G&L Tribute L-2000

[dub_junkie]

I seen those,some really nice colour options for the SB-2s like metal flakes,burgandy mist and Lake placid blue,there was a Japanese TRibute SB-2 on ebay UK not long ago. The detailing and build quality looked just that bit bit higher than the Korean/Indonesian TRibutes. guess its the same story as the Fender Japan stuff being largely non export ...the quality/price ratio would probably hurt sales of the USA ones


for anyone interested,the Japanese made tribute models are halfway down the page

[url="http://www.kurosawagakki.com/gl/glbass.html"]http://www.kurosawagakki.com/gl/glbass.html[/url]

[bassfunk]

Played My G&L Tribute L2000 for the first time at practice last night. Wow! I play a Warwick normally so I'm used to a beefy sound. But this had so much more clarity.

I use an Ashdown Mag 250 combo with the 15 inch cone. Normally I have to use the amps eq to fully achieve the sound I need. I didn't even push the button to turn the eq on. I left the amp flat and just used the bass controls. It did take a bit of taming on some of the slower ballads (I play in a pop/soul covers band). The neck felt so easy to play. I can't wait to play it on Thursday with my other band. I'm gassing for an Asat now! But it took too much work convincing the missus that I needed this one (she had to lend me the money as well till the end of the month

[dub_junkie]

nice one! theres a lot of tone shaping onboard my only wish is that there was a mid control but i can live without it

btw cool missus you have as well , my ex wife only ever got interested when I was selling them

[bassfunk]

[quote name='dub_junkie' post='139576' date='Feb 13 2008, 03:21 PM']nice one! theres a lot of tone shaping onboard my only wish is that there was a mid control but i can live without it

btw cool missus you have as well , my ex wife only ever got interested when I was selling them[/quote]


Thanks. Yeah a mid would be nice. But in my case would probably confuse me even more.

She is pretty cool. It did take a lot of 'discussion' to get her to lend me the money. And I now have to pay all gas and electric bills for eternity! But it's worth it!

[BB2000]

[quote name='dub_junkie' post='137527' date='Feb 10 2008, 11:49 AM']for anyone interested,the Japanese made tribute models are halfway down the page

[url="http://www.kurosawagakki.com/gl/glbass.html"]http://www.kurosawagakki.com/gl/glbass.html[/url][/quote]

I guess they're still making them, then. Quite a price premium over the other tributes - seem to be more than twice the cost.

[dub_junkie]

David,I'll keep that in mind.I've been offered a brand new ash blonde JB-2 and Im debating whether I can afford it.If I need to punt on the L2K you have first refusal now,then or whenever.
cheers
Keir

[dub_junkie]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='145747' date='Feb 23 2008, 09:15 PM']It looks even nicer in the flesh.

This is an incredibly well-built guitar for the price, extremely tight joints, very solid feeling. I've yet to use it in anger, but what's the retail price on new instruments like this?

(If it wasn't obvious, I did what must have looked like a shady deal on a Glasgow street this morning, and walked away with this bass.)[/quote]

Dave,the premium ash ones have a msrp around £600 I believe though I think you can get them for around £450 new on the net

I'm glad you like it, fantastically good bass for the money,I was gutted selling it before,during and afterwards

I'll be getting another sometime

[mikety]

Hey hey, just to let you peeps know, I'm selling this very bass for quite a decent price if you're interested

head over here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=30163"]G&L for sale[/url]

Just give me a PM/e-mail/whichever

I concur also, tis a great bass!

Edited October 22, 2008 by mikety

[Thunderpaws]

[quote name='Russ' post='76268' date='Oct 19 2007, 12:15 AM']I played that very same bass at the Bass Cellar a couple of months back. Sounded great, although I found the neck profile to be a bit on the chunky side for me. I also played a maple-fingerboard version in the US last year - felt and sounded quite a bit better to me. The neck profile wasn't as chunky for some reason, and the sound was quite a bit punchier with the maple fingerboard. I'll have to see if I can track one of those down. [/quote]


I have just bought one of these. It's a beauty, 3 tone sunburst, maple neck (with some birdseye on the fingerboard).

Through my Ampeg BA115 it sounds brilliant, especially on Style setting 5. Style setting 4 (my old favourite) is just too bright now.

Fit and Finish (9/10):

The paint quality is absolutely gorgeous, where it has been applied! There is a little bit where the neck pocket it, where the black paint has missed. There is also a wee bit on the back that has been missed, though not clearly as it's where one of the neck joint screws are supported.

The neck finish is great. I actually went to the shop looking for the custom, carved body, but it has a gloss neck finish which I found harder to play. Ideally I'd take the custom body with my neck. I also tried a blueburst, but the differentiation between blue and black wasn't enough to justify calling it a "burst", more like a slight linear change from midnight to black.

Routing around the neck pocket, pup cavities and control cavity seems to be top notch, though there is very slight burr around one edge of the control cavity. there is minimal gap around each cavity.

Components (9/10):

Pups first. If it's possible for Pups to look mean, then these do. The covers are quality mouldings and the poles are a double ringed affair, maybe to do with the adjustability of each pole. The sounds available are varied and immense. I have managed to get everything I'll need here, so no need for a second bass, untill I have finished building my own.

Tuners are quality too. They work. They feel solid. They look nice.

Bridge. I think the bridge looks great. It certainly seems to do a good job of joining the strings to the body. Everything I do on the string seems to be transmitted. Everything is intonated perfectly.

Switches. I wasn't actually looking for a bass with switches. However, my fears were dispelled when I played with these in the shop. They are feel rugged and have a positive action, which actually makes them a pleasure to flick.

Pots. Three pots. One for volume (front), one for treble boost (middle) and one for bass boost (back). The outside two feel as expected. Smooth. I have a problem with the treble boost. It seems to be mounted at a slight angle, enough to make the knob ground/foul on the body of the bass when it turns. More importantly, it crackles when I turn it. Because of this, the bass has gone back to GuitarGuitar in Edinburgh to be fixed. The guitar tech there is atop bloke so hopefully have it back tomorrow. This has been the only downside of this bass so far.

Materials (10/10). Body is Swamp Ash and the grain pattern on mine is especially pleasing and sets of the sunburst nicely. Neck is rock maple with a maple fretboard. The maple on my fretboard has birseye so I feel lucky.

[attachment=77891:G_L_2.jpg]

Playability (10/10). WAHOOOO, it is so easy to play. This is the reason I bought it. I have big hands (hence, Thunderpaws). I tried Laklands 4401, Fenders Jazz and P and Schecters Model T. I would have had the Model T in sunburst of the neck had a satin finish. I'd say the G&L and the Model T feel pretty similar in the hand. Anyway, the neck on this is a pleasure to slide up and down on and fits my hands beautifully. It is wider than a JAzz or P at the nut, but doesn't feel it. the neck shape seems to support my hand better too and I get less fatigue than with my Peavey 5 string.

Sounds (10/10). Amazing. Variety is there, aggressive when you want and also able to dial in nice warm P type tones. I have to say the switches do an amazing job. I started with the treble and bass boost pots all the way off. I played with these once I had found the best switch set up for me. The thing will always be in series as it sounds MIGHTY compared to parallel. It will spend most of its time in passive or active, less so in active treble boost. Selecting both pups is great. Clear differentiation between that and neck pup only. Bridge pup only will be used when I learn to slap properly, though it can sound great so far with my limited slap ability or with a pick for some songs. Most of my playing is finger style. The great thing about this bass is that I should always be able to dial in a particular sound for a particular occasion.

So, over all I am really bloody happy, apart from not having it here right now because it's in getting fixed. I'm giving it 9.99 out of 10, even though there are a couple of very slight issues (finish on body and more importantly poor pot).

Geeez, this is a long review!

One last word. The staff at Guitar Guitar in Edinburgh couldn't have been more helpful.

g

[Simon C]

I bought a L2000 Tribute 6 months or so ago.  Due to a screw up with email addresses I can't review it on Andertons web site.  So I'll do one here.

 

I agree with all the positive statements above.  I've played a number of instruments  (Pianos, keyboards, 6 string guitars as well as basses - it's fair to say that piano is still my main instrument).  The L2K is my favourite amongst all those I've played on a regular basis.

 

The knobs and switches are easy to get your head round.  You can get plenty of really good usable sounds out of the instrument.  My live here position is: both pick ups, series, active, bass at about 80pct and treble at about 60pct.  I solo the front or back pick ups on some songs.  I really like the bridge pick up - tight and burpy - but most of the stuff I play sounds better in  my "live here" position.  I can get close to an upright acoustic sound (neck pick up, parallel, passive, bass at about 80pct, treble rolled right off).  

 

The neck is really nice to play.

 

I had to adjust pick-up balance (lowered the neck pick-up a bit) and raise the pole pieces under the A string on the bridge pup about 3/4 of a turn.  But it was easy to do and I haven't had to make any further adjustments.

 

The 3 tone sunburst with Brazillian Cherry fingerboard looks really cool (photo attached and also in my profile pic). The orange one with the maple fingerboard looks cool too, but I couldn't see my self on-stage with it - but that's me, I'm sure others will look great with it round their necks. 

 

Mine's a tad on the heavy side (4.9kg I seem to recall), but it is so well balanced that I haven't found it a problem.  To give you some idea: I'll have it round my neck for about an hour and 40 mins in 2.5 hours (start of church service practice to end of service) and haven't found it uncomfortable.

Edited October 31, 2021 by Simon C