Need help on recently purschased ASAT Deluxe

[Muffdriver]

I must admit this guitar has an amazing feel. The neck is chunky but comfortable. The sound is tight and precise, much like my PRS Cu22 which cost me 3 times more.

I do however need some help getting some info. This is a 2007 as per neck stamp. I'm the 3rd owner, and apparently the first owner made a special order. I notice, to begin it has an ebony fretboard with birds eye maple neck. The body is Ash instead of Mahogany. And chrome hardware was changed to black which I love. I was nervous to buy this guitar as in my mind, ebony+ash+JB will be quite harsh sound. Nevertheless, when I got home and plug it in on my Fender Prosonic, it was tone heaven. This guitar makes me work harder, perfect tuning and quality similar to my PRS. It doesn't do a strat sound at all, but for that I have a couple of strats. Tele, so so.. but this guitar sounds amazing. The only thing I would have loved on this guitar is a carved top.

My inquiry is, did G&L offer black hardware, or could it be that these were done by the previous owner?

Thanks

[Ahryn]

Not sure about the black bridge (could be NOS?) but I know that my ASAT Special Deluxe came with black knobs so I think that may be an option (or at least is one now).

[darwinohm]

Boy, look at the neck on that one. I don't know the answers but it is sweet!-- Darwin

[Craig]

My inquiry is, did G&L offer black hardware, or could it be that these were done by the previous owner?

Nope, it would have been done by a previous owner.

Hope this helps.

[Muffdriver]

Thanks guys.. and thanks Craig.

it lookes oem, the bridge has the G&L stamp, but the finish is not smooth. Sustain is very present, the sound doesn't decay right away as on my strats. Obviously the sustain is not as good as my set neck prs but not far from it.

The neck is gorgeous, from an angle you can see some flames with birds eye.. and the price I paid for this guitar is a steal.

[Craig]

My inquiry is, did G&L offer black hardware, or could it be that these were done by the previous owner?

Nope, it would have been done by a previous owner.

Hope this helps.

Let me clarify this:

G&L did have black powder coated Saddle Lock bridges for earlier models
but when the ASAT Deluxe model came out in 1996, chrome bridges were
only used by the factory. So, a previous owner replaced the original chrome
bridge with an older G&L Saddle Lock bridge. Another possibility is that the
guitar was an employee built guitar and a left over old stock bridge was used
by that employee when it was built.

Hope this helps.

[helle-man]

Didn't Wayne Richman (AKA "Thumbs" on here) do things like this? He did a lot of black powder coating on G&L parts. Does he still visit here anymore?

[Craig]

Didn't Wayne Richman (AKA "Thumbs" on here) do things like this? He did a lot of black powder coating on G&L parts. Does he still visit here anymore?

Yes, in fact he did provide the powder-coated bridges for the Custom Creations Centennial ASAT and L-2000.
I checked his website (http://www.tone-guard.com/) and it looks like he only offers custom aluminum pickguards and
custom knobs now.

It's been awhile since he's visited here.

[Muffdriver]

Thank you so much for all the great info.

I hope the bridge is an original G&L. I won't change it (if its not broken don't change it) everything else is perfect.