cameltoe Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Recently aquired a 1991 USA G&L L2000 from our friend Tom1946, and am thoroughly enjoying it. It's a different beast altogether from my usual Precision axe, and thats why I love it. However, as I'm usually a guy of simple controls (plug in-play), can someone give me a rundown on the controls on this thing? I've read what the switches do (all of 'em) on the G&L website, but it doesn't say which switch/ knob does what! I'm using my ears to get a sound I like, but I think it'd be helpful if I actually knew what I was doing. Any advice on trying to get some recognisable tones from this thing would be good too. I can get a sort-of Stingray sound from it, but can't get it to sound like a Precision, it's always too grindy. If I could, I could use it in place of the P from time to time. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass_Guardian Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 All explained here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='cameltoe' post='1074642' date='Jan 1 2011, 06:59 PM']Any advice on trying to get some recognisable tones from this thing would be good too. I can get a sort-of Stingray sound from it, but can't get it to sound like a Precision, it's always too grindy. If I could, I could use it in place of the P from time to time. Cheers![/quote] I find I can get a good P tone on mine by using the neck pickup in passive mode, set to series, with a bit of treble rolled off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='cameltoe' post='1074642' date='Jan 1 2011, 06:59 PM'].... I can get a sort-of Stingray sound from it, but can't get it to sound like a Precision....[/quote] In my experience the opposite is more true. To start with the bridge pickup is in the wrong spot to get the 'ray tone not to mention the preamp being all wrong. The neck pup is pretty much directly in P territory and when soloed (whether in passive or active) hits the nail on the head. There are several mods you can do to the existing switching arrangements which open up even more possibilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 My two favourite settings are neck pickup bass boost on, turbo p-bass, and both pickups on, bass boost on, massive stingray/jazz cross. When I was using a hartke set up both pickups on bass cut was a great tight ray sound but with my new rig this voice doesn't work as well. Maybe with G&Ls the amp has a big say, although previously I never had an issue at venues that insist on you using their amp. I always play in active with all other controls on full. Getting used to the G&L approach took a little time but I'm never going back now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 A Stingray can't do a G&L sound. Seriously though, why not just find sounds from the G&L that you like and just use them without wishing to sound like something else? These are really great basses. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='machinehead' post='1074762' date='Jan 1 2011, 09:17 PM']A Stingray can't do a G&L sound. Seriously though, why not just find sounds from the G&L that you like and just use them without wishing to sound like something else? These are really great basses. Frank.[/quote] Thanks for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1074694' date='Jan 1 2011, 07:54 PM']In my experience the opposite is more true. To start with the bridge pickup is in the wrong spot to get the 'ray tone not to mention the preamp being all wrong. The neck pup is pretty much directly in P territory and when soloed (whether in passive or active) hits the nail on the head. There are several mods you can do to the existing switching arrangements which open up even more possibilities.[/quote] Yeah it gets the fat punch of a P bass when I play with the settings, but it always sounds way too grindy and hence won't sit in the mix as well for some of the stuff I use it for. One of my bands is a folk/rock band, and I need a really percussive thump that I get from my P bass. I can use the grindy sound to full effect in my other band which is more of a grungy/garage rock 3 piece, but the sound of the bass is just too exposed in the folk/rock thing (tried once and didn't work for me). Hence, I could use it for both bands if I could nail the P bass sound. I'm wanting to get the Precision set up professionally too, which will mean a trip to Mansons in Exeter, and more than likely a spell without my P bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 1, 2011 Author Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='Bass_Guardian' post='1074684' date='Jan 1 2011, 07:31 PM']All explained here [/quote] Awesome! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 This is one of the reasons I keep swaying back to MM as I find the controls a bit of a fiddle trying to remember what is what on the fly looks a bit of a pain. The only method worse for me is the PRS 10 position rotary switch which is impossible to know what setting your on and even if you did you would have to count through the various options to work out what you have selected. The strat/tele switch had in nailed all along for me. I must admit the multi switch EBMM stuff confuses me too what happens when you remove the sticker from that 25th ani model with all them push bottons? confudled.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayPete1977 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 [quote name='Johnston' post='1074898' date='Jan 1 2011, 11:50 PM']what will you do if you ever end up with an EB with that new thing they were touting. What was it 50+ variations on a Reflex [/quote] I would whip the preamp out and put a 2 band one in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 (edited) [quote name='cameltoe' post='1074808' date='Jan 1 2011, 09:59 PM']Yeah it gets the fat punch of a P bass when I play with the settings, but it always sounds way too grindy and hence won't sit in the mix as well for some of the stuff I use it for. One of my bands is a folk/rock band, and I need a really percussive thump that I get from my P bass. I can use the grindy sound to full effect in my other band which is more of a grungy/garage rock 3 piece, but the sound of the bass is just too exposed in the folk/rock thing (tried once and didn't work for me). Hence, I could use it for both bands if I could nail the P bass sound. I'm wanting to get the Precision set up professionally too, which will mean a trip to Mansons in Exeter, and more than likely a spell without my P bass.[/quote] My L-1000 is basically a passive, neck pup only L-2000 (with some additional passive wizardry under the hood) and I'm of the mind that it produces a more pronounced P tone* than any Fender P can.... I fancy Leo thought so too. * with the ability, if I should wish, to go classic "single coil P" at the flick of a switch. Fan-bleeding-tastic. Edited January 2, 2011 by Ou7shined Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 [quote name='cameltoe' post='1074801' date='Jan 1 2011, 09:53 PM']Thanks for your help [/quote] Not sure if that was sarcastic or not but I really meant what I said. One thing that might help is to back off the knobs a bit, all three or just the treble and volume. I find this makes the sound less aggresive. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 [quote name='machinehead' post='1074915' date='Jan 2 2011, 12:22 AM']Not sure if that was sarcastic or not but I really meant what I said. One thing that might help is to back off the knobs a bit, all three or just the treble and volume. I find this makes the sound less aggresive. Frank.[/quote] It was a little bit sarcastic yes. Don't get me wrong, I fully enjoy finding new sounds from it and don't wish it to sound like anything else, but at the moment it's far too aggressive sounding to use where I'd normally use the precision. If I can find a way to get closer to the P sound i've heard everyone say you can nail with this bass, then I can use it more frequently and send the precision away to be set up. Thanks for advice on rolling back tone pots, will give it a try (unsarcastically!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cameltoe Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 [quote name='Ou7shined' post='1074911' date='Jan 2 2011, 12:12 AM']My L-1000 is basically a passive, neck pup only L-2000 (with some additional passive wizardry under the hood) and I'm of the mind that it produces a more pronounced P tone* than any Fender P can.... I fancy Leo thought so too. * with the ability, if I should wish, to go classic "single coil P" at the flick of a switch. Fan-bleeding-tastic. [/quote] Always liked the look of them, they sound right up my street as a P bass fan. Awesome guitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 [quote name='cameltoe' post='1075077' date='Jan 2 2011, 10:36 AM']Always liked the look of them, they sound right up my street as a P bass fan. Awesome guitars[/quote] They really are. Even though I'd done a fair bit of reading up before getting mine, I wasn't prepared for just how awesome they are. Mine came with shot 'tronics (amongst other things) and I was very underwhelmed by it's tone but after lots of fact finding and trawling the G&L forums I was able to pool enough sketchy info to return them back to original and unleash the beast. Mine will be coming to Moffat for the bash if anyone wants to check it out and test my rather lofty claim above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 to the OP - great choice of bass. I have an 89 Asat Bass, which has all the same electronics but in a telecaster body with more like a jazz neck. My tonal roots are deep in P and 'Ray territory and have one of each of those too; but my go to bass is almost invariably the G&L these days. It seems like we all agree that these G&Ls (L2000 & Asat Bass) don't quite nail the P, J or Ray tones.; but i reckon they cover all that territory well enough to make this a first choice super-versatile bass full of Leo Fender DNA. If you leave it in passive mode and either in or out of phase (not sure which, but whichever is the thinner sound from the middle switch), it can do quite sweet tones that do P or J tones very well indeed. You might need to drive the amp up a bit more to get that classic tone right though. I reckon a valve amp helps warm it all up nicely too. I reckon it can do Ray tones pretty well too, not exactly the same; but certainly in those tonal areas well enought to do the job - just put in active mode with full treble boost, select bridge pup and put phases whichever way you prefer with your amp. Purists would know the sound you got wasn't a J, P or Ray; but if they've got good ideas they should recognise the great and distinctive tones produced. Someone said focus on exploring the G&L tones - i have to agree, once you've got the hang of all the options and tuned into the amazing-but-different tones, you may even find yourself thinking...how can I get that great G&L tone out of my P, J or Ray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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