Bassnut62 Posted October 22, 2014 Author Share Posted October 22, 2014 The S500 has cleared customs and is now with Andy (dealer) in St Albans. I am going to collect it on 7 or 8 Nov, when I am going that way anyway. Andy is going to send me pics and try it out later to make sure A is OK. Will report back tomorrow. throwoff - I am sure he would get you a bass too; but make sure you do it soon to get 15% discount that G&L are running to end of Nov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Bassnut62' timestamp='1410964648' post='2555128'] Apparently G&L have a 15% sale on in USA until November too and this dealer is passing on full discount. If anyone wants to know where, just drop me a PM. [/quote] Oops, it's 5% discount, not 15% and runs til end of Nov, so you might want to get your orders in soon. Also delivery is usually 8 weeks from order, but safer to say 12 weeks and get nicely surprised. The dealer in US who is the UK dealer's partner has a special arrangement with G&L that takes his orders straight to top of list! Edited October 23, 2014 by Bassnut62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) Andy (the dealer) has now had a chance to test my S500 unplugged.....this is what he said: [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I know I'm biased, and that I love S500's in particular, but wow, what an axe![/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I've not done any photos yet, but I have sat down and had a play and I swear I've never played a guitar with such amazing resonance as it has. If I didnt know better I'd almost swear it was semi hollow. You can feel it singing against your body. To top it all off, the rosewood board is beautifully dark, but still has flecks of lighter wood in it. It contrasts with the white so nicely.[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]And I've not even plugged her in yet!![/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]I really question why anyone would buy a Fender? These G&L's are sublime. The difference is like driving home in a brand new Mercedes (not that I'd actually know what that's like....) against buying a battered old banger and chugging that home.....[/size][/font][/color] [color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]Lucky boy [/size][/font][/color] As it happens I have owned a couple of nice old high spec E-class Merc coupes (bought at bottom of their value depreciation) and I can totally relate to what Andy says above about the sublime difference of sheer quality....especially as I now drive a 12year old Korean box with battle scars! He's hoping to get some pics to me later and test plugged in too at first opporunity, so I'll feedback more then. ....not sure I will be able to wait until 7 or 8 nov to collect it...... Edited October 23, 2014 by Bassnut62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) OK...first pics.... and another pic from the warehouse...this guitar looks different under different lighting.... Also, Andy says yes, he can order basses too Edited October 23, 2014 by Bassnut62 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Congratulations on the purchase. As a relatively recent strat convert, that guitar looks incredible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted October 24, 2014 Author Share Posted October 24, 2014 some more feedback on how this G&L plays and sounds....this is from Andy, rather than myself, as I won't get my hands on the guitar for another fortnight.... [i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]....plugged in she sounds exactly as an S500 should, which is awesome. I don't hear any of the supposed "Darker" sound, but it's definitely not a vintage sounding instrument like the legacy / strat, though with a little tweaking those sounds are there. What always impresses me most about S500's is their option to have just the neck and bridge or all 3 pups together. Some really nice rhythm sounds available there, from Tele type jangle to full sounding beef! Also, if you roll the bass off on the PTB system you even start getting an almost acoustic vibe. I'm not saying its an exact acoustic sound (that would be scientifically impossible) but it's pretty damn good considering there's not a piezo in sight.[/size][/font][/color][/i] I found myself in a dilemma about which neck options to choose on this guitar, between old school [size=4]7.25" [/size][size=3]board [/size][size=3]radius [/size][size=4]with vintage frets or the standard 12" radius with medium jumbo frets; this was especially as I play more funk rhythm guitar than searing solos. In the end I chose standard 12" with medium jumbos, as that's what Leo chose for it and I am not trying to recreat a vintage Strat. Here's what Andy says about the neck option I chose.....[/size] [i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4]Something really weird has happened to me concerning the neck profile. I think as I've played quite a few #1 necks (i.e. 12" radius) over the last year or so, I've gotten quite used to them (this is coming from a relatively small handed person), so it's not an issue for me anymore.[/size][/font][/color][/i][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [i]I think that vintage frets would have been wrong on this radius / neck. Medium jumbos are just right (for this particular combo) - you may have a little bit of readjustment to make, but I reckon you'll be in the groove in no time at all.[/i][/size][/font][/color][color=#444444][font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=4] [i]As for funky chops and rhythm picking - well, I'm not really a funk player so hard to say, but I see no reason why not.[/i][/size][/font][/color] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted November 7, 2014 Author Share Posted November 7, 2014 NGD has arrived. am picking up this bad boy tonight will report back when had chance to get to know it a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 I picked up the G&L S500 on Friday night and have now had a chance to play it for a few hours over last five days. It is a very stable platform with a beautiful neck. Normally I don't like very flat necks (this is a 12" radius); but this one feels v comfortable and accessible for funky rhythm playing on three strings and for licks and solos you can easily bend two whole tones without chocking off the note. The build quality throughout is exceptional. I don't think I have ever seen such a snug neck/pocket fit and all the hardware is very present, smooth and accurate. The paint and neck finish is beautiful and the rosewood neck has a lovely dark grain with a few nice flecks or swirls of deep burnt orange. The medium jumbo frets are very well finished (no surprise really with G&L Plek-dressing machines) and the factory set-up is pretty nice; though I think it could be improved and the action could be lower. The trem is fantastic, compared to more traditional Fender trems. It is very stable; but the B string does seem to stick a little at moment; I am nto sure if this is just the string settling or what. I will let the guitar and strings settle for a few months and then get it set up by usual techs, who know all my preferences; this should take care of any little details like string sticking when tremmed. Then there is the sound - it is very modern compared to traditional Strat tones. It is cleaner sounding and a bit more authoritive and it doesn't quack quite as much as your old Fender; but traditional Strat sounds can be found with a bit of adjusting of tones with the Passive Treble & Bass system. This guitar definitely has it's own character and can drive an map a bit harder than standard Fenders. The toggle switch hooks up the bridge and neck pickups, so that whether in positions 1, 2, 4 or 5, both pups are on. 2 and 4 give you all three pups. Soundwise you can get good approximations of anything from an accoustic, via Tele to Strat. the G&L MFD pups also sounds full and beefy enough to pass for a light humbucker or P90. I especially like that whatever pick up setting you use, you get exactly the same output level from the guitar; whereas my old 54 reissue Strat has a noticeable drop in volume between positions [size=3]2 & 4 vs. [/size][size=4]1, 3 & 5.[/size] [size=4]And yes this brand new USA G&L built for me to my specification in the factory at Fullerton, CA in little more than 8 weeks did really cost me just £795 in total. And the Tolex case it comes with is v nice indeed; as is Andy at Black Cat Strats, who organised this great deal for me. I cannot recommend him or an S500 highly enough![/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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