New ASAT Cats?

[Elwood]

I like the cat logo (instead of the plate)



http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-Asat-Cat-/2 ... 3cd57f83d0

[darwinohm]

Elwood, that logo rocks!!!!!!

[blargfromouterspace]

That's a worse name than "Fallout"

[yowhatsshakin]

There is another ASAT Cat, a solid body marked as '2 of 15' listed:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-asat-cat-/2 ... 3cd57fa991

I would like to make an interesting observation about the serial numbers. The one in Elwood's post is CLF61018, the one in the aforementioned listing CLF61029, both using a waterslide. Now recall that G&L started using the metal plate allegedly starting at S/N CLF061000. CLF061025 apparently is out there and associated with a rather interesting ASAT Classic 'S'. Its spec sheet lists an ASAT Classic Custom neck pickup which would be a large MFD, not the usual ASAT Classic neck pickup. So is that guitar also part of this ASAT 'Cat' series as some sort of prototype? Is S/N CLF061025 actually CLF61025 and using a waterslide? Or is it a typo on the spec sheet?

Rather puzzling ....

- Jos

[Craig]

There is another ASAT Cat, a solid body marked as '2 of 15' listed:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-L-asat-cat-/2 ... 3cd57fa991

I would like to make an interesting observation about the serial numbers. The one in Elwood's post is CLF61018, the one in the aforementioned listing CLF61029, both using a waterslide. Now recall that G&L started using the metal plate allegedly starting at S/N CLF061000. CLF061025 apparently is out there and associated with a rather interesting ASAT Classic 'S'. Its spec sheet lists an ASAT Classic Custom neck pickup which would be a large MFD, not the usual ASAT Classic neck pickup. So is that guitar also part of this ASAT 'Cat' series as some sort of prototype? Is S/N CLF061025 actually CLF61025 and using a waterslide? Or is it a typo on the spec sheet?

Rather puzzling ....

- Jos

The ASAT Classic Custom neck pickup listed is not what you think it is. Before I added that example of the new Custom Build Specification Sheet to the Gallery I noticed the neck
pickup name and inquired about it. It is the modified ASAT Classic neck pickup (same wind/polarity as the bridge pickup) for the Feb. 2011 to current ASAT Classic 'S'
models. SeeASAT Classic S Wiring Diagram and Picture Diagrams:ASAT-Classic-S-Revised and List of Regular Production ASAT-style guitars (USA) for details.

The ASAT Cat is a G&L special build for Alley Cat Guitars, see: ASAT™Cat Guitars. I will be checking with Dave on this on Friday (I will be out of town tomorrow), to see if I can get more details about them.
The factory may have used leftover waterslide serial number decals for this small run of 20 instruments. I will post more about this once I get the details.

IIRCC, Alley Cat Guitars had previously (prior to 2009) commissioned another special build and may have been the same configuration as these. I will need to check my
old posts on the original G&LDP archives which are stashed away on my old PC packed away.

Hope this helps.

[Ahryn]

Now I don't want to sound catty,

And I'm sure that is the cats meow to someone...

But there is just something that seems.... a little impurrfect about them.

[yowhatsshakin]

Craig,

I just woke up in the middle of the night thinking that the 'Custom' for that pickup might refer to the John Toner mod and not the G&L model. Thanks for confirming that.

It still is a little weird there might be a CLF610XX as well as a CLF0610XX out there. But it is clear that if you would mount the plate with the S/N, putting the ASATCAT sticker might look a little crammed.

- Jos

[Craig]

IIRCC, Alley Cat Guitars had previously (prior to 2009) commissioned another special build and may have been the same configuration as these. I will need to check my
old posts on the original G&LDP archives which are stashed away on my old PC packed away.

Hope this helps.

I found the post:

[From a post on the G&LDP by member Litzerski, April 09, 2009 at 10:22:11 - Very nice...I made my own and a variation.....]

My lefty '89 ASAT was set up like this for a time in the early-'90's. I also had the guitar set up with an MFD bridge and S-500 middle and neck pickups, as well as the current Trinity layout for a time. It's currently a bridge pickup only quasi-Esquire. My problem with this layout is the restricted space in between the pickups; there is not enough room for the pick and ring-middle fingers hybrid picking style to work. The pickups get in the way in a manner that doesn't happen with the ASAT Classic S setup which I've had since 1993.

I kinda forgot until recently that I have a very rare G&L. I put up a post earlier in the week asking advice on pickups for my hollow Legacy and mentioned my other G&Ls. My others being a limited edition 1 of 25 '04 ASAT Classic S and an '07 ASATcat. I've received multiple emails regarding the ASATcat, so I thought I'd post up pics and the background story.

It all started years ago, when Alley Cat Music in State College, PA still existed. About a year and 4 months ago, the main owner of the store sold his business to the local competitor, Rainbow Music. At the time, it made sense...get out while the getting is good. He made a good profit off of the sale and the legacy of Alley Cat continued on, but the instution died with the name.

Now a little about Alley Cat. As a partner in the business, I spent almost all of my time off stage either working the shop, repairing/restoring guitars, or just hanging out. Alley Cat was an institution for the local pros. It was a hole of a shop...had a ragged, worn appearance, stained carpets, country or blues music playing at all times, and always was there at least half a case of beer in the fridge. There were stools strategically located throughout the shop, but most of them were pulled up around the desk, where you could almost always find a few people sitting around shooting the <censored word> about anything from the newest Froggy Bottom prewar Dread to why the Pirates are never going to take their division with the current pitching roster.

Thursday nights are what made Alley Cat. We were typically open from 12-6, but Thursdays we were open 12-8. Thursdays were when Dr. Sarge, our amp repairman (and designer of our house line of amps), would come in and fix anything that needed fixing. Along with him, as many as 12-15 local pros would also swing by. Each with a case of beer, bottle of booze, or baggy of something else. Some would just bring by a guitar or amp that needed tuned up for their weekend gigs. They'd be in, drink a beer or 4, then back out the door to go about living their lives. Others would stick around for hours till the wee hours of the morning. We had a grill out back and would cook up on average 10-12 lbs of meat every Thursday. After we'd be half in the bag, often times, we'd come up with ideas for new guitar mods, amp mods, new preamp ideas for acoustics, etc...

My slogan for as long as I can remember is, "Always do sober what you say you'll do drunk." I think it's part of a Hemingway quote.

Anyways, one of our ideas was to put a Strat pickup in between the 2 big ASAT pickups on an ASAT. So one hungover Friday afternoon, we did just that. A local luthier with a steady hand cut the pickguard and I did the rest...it turned out great. We showed off our success and noticed that others in the local music community showed interest in our modification, so we'd hot rod their ASATs as well. After a while, we settled on a S-500 pickup in the middle...the ceramic magnets meshed well with MFD ASAT pickups.

Eventually, we contacted G&L about this. After some collaboration, the ASATcat was born. There were 15 made in total, 8 semi-hollow (with tortoise guard) and 7 solid (with cream guard and rear contour). Now lets see if I can figger out how to post up pics.

I will try and get more info on this new run of ASATcats.

Stay tuned.