New G&L Neck plate

[Paul Siewert]

Hi

Got a Brand New USA S-500 from Eddies Guitars. It was the 3TSB with the rosewood neck.....plays and sounds fantastic. Made in November 2014.

Looking at the neck plate, it is not a mirror shine like my other G&L's and it is also slightly thinner (like a vintage Fender plate) . The G&L logo is not as deep and slightly different at the tail of the treble.

Has there been a change away from the thicker neck plates at the factory ..I don't mind it so much, but would rather the mirror shine on the plate like my other G&L's.

Also, the output ferrule is not the skinny type seen on past G&L's, it looks more like a standard Fender shape ( slightly fatter), but also does not have that mirror shine....sort of a brushed shine as you can see the brush marks.

I suppose I am asking if this is now normal for the factory...and has the factory G&L now outsourced the plate hardware ? I thought all plate hardware was originally done within the factory ?

[Craig]

Hi

Got a Brand New USA S-500 from Eddies Guitars. It was the 3TSB with the rosewood neck.....plays and sounds fantastic. Made in November 2014.

Looking at the neck plate, it is not a mirror shine like my other G&L's and it is also slightly thinner (like a vintage Fender plate) . The G&L logo is not as deep and slightly different at the tail of the treble.

Has there been a change away from the thicker neck plates at the factory ..I don't mind it so much, but would rather the mirror shine on the plate like my other G&L's.

Also, the output ferrule is not the skinny type seen on past G&L's, it looks more like a standard Fender shape ( slightly fatter), but also does not have that mirror shine....sort of a brushed shine as you can see the brush marks.

I suppose I am asking if this is now normal for the factory...and has the factory G&L now outsourced the plate hardware ? I thought all plate hardware was originally done within the factory ?

I sent your post to Dave McLaren and here is his reply:

Hi Craig,

There have been several suppliers for the neck plates and jack plates over the years. While we’ve done various metal work processes in house, it didn’t make sense to do common parts like plates as we can’t do them as efficiently as suppliers who specialize in them. At this time, we’re changing suppliers for the jack plates because a supplier can give us ones we like better for the same price.

Thanks, Craig.

Dave

Hope this helps.

Also, please share some photos of your S-500 and do add it to the G&L Registry.

[catawompus]

I have a US ASAT Classic about two or three years old. The neck plate is completely blank, no G&L logo in it at all. Looks like the plates on the Tribute models. But it's definitely a US model, the birthmark is there, all the case candy and the regular G&L G&G case. Did they just run out of stamped neck plates or what is the explanation here? I want the real thing... Just kidding, but I wouldn't mind having the real thing in case I want the to sell the guitar and there are questions about authenticy coming up... but when I think about it... I will never sell it anyway because it's one of the finest guitars I'v ever played, just like the rest of the G&Ls I have.

[glvourot]

I wouldn't worry about the blank neck plate too much. My SC-2 has a blank one as well.