NBD - G&L L2000E 1982

[LukeFRC]

3 hours ago, ped said:

Just realised something - of course the middle switch isn't series/parallel - on the older basses the switch goes between both pickups in humbucking mode (flicked towards bridge) and single coil mode with 'bass boost/OMG mode' towards neck. The latter is not an active boost, in fact it puts the front half of each pickup through some caps that produce a bass response whilst the treble comes from the back coil. That's why it does such a fantastic P bass sound. In this mode you can roll off the passive bass cut to bring out the mids which sounds fantastic. With both pickups the spacing is something a bit like 60s but further back, giving that Smith vibe. A common mod is to reverse the way the front pickup works, giving front coil treble and 70s jazz spacing but I really like the sound if it how it is, and will leave well alone!

 

I’m not an expert but I didn’t thinks that’s how OMG worked…

On L1000 forward switch is the pickup in parralel, middle single coil and rear is OMG - which is essentially series with the bigger bass and treble you expect with series - Leo then wired a cap to send the treble to ground - leaving the massive bass boost of series but without the top end

[ped]

Hm I thought it was a humbucking pickup in series with the highs from one coil taken out, giving a perceived bass boost. 

[ped]

So the L1000 has the extra single coil mode but OMG is the same. 

[LukeFRC]

6 minutes ago, ped said:

Hm I thought it was a humbucking pickup in series with the highs from one coil taken out, giving a perceived bass boost. 

I think then we’re saying the same thing a different way!  

[ped]

The nice thing about whatever mode it is I’m talking about is that although you get the perceived bass boost, you can control and tame it via the knob which ends with giving a really rich P sound. Treble is shifted slightly lower than the two pickup slap Hifi setting giving that trademark P clank and bite. 

[ped]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

I think then we’re saying the same thing a different way!  

 

Here we go - same mode

 

 

[Munurmunuh]

Don't know why I keep banging my head against this wall, as it's of 0 importance to me – I guess I was curious as to how G&L went from one set up for the L-2000 to another.

 

I know that the standard for a current L-2000 is a simple choice of each humbucker being wired either in parallel or in series

 

Have I got this right for the original L-2000E wiring:

(a) the choice is either parallel or OMG

(b) the OMG is achieved by putting the coils in series, with a capacitor parallel with one coil?

 

If so, then (either) the only difference in manufacture is that the capacitor has been removed from the original design (or I'm hopelessly lost)

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[Munurmunuh]

I notice

 

* the reissue of the L-1000 and the short scale Fallout (which has the same position for its pickup) still have the OMG / single/ parallel option

 

* the Kiloton, which has its one pickup almost as far back as the L-2000 bridge pickup, offers series / single / parallel

 

— does that mean G&L think that bridge humbuckers benefit from having the option of a straightforward thick series tone?

 

Since @ped you've got a bridge humbucker that's in the OMG wiring, and I'm just scratching my head, your thoughts would be worth a million of mine.....

[ped]

It's been something I've been delving into myself, and I'm similarly confused. I think you're right with your assessment above - the early basses have parallel and OMG mode, and the later ones have parallel and series. And the L1000 has all three modes on one pickup.

 

Add to this the K mod and the various ways it can be wired, which coils can be selected (as well as the OMG mode can be swapped round so the other coil is treble) it all gets pretty crazy.

 

As I see it, the original parallel/OMG mode gives the core sounds - bright zingy slap with a plinky top end, and a superb P bass sound. After that, I'm not sure - the L1000 still has that P sound via the OMG mode (although it seems people generally misunderstand that and think it's for a muddy overly bass sound, which it isn't) but I've never heard/tried the now standard series option on either pickup.

 

I wonder what modes are in the CLF re-issue, I'd have thought for authenticity it should be the original spec. 

[Munurmunuh]

41 minutes ago, ped said:

I wonder what modes are in the CLF re-issue, I'd have thought for authenticity it should be the original spec. 

 

I think CLF models aren't really reissues in that sense – the slim C neck profiles for example seem rooted in an outlier example back when neck production was more art than science, ie they found an old excuse for satisfying the current fashion.

 

The CLF L-1000 is as you would expect – three-way switch offering parallel, single coil and OMG.

 

The CLF L-2000 does not have your L-2000E wiring though – it's just the modern parallel/series two-way.

 

But they do have the period correct knobs! 

[LukeFRC]

https://www.bassesbyleo.com/paul/g&l_bbe_wiring_diagrams/basses/l2000_asat_schem_old.jpg 
 

old -L2000

[Munurmunuh]

All in one list

 

Fallout – parallel / OMG / single

L-1000 – parallel / OMG / single

 

L-2000E – parallel / OMG

L-2000 – parallel / series

 

L2k K-mod – parallel / series / single

Kiloton – parallel / series / single

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[ped]

One idea is that single coil mode sounds so similar to OMG mode with the bass turned down that it didn't warrant including?

[ped]

I also think you can have an L2000E K mod with parallel/OMG/single (as well as switch the coils in OMG mode and single)

 

My fave sounds:

Both pickups, parallel, active, bass cut 20%, treble cut 50%

Front pickup, OMG, passive, bass cut 80%, treble cut 50%

 

[Munurmunuh]

11 minutes ago, ped said:

I also think you can have an L2000E K mod with parallel/OMG/single

 

Since the physical difference between series and OMG is just a capacitor, does that mean that the wiring for adding the single coil option is exactly the same for both L-2000 and L-2000E? (as if my knowledge of the practicalities of guitar wiring goes any further than knowing how to ruin the insides of a Weston Thunder guitar  )

 

I do like how in the original G&L sheet you've given us ^^^^ the OMG mode is called single coil plus added bass boost. Describes the resulting sound, not how it's achieved.

 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Ricky Rioli

[ped]

6 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Since the physical difference between series and OMG is just a capacitor, does that mean that the wiring for adding the single coil option is exactly the same for both L-2000 and L-2000E?

 

I do like how in the original G&L sheet you've given us the OMG mode is called single coil plus added bass boost. Describes the resulting sound, not how it's achieved.

 

I think so, yes - you can snip the capacitor away and have normal single mode (or just turn down the bass which may yield a similar result). The nice thing about OMG mode is that the bass comes from the front coil and treble from the back, mimicking the split P pickup, and sounding pretty much the same IMO. 

 

Yes, weird that they don't use the same nomenclature for that mode on the L2Ke - maybe it is different... I think a lot of confusion stems from the changes made in early versions, and the mis naming of various switches to 'bass boost' for example, describing the resulting sound as opposed to the actual function. Kind of makes sense in the wider context but bass players read that and think it's an actual boost pre.

 

Once you work it out, it's terrifically user friendly and great sounding. I never liked cutting treble pot on a 3 band EQ for example, but a passive tone control has a more musical response, which you don't lose on this bass.

[Munurmunuh]

17 minutes ago, ped said:

weird that they don't use the same nomenclature for that mode on the L2Ke

 

To me that document reads like something produced by a non tech person who has diligently taken down verbal descriptions from tech people who aren't aware that they've used slightly different words to describe the same thing at different moments

[Opticaleye]

I half remember removing the OMG cap on my 81 L1000 to run it as a straight series option years ago, but returned it as I preferred the extra treble with it connected. It's a clever design to get the bass response of series wiring with the extra treble of single coil.

[ped]

12 minutes ago, Opticaleye said:

I half remember removing the OMG cap on my 81 L1000 to run it as a straight series option years ago, but returned it as I preferred the extra treble with it connected. It's a clever design to get the bass response of series wiring with the extra treble of single coil.

Agreed. The front coil providing the bass gives the bass response a very P bass sort of feel, as opposed to boosting a frequency on an EQ 

[Munurmunuh]

2 hours ago, ped said:

My fave sounds:

Both pickups, parallel, active, bass cut 20%, treble cut 50%

Front pickup, OMG, passive, bass cut 80%, treble cut 50%

 

What combination makes the bridge soloed sound best?

[ped]

4 hours ago, Ricky Rioli said:

 

What combination makes the bridge soloed sound best?

Haven’t really played with that as much yet. I think OMG mode brings it into MM territory as opposed to rear pickup jazz bass snarl, which is the opposite of what I imagined would be the case. 

[Munurmunuh]

1 minute ago, ped said:

Haven’t really played with that as much yet. I think OMG mode brings it into MM territory as opposed to rear pickup jazz bass snarl, which is the opposite of what I imagined would be the case. 

 

Now I'm daydreaming of the L2Ke Ped-mod .... a switch that puts the neck into OMG, but the bridge into single coil....

[Munurmunuh]

Having slept on this I've worked out that you need to replace the pickup selector switch and the OMG/parallel switch with a pair of Strat style five-way selector switches, one for each pickup,  offering you:

 

front coil / parallel / off / OMG / back coil

 

You're more than welcome! 😁

[ped]

46 minutes ago, Ricky Rioli said:

Having slept on this I've worked out that you need to replace the pickup selector switch and the OMG/parallel switch with a pair of Strat style five-way selector switches, one for each pickup,  offering you:

 

front coil / parallel / off / OMG / back coil

 

You're more than welcome! 😁

 

Haha thanks, but what about GMO mode (OMG but with coils reversed)

[ped]

I've even read that some people alter the height of the individual poles, or even remove them entirely, to get even more sounds!!