Welcome to my first post

[Temporary Saint]

Hey Gang,

Brand new owner of a brand new G&L here.

Hadn't been playing electric for some years, and finally started again earlier this year, using my son's 10-year old bottom-of-the-line Ibanez Gio. It just wasn't cutting it for me so I started my search for something else. After dozens and dozens of YouTube videos I decided on an ASAT Tribute Deluxe Carved Top. Oh so pretty, and sounded great. Found a great deal on Reverb.com and took delivery of it two weeks ago. Definitely going to like this axe.

However...

I gotta say I was quite surprised by the lack of QA in the build quality, specifically the assembly. Here's what I found:

2 of the 4 neck bolts - LOOSE

All of the screws mounting the bridge to the body - LOOSE

The nut holding the output jack to its mounting plate - LOOSE, nearly falling off

Output jack mounting screws - LOOSE

11th fret - not completely pressed into the neck on the bass side

Intonation was WAY off. It looked like no attempt was made to intonate it at all. Had to adjust the saddles a quarter of an inch toward the bridge to get it intonated.

Saddle Lock hex screw - MISSING!

Lastly, while tuning up the high E string it completely unwound - not snapped, unwound - at the bridge. Never had that happen before. According to GbL, D'Addario strings are installed in the factory. Unless these are a special series for G&L I don't think these were D'Addarios because the brass rings used at the bridge end were not color coded.

Now, while none of these problems are difficult to fix (although I'm a little nervous about tapping that 11th fret into the neck - may have a pro do that just in case) I didn't expect so many little things like that to be overlooked in the final inspection. I mentioned it to a couple of friends, and they were also surprised due to G&L's reputation. I realize my guitar was made in Indonesia, probably at a factory that makes instruments for more than one brand, but there were a lot of things that were missed. Furthermore, I contacted my local G&L dealer, who has been selling G&Ls less than year, and asked if I could get a replacement hex screw for the saddle lock, and he told me he already has some on order because several of the instruments he's received also shipped without it! What's up, G&L? Somebody needs to inspect the inspectors.

Has anyone else seen this with their new ASATs?

Anyway, everything has been tightened and intonated, and I'm expecting the saddle lock hex screw any day now.

Play on.
Steve

[john o]

Welcome T.S.
Those little screws for the saddle lock bridge/vibrato arm can fall out pretty easy.
Of the 2 tributes I've purchased new, 1 had one, one didn't.
I bought the 6 pack of screws/plastic nubs from the G&L website as I've lost a couple already from just day to day use.
I've found it necessary to set up the guitars a bit, especially truss rods, saddle heights, intonations. Guess i'd be surprised if i found things overtly loose but I haven't. I was actually surprised at the quality and the value of the tributes. My asat special is a keeper. Hope u enjoy yours!

[Temporary Saint]

Thanks for the reply, john.

I looked for the screw on the G&L web site but I couldn't find it. Is it usually available there? I saw only full bridge assemblies.

Steve

[john o]

try this!
http://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/c ... -screw-set

[Temporary Saint]

No wonder I couldn't find them. Who would have bothered to look under Trem Arm Tension Screw Set?

Thanks very much!

Steve

[Craig]

Hey Gang,

Brand new owner of a brand new G&L here.

Hadn't been playing electric for some years, and finally started again earlier this year, using my son's 10-year old bottom-of-the-line Ibanez Gio. It just wasn't cutting it for me so I started my search for something else. After dozens and dozens of YouTube videos I decided on an ASAT Tribute Deluxe Carved Top. Oh so pretty, and sounded great. Found a great deal on Reverb.com and took delivery of it two weeks ago. Definitely going to like this axe.

However...

I gotta say I was quite surprised by the lack of QA in the build quality, specifically the assembly. Here's what I found:

2 of the 4 neck bolts - LOOSE

All of the screws mounting the bridge to the body - LOOSE

The nut holding the output jack to its mounting plate - LOOSE, nearly falling off

Output jack mounting screws - LOOSE

11th fret - not completely pressed into the neck on the bass side

Intonation was WAY off. It looked like no attempt was made to intonate it at all. Had to adjust the saddles a quarter of an inch toward the bridge to get it intonated.

Saddle Lock hex screw - MISSING!

Lastly, while tuning up the high E string it completely unwound - not snapped, unwound - at the bridge. Never had that happen before. According to GbL, D'Addario strings are installed in the factory. Unless these are a special series for G&L I don't think these were D'Addarios because the brass rings used at the bridge end were not color coded.

Now, while none of these problems are difficult to fix (although I'm a little nervous about tapping that 11th fret into the neck - may have a pro do that just in case) I didn't expect so many little things like that to be overlooked in the final inspection. I mentioned it to a couple of friends, and they were also surprised due to G&L's reputation. I realize my guitar was made in Indonesia, probably at a factory that makes instruments for more than one brand, but there were a lot of things that were missed. Furthermore, I contacted my local G&L dealer, who has been selling G&Ls less than year, and asked if I could get a replacement hex screw for the saddle lock, and he told me he already has some on order because several of the instruments he's received also shipped without it! What's up, G&L? Somebody needs to inspect the inspectors.

Has anyone else seen this with their new ASATs?

Anyway, everything has been tightened and intonated, and I'm expecting the saddle lock hex screw any day now.

Play on.
Steve

First, Welcome!

These issues you've listed are certainly not normally seen on G&L Tribute instruments, excepting an occasional missing tension screw for the trem bar or the saddle lock.

It sounds like you bought this as a new guitar. You mentioned you found it on reverb.com; did you get it from an authorized G&L Dealer?
If so, did you contact that dealer? You have a two year warranty from G&L and you need to contact the dealer on any issues.
AFAIK, Tribute Series instruments are shipped to the Fullerton factory and are inspected and setup by a G&L tech before they are shipped to the G&L dealers.
It is also the dealer's responsibility to inspect the instruments they receive (from any manufacturer) before shipping them to their customers.
Since you do have a local G&L dealer, you might take it to them to have them look at the issue with the 11th fret.

Please do post photos of your new guitar, as it does not exist without proof.
Also, add it to our G&L Registry, too.

[Craig]

No wonder I couldn't find them. Who would have bothered to look under Trem Arm Tension Screw Set?

Thanks very much!

Steve

You are the second member this week who had a problem finding the tension screw set on the G&L On-Line Store.
So, I emailed a suggestion of renaming this for clarity to the contact for the G&L On-Line Store.

Hope this helps.

[Temporary Saint]

As requested, proof of existence (fret-leveled and intonated with saddle-lock screw installed!).



Steve

P.S. -Well, I can't get the picture to display. I tried all three Preview options, but no luck. Maybe it's Dropbox problem. The image size is 957x1300 if an admin wants to try it.

I swear it exists!

[Craig]

As requested, proof of existence (fret-leveled and intonated with saddle-lock screw installed!).



Steve

P.S. -Well, I can't get the picture to display. I tried all three Preview options, but no luck. Maybe it's Dropbox problem. The image size is 957x1300 if an admin wants to try it.

I swear it exists!

With Dropbox, you still need to bring the photo up under dropbox and then right click over the photo to get the drop down menu and select "Copy Image Address".
Paste that Image Address between the Img BBCode. Like this:



Nice looking Tribute ASAT Deluxe Carved Top.
I take it you were able to get the issues resolved, right?

[Temporary Saint]

Yep, issues resolved.

Thanks for the Dropbox instructions, too!

Steve