both have ebony boards. and Leo and George looked down and saw that it was good. :)
There is something that's just right about an ebony board on an L-1K or early L-2K. I can't put my finger on it, but there is a vibe that just doesn't seem to happen that often with a maple board. Mahogany body, ebony board and large hex pole pieces are as good as it gets!

Ken
User avatar
Brock
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 5:02 pm

Re: Mahogany Cavalier

Post by Brock »

I keep telling myself one day I'll own a mahogany L-1000, but that day may never happens. I'm happy with the bass guitars I have, but none of them is a mahogany body L-1000. Darn it.