I shouldn't have looked on eBay...

[KenC]

...because then I wouldn't have seen this listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-G-L-AS ... Sw~OVWzA1l

I can't believe this guy is trying to pass off a hack-job like this as an "original G&L ASAT", and that he has the gall to claim that all of his mods came from the factory that way. At one point he says "I also installed a red kill switch", so it seems pretty clear that he's admitting to having done the mods himself. I don't think the BIN price ($499 with free shipping) is out of line, but he shouldn't try to dupe a buyer into thinking this is some sort of rarebird. Well, at least it's not a rarebird anymore.

I guess my '86 ASAT with Kahler just got a little bit more rare. I just wish he hadn't done this to a #5 neck...

Ken

[KenC]

I just tried to post a question about whether the finish, pickups, controls, and locking nut were really factory originals, but for some reason it doesn't show up in the listing. I don't use eBay very often though, so I might have overlooked something. Does anybody know if there is a trick to having questions show up in the listing?

Ken

[FZTNT]

They used to show up but lately they do not. I have been asking a lot of questions of sellers and not a one shows in the listing. I think the seller now has the option of letting them be seen...and why would they.

Tom

[Elwood]

I just tried to post a question about whether the finish, pickups, controls, and locking nut were really factory originals, but for some reason it doesn't show up in the listing. I don't use eBay very often though, so I might have overlooked something. Does anybody know if there is a trick to having questions show up in the listing?

Ken

It's up to the seller to post or not to post the questions and responses.It's been this way for as long as I can remember.

[y2kc]

What, you guys have never seen a red cut-off switch? That guitar looks totally stock.


y2kc

[KenC]

My question still isn't showing up on the listing, but it looks like the seller changed the description a bit. Now his mods are "unique things" instead of originals from the factory.

Ken

[cho]

That does look like a first generation '86 ASAT neck. And, it looks like the serial number is 177XX, so that puts it in the '86 time frame. Also you can see evidence of the original route for the large MFD pickups. So, this must have been a really nice '86 ASAT before the hack job. Is there any chance that the locking nut and the (blue) kahler is stock?

[sam]

Hi cho,

There were a few stock Kahler ASAT's in the 80's as Ken mentioned his. This could have been someon's project that ain't that pretty but looks functional. IMHO could be bought for what it is or another project. Would get details on any other electronic "unique things" and neck /truss rod, and may price is negotiable.

[KenC]

That does look like a first generation '86 ASAT neck. And, it looks like the serial number is 177XX, so that puts it in the '86 time frame. Also you can see evidence of the original route for the large MFD pickups. So, this must have been a really nice '86 ASAT before the hack job. Is there any chance that the locking nut and the (blue) kahler is stock?

The headstock decal makes it an '86 or '87. A very small number were built with Kahlers. The Kahler on my '86 is black, but they were using chrome Kahlers that year as well. It looks like the vibrato bar in the eBay listing was painted blue, as there is very shiny chrome where it the blue has flaked off. There might be some bright chrome spots on the bridge too, but the photos are too blurry to tell. I noticed that the saddles are black, whereas the saddles on both of my Kahler-equipped G&Ls are brass.

I'm not sure about the nut. It's covering the spot where any mounting holes from a typical G&L locking nut would be.

Ken

[KenC]

I looked at the guy's other auctions. He tends to do a few minor mods and sell the "improved" instruments. The others he has listed didn't go through the destructive mods the ASAT did.

I was wondering about what it would take to rescue this guitar. If the original pup routes were filled with wood putty, they might not be hard to clean out.

Ken

[yowhatsshakin]

What, you guys have never seen a red cut-off switch? That guitar looks totally stock.


y2kc

I thought it was a special order red warning light starting to flash when you'd play a bad lick.

- Jos

[Elwood]

[Ahryn]

[Elwood]

oops...forgot to add this WARNING

Don't Panic, and bring a towel

[KenC]

I was playing my E-series Cavalier earlier today, and realized that without a battery omstalled it actually does have a red kill switch:

[Copper Coyote]

Whoa! Have never seen a MFD like that ^

Is that a humbucker MFD in a ASAT size?

How does it sound?

[KenC]

It's pretty close to the size of an SC/ASAT MFD, but not exactly the same. These were used on Cavaliers, and as an option on Interceptors.

Because of the hand winding, all Leo-era pickups are a little different. On my Cavalier, the neck pickup is very powerful and punchy. It really emphasizes the lows. The bridge pickup is a bit brighter, and also quite powerful. Today I was playing it straight into a '65 Princeton. The tone plugged straight into the amp was about like my early SC-2s and ASATs sound through a good clean boost pedal. The Cavalier overdrives that amp unless I roll off the guitar's volume.

Ken