G&L L-2500 (or L-2000 for that matter)

[_Sweet Willie_]

During my lunch break today I stopped by one of my local music stores. (Why not? ) This store is a G&L dealer, and the folks there really do like the G&L basses and guitars. They are also fine folks, have done some work on one of my basses, and are all-in-all pretty knowledgeable.

 

I have always enjoyed playing the G&L JB-2 basses (their "jazz" bass). It's really a nice instrument. I have not been so pleased with the double humbucker basses from G&L -- the L-2000 4-string and the L-2500 5-string. I expressly went today to see if I couldn't make myself like these double humbucker basses, because, generally speaking, those G&L basses are built like brick $#!%houses and have some nice design and construction features (like the kick-ass, massive, saddle-lock bridges! ).

 

Up on the wall is a beautiful L-2500: light-colored rosewood fingerboard (I've never seen one quite like it), maple neck, 6-bolt joint, tilia body (like alder), figured maple top (lightly figured, the way I like -- not really fancy), and clear gloss finish (the bass had a caramel hue to it). This was a visually stunning instrument.

 

I get to plug this baby into a SWR Workingman's 10 combo (I love that l'il feller!). I played it for about 15 minutes. Now, as some of you know, there are a bunch of on-board options on these basses, and I was sure that my inability in the past to get nirvanic tone was a misunderstanding of what the three switches and three knobs did. I got a careful explanation today, and put my new knowledge to the test.

 

So, what did I think? This is a fine bass! (I will not generalize to all L-2500s, but the one in my hands today was excellent.) I got the best tones with the bass in passive mode, both pickups selected, and the coils either in series or in parallel. The active setting w/ treble boost is a little strong for me, but not too bad when slapping.

 

Is this the best bass I've ever played? No. But, I am relieved to have finally unlocked at least some of its potential in my hands! If you get a chance, try one out. (Now if only I could get my fingers on a Seismic prototype...)

 

Too bad the Epifani 3x10 and 2x12 cabs stacked with the Peavey DPC1400X power amp on top weren't attached to a preamp and were all already sold and awaiting pick-up. Although, my credit card (and spouse) are most certainly happy that those tasty gear tidbits were already spoken for!

 

Anyway, just thought I'd share. Any G&L stories, reports, critiques, etc. from the rest of y'all?

 

Peace.

[SteveC]

G&L makes a fine instrument. For those that don't know, the "L" in G&L is Leo Fender.

 

I had a custom ordered 2500, a fretless 2000 and a fretted 2000 at one time. I really liked them. I still wish I had the 2500. I have a hard tim eholding on to basses. I tend to swap a little bit.

[Cowbell]

I've been wanting to try out their Tribute series guitars and basses. They go for under $500 with a swamp ash body with the real G&L pickups. Seem interesting to me. Thing is,they're made in Korea, and they have a bad reputation. However, Art Thompson has said that these are amazing guitars.

[doc taz]

Screw the reputation! If it's good, buy it. Just make sure it's set up for your playing style. $500 for a tribute sounds good to me. I was surprised at the quality of this stuff, both for guitar and bass.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i picked up an ASAT last saturday. it weighed about 75 lbs. the last time i played G&L plugged in, it was an L-2000, and i had played it after playing a warrior with an asymetrical neck and a single MM pickup. the warrior owned the G&L.

 

i still like them in concept. i would love to hear an SB-2. i have played the old SB-1 unplugged and with dead strings and no setup, so it wasn't particularly informative. but i'm a big fan of the fender P-deluxe and the schecter rob't deleo model T, so i imagine the SB-2 will be enjoyable, tone-wise.

 

robb.

[The Fonz]

awww sweets, did you post this hoping to lure me out of hiding? waxing nostalgic for my g&l rants of old.

 

okay, maybe i don't get out enough but the L2500 is the finest bass i've ever laid hands on, but then again it's a taste issue. i heartily encourage anyone thinking about purchasing a fender or a musicman to give the g&l a whirl.

[Pernax]

I've been GASsing for a G&L ever since I saw my former bass teacher's red/black Interceptor w/ a maple fingerboard years ago. Actually thats also where my odd fixation for wanting them lil dip-switches on my basses comes from. Sadly (once again) G&Ls are really rare here, so if I'd want to try one (I could go for a nice green or blueburst L-2500) I have to order it . And the prices would be more than it will cost me to get a nice custom job...

 

-Pernax

[Mike H.]

I own a G&L L2500 custom at present. Alder body, figured top, ebony fretboard w/out inlays, blueburst. They did a fine job. It stays in tune, plays great, and is very stable given the climatic changes here in North Dakota.

[wraub]

Originally posted by Bastid E:

awww sweets, did you post this hoping to lure me out of hiding? waxing nostalgic for my g&l rants of old.

 

okay, maybe i don't get out enough but the L2500 is the finest bass i've ever laid hands on, but then again it's a taste issue. i heartily encourage anyone thinking about purchasing a fender or a musicman to give the g&l a whirl.

Yup, E, first he did it to me with a Roadstar II thread, and now he does it to you. You gotta give him credit, though. He's just keeping the group together.

Thanks Will!

Peace,

 

wraub

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by wraub:

Yup, E, first he did it to me with a Roadstar II thread, and now he does it to you. You gotta give him credit, though. He's just keeping the group together.

Thanks Will!

Peace,

 

wraub

[Pernax]

Originally posted by Pernax:

I've been GASsing for a G&L ever since I saw my former bass teacher's red/black Interceptor w/ a maple fingerboard years ago. Actually thats also where my odd fixation for wanting them lil dip-switches on my basses comes from. ...

Ugh, I'm in the position to acquire a precisely similar '88 G&L Interceptor, which I'm guessing is something that wont happen all too often - There was a total of about 400 Interceptors made, of which about half were with a trem bridge. That leaves about 200, and when you consider all the different colors and headstock shapes (with or without the G&L "hump", this one is without, just like the teacher's one, which makes it even more rare) it's beginning to look like a once in a lifetime situation...

 

So what's the problem then? Well, I've been saving for a high end 6-string, and I have one in my scopes but the money isn't just there yet, not far but not close enough. Then there's the fact that I don't really use 4-stringers with my band (downtuned metal, so a B-string is quite essential). I also have a nice 4-stringer with a maple board which doesn't see that much action. If I get the G&L, the 6-string purchase will be moved forwards about 1-2 months, and the one I've been eyeballing might be gone then...

 

I'm still negotiating about the price, but if someone with an account to ebay could check to see if there have been any completed items featuring this bass and let me know how much they went for, it'd make my decision a bit easier. Also, feel free to comment or offer your view on the matter, so I can blindly ingore your opinions .

 

Thanks for listening,

-P

[lug]

I have a lot of basses. This one rules the roost:

 

http://users3.ev1.net/~woodd/gandl.jpg

[SteveC]

I used to have a Blueburst L2000 with a maple "jazz" neck. I loved it. Kick Ass bass. It's the one most missed by a friend of mine.

[Quinn]

I had an L-2000 for a long time and it was a great bass.

 

It got traded in one of my episodic GAS attacks, but it had the nicest electronics of any bass I've ever owned.

[Ed Friedland]

The G&L is the one child of Leo that I've never developed an appreciation for. I look at them and think "I SHOULD like this bass". But I'm always baffled by the switches. What the hell do they do? It's tough flipping around with no clue. They are solid, well built, and I do like the double HB setup, I've got 2 Carvins rigged that way, I think it's a great configuration. I guess I'll have to give them another shot. It's hard to find one in a store that's set up well, good strings, and with a sales person that actually KNOWS what the switches do. Guess GC is out of the question...

Okay Dr. Sweet Willie, you've peaked my interest. After all, it's one of Leo's kids, I should learn to love it.

[PickPunk]

OMG dont get me started on G&Ls... love those l-2000's, never played one myself but i saw a band last year an the bassist was playing a tobacco burst l-2000 with a maple board. As soon as he plugged in my ears went nuts with joy. After one or two flicks of the switches he had the perfect tone (IMO). It cut through the mix of two really heavily distorted guitars through marshall stacks, a screaming singer and an insane drummer, it wasnt too harsh on the treble end and it had the perfect amount of bottom end. Then the guitarists switched guitars and turned on some different effects for the next song, all the bassist did was flick a switch and he had a drasticaly different tone that suited the song perfectly and again, cut through with no problem. For the next couple of songs he would flick a switch or two or maybe turn a knob back and his tone got so different with each song yet it was always useable and always cut through the mix perfectly without overpowering it. All that versatility from just the bass preamp!i didnt get a very clear view of his amp but from where i was it looked like he had everything set relatvely flat with a tiny bosst on the bass an treble (it was an 8 or 9 band graphic eq if i remember correctly). Needless to say i was blown away. And top of that it had a maple fingerboard (i'm sure by now most of you have heard my rants about my love for maple boards on basses).

 

Someday i dream of owning a cherryburst (or trans red or trans green...or all three )on flame maple L-200 with a maple fretboard. someday.....someday

 

peace

[mro]

I owned a L2000, electric blue with a tinted maple neck. It was georgeous, but I sold it because it didn't produce the bottom end I wanted. I used it in the passive mode thru my ampeg rig. I am happier with my new Stingray.

[ErnoE]

Just from recent viewings on ebay, I've been gassing for a G&L bass, just always liked the look of these basses. The ASAT's remind me of the Telecaster basses. For the lower cost though I've been eyeballing those L-1000's. Not real familiar with this model, single pup, active? don't know. Already own a stingray, would the L-1000 be too similar to that tone?

[Mr M Pulsive]

Erno -

The L-1000 is much more like a P-bass than a Stingray due to the pickup placement. The L-1500 and Climax (discontinued) have the same humbucker "sweet spot" placement as a Stingray or Sterling. The L-2000 and ASAT (same dual 'bucker config) can pull off a fairly convincing Stingray tone, but it's not entirely the same thing. There are lots of useable tones to be found on L2Ks and ASATs.

 

I love 'em all. They're all built like tanks. People are slowly starting to take notice of these "best kept secrets" and used prices are on the rise. I've owned a '95 ASAT, '83 SB-1, '81 L-2000e (still have it) and I'm in the process of purchasing a custom ASAT. The only bass I've found that suits my style better is my Lakland Skyline 44-01.

 

I'm a big fan of quality underdog basses.

[ErnoE]

Thanks for the info Mr M-P, you just Made my day . BTW, there was a L-1000 at the GC store that I tried out a few weeks back and your right it did sound rather P-bass now that I think of it. They wanted about 3 bills for it but there was a spiderweb like crack in the body right at the pup whole, kinda scared me off, plus it was white . Should I have been concerned about the loctation of that damage? I'd like to go back and give it a 2nd look maybe.

[Mr M Pulsive]

Sounds like it was PROBABLY just a finish crack, but it should be checked out well. Are you saying a white L-1000 was $300? Have someone in the know check it out for you if you're interested, because that's a great price. (And a great color, IMO.)

[Ed Friedland]

Is the L2500 a 34 or 35" scale?

[Mr M Pulsive]

Mr. Friedland, I believe the L2500 is a 34" scale, but I'm not quite sure. I've yet to ride that pony.

[Ed Friedland]

"Mr. Friedland", hey why be so formal? You can just call me "sir". ;

 

Thanks, that means I'll check it out. I avoid all 35" scale basses, no matter how nice they are. Can't play 'em, so why drool?

[Mr M Pulsive]

Heh... Well, Sir, Let me know if I can help you with deciphering switches or whatnot. It'd be an incredible kick in the pants to be able to teach the great Ed F. something about basses.

[lug]

Originally posted by Ed Friedland:

The G&L is the one child of Leo that I've never developed an appreciation for. I look at them and think "I SHOULD like this bass". But I'm always baffled by the switches. What the hell do they do? It's tough flipping around with no clue. They are solid, well built, and I do like the double HB setup, I've got 2 Carvins rigged that way, I think it's a great configuration. I guess I'll have to give them another shot. It's hard to find one in a store that's set up well, good strings, and with a sales person that actually KNOWS what the switches do. Guess GC is out of the question...

Okay Dr. Sweet Willie, you've peaked my interest. After all, it's one of Leo's kids, I should learn to love it.

Switches are (front to back) 1) pup selector, 2) series/parallel for the pups, and 3) passive - active - active w/treble boost.

 

Go to the G&L site and under "audio clips" you can hear the L2500 with almost every possible combination available.

 

http://www.glguitars.com/frameset.htm

[Mr M Pulsive]

A pox on the man who steals my thunder.

 

In keeping things uniform, the last switch sternside is active w/ treble boost, active, passive.

 

On older models, the series/parallel switch is single coil/parallel instead.

[lug]

Originally posted by Mr M Pulsive:

A pox on the man who steals my thunder.

 

In keeping things uniform, the last switch sternside is active w/ treble boost, active, passive.

 

On older models, the series/parallel switch is single coil/parallel instead.

Hey! You got pox on me!

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

I have not been so pleased with the double humbucker basses from G&L -- the L-2000 4-string and the L-2500 5-string. I expressly went today to see if I couldn't make myself like these double humbucker basses, because, generally speaking, those G&L basses are built like brick $#!%houses and have some nice design and construction features (like the kick-ass, massive, saddle-lock bridges! ).

 

Ain't nuthin' like a thread revival!

 

I must admit that I don't think I've played a G&L since that episode. In my estimation, it takes some concentration to get a handle on how the controls work on those L-series double humbucker basses.

 

As much as I came to appreciate that one I played way back then, they're still not at the top of my personal list of basses I reach for -- aside from their JB-2 jazz copy, which I think is a really nice J bass.

 

Ed, any luck trying them out and being persistent in your quest to unlock their tonal capacities?

 

Peace.

--s-dub

[RalphM]

Having just acquired an L-2500 Tribute, let me say that Yes, it does take some twiddling with the switches and knobs to find your tone. For example, the switch referred to as phase***, should really be named phat bass/thin bass.

 

I'm playing mine in passive mode and switch to active when I want to make an accent or solo. My only gripe would be more mid-range control. But I've figured out that if I roll off the highs and lows and turn up the volume, I can find the mids I want. Like I said, it takes some experimentation.

 

Even at that, this bass with a fresh set of strings has about as much MM Stingray 'crunch' as you could ever need. The bass has the cleanest, tightest B string even with bass boost all the way up that I've played.

 

I learned to play bass on a 50's style P-Bass and it's that kind of a neck (wide) and string spacing that feels right to me. The neck on this bass feels right to me, wide and flat. Reminds me of a Smith 5 string I used to have. I could get the strings even lower than I did, but where they're at now is what feels right.

 

I'm enjoying my L-2500.

 

Happy New Year

Ralph