THE G&L THREAD

[Tokalo]

Double the Tribute (which may have been a severe punishment in Roman times, but it seems rather brilliant today).

 

The SB-2 arrived yesterday while my wife was away on a work trip.

 

[LukeFRC]

On 14/01/2022 at 18:50, Old Horse Murphy said:

This is my CLF L-2000 that I bought last year for a steal from PMT in Cardiff. It's a super bass and superbly built. 

There’s one of them in red some fella is selling online - I keep having to pretend I didn’t see it

[BillyBass]

Kiloton Tribute acquired a couple of weeks ago; alongside its matching rig.

[Old Horse Murphy]

After completely falling in love with my G&L CLF L-2000 I decided I'd like to try a few different styles and having sold a few basses recently, I wanted to try G&L's P Basses. 
 

After speaking to a few dealers I was able to secure a SB-1 and a LB-100 on approval. The SB-1 arrived earlier today. 
 

First impressions are, well, wow. Build quality is brilliant as expected, it weighs just over 8 and a half pounds and the Pickup is some thing else and it easily overpowers my Stingray 5. That said, it's very versatile and still retains that warm P Bass sound, just more of it.  
 

I was interested to see the body shape of the SB basses in person as they looked a bit incongruous to me, so a chance to compare one to my P basses was useful. You can definitely tell they're related and the difference is subtle (a bit like the Lakland DJ4 vs. Jazz Bass shape). It certainly looks right to me, if a little different. I don't even mind the headstock design too much!
 

Playability is excellent and the whole bass is really top notch. From what I understand, the LB-100 is more of the traditional P Bass but I look forward to trying it when it arrives (hopefully) Wednesday. If it's anything like the SB-1 in terms of playability and build quality I may well be selling something else shortly!
 

 

Edited January 31, 2022 by Old Horse Murphy

[Old Horse Murphy]

On 30/01/2022 at 12:19, BillyBass said:

Kiloton Tribute acquired a couple of weeks ago; alongside its matching rig.

Those Kilotons look great. 

[Old Horse Murphy]

So the LB-100 arrived today and as stunning as it is, it really doesn't give me anything that my Fender P Basses don't already cover. As a result I'm going to keep the SB-1 which is amazing as is my CLF L-2000

Edited February 2, 2022 by Old Horse Murphy

[neepheid]

7 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

So the LB-100 arrived today and as stunning as it is, it really doesn't give me anything that my Fender P Basses don't already cover. As a result I'm going to keep the SB-1 which is amazing as is my CLF L-2000

 

Well it is basically a P bass. What did you expect or hope for from an LB-100 above and beyond a P bass?

[Old Horse Murphy]

1 minute ago, neepheid said:

 

Well it is basically a P bass. What did you expect or hope for from an LB-100 above and beyond a P bass?

Fair point but I've owned P Basses from Lakland before for example that have felt different to a Fender P Bass and had a different sound. I thought the G&L would be slightly more genetically removed but it wasn't. It was great though, but not different enough for my justification. You live and learn. 

[dub_junkie]

My new Tribute JB-2 arrived today, keeping my weakness/soft spot for this model ongoing 🙂

[Old Horse Murphy]

That's really very nice 👍🏻 

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

Fair point but I've owned P Basses from Lakland before for example that have felt different to a Fender P Bass and had a different sound. I thought the G&L would be slightly more genetically removed but it wasn't. It was great though, but not different enough for my justification. You live and learn. 

 

It's Leo's progeny at the end of the day. I was considering turning my Tribute LB-100 into a quasi-SB-1 by putting a split MFD in, replacing the standard Alnico effort but since copper shielding it I'm starting to enjoy it for what it is so hopefully that GAS will subside. It helps that I don't have a Fender P to compare it to 

[neepheid]

10 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

My new Tribute JB-2 arrived today, keeping my weakness/soft spot for this model ongoing 🙂

 

That's a very eye-catching bass, lovely colour. Congrats.

[Old Horse Murphy]

So I made a schoolboy error last night and decided against my better judgement to have a go on the LB-100 again and set the action closer to what I generally play with....what a revelation. 
 

Yes, it is just a P Bass and it always will be but it's a fabulous one at that! I bunged a set of TI's on it and it's a revelation. It also looks great too. 
 

Anyway, it's staying. 
 

 

[martthebass]

That looks awesome Nick, and I'm not normally a fan of sunbursty type finishes. 

 

Recently rejoined the G&L club myself after acquiring this little treasure from Adee.

[Old Horse Murphy]

I really like that Mart. Very striking!

[dub_junkie]

1 hour ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

Yes, it is just a P Bass………….
 

…….Anyway, it's staying
 

 

 

three wonderful G&Ls. Enjoy them! 🙂

 

Owning both of them, in time I’d be interested to hear what you think of the day to day, real world differences between the LB-100 and the SB-1.  (I owned a tribute LB100 and never played an SB-1)

[neepheid]

6 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

three wonderful G&Ls. Enjoy them! 🙂

 

Owning both of them, in time I’d be interested to hear what you think of the day to day, real world differences between the LB-100 and the SB-1.  (I owned a tribute LB100 and never played an SB-1)

 

Oh, you'll be able to hear the differences, they won't be subtle!  For reference I used to have a Tribute SB-2.  One time I took it to a gig and the sound guy asked me if it was active.  I highly doubt that would happen with an LB-100 (or a P bass for that matter)

[Old Horse Murphy]

51 minutes ago, dub_junkie said:

three wonderful G&Ls. Enjoy them! 🙂

 

Owning both of them, in time I’d be interested to hear what you think of the day to day, real world differences between the LB-100 and the SB-1.  (I owned a tribute LB100 and never played an SB-1)

Thanks   I've got a rehearsal next week and intend to take them both along. They're both currently strung with TI's although I keep thinking about putting nickel roundwounds on the SB-1. That said, it plays so well with the Flats. 
 

I can foresee the LB-100 replacing my old favourite P Bass as my main gigging P Bass, as my old one (although not worth much financially) is of a great deal of sentimental value to me. I'm very choosy about when and where I play it and although it's a pleasure to play, it allows me to be a bit more discerning. 
 

@neepheidis absolutely right in that the LB-100 certainly hasn't fallen far from the P Bass tree at all (in fact it hit every branch on the way down) and for a new(ish) bass it feels worn in and very familiar indeed. 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Old Horse Murphy

[LukeFRC]

3 hours ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

So I made a schoolboy error last night and decided against my better judgement to have a go on the LB-100 again and set the action closer to what I generally play with....what a revelation. 
 

Yes, it is just a P Bass and it always will be but it's a fabulous one at that! I bunged a set of TI's on it and it's a revelation. It also looks great too. 
 

Anyway, it's staying. 
 

 

 

 

All you need now is a slot polepiece L1000 - just for comparison obviously! 

[neepheid]

On 03/02/2022 at 18:39, Old Horse Murphy said:

Thanks   I've got a rehearsal next week and intend to take them both along.

 

Did you do your A/B comparison between the LB-100 and SB-1?  Keen to hear someone's immediate thoughts with both of them in the same room, I'm working from memory here.

[Old Horse Murphy]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Did you do your A/B comparison between the LB-100 and SB-1?  Keen to hear someone's immediate thoughts with both of them in the same room, I'm working from memory here.

I did, although it wasn't so much an A/B as I finally landed on stringing the SB-1 with rounds and the LB-100 with flats. 
 

The main difference as you mentioned is the output. The SB-1 actually left my SR5 in the dust and it really does need to be rolled back a bit or as I do, use my Tonebone instrument selector to balance out the outputs so I'm not fiddling with the amp each time.
 

The SB-1 is remarkable though and I'd liken it to a P90, in that the volume and tone knobs really do change the sounds quite significantly and it gets a lovely warm but still aggro sound with the tone rolled back. It's probably my favourite "rocking out" bass right now, although I've got a Kiloton arriving shortly on loan. 
 

The LB-100 is just like an old friend and I've strung it with TI Flats but it feels like an old pair of slippers. It's very subtle and I'm not sure it would ever do the JJ Burnel thing particularly well but for that rolling back the tone just a tiny bit thing it's sublime. 

[martthebass]

26 minutes ago, Old Horse Murphy said:

I did, although it wasn't so much an A/B as I finally landed on stringing the SB-1 with rounds and the LB-100 with flats. 
 

The main difference as you mentioned is the output. The SB-1 actually left my SR5 in the dust and it really does need to be rolled back a bit or as I do, use my Tonebone instrument selector to balance out the outputs so I'm not fiddling with the amp each time.
 

The SB-1 is remarkable though and I'd liken it to a P90, in that the volume and tone knobs really do change the sounds quite significantly and it gets a lovely warm but still aggro sound with the tone rolled back. It's probably my favourite "rocking out" bass right now, although I've got a Kiloton arriving shortly on loan. 
 

The LB-100 is just like an old friend and I've strung it with TI Flats but it feels like an old pair of slippers. It's very subtle and I'm not sure it would ever do the JJ Burnel thing particularly well but for that rolling back the tone just a tiny bit thing it's sublime. 

 

I hadn't realised how hot the MFD pups are.  I went to a jam last week with my Fallout Bass (US but I don't think that makes a difference) and it's the first time I've had to dial back the amp settings the house bassist had.  It was clipping the amp even on a quarter volume in my preferred OMG mode.  Awesome sound from a little bass..

[neepheid]

11 minutes ago, martthebass said:

 

I hadn't realised how hot the MFD pups are.  I went to a jam last week with my Fallout Bass (US but I don't think that makes a difference) and it's the first time I've had to dial back the amp settings the house bassist had.  It was clipping the amp even on a quarter volume in my preferred OMG mode.  Awesome sound from a little bass..

 

Correct - G&L Tributes get the same pickups as USA.

 

MFD pickups are the hotness.  The series part of OMG mode explains the output boost but the rest is crazy "less is more" relativistic tone witchcraft.

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, neepheid said:

 

Correct - G&L Tributes get the same pickups as USA.

 

MFD pickups are the hotness.  The series part of OMG mode explains the output boost but the rest is crazy "less is more" relativistic tone witchcraft.

 

Humbuckers in series mode are just the best.  One of the reasons I ended up moving on my last Stingray in favor of my Sterling is because I always use the series switching on the Sterling - much beefier than parallel.

Edited February 14, 2022 by martthebass

[Old Horse Murphy]

So I took delivery of a US Kiloton today in a gorgeous metallic Tangerine colour. It's built beautifully and the colour is even more striking in the flesh. 

 

Unfortunately though it was pretty unplayable as the open A string was buzzing something chronic and the action was really high (certainly for my liking). I contacted the retailer and it is due to be picked up tomorrow and hopefully given a decent set up (if it's nothing structural). To say it was a disappointment is an understatement. I'd actually cleared my collection down a bit to get hold of this. 

 

My other G&L's have been great straight out of the box, so I was very surprised that this one had "issues" but can't imagine the retailer had taken a look it it before it was sent out. There's no way they would have sent it playing like it is currently. I've found G&L's to be a cut above in terms of fit and finish in general, so I'm hoping they maintain their standards with newer instruments too. 
 

Fingers crossed that it gets it sorted. It was a bit beyond me and I really didn't want to do anything as it's under a distance Selling Regulations. Here's hoping I hear back soon and it's nothing too bad. 

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Old Horse Murphy