I think G&L's satin neck finish needs improvement. agree?

[neutralomen]

Hey everyone. I've been thinking about sharing my thoughts with the community for some time now. After owning several G&Ls(with intentions to own many more), alongside some of the new offerings from Fender USA and EBMM and other premium manufacturers, I think G&L is a little behind the times when it comes to satin neck finishes.
The American Professional II Fenders, and the newer EBMM stuff in particular are doing something with their satin necks that make them feel like SILK. It's extremely luxurious. I really notice them to be some of the smoothest feeling satin necks I've ever felt. I have a 2019 L-2500 option order, and don't get me wrong. I love the bass. ...After a shim due to the saddle lock being too tall(which I have to do with pretty much all saddle locks, but that's another topic), it's one of my best playing instruments. However, I can't help but notice the satin neck finish is noticeably rougher than my American Pro II, Fender Japan, and EBMM instruments. It's by no means bad. It is perfectly comfortable to play, but it's rougher to the point where I don't feel the silky luxury component of the other brands.
Does anyone else have this experience? Has anyone else been able to compare made in fullerton satin necks with other premium offerings from other brands?
Thoughts?

[Its_Him_Again]

Hey everyone. I've been thinking about sharing my thoughts with the community for some time now. After owning several G&Ls(with intentions to own many more), alongside some of the new offerings from Fender USA and EBMM and other premium manufacturers, I think G&L is a little behind the times when it comes to satin neck finishes.
The American Professional II Fenders, and the newer EBMM stuff in particular are doing something with their satin necks that make them feel like SILK. It's extremely luxurious. I really notice them to be some of the smoothest feeling satin necks I've ever felt. I have a 2019 L-2500 option order, and don't get me wrong. I love the bass. ...After a shim due to the saddle lock being too tall(which I have to do with pretty much all saddle locks, but that's another topic), it's one of my best playing instruments. However, I can't help but notice the satin neck finish is noticeably rougher than my American Pro II, Fender Japan, and EBMM instruments. It's by no means bad. It is perfectly comfortable to play, but it's rougher to the point where I don't feel the silky luxury component of the other brands.
Does anyone else have this experience? Has anyone else been able to compare made in fullerton satin necks with other premium offerings from other brands?
Thoughts?

Eh...

They feel fine to me. They just look ugly and cheap from the front. Wish they would spray the peghead faces in gloss, even on satin necks.

[Danley]

Eh...

They feel fine to me. They just look ugly and cheap from the front. Wish they would spray the peghead faces in gloss, even on satin necks.

I agree the front of the pegheads - particularly satin - look ‘naked’ to me. Gloss would help, as would a ferrule around the truss rod ensconcement, etc.

That said- I have a Tribute ASAT which (to me) has that same ‘silky’ satin feel that I think you’re talking about from the American Fenders. So not sure if it’s factory/model specific, as I haven’t played a US G&L with a satin neck.

One thing with any satin neck in my experience, is the satin goes glossy after a few months of play anyway, and it ends up not really mattering. The exception might be cheap Squier necks that only feel like they have a light coat of rub-on poly. I have an MIM ‘94 Telecaster where you’d swear the back of the neck was originally gloss. The way the finish is applied to the neck of a guitar might not necessarily be a ‘long term’ thing.

(All that said- I don’t even like satin necks as much as gloss, so my opinions may differ from others )

[John C]

Hey everyone. I've been thinking about sharing my thoughts with the community for some time now. After owning several G&Ls(with intentions to own many more), alongside some of the new offerings from Fender USA and EBMM and other premium manufacturers, I think G&L is a little behind the times when it comes to satin neck finishes.
The American Professional II Fenders, and the newer EBMM stuff in particular are doing something with their satin necks that make them feel like SILK. It's extremely luxurious. I really notice them to be some of the smoothest feeling satin necks I've ever felt. I have a 2019 L-2500 option order, and don't get me wrong. I love the bass. ...After a shim due to the saddle lock being too tall(which I have to do with pretty much all saddle locks, but that's another topic), it's one of my best playing instruments. However, I can't help but notice the satin neck finish is noticeably rougher than my American Pro II, Fender Japan, and EBMM instruments. It's by no means bad. It is perfectly comfortable to play, but it's rougher to the point where I don't feel the silky luxury component of the other brands.
Does anyone else have this experience? Has anyone else been able to compare made in fullerton satin necks with other premium offerings from other brands?
Thoughts?

EBMMs are done with gunstock oil-and-wax - so it's the raw wood with a light finish, and has been since that Eddie Van Halen fellow was with them (1991). Now the 2016-17 StingRay and Cutlass models did have a nice satin urethane finish, but those models were switched to roasted maple with the oil-and-wax finish starting in 2018.

Fender has upped their satin urethane finish though - starting with the American Ultra models in late 2019 and now the American Professional II models as well. Most of the G&Ls feel fairly similar to the satin finish Fender uses on the American Performer series (and some of their Mexican-made series as well).