G&L

The G&L Tribute Legacy is basically a take on the classic G&L Legacy guitar that was designed by Leo Fender to be like a better Strat, but made overseas as opposed to in the US. That being said it shares a lot of the high quality features as its US made versions. This one has an ash body, a maple neck with rosewood fretboard and 22 frets, sealed tuners, a G&L designed tremolo bridge, and a standard pickguard loaded with G&L Magnetic Field Design pickups wired to standard Strat controls. Pretty basic, but it blows away the typical Mexican Fender type Strat that it's competing with price wise. UTILIZATION The design of this guitar is pretty ergonomic. The one downsize is that it's kinda heavy for a Strat, but the body is nicely contoured and the feel is very professional and high quality. The neck has a nice profile to it that's like a nice medium C that I really like. Upper fret access here is fine... not really much different than any other Strat type, so there isn't much to say there. It's pretty easy to get good tones out of this ax, due to the high quality pickups that are used. The MFD single coils are really well designed and have a really nice wonderful Stratt-y "quack" that works really well for a variety of styles. SOUNDS The tones out of this guitar are excellent. Compared to a MIM Fender Strat, it's really worlds ahead. The pickups really have that Strat vibe down and it really excels at doing the classic Strat sounds as well as some modern sounds as well. The neck pickup has a nice glassy sound to it, the middle pickup has that wonderful nasally quality and the bridge pickup is nice and biting, definitely how a Strat should sound. Through a clean amp this guitar really sounds at home, with just the right amount of sparkle and definition for blues, funk or even country. The drive tones are great too, specifically if you're using this guitar for nice punchy rock sounds or soaring lead work - definitely a cool ax. OVERALL OPINION All in all I think the G&L Legacy Tribute is a great guitar for someone looking for a great quality Strat type guitar for not a lot of cash. These can be had for about $400 or so which is really a fantastic deal. You're getting a guitar with great quality, updated design, excellent parts and the same vibe as a Strat. It will smoke any stock MIM Fender or similar, so I recommend that you give this one a shot if you need a great S type for not a lot of dough.

I went in a mom and pop store looking for a strat to use in my studio. They happened to carry G&L instead of Fender. Personally I'm not a big fan of what Fender has been doing lately. I feel like the quality isn't quite up to the price in most cases. Unfortunaly most of the G&L's they had were out of my price range. I wasn't looking to drop a ton on a studio guitar. However the staff turned me on to the tribute line. The first thing I thought when I picked up this guitar was "Indonesia?" It feels like an American made instrument all around. I was really surprised when I learned they used the same pickups as the California made line. UTILIZATION The tuners on these are great. The vibe is strat through and through. I think these feel more like a strat than a real strat if that's even possibly. The neck is by far my favorite thing about this guitar. So smooth and the shape is perfect. The switch has no noise and the pots seem solid. The feel is really that of a $1000 plus guitar. Finish is really nice too. I was never a fan of how strats felt until I got my hands on this one. It just has a very familiar touch in your hands. Maybe it's just me. Oh, and the bridge is great too. Actually I'm a big fan of their design over the normal trems you see on these. Much more solid. SOUNDS In my studio I play this through a variety of amps. Axe-fx ultra, Orange AD30, Vox AC30, Mesa amps, JCM800, Fender Super Reverb, Tophat Supreme 16, Splawn....the list goes on. I have a lot of amps and this guitar sounds great through most of them. It's not your typical strat sound though. It kind of has its own thing going on. A little more hifi than vintage sounding I think. I don't mind this because in the mix everything sounds hifi anyway so this is a great studio guitar for me. I use it mostly on ballads and slower stuff like that. I don't think I'll ever change the pickups. They fit this axe well. OVERALL OPINION I got this thing for something like $450 out the door which I thought was a steal. I think these are worth twice that probably. If you want a classic strat then you might look elsewhere because the sound of these is more modern I think. The feel is spot on though. Very old friend-like. I call it my fender killer. Honestly it would rival and American strat out there. Just a sick piece of guitar.

Swamp ash solidbody Hard rock maple neck Ebony fretboard 22 jumbo frets Schaller tuners 25-1/2" scale 1-5/8" nut width 2-1/4" neck width at heel 12" radius Traditional boxed steel bridge with brass saddles 3-way blade-style pickup selector Duncan SH55N Seth Lover humbucker neck pickup G&L MFD (Magnetic Field Design) single-coil bridge pickup Deluxe Fitted Tolex case UTILIZATION I play in a modern indie/pop/rock band that tours a fair amount. We have an odd sound. Think coldplay meets the beach boys meets pop punk. Anyway, we are gearing up for a spring summer tour and I realized the two guitars I usually bring on tour with this band have been sold. Oops! Generally I like to bring one Les Paul and a Tele style guitar. I have les pauls till the cows come home but recently I've been selling off all my teles. I went to the ole guitar shop thinking I was going to get a Fender of some sort, totally forgetting about G&L altogether. It wasn't until a sales rep put this guitar in my hands that I remembered "oh yeah G&L makes teles too." This is a great feeling guitar. The best part about it really, is that it doesn't have any of that heavy finishing that most Fenders do. You can actually feel the wood in your hands. The hardware on these is great. In fact, there's really nothing to complain about in terms of build quality. I love the neck radius which is compound I believe. Finish is awesome. Tuners are wonderful. These are just some well crafted instruments. SOUNDS I am not usually a big fan of teles with a humbucker in the neck position. It just seems backwards to me since I usually use that neck pickup for clean sounds and a humbucker does not always lend itself well to that. But let me tell you, whatever humbucker they have in here sounds great for cleans and lead passages alike. It's not super hot but it does have a little grit behind it. It reminds me somewhat of a Classic 57 with a bit more sweetness on top. Someone told me it was a duncan seth lover. I can believe that. Be aware, the bridge pickup is not your typical tele sound. It sounds great but it isn't your typical nashville twang maker. It's kind of its own thing. Very compressed sounding at times. I am not a traditionalist about my teles so it's not a big deal for me. OVERALL OPINION Not only is this a great looking guitar, but it is a great feeling instrument. To me, that is what matters most. Fortunately it sounds good too. I never thought I would end up buying such an unorthodox design. Especially not a guitar that was probably meant for blues and not pop rock stuff that I play. But for cleans and light overdrive it really gets the job done. I will be playing it through a matchless chieftain most of the time. Seems like a good match if it doesn't get too trebley. These are a killer value. Try one out. See if you don't come home with it.

PICKUPS Seymour Duncan JB Humbucker BODY WOOD Soft Maple NECK WOOD Hard Rock Maple with Ebony fingerboard NECK RADIUS 13.75" NECK WIDTH AT NUT 1 3/4" TUNING KEYS 12:1 ratio, sealed lubrication, adjustable knob tension BRIDGE Kahler® 2320 professional brass tremelo CONTROLS volume FINISH Black, Ivory, Whiskey OTHER Black hardware; Deluxe Hardshell Tolex Case w/Fitted Interior UTILIZATION This is a COOL guitar, bar none. Full disclosure - I'm an enormous Alice In Chains fan, and Jerry Cantrell has been one of my favorite guitarists/singers/songwriters ever, so I might have some bias on this. But this is a really nice instrument. The Whiskey finish is about as nice and subtle as a finish can get - one must really get close to it to appreciate the beauty of the hue. The rest of the craftsmanship is absolutely top notch - the fretwork is perfect. The Kahler bridge is ultra smooth, with brass rollers, saddles, and cam. The Duncan JB is something I'll always appreciate and welcome. SOUNDS This makes one sound. LOUD ROCK. That's it. If you don't like that, don't get this guitar. There are no pickup selector switches, no coil taps or tone knobs, no fancy electronics at all. One pickup, one knob. Boom. Extremely minimalistic, yet very effective at what it was designed to do - rock it up! The JB bites, cutting through walls of drums, and even the most complex chordal voicings are still clear at maximum distortion, as the maple body enhances clarity to the utmost. The ONLY reason I knocked a point off on this category is that I like versatility, and would have loved to have a neck pickup, like a Duncan Jazz or 59. OVERALL OPINION This guitar is fantastic. I'd not pick it as a main instrument, as I love too many styles and have too many bills to justify the $2000 purchase on a one-tone guitar. HOWEVER - if I was in a touring rock band, this would be my main guitar for SURE. For absolute certain - this guitar is freaking amazing, and is the best pure-rock guitar I have ever played. I really wish they'd make a cheaper version with most of the same quality, but add a neck pickup - then I'd absolutely buy one in a heartbeat. Great guitar.

This is a USA-Made bass that is the epitome of Leo Fender's creations, The Precision, Jazz, and Stingray. This bass can come across a bit intimidating at first. The ultimate amount of tonal control, the vast array of sounds that the L-2000 can exude are staggering. As usual, G&L craftsmanship eclipses their Fender counterparts, with perfect fit and finish. This bass is Alder, with a Hard Rock Maple neck and the option of either a Rosewood or Maple Fingerboard. Standard nut width is 1 3/4 Inch, but other widths are available in custom orders. The electronics, however, are where these basses shine. G&L, Made in California Magnetic Field humbucking pickups are quite possibly the hottest pickups available in a bass today. the massive array of tones are controlled by a 3-way mini-toggle pickup selector, series/parallel mini-toggle, preamp control mini-toggle (off/on/on with high end EQ boost). Tuners are G&L Ultra Lites and the bridge is a G&L Saddle Lock with chrome-plated brass saddles. The G&L Bridge locks down during set-up, allowing you to maintain set-up of the bridge longer. UTILIZATION This bass does not come easily for most users. It is very complex and difficult to use. Basics are easy, but dialing it in for your own tone is a bit more difficult. All the frets are easily accessible and this bass will do exceptionally well in nearly any musical style. I have toured with mine in country bands and used it to record with hard rock/metal bands. The L2k is able to go from a modern bass tone to Precision Bass to Jazz Bass to Stingray easily. When you figure it out, this bass becomes second nature and having the seemingly endless amount of tone at your fingertips definitely enhances your playing. SOUNDS All of my bass reviews are done through the following: Gallien-Krueger 1001 RBII Gallien-Krueger 700 RB Ampeg SVT 4 Ampeg SVT Classic Again, this bass has the ability to sound PHENOMENAL in ANY setting, if you take the time to learn to use it. OVERALL OPINION G&L makes an incredible product. A lot of handmade elements in the bass and a lot of bass here for the money. There is nothing I can find about this bass to say in a negative fashion except that, you MUST spend a good amount of time with it to find your sounds, this is not plug and play here. Once you figure it out, it will be extremely easy. Highly recommend this bass to anyone needing a bass to do everything! Craftsmanship, attention to detail, and fit/finish are impeccable. Leo would be proud.

I did a swap with a Yama sa1000 which I never used. I wasn’t sure about it, being a bit of a Tele lover, having a couple which I use, but it took me no more than 5 minutes hooked up to my THR Yamaha, to realise this was no Fender clone, but a seriously good guitar, which “happened to look like a Tele. A bit like if you let a computer and a wind tunnel create a car, they will all look the same, so if you create a perfectly functional guitar, which is as at home sitting with or standing, which is balanced, comfortable and easy to play, it’s probably going to look like a Strat or a Tele. It’s why 80% of my collection are these, and not Gibson. Gibson’s look classy, but are a constant battle to get comfortable with, and much as I’d love to have one, have always ended up trading them out as they just frustrate. So my point is, it looks like a Tele because Leo decided that worked decades ago, but it really is so much more. Think of custom shop detail, because that is where it sits. It is a stunning piece of work which I never tire of holding. It plays like butter, and the electrics are flawless. It does do the Tele thing beautifully despite what some say. It cuts and spanks like any Tele. Just back off the gain a tad, and there it is! The bonus though, is if you wind it up tp 10, then your are in p90 or even near Humbucker territory, and that with the fact there is a lot of quality timber resonating away under your arm, means you can have a real animal in the tone stakes if you want it. I haven’t gigged my Teles since owning my Asat, and can’t imagine ever going back, No way will I sell them, as they still have a place, but my tool of choice now, is definitely my G&L.

I am a guitarist primarily, and have been playing for over thirty years. I can play any style but am by far into rock more than anything else. Played in hair bands in the 80's and cover bands in the 90's and now I write my own stuff and play all the instruments and sing on my recordings. I got this guitar for x-mas in 1982, I didnt pick it out, I didnt ask for it , my mother just bought it for me for i think around 700 to 900 dollars. The best thing about this guitar by far is the neck, its perfect. better than any strat neck Ive ever played, maybe because Im used to it, but anyone I have ever let play it shares my opinion. the guitar came with either a rose wood fret board or maple, I have the maple and that makes for a faster feel in my opinion anyways. the neck definately makes this guitar special Theres not much not to like about this guitar unless you get user specific, for one thing it's not what one would use to play heavy metal hard core rock, it lacks a string lock so excessive use of the tremolo causes it to go out of tune, and the pick ups are not your average pickups either they appear to be of original design. Its got a phase switch and active electronics, probably excellent for country rock, and jazz and old standards. It also weighs a ton Its a well made instrunment to say the least. Solid body contruction, no laminated wood here, solid mohagany body, and although it looks nothing like one the wood reminds me of the sg. the neck I already touched on and the wiring has never shorted out on me in the 25 years I have had it...amazing , not even the jack has been replaced or repaired once!!! this guitar is definatly one to grab if you come across one. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I have been playing off & on for 35 years. I am not in a band, and I like blues & blues oriented rock. I bought this guitar from a Craig'slist ad for US $600.00. The thin maple neck and the Seymore-Duncan pickups. The guitar has a very wide range of tones from the unmistakable tele twang to a rich, deep humbucker. I bend a lot and it never goes out of tune or breaks a string. No dislikes yet. I think I will be looking to add a semi-hollowbody to my collection, but this guitar is about perfect for anyone wanting a great solid-body guitar. Buy one used if you can, because they don't seem to hold their resale value very well despite being much better than a Fender. Great if you're buying-sucks if you're selling. Solid as a rock, durable attractive finish (blue swirl). This is THE guitar to get for anyone wanting a quality telecaster that's capable of that tele-sound and a whole lot more. I am thrilled with it and I have a hard time putting it down. I was initially interested more in aquiring a Les Paul, but not any more. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

$575 on eBay. Actually, this was my first maple neck guitar, and it is now my favorite axe. TONE: Anytime I a/b this guitar to just about anything, it always wins. No matter what I plug into: Line 6, Marshall, Fender, my Carr Hammerhead, this guitar produces clear, rich tones--even on the bridge-only setting; it's never tinny or fatiquing. Chords are always clear, never any mud. I think that it'll sound even better as it ages. But even today, I'm able to get many great classic tones, especially the British blues thing. LOOKS: Ironically, the appearence of this guitar is often overlooked. The finish is 1st rate and very durable. I play my guitar almost every day, and there is absolutely no evidence of the translucent paint job wearing away. PLAYABILITY: I'm a blues player, so I bend a lot. The 6100 Dunlop frets are refreshing (not found on many other guitars). I love the 7.25" radius and the 1 5/8" nut: very fast! It's hard to say. I probably would like more precise tuners, but these will suffice. It's not like I'm about to change them. I bought mine used, so I had to adjust the set up, and I often experiment with different gauge strings, so many adjustments are necessary. Finally, the jack. Oh that jack. It can lose its connectivity over time. Mine is okay, but I have to loop the cord around the strap. If you ever need to change one though, make sure you visit the guitarsbyleo.com website for the procedure. I have had about 15 different ASATs, and they all have been well put together. This is a player's guitar made by guys who love to play. I really like to wack the strings and bend and pull a lot; this guitar takes it all in stride. I never feel like I have to baby it. It also stays in tune pretty good. G&L's are my favorite guitars. I have been playing for almost 30 years, and these guitars offer the right combination of playability, prestige, looks, tone, and pride of ownership. Sure, I would like to have a stable of Tom Andersons, Don Groshes, and Suhrs, but I just don't have that kind of money. I really doubt the G&L gives up much to those makes anyway. If you've never tried one, do yourself a favor and check one out. NOTE: I'm not afiliated with anyone at G&L, nor do I have any financial interest in the company. I just love the guitars! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased (used) at Atomic Music in College Park MD. Traced the serial number back to a 1995 production date. Paid $550 (hardshell case included). I had been shopping for a strat for several months. I played multiple Fender US and Japanese models over this time period and while they were decent, I never felt overly impressed with any of these guitars. I had read excellent things about the G&L's but I'd never seen one until I noticed a Legacy sitting on the rack at Atomic music. After 10 minutes of putting this guitar through it's paces and looking for any nasty blemishes (none were found) I bought it without reservation. THE TONE is incredible! Guitar Player magazine reviewed these guitars a while back and raved about how the pickups were truly a vintage recreation of the original 50's strat pickups. Though I've never actually played a 50's original strat, I can easily say these pickups produced the sweetest, fullest and most dulcet tones I've ever heard coming out of a single coil hands down. None of the $1000+ Fenders I played sounded even remotely this full and sweet. The G&L Dual Fulcrum vibrato bridge also works extremely well. I've smacked the crap out of this whammy bar and the guitar stays in tune very well...it did put a smidge of graphite powder in the nut grooves in order to enhance this. I didn't play one sooner...I wouldn't have wasted my time trying out Fenders. Everything about this guitar seems perfect to me. The alder body is a beautiful 3-tone sunburst with a white pick guard, hard rock maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. The fit and finish is first rate. The guitar is entirely American made and ever piece (except for the locking machine heads) were hand crafted in the G&L manufacturing plant in Fullerton CA. All the wood pieces are hand worked...no automated machinery is used to craft any of the parts of G&L instruments. As soon as you hold this guitar, you just feel the quality and craftsmanship. If you are thinking about a strat of any ilk, please do yourself a favor and try out the G&L Legacy. You wont find a better instrument made by Fender anywhere nears this price range. Don't take my word for it...read the reviews here: http://www.glguitars.com/reviews/Legacy.asp BTW: If you're not aware, the "L" in G&L stands for "Leo"...Leo Fender that is. He started G&L in 1980 after he left MusicMan. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Bought through MF on the web for $559. Used to own a Rickenbacker 2001 and several Fender's (P & Jazz). Haven't played in years, wanted to get back into playing bass (been playing guitar for over 30 years), but not spend a lot. Started off with a Mexi P-Bass, and it sounded dead, and needed more versatility. Versatility is the key. Has 2 American made G&L pick-ups on it. Controls are volume, Active treble boost/cut, Active bass boost/cut, 3-position pick-up selector, parallel/series switch and passive/active/active with treble boost switch. Awesome combination! I can dial up almost any kind of sound required (Fender Precision, Jazz, Sting-Ray, plus a few unique sounds). VERY VERSATILE. Only owned it for few months so far. A little bit of hiss at high volumes, but nothing bothersome. Seems to be a very well-built, high quality instrument. Gorgeous Cherry-sunburst finish, smooth maple neck, huge G&L bridge, tight neck pocket, 6-bolt neck mounting. No complaints. Sounds TREMENDOUS, well built, gorgeous to look at, super versatile, easy to play, well balanced....... and didn't cost an arm and leg to buy!! GREAT VALUE!!!!!!!! This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I originally started searching for a high end bass after I had been playing for about 2 years. The local newspaper had a G&L SB-2 four string in the person to person section at a questionably low price. The owner of the bass had stripped the finish off with what seemed to be about 60 grit sand paper. It was less than 2 years old and already looked ready for the scrap yard. After a closer examination I realized that the hardware was in excellent working condition. I went ahead and bought the bass for $200.00 ($1100.00 list price) with the intention of refinishing it myself. I took it home, put some new strings on it, and have loved it since. She is still the ugliest "car on the road" but she has not lost a race yet! The tuning is perfect. After initial string flex, there is no need to tune again. The maple body is solid and well balanced without excess weight on your shoulders. Both pickups are set a comfortable distance from the neck, giving a large "sweet spot" for the finger-hooking pop attack that "Flea" instilled in all of us. It is quite hard to find anything I don't like about this instrument. If I had to dig something up it would have to be the custom case fasteners are a little hard to work with sometimes. That could have very well been due to the handling of the unit prior to my ownership. I have had many bass guitars and this ranks right up there with my first '63 Jazz Bass. If you are looking to get quality in every since of the word, go G&L! This one has paid for itself time and again. If you are a serious musician, or seriously going to pay the practice dues to learn, buy an instrument that will give back what is put in. Solid tone, dependability, and personal taste are the only things that matter. G&L caters to all of these needs with style. This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com