G&l S-500

[alfo]

Greetings Gearheads.I play rock,country and blues,have used Musicman guitars for years,but it may be time to try something else. i need a mojo shift,and maybe a new brand of guitar will help.The G&L s500 has caught my eye..anybody out there play,or have played one..all info is appreciated..they*re kinda scarce in my neck of the woods.Tx.

 

[Spudman]

I've been desiring one of those myself. For a real good example of what they can do and sound like check out some Umphrey's McGee videos on You Tube.

 

[wingsdad]

Haven't owned one, but played a couple, and DID own a Comanche, which features the same wiring/switching scheme that gives you 3 more pickup combos than a 5-position Legacy & the Treble/Bass tone controls but with Z-coil pickups.

 

[jazzrat]

I've not played an S-500 but I have a Legacy which just a killer guitar.
As I understand it the Ceramic pickups in the S-500 are hotter, and handle high gain better while the Alnico 5's in the Legacy are very vintage sounding.
I would agree with the latter as the only thing I wish the Legacy had was a little hotter bridge pickup.
These guitars just ooze quality IMHO

 

[Duff]

G&l

I played an S500 over the weekend, new, and was not overwhelmed. Played thru a good Kustom green padded tube combo amp too. I also played a G and L Bluesboy semihollow telecaster with the HB in the neck and it was very outstanding. I also played a Schecter telecaster that had Seymour
Duncan pickups; a humbucker in the neck and a toaster style pickup in the bridge, the mini humbucker looking type with chrome cover with a toaster slotted look and the pole pieces of the pickup in the toaster slots, in the bridge. This Schecter was an awesome guitar and seemed to me to be of very high quality. I also played the ASAT Classic telecaster G and L in the solid body and it was an outstanding sounding and playing guitar to me. It had the traditional tele pickup format.

I own a G and L Tribute series ASAT Classic semi hollow telecaster and it is awesome. Has the American made traditional tele pickups in the G and L magnetic field format, with a beautiful maple neck and is a great guitar.

I was interested in the S500 but want to get a Fender Deluxe Roadhouse, Lonestar, or Jimmie Vaughn instead. My idea is that I like the sound of the Roadhouse and the Lonestar, which are in my price range, and want to try a Jimmie Vaughn, and that these guitars have a super amazing amount of aftermarket parts available for modding; and since I like to mod some of my guitars, it makes sense to get Fender and put on a great looking pickguard or whatever, tuners, etc. I went to the U of Colorado and a Black Deluxe Roadhouse with a gold pickguard would match the college colors and look cool too. Black and gold go good together. I imagine the U of Colorado picked black and gold because of the history of coal and gold in the hey day of mining, which was, of course, still going on when the university was established in the eighteen hundreds.

I really expected that S500 to sound better and be a better competitor to Fender but I personally was not that impressed.

To each their own. I can remember when I was sure I wouldn't be buying any Fender products but now I own a couple great Fender amps, Hot Rod Deluxe and Super Champ XD, and had a Hwy 1 recently stolen, a fat strat. I traded a three single coil one for my G and L tele but I would buy another Hwy 1 blondie, no problem; however, I will probably be getting a different model like the Roadhouse or Jimmie Vaughn.

You ever try Fender Custom Shop Texas Special single coils? They are really nice pickups if you want that kind of bright power. I also have a Texas Special in the bridge of one of my telecasters and it is hot and also quiet.

Duffy
South Williamsport, Pa. (moved on)

 

[wingsdad]

I played an S500 over the weekend, new, and was not overwhelmed. ...

I was interested in the S500 but want to get a Fender Deluxe Roadhouse, Lonestar, or Jimmie Vaughn instead. ...

...I really expected that S500 to sound better and be a better competitor to Fender but I personally was not that impressed.

...

Duff, while you have a Tribute ASAT Classic SH, which operates similarly to a Fender-type Tele, not sure if you're aware of how differently an S500 operates vs. a Strat.

If you're not, then I'm not surprised you weren't impressed, Duff. Most people aren't, at first, because they expect a Strat-O-Clone....it takes an 'attitude adjustment' -- i.e., an open mind --to explore how they work vs. a Strat.

The Legacy and S500 are commonly and erroneously perceived simply as G&L Strats, and it's not that simple. They are George Fullerton's and Leo Fender's improved versions of their Fender classic. Leo's goal was intended improvement in tone shaping using Passive Treble and Bass tone controls rather than the simple 'Tone' controls of the original Strat. These are 'master' controls in that they don't apply to specific pickups, but to the overall tone produced by any single pickup or combination of them. And consequently, there's a relationship between the guitar's settings and the amp's that's more sophisticated, allowing fine tuning of tone, than that of a conventional Strat.

A Legacy is closer to a Strat with 'vintage' Alnico V magnet single coils, but an S500 is radically different from a Legacy or conventional Strat in that it has the ceramic magnet G&L Magnetic Field Design pickups, not Alnico V's, and a flip of the mini-toggle gives you an alternate 'mode' of pickup combos for running the neck & bridge or all 3 pups at once. And again, working the PTB tone controls in this mode can be stunningly ear-opening.

 

[Duffy]

G/l

I am aware of the tone controls on the guitar and was okay with them, they are great. It was the overall sound of the particular guitar that did not impress me as an individual. I had no preconceived ideas about the guitar and picked it up with an open mind. I was considering buying it.

I played it and was not that impressed. I played a G and L Bluesboy and an ASAT Classic natural finish tele and both of these sounded way better to me. The Schecter tele with the twin humbuckers also sounded super great.

I will check out a few Fenders and see how I like the way they sound. I have tried and liked the Deluxe Roadhouse and the Lonestar and want to try a Jimmie Vaughan.

Also, I think the Fenders may be more easily modded with a wide variety of aftermarket parts.

 

[hubberjub]

I love G&L guitars. The best "tele" I ever played was an ASAT Classic. They aren't just clones of Fender guitars. Try one out if you get the chance.

 

[wingsdad]

I am aware of the tone controls on the guitar and was okay with them, they are great....
... I played it and was not that impressed. I played a G and L Bluesboy and an ASAT Classic natural finish tele and both of these sounded way better to me. ....
....I think the Fenders may be more easily modded with a wide variety of aftermarket parts.

You DO like to mod & tinker, we've read a lot about that, so I think you'd be much more satisfied with any Fender Strat to that end; G&L players seldom mod theirs, as far as I can tell, but the Strat folks around here at the fret, seem to like to go under the hood, planning to do so even before they've bought the guitar. Go figure. :whatever:


I wasn't sure if you knew about the tone control/switching system, Duff, that's the only reason I went thru the description. That, and for anyone else unfamiliar with G&L's, and for our 'mystery fretter', alpo, who started this inquiry thread, made just this one post asking about the guitar and hasn't returned let alone introduce himself.

Shoot, the first time I picked up a Legacy and then an S500, I wasn't impressed with the sound, either...but I was unaware of the PTB system. Once I figured out cutting Bass and or Treble, I got a better handle on the sound.

I love G&L guitars. The best "tele" I ever played was an ASAT Classic. They aren't just clones of Fender guitars. Try one out if you get the chance.

Ditto, that :AOK My ASAT Classic Bluesboy SH is superfine. CB now owns an ASAT Special SH that once was mine, and Rocket owns the Comanche I had. Only reason I gave those up was financial; they were luxuries to keep once I got the Bluesboy into my stable with the other pieces I have.

 

[alfo]

Hi Guys..I*m back.I appreciate all of the feedback regarding the S-500..I guess a test run is in the cards...My handle is not the tasty dogfood so obtusely referred to by the gas station attendant sub human creature,but indeed ALFO!I am a guitar player,song writer,womanizer,dirty old man,at times referred to as a lowlife pig.I have a lot of great country blues on the burner,and after a hellish year have all the cards lined up to get my stuff out there.I*ll be wintering in Ormond bch,Fla,so if any music types want to jam,or lay down a few trax..whatever,send me an email.My Ernie Ball musicman platoon will work in the meantime.Adios amigos..