G&L asat telecasters

[blue]

Originally Posted by ChrisN

Yikes - he really cooled off on that Custom Shop rig. He sounds like he just broke up with his girl friend and lost his job.

Yeah, but I get it too. I've played Fender Custom shops. Assuming we are talking guitars with nothing ostentatious or over the top, just guitars intended to be players, I haven't seen one that is worth twice as much as a nice USA G&L to someone who is looking for a great guitar to play, and not just collect.

And I know others will disagree with that, but there is every chance that a USA ASAT is going to be as good, or even a "better guitar" than a custom shop tele. Because G&L is low production, and they are mostly built to order. Even if you didn't custom order your G&L, it's very likely that the shop you bought it from did spec it out.

Take my ASATs for instance. One is a Slim C and the other is a #1, which I think is now called the Classic C. Both 1 5/8ths. Both 12 inch radius. One bought new, the other used. But both were speced out by somebody, because the 12 inch radius isn't standard. They would both be considered custom shop guitars if they were Fenders. And again the used one cost me less than $700 and the new one cost me less than $950, and it's a semihollow with no F-hole. That's a pretty slick option.

I'm not delusional about this stuff because I own them and am a Fan Boy. I own a couple full on custom Nationals (also bought used), and I own Japanese, Korean, Mexican, and Indonesian built guitars too. I assure you, I don't define myself or have my ego invested in my G&Ls That's what the Nationals are for

[roylor4]

Originally Posted by nkatsonis

Your original post inspired me to pick up a Tribute Bluesboy a week or two later when they dropped the price to a stupidly low $249, if I recall correctly. At that price, I figured that I could do anything to the guitar ... not that it really needed anything. Fit and finish were superb and the electronics were good enough. I was surprised, for example, to see full sized pots. Still, I couldn't resist, and the guitar has now been upgraded with a bone nut, Hipshot locking tuners, CTS pots, a CRL switch, and a set of custom Benson pickups. My total outlay for the guitar was about $500. Kind of ridiculous, because I could have picked up a used American-made Bluesboy for only a couple hundred dollars more, but this was more fun. And of course it's a completely different guitar other than the name and the shape.

Regarding Squier, I'd say that the Vintage Vibe series is close to the quality of a G&L Tribute but falls short in the pots and switches.

Nice. Im kind of surprised that the Bluesboy has become my favorite of my three, as the two Ascaris have a wider nut and are set-necks.

Something about the neck carve and the satin maple neck really feels great to me. It rings with better sustain too, perhaps due to the longer scale length (I prefer short scale on acoustics).

The BB is my fave with GTS being second. The middle position on the BB is startlingly similar to a Strat. The GT90 is a one trick pony IMO, but is great with blues.

[tinearjones]

Originally Posted by Mark 63

The USA ones are well built guitars. MFDs have their own sound that's pretty different from Fender alnico pickups.

The best model is probably the outstanding Bluesboy with a Seth Lover humbucker at the neck.

I second that! Picked up a BB recently and, to my ear, the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover HB is my favorite HB.

Tip: to balance the neck and bridge PU levels, don't rely solely on lowering the HB, adjust the pole pieces also to fine-tune the levels.

Highly recommended.

[blue]

Originally Posted by tinearjones

I second that! Picked up a BB recently and, to my ear, the Seymour Duncan Seth Lover HB is my favorite HB.

Tip: to balance the neck and bridge PU levels, don't rely solely on lowering the HB, adjust the pole pieces also to fine-tune the levels.

Highly recommended.

The middle position on a Seth Lover equipped Blues Boy is ridiculous. One of the best tones I've ever gotten out of any guitar. I haven't played one of the new ones with the G&L designed humbucker through my amps so I can't comment on them.

Never fails to amaze me how many folks complain about the Seth Lover in Blues Boys on Forums. "Too Dark"... Or possibly you just can't help but replace pickups in your guitars? It does require less commitment than playing.

[rokdog49]

I didn't read all the responses but here's my two cents.
G&L's Tele copies are well-built, nice guitars...end of story.
Fender Telecasters are well-built, nice guitars...end of that story.
Tone comparisons are irrelvant because both manufacturers offer a wide variety of pickup types in their various models.
Play both and find the one that suits you.

[aknow]

Originally Posted by blue

I would only argue that the Fender sounds much better to you than your ASAT. Bear in mind that as I stated above they make the ASAT Alnico Classic which has telecaster pickups in it.

If I had a guitar that had my pretty much my favorite neck shape, I'd make sure it also had my favorite sound

Yes, I gotta agree. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd r and r another set of pickups, at least the bridge p/u. Just not sure which one?
Love the G & L neck size. I have way too many electric guitars.

[billyg]

I have an ASAT Classic. It is meaty and it is not light; it has a comfortable, filling neck profile, it can cover a lot of bases. It is not a slick player, but I have the action a little high on it.
I think it is an excellent guitar and an even better value.

[Revy]

Looked for a used G&L ASAT Classic with a 1-11/16" nut and string spacing to match for close to 2 years. Finally gave up and bought a Telecaster. For a guy with big hands and fingers the wider neck was a must. Why G&L made so many different neck profiles I don't understand. Could never make a 1-5/8" nut work for my bologna fingers. Wasn't going to take the hit on a new one. Ordered a used one from a GC that I just fell in love with. Grabbed the neck and started to play and realized the dude at GC apparently didn't know how to run a measuring device. Back it went!

It was sweet while it lasted. One chord and it made your shoe vibrate.

[maxtheaxe]

I think that if you're really looking for classic telecaster tones and feel, you really can't go too far wrong with a MIM Fender Tele. Their basic pickups are actually pretty decent, but if you wanted to really up the game, you could put in a set of Fat 50s or TexMex tele pups and I would challenge you to find a better Tele regardless of origin.

Granted, the fit & finish are more refined on the USA jobs...better woods and finishes, hardware, allathat, but in the price range you're speaking of, the MIM Fenders really do hold their own and then some.

I think I paid about $450 for my MIM Nashville Tele...this is the best guitar for the least amount of money of all my axes and is my go-to stage ax for all the open tuning/Stones/Zep covers that we do.