http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc4 ... CT1050.jpg
Somebody traded in this Invader Tribute and I grabbed it.
(I think it is okay to post used guitar prices? If it is I'll
post the price I paid - it was a steal.)
The finish is gun smoke metallic and the head stock is black.
(I don't see this color on the G&L web site under finish options.)
The maple neck has a nice flame to it - very pretty. The
fingerboard is a nice piece of rosewood.
The mini toggle splits the neck pickup only.
When combined with the bridge humbucker
it has a bit of a strat #4 position quack particularly
when playing up the neck. The neck alone split is
probably not very useful. (The USA
Invader's toggle splits both pickups.)
The bridge humbucker can get a little bit
of twang which surprised me.
The bridge is the saddle locking bridge like on the ASAT Special.
This was made in Korea (I think 2005? This model is no longer listed
on the G&L site - all Invaders are USA only now.)
The neck nut width is 1 11/16".
I have been planning on eventually ordering a USA ASAT (not sure which model).
But I wanted to have some playing time on the wider
neck to see how I liked. I also wanted to have some playing time on
the saddle lock bridge to see how I liked that.
Perhaps Craig knows if the pickups in this Invader are the same as the
USA model. I guess not because the USA are Seymour Duncan. I wonder
if these pickups are what is in the Tribute ASAT Deluxe.
I like the humbucking tones when you need that fat sound with
distortion. But I think I still prefer single coils. Somehow the humbuckers
sound like I have cotton wads in my ears particularly the neck pu.
I've only been home about 30 minutes and this is growing on me quick.
It feels really substantial. But when I A/B to my USA legacy there is
a difference in weight and the solid feel. The USA legacy feels even
more substantial but the tribute is much better than most other
brands out there.
I had never considered the invader before but I really like
this form factor. I had gone to look/listen to the ASATs
and knew they had this guitar with the wider neck. Since
I was considering ordering my next USA G&L with a 1 11/16"
neck I wanted to give this guitar a test drive. It was so
nice (and inexpensive I bought it - that was not my intention
however.)
The saddle locking bridge is really nice because I can rest my right hand
on it while playing without detuning it like a trem.
These pickups sound good but I wonder if the Seymour Duncans would
be a noticeable improvement. I played the USA ASAT special and it
was very impressive but I not yet ready to order because I still
don't know which one I want and neck size, etc..
I don't know - the longer I play this the more I like it.
I saw an Invader on ebay with active EMG's (Music Farm? I
forget). For some songs - there's nothing quite like
the EMG. But without the screaming distortion they are
kind of sterile sounding (i.e. beyond cotton).
I think I may end up with a USA invader one day.
Does anybody on the forum have a USA Invader? Which
configuration. How do you like it?
