Change in the ASAT Classic line

[GGJaguar]

Anybody besides me notice that the ASAT Classic string retainer block (which used to be metal prior to c. 2003 and was changed to Delrin) was changed back in December to individual string ferrules as on the Fender Telecaster?

Just more Fenderizing of G&L.

[Craig]

I posted about this at the beginning of the year, see: A recent change to the ASAT Classic models ....
I had heard about it last October, see: http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewt ... 222#p89222.

[trem]

Just more Fenderizing of G&L.

G&L has always been Fender but just with better quality control. Are people here really anti-Fender? Fender makes great guitars, but they start at about $2500; the rest is firewood.

[Craig]

Just more Fenderizing of G&L.

G&L has always been Fender but just with better quality control. Are people here really anti-Fender? Fender makes great guitars, but they start at about $2500; the rest is firewood.

Or perhaps it's a nod to the early days of G&L.

1981 F-100

[y2kc]

Craig,

That is a beauty. Is that a series II F-100?

I like the individual metal retainers.It is good to see G&L using them again.

y2kc

[Katefan]

Anybody besides me notice that the ASAT Classic string retainer block (which used to be metal prior to c. 2003 and was changed to Delrin) was changed back in December to individual string ferrules as on the Fender Telecaster?

Just more Fenderizing of G&L.

Careful, don't upset the apple cart… Calm down and repeat after me - Leo would have wanted it this way.



Cheers,
KF

[Craig]

Craig,

That is a beauty. Is that a series II F-100?

I like the individual metal retainers.It is good to see G&L using them again.

y2kc

It's a Series I (12" radius).

[NickHorne]

Please, don't let's get hung up on things like ferrules; metal ferrules or Delrin blocks all work just fine.
Let's protect the G&L things that really matter; the pickups, the lovely necks, the slightly-wider heels (that make such a difference), the perfected bridges.
And, of course, the great Plek-ing.

[WitSok]

Amen!

[andy_tchp]

Interesting, my (16 or 17 year old? Who knows... ) Japan made ASAT Classic has the 6 individual ferrules.

[yowhatsshakin]

Please, don't let's get hung up on things like ferrules; metal ferrules or Delrin blocks all work just fine.
Let's protect the G&L things that really matter; the pickups, the lovely necks, the slightly-wider heels (that make such a difference), the perfected bridges.
And, of course, the great Plek-ing.

Nick,
The last item, i.e. the bridges, for sure has not undergone any substantial changes maybe with the exception of the material used for the saddles at different times.

But although the width of the neck butt is not different, the current necks, admittedly available in a wider range of specs, are different from the pre-BBE era necks in a number of ways. The old #1 through #5 necks had among them a 25" radius fingerboards as an option (#4, #5), a wider fingerboard above the 15th fret (#5). All of them had the patented Bi-Cut neck instead of non-compression truss rod. Many of us still are sad about the disappearance of the 3-bolt attachment with set screw to set the neck angle. The current pickups are generally wired hotter, are using a different kind of non-enamel coated wire, and have different values for caps and/or resistors (if present).

Not claiming the past is necessarily better; technical advances should definitely be considered. However, to me personally the things listed above give these non-metric, pre-BBE G&Ls, or even pre-1997 for 3-bolt and pre-2006 for truss rod, a certain unique character that has not been preserved over time. I guess opinions about what "protect the G&L things that really matter" means differ from person to person.

- Jos

[NickHorne]

Jos,

Indeed, and I agree. I was comparing modern G&L to modern Fender, and would still buy the G&L every time, mostly for the qualities I mentioned.
I would absolutely love to have an older G&L too, especially a number 5 neck!