Did Leo build this?

[dhgleaves]

Hello. I see a listing for a G&L guitar where the seller says it was built by Leo. Is there a way to know this for sure? The year of the guitar was at least while he was still alive, but I wouldn't have assumed that he was personally building all guitars during that time. Thanks.

[Craig]

Hello. I see a listing for a G&L guitar where the seller says it was built by Leo. Is there a way to know this for sure? The year of the guitar was at least while he was still alive, but I wouldn't have assumed that he was personally building all guitars during that time. Thanks.

Please post a photo or link.

[dhgleaves]

Code: Select all

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/132101828793

If that link won't work from the US, try taking out the .au

[KenC]

Figuratively speaking he "built" it, as he did all G&L guitars in the company's first 11 years. He built (or at least financed) the factory, had a major hand in designing most of the instruments, invented the pickups and circuitry, and paid the employees. He didn't literally cut and assemble the parts for this or any other guitar. I take the ad as meaning "built" in the figurative sense, although I could see it being taken both ways.

This guitar appears to be a regular production SC-3 from some point between '88 and '91 or '92. These are very nice guitars, but they were at the bottom of the G&L price list. In that time frame, Leo was nearing the end of his life and Dale Hyatt ran day-to-day operations in the factory.

I hope this helps.

Ken

[dhgleaves]

Thanks. Yes, that is helpful, although I read the add as being much more literal.

David

[dhgleaves]

Although I'm also surprised to hear you say that Leo didn't literally assemble this or any other guitar. Maybe I'm naive, but I though he did assemble some of them, and some of the advertisement that showed him standing there working on the guitars and saying things like "G&L guitars and basses are the best instruments that I've ever made" had suggested to me that he had.

David

[Craig]

Although I'm also surprised to hear you say that Leo didn't literally assemble this or any other guitar. Maybe I'm naive, but I though he did assemble some of them, and some of the advertisement that showed him standing there working on the guitars and saying things like "G&L guitars and basses are the best instruments that I've ever made" had suggested to me that he had.

David

Perhaps these posts will help:

March 28, 2013, A Very Sad Day in History
The Story of G&L

Also, check our Links section (under G&L-Related Books).

Hope this helps.