My New Axe, a G&L
I admit to being something of a gear addict. I recently bought a new guitar, and I'm pretty excited about the possibilities it presents. It's a G&L Tribute ASAT Special Semi-Hollow.
For those of you who don't know, G&L is the guitar company started in the eighties by Leo Fender and his former employee George Fullerton. Their guitars are largly made in the USA, and pretty expensive, but they also have a line of guitars called Tribute which are manufactured in Asia, but use the same American made pickups and electronics as the regular line and are set up in California. The ASAT models are a similar body style to the Telecaster. The one I own uses the USA made MFD pickups. These are high output soapbars that produce a very bright sound. These are some really spanky pups that almost out tele a tele!
I'm still getting a feel for the axe, and for its strengths and weaknesses. I believe it will turn out to be a really good blues machine, and I'm anxious to hear from any of you who own one or have used one.
For those of you who don't know, G&L is the guitar company started in the eighties by Leo Fender and his former employee George Fullerton. Their guitars are largly made in the USA, and pretty expensive, but they also have a line of guitars called Tribute which are manufactured in Asia, but use the same American made pickups and electronics as the regular line and are set up in California. The ASAT models are a similar body style to the Telecaster. The one I own uses the USA made MFD pickups. These are high output soapbars that produce a very bright sound. These are some really spanky pups that almost out tele a tele!
I'm still getting a feel for the axe, and for its strengths and weaknesses. I believe it will turn out to be a really good blues machine, and I'm anxious to hear from any of you who own one or have used one.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on -
Thanks for posting this. I really like the ASAT semi-hollow body. I like the way it feels and the way it sounds. Have played one, but don't own one.
Knowing my level of acute financial embarrassment, my luthier suggested I get a Tribute. I haven't done so because my current object of guitar lust is a resophonic.
There is a similar situation among resonators. Goldtone/Paul Beard have a line of guitars that are manufactured in Asia and set up in the USA with Beard cones. They sound and play like much more expensive instruments. They are very nice.
Some of these manufacturers have really sorted out their import lines and are making excellent instruments. I've never really had a prejudice against Asian guitars anyway. I have an 80's Japanese Strat that's fine.
Be interested in hearing your thoughts as you play it more.
Fred
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Permalink Reply by Larry on -
I agree with you about the Asian axes. If not for them, few of us could afford nice guitars anymore. I sold all my American Gibsons and Fenders years ago to pay bills.I have a Chinese made 335 copy I paid $129.00 for at MF. It's a really nice guitar, one of my favorites as a matter of fact. I also have a Chinese Strat copy I paid $40.00 for on ebay. I play it all the time. I have it strung with #9's. It's got a slim, fast neck that's outstanding. Doesn't sound bad, either!
Truth is, my new Tribute is the most expensive electric I own.
Fred, are you looking for a metal body or a wood?
I remember when you could pick up the nationals pretty cheaply, but that was before the collectors "discovered" them.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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I learned to play on a cheap all mahogany Harmony and it was a lot better than many of the guitars of the guys that taught me. I remember the Bar-b-Q joints, jukes, and shot houses of my youth - great music, but cheap equipment: Montgomery Ward, Sears/Dano, Teisco - some of it was really wild looking.
I'm not an anti-snob. If someone has the bucks for the really fine stuff, I hope they enjoy it. But the blues I knew grew out of a working class environment and not many people had the money for the best instruments.
Plus these days you can really help an anemic sounding electric with an after market pickup.
Wood or metal? There are real advantages to both. I like the mellow sound of the wood, the hard sound of the metal.
I'm crippled up with arthritis, so the lower weight of the wood is nice, but my condition makes me clumsy so the tougher metal body is useful.
I currently have a cheap Johnson wood body with a spyder bridge, so I probably would go for something different. The Goldtone metal bodies have a biscuit and produce a harder tone - really nice guitars. If I got struck with money, I'd love to have a National Delphi.
Plus the ultimate advantage of the metal body is that you could use it for a weapon. On those rowdy nights, you could clear a path to the nearest exit.
I do remember when the Nationals and the Dobros were lining the pawn shop walls. The electrics had rendered them obsolete for there first job - cutting through the mix - and a lot of people hadn't come to appreciate their tone.
Love talking about gear, because it's cheaper than buying it.
f
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Well, here's my ultimate cheap gear story. My cousin, Benny, owned a pawn shop in Cleveland. It was sometime in the late seventies or early eighties. I'd been buying guitars from him for years. Actually, I got my first electric from him in 1966 or '67, a Fender Jazzmaster. I walked in the store one day, looking for guitars, as usual. There was no one else in the store. He said to me:
"I want to show you something."
He took me to a back room I'd never been to. Lining the walls were, no exageration, at least 50 Gibson archtops, There was everything from ES-335's to L-5's to 175's. There were ES-125's and 150's. There was even a lone Martin hollow electric! He offered me my choice for $100.00.
He told me that a music dealer from Michigan came down once a year and he saved the guitars for him. If I'd had the forsight to buy them all it could have changed my life but I wasn't that smart.
Maybe I'll win the lottery.
Listen, I have a friend who owns a nice guitar store. I'll keep on the lookout for your resophonic and contact you if I find a good deal.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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I'm holding out for the lottery.
Thanks for the reso lookout. Very interested. You can also reach me via email at:
fwillard@bellsouth.net.
Thanks, Fred
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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Larry, Just got back from the guitar hospital where i was visiting my sick guitars.
I talked to the luthier about the G&L Tribute ASAT. He said he was worked on several of them and was really impressed by their quality and would get one rather than the American made. He couldn't see anything about the quality difference that justified the price.
Wise choice.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Funny you should mention it. The man who owns the store where I bought my G&L agrees with your guitar doc.
It's a mute point in any case. There's no way I could afford the American G&L. The only reason I was able to afford my Tribute is because I recently sold a MIM Fender Player's Strat, which I didn't care for.
Now my amp is giving me problems. Have you played the Epiphone Valve Junior, the cheap little 5 watt class A amp that gotten so many good revues?
Also, did you get my post about the Atlanta Rib restaurant that features blues bands? I can't remember the name. My son goes there a lot and says the ribs AND the music are both first rate.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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I have not played the Epi amp, but have heard good things about it. Likewise the Fender Champion 600.
I just bought a little portable amp - a Roland Mini-Cube - and like it, but it is really more a souped up Pignose replacement - and not a real amp. Fun for playing at the edge of the swamp, not for getting that buttery tube tone.
I did post about the Rib/Blues joints. It must have gotten lost in the ether. The two I'm most familiar with are Fatt Matt's and Maddy's. Do either of those sound like the place? There are a number of blues clubs as well. The best are probably Blind Willie's in mid-town and Darwin's in Marietta.
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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It's Fatt Matt's and I do now remember you saying something about it.
The weathermen are now predicting another foot of snow for later today. Atlanta is sounding pretty good. Warm nights, a rack of ribs, and the blues.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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Larry, What sort of amp do you like for that ASAT?
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Permalink Reply by Larry on
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Fred, I have a Behringer GMX210. It's a 30 watt per channel stereo amplifier. It also has all sorts of digital effects; several types of reverb, chorus, phaser, even an auto wah, most of which I've never used.
For most of the 40+ years I've played guitar it's been acoustic, playing in the styles of guys like Lightnin' Hopkins, Mississippi John Hurt, and Rev. Gary Davis.
As I got older I began to struggle with painful cracks in the skin of my fingers. During the winter months, especially, playing hurt! About a year and a half ago it occured to me that the lower action and lighter strings of an electric guitar might help. So here I am.
I say all this as a disclaimer, denying any expertese in electric guitars or amps. I did some research before buying the Behringer and it seemed to offer good value for dollar. For what it's worth, I like it.
Eventually, I would like to get a small tube amp like the Epiphone Valve Jr or Fender Champion 600 for recording.
I'll add one more, unasked for, item. The addition of the electrics to my gear has added a lot of excitement and creative energy to my own approach to the music I play. My fingers still hurt in winter, but the pain doesn't bother me as much.
You asked a simple question and I delivered an essay. Sorry for the ramble.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Willard on
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I find all this very interesting. My path has been very similar. I like acoustic country blues finger picking but got psoriatic arthritis which has effected my hands. I switched to playing almost the same style on electric guitars because it's easier on my hands.
The other change I've made is to playing acoustic with open tunings and slide. The open tunings are easier to pull off because the strings aren't under as much tension and I'm using fewer fingers on chords.
I've gotten rid of all of my amps except a Fender Blues Jr.. I like it just fine. I'm currently playing it through an old 2X12 cab. If I used it without the cab, I'd probably put a different speaker in it. IMHO the speaker is the weakest part of the Blues Jr.
I'm enjoying this so take the conversation anywhere you like. Fred
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