G&L Guitars

Alexrkstr · #1 05-31-2011, 05:11 PM

Among some of the electrics that I am considering, I just started looking at the G&Ls and wanted to get everyone's take on them.

I hear that their more economical line has the same alnico pickups that the Fender American Strats do. What are your thoughts?

Dru Edwards · #2 05-31-2011, 05:28 PM

I've heard nothing but excellent things about G&L (George Fullerton and Leo Fender (yes, that Fender)) guitars over the past 20 years, although this was about their US made guitars. I've also heard positive things about the foreign ones as well.

I can't comment on the pick-ups but if they are the same as the American Fender Strats and if you like those pickups you'll like them in the G&L.

I'd be surprised if the Asian G&L's had the American made Fender pickups. Is it marketed this way?

Alexrkstr · #3 05-31-2011, 05:34 PM

Hi Dru,

That's why I was asking a trusted source, because I did a Google search and found mixed opinions. Hopefully someone here knows!

815C · #4 05-31-2011, 07:21 PM

I've got a G&L Legacy Special that I've been playing since 1998. I really like it. It a very versatile guitar, I've used it to play county, blues, rock, and jazz. The quality of the build is comparable to a Fender Custom Shop guitar - at half the price.

You can hear a few instrumental tunes on the link below on which I played my G&L:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Argentin...r?feature=mhee

Pegleg · #5 05-31-2011, 08:57 PM

I have a G&L Tribute Classic Tele (Korean made). I've had it for about 4 years and no complaints. I thought it played as well or better than either the American Made G&Ls or Fenders that my local music shop had on their rack at the time. I don't know what kind of pickups it has... but it sounds like a Tele...

Lacking Talent · #6 05-31-2011, 09:38 PM

This is not a ding on the relative quality of G&L's Tribute line, but -- judging from the guitars listed in your sig -- you're going to be happier with one made in the U.S.

pappy27 · #7 05-31-2011, 10:44 PM

I have one also, and yes the pickups are made here and assembled in Indonesia.

pieterh · #8 06-01-2011, 02:54 AM

The American line, great quality and sound. My ASAT classic hollowbody has the slimmest smoothest neck on a Tele-style guitar I've ever tried, and the MFD pickups are great.

I can't answer specifically about the Tribute range, although I'm sure the ASATs are still MFD pups, not alnico. Are they not made in Korea anymore? I've tried a couple at a music industry trade fair a number of years ago and the build quality of both US and asian made models was very good.

On G&L's website they used to point out the incompatability of certain replacement parts with the asian made models, which I thought was a bit odd (maybe G&L would have to pay for retooling over there and decided it wasn't worth it or something).

As I understand it the alnico pickups are model specific and that the Tribute range should also have pickups similar to Strat alnicos on the relevant model.

But it's worth trying a similar model with MFDs though, powerful pickups with an excellent character, less twangy yet with more mid punch. To be honest now that they do MFD pickups for strat-type guitars I'm considering swapping out my US Strat's stock pups for G&L MFDs.

sonicland · #9 06-01-2011, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexrkstr

I hear that their more economical line has the same alnico pickups that the Fender American Strats do. What are your thoughts?

Not the same as Fender pickups. The G&L imports have the same pickups as the G&L American made guitars so in simple terms, any G&L you buy has American made G&L pickups. Early imports were made in Korea, now they're made in Indonesia.

Humbuster · #10 06-01-2011, 05:49 AM

I have owned several USA G&L's over the last 14 years.
Nice guitars, some were better than others. Fit and finish was great on every one I owned
I really like their # 4 neck.
Eventually I sold them as I moved on to other models.
I have not played any of the newer USA models, but I have read they tend to be heavy and not play as well as some of the older models.

Buy used if you can as resale will hurt you (although it has improved somewhat in the last few years).

My electric stable now includes 2 Fender Custom Shop Telecasters.
Yes, they are more $$ than the G&L. but IMHO, guitars I will keep forever.