G&L ASAT opinions.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Does anyone have opinions about the the various models of G&L ASATs?

Classic, Special, Bluesboy, Custom.

Solid, semihollow.

I've been drooling over Special semihollows &/or Bluesboy &/or Custom .

Are the USA models that much better than the Tributes?

 

[hubberjub]

As someone who owns two Fenders and no G&Ls I must say that every properly set up G&L that I have played has been of superior in build quality to any equivalent Fender I have played. They are fantastic instruments. I have not played any Tribute models but I haven't heard many good things about them.

 

[wingsdad]

I'll second hubberjub on G&L's quality over Fender's. After all, the G&L Factory is on Fender Ave. in Fullerton, CA. Leo built it to start making Music Man guitars and amps in the 70's. Then he sold that company to Ernie Ball to partner up with George Fullerton and revive the spirit of the company they grew to glory together only to have to sell to CBS in '65.

I got a Tribute ASAT Special 5 years ago because I couldn't afford the USA ASAT model I longed for, but it was still better than any affordable non-USA Fender I'd tried.

A year later, my dealer got back the ASAT Semi-Hollow I'd lusted for, as it got traded back in. Now it was $500 less and I traded the Tribute back to nail this:

This particular model was custom ordered with a number of finish upgrades. It happens to be identical to the 'poster-boy' shot of the model on the G&L Website. Technically, while they don't call it a 'Special Semi-Hollow' it's an ASAT Special by virtue of its wider, 'hotter' ceramic magnet pickups than those of the ASAT Classic, compared to Gibson P-90's by some folks. Dunno if that's fair. But they are definitely different in character -- more bite, growl -- than the pups on the Classic. Specials also have the Saddle Lock Bridge, an incredible, massive locking bridge/stop tailpiece unit, and don't string through the body. The saddles lock together, and a block sits into the body, much like a Strat's Trem block. Leo designed this thing. Genius.

The ASAT Classic is similar to a 'standard' Fender Tele, with a 'traditional' 6-brass saddle Tele 'barrel saddle' style bridge and stringing through the body. The G&L 'MFD' ceramic magnet pickups on these models wipe any USA Fender Tele's stock pickups, IMO. Tight & Twangy, like a Tele should sound.

Bluesboys are basically a Classic with an alnico mag humbucker in the neck position.

ASAT Deluxes are kind of a Special, using the Saddle-Lock Bridge with 2 humbuckers.

There's other limited run ASATs...the Will Ray is a killer.

All USA ASAT's are stock with a 7.5" radius soft C neck, more or less similar to a 50's Fender Tele. They can be custom ordered with any of 4 other 12" radius neck profiles. Bodies are alder or swamp ash. (mine is swamp ash with tone chambers).

Tribute ASAT's are made since about 2002 in Korea for G&L (G&L's first Tributes were made in Japan back in the 90's), and are available in limited finish/fingerboard options as a cost-containment factor. But they have the same USA G&L pickups as their American counterpart models. The bridge hardware is similar spec, but cheaper grade metal, and the pots and switches are Mighty Mite vs. CTS used in the USA models. Tuners are Gotoh on the Tribute, Schaller (I think) on the USA's. Also, their necks are all a bit tighter U-shape with a 9" radius. (kind of weird...but that makes them Tibutes, not G&L's). Bodies are basswood or swamp ash.

You could say G&L Tribute is to G&L what MIM Fender is to Fender. You get a G&L spec guitar for about 1/3 the price of a USA G&L.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Can you say more about the Magnetic Field Design pups on the Special?

The only complaints that I've head about them is that they sound too hi-fi.

What's your experience Father of the Wing?

 

[Robert]

Yes, the US made ones are much better that the Tribute series, which doesn't impress me at all. My friend runs a music store and he has some Tribute guitars. Those ones he has are on par with a Squier, at best.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yes, the US made ones are much better that the Tribute series, which doesn't impress me at all. My friend runs a music store and he has some Tribute guitars. Those ones he has are on par with a Squier, at best.

Does he have any US models? Have you played any Robert?

 

[Robert]

No, he doesn't have any US models. I have played one of those, and it was a great guitar. Lots of quality. Unfortunately, I didn't like the neck. It was very V-like - too much for my liking.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

No, he doesn't have any US models. I have played one of those, and it was a great guitar. Lots of quality. Unfortunately, I didn't like the neck. It was very V-like - too much for my liking.

Thanks, I've never played a V-neck so I don't know whether I'd like that or not. They do make different necks, however.

 

[wingsdad]

Can you say more about the Magnetic Field Design pups on the Special?

The only complaints that I've head about them is that they sound too hi-fi.

What's your experience Father of the Wing?

Hi-Fi? :whatever:

Both types of MFD's have adjustable pole pieces. The soapbar MFD's with more windings on the Special are higher output. An ASAT Classic Deluxe gives you one of each.

I've A-B'd a Classic and a Special and they (the soapbars such as the Special's) are also less susceptible to 60cycle hum.

MFD's are ceramic magnet pups. The pups on a G&L Legacy, as on my Fender Strats are alnico mag. My ASAT is quieter, needs less preamp to get edge than either of my Strats, and also is more sensitve in reacting to vol/tone. pots.

I'd had 3 different Fender Teles over time, the last one about 25 years ago. None were as versatile in tone as this.

Robert: G&L (USA) has 5 simple neck profiles options. A V-shape 12" radius w/ 1 5/8" nut is one custom option, so the one you played isn't typical.

Here's the link to G&L's site. For more on pickups and necks, etc, see 'Features' and 'Options'. To check out the various ASAT models, go to 'Instruments'. On that page, there's the link to the Tribute Series, too.
G&L

 

[LowEndWonder]

Asat,

Awewsome bass! A G&L is superior to a Fender.
You have one of the best basses money could buy my friend! :AOK:

 

[aeolian]

G&L makes good guitars, and I have kind of a special one. In 1998 the discussion board G&L Tribute Page commissioned a batch of custom ordered G&Ls which are semi-hollow mahogany body, bird-eye maple neck with ebony fretboard, saddle-lock bridge, and with the G&L S500 pickup set. The S500 setup is essentially a Stratocaster setup with a mini toggle that allows you to combine neck and bridge pickup, or even all 3 pickups in addition to the normal 5 Strat pickup combinations. I had gotten back into guitar playing a couple of years before that and I treated myself to one of these: I have #22 out of the 25 that were made.

Wingsdad already explained the difference between the Tribute line (actually it was weird that G&L picked this name for the line of guitar years after the existence of the independent discussion board by the same name; G&L now does administer the discussion board) and the US G&L lines. I have actually heard good things about the Tribute line.

To clarify even a little more. Some years ago G&L built a line of guitars in Japan for the Japanese market, and they called them Tributes. These were not meant for the US market and were rarely seen in the US. They did not build these guitars for very long. A few years ago G&L started the import Tribute line manufactured in Korea with a large Tribute logo on the headstock, underneath it it says G&L in small font. In the last year or so the import Tributes are now built in Indonesia. These now have a large G&L logo on the headstock and says Tribute in small font underneath. So if are looking at G&L guitars look carefully at the logo on the headstock so you can tell whether it is US-made or imported.

I've been a regular on the G&L discussion board since 1999.

 

[Robert]

Just to clarify, I have indeed tried some Tribute guitars that seemed very nice. It's just these latest I tried that really surprised me, not in a positive way.

Don't take my word for anything! If you want a Tribute, go and try them and judge for yourself. Sour grapes can happen to anyone.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yes, the US made ones are much better that the Tribute series, which doesn't impress me at all. My friend runs a music store and he has some Tribute guitars. Those ones he has are on par with a Squier, at best.

That was my experience with their strats as compared to the Fender MIM and Highway One strats I was trying out, when I was shopping for mine. I cannot really comment on the ASATs. There is a really nice looking one, but not a Tribute, in the store here. I have not played it, but it looks really sweet.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Yow Aeolian, nice Space Tone there with your ASAT!

Must make a nice pair.

 

[aeolian]

Yow Aeolian, nice Space Tone there with your ASAT!

Must make a nice pair.

By now you've probably figured out that my credit limit is much higher than my talent quotient.

 

[wingsdad]

Aeolian-
Congrats on that gorgeous custom ASAT...with the S500 setup, it probably smokes any Nashville Tele.

Guess I should have kept on going to the G&L Discussion site (guitarsbyleo.com). I had no idea they've gone to Indonesia now for the Tributes, but it really comes as no surprise. Thanks for that very good info on identifying them. The earliest Korean-made ones, like my '03 ASAT Special, were very good.

 

[tot_Ou_tard]

Hi-Fi? :whatever:

Both types of MFD's have adjustable pole pieces. The soapbar MFD's with more windings on the Special are higher output. An ASAT Classic Deluxe gives you one of each.

I've A-B'd a Classic and a Special and they (the soapbars such as the Special's) are also less susceptible to 60cycle hum.

MFD's are ceramic magnet pups. The pups on a G&L Legacy, as on my Fender Strats are alnico mag. My ASAT is quieter, needs less preamp to get edge than either of my Strats, and also is more sensitve in reacting to vol/tone. pots.

I'd had 3 different Fender Teles over time, the last one about 25 years ago. None were as versatile in tone as this.

Robert: G&L (USA) has 5 simple neck profiles options. A V-shape 12" radius w/ 1 5/8" nut is one custom option, so the one you played isn't typical.

Here's the link to G&L's site. For more on pickups and necks, etc, see 'Features' and 'Options'. To check out the various ASAT models, go to 'Instruments'. On that page, there's the link to the Tribute Series, too.
G&L

The people who say that they are hi-fi must be reacting to the ceramic pups. I've read that most just love them. I wouldn't know, having only had a couple of minutes with a Classic Custom.

The G&L's are definitely something I'm thinking about.

 

[aeolian]

The G&L that I showed in the previous picture has ceramic pickups. If you want to hear what it sounds like here's a sample. The lead is played on this guitar with the neck and middle pickups. This was recorded through a J-Station instead of a real amp. In case you are curious, the rhythm parts are played on a different guitar, one that has humbucker pickups.

 

[just strum]

The G&L that I showed in the previous picture has ceramic pickups. If you want to hear what it sounds like here's a sample. The lead is played on this guitar with the neck and middle pickups. This was recorded through a J-Station instead of a real amp. In case you are curious, the rhythm parts are played on a different guitar, one that has humbucker pickups.

Sounds good. The temptation keeps growing.

I don't know why, but I can't listen to it with Firefox and have to switch back over to Explorer

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I wish I would have played that US ASAT I mentioned above. It was sweet looking. The store closed though. No Tribute ASATs in that store, and no S500s. I like the idea of that S500 setup, and think it would be cool in an ASAT body too. I would like to see a string through Deluxe, or triple single set up too, if they made them. I am tending more toward string through, and am open to the variations in solidbody or semihollow, and with pickup formation. Nowhere around nearby to go play any though.

P.S. Nice clip Aeolian! It is hard to find online clips of any of these guitars really rocking though. Most I find are clean, from jazzy to twangy. Some like that are on the G&L site.

 

[wingsdad]

...I like the idea of that S500 setup, and think it would be cool in an ASAT body too. ...

Here's 3 diagrams that show:

The S-500 and Comanche Switiching & Tone Control setup & operation:

Probably usable Schematic for that setup...this from a '92 Legacy ('Strat', wired to do what an S-500 (basically a Legacy with MFD Ceramic mag single Coils instead of the Legacy's Alnico 'Strat' types) and Comanche does:

And a Schematic for the Legacy...a 'Strat', if you will, that uses Master Bass & Treble pots instead of a Strat's typical 2 Tone pots -- what G&L calls the 'PTB' system:

I s'pose you could turn any triple-single coil Strat or Nashville Tele guitar or Budget Clone of same into a G&L type Beast-Clone...all that would be missing would be the G&L pickups, but they can be bought singly or in sets (the Legacy Alnico type) from G&L, here:

G&L Online Store - Pickups

Thes USA-made pickups are used in the Tribute imports, too.

Here's the CTS Pots G&L uses & sells. Note that there's specific USA or Tribute types:

G&L Online Store - Pots

And here's the switches, again, specified for USA or Tribute imports:

G&L Online Store - Switches

If anyone is tempted enuff to buy some of these Real Leo Fender Pickups, I suggest trying to call rather than rely solely on electronic ordering...G&L can be a bit 'old-school' in responding and confirming stock and order status efficiently...not as automated as the typical online retailer.

NOTE TO MODS: You might want to copy this to it's own thread on Modding Strats or Teles into G&L Clones; I'm not sure how to do that.

 

[Duff]

G&L ASAT Tribute

I have one, on '07 Swamp Ash with Mahogany back. The top is about 3/8" thick and the back is about 1.5" thick.

Super beautiful guitar with a really high quality aura, like a nice Gibson or something, not shape or style, just vibe. I have a Schecter C1 electric acoustic hybrid that is also super high class looking and has that same high class vibe.

The ASAT Classic Tribute that I have is sunburst swamp ash and has MFD pickups in the standard tele positions. It is an awesome guitar with a tone like no other tele I've played. I traded a very good '07 guitar for it straight up.

Absolutely no need to change the USA made MFD pups. A lot of the parts, in fact are sent to the assembly plant and assembly is supervised by G&L employees.

I always wanted a G&L and was lucky enough to trade for one. An orange Bluesboy would also be really neat and a Tribute version is available in that too.

My experience with the Legacy is mixed. I like the more expensive Legacy Tributes with the MFD pups on them. The cheaper ones, not much cheaper, have regular looking single coil pups. Haven't tried any G&L with the soapbar looking pups.

I would not underestimate the G&L ASAT Tributes and compared to my Squire Standard tele, walnut satin, which I'm currently playing between writing this post, the G&L is way different in sound and great in sound; the Squire, however, is no slouch, even with the stock pups that should probably be replaced to do that guitar justice, but the stock ones are hum cancelling in the middle position. Nice twang to that Squire Standard on the bridge with the tone turned up all the way. Awesome twang. Maybe I don't need to change those pups afterall.

My G&L ASAT Tribute is, overall, a really high class looking guitar with lots of special appointments and attention to detail that give it that special aura of quality both in appearance and sound. It also feels super great to play. The Squire feels super, super great too.

My Peavey Generation EX tele's that they are selling way, way cheap at for instance uncleabes.com, no affilliation, sound super great and have alder bodies and come in about five pup configurations, including the triple single. You can pick these up for under 200. You won't get a new G&L ASAT Tribute for near that cost.

Hope these ideas and observations help someone,

Duff