New Bass Coming to the Windy City!

[r_a_smith3530]

Well, not new exactly, and that's a good thing. Actually, I just finished working out a deal with a fellow member of the GbLDP (Guitars by Leo Discussion Page). We are exchanging our vintage, Leo era G&L's. He is getting my Mahogany '83 S-500 guitar, and I am getting his '85 Mahogany L-2000 bass. I am so excited, I don't know if I'll be able to sleep tonight!

Here's a picture of this way cool bass, the pinnacle of Leo Fender's engineering genius, the same genius that brought about so many things we musicians today take for granted, like the first production solid-bodied electric guitar, the first use of inline tuners on an electric guitar, the first three pickup electric guitar, the vintage Strat's tremolo design, the electric bass guitar, the contoured guitar body, designed for player comfort, and so much more.

'85 G&L L2k

While this picture gives a good view of the entire instrument, it doesn't do justice to the beautiful wood in use. Here's one that does this much better.

'85 L2k Body

As George Fullerton, Leo's partner was once quoted, "Decades ago, my partner and I created the world's most famous guitar. Then we set out to make the world's best."

As basses go, I believe they hit the mark with the L-2000.

[warren0728]

congrats ra! make sure we get a full report when it arrives. Nice looking bass.

ww

[r_a_smith3530]

I just checked UPS, and it should be here on Monday, the 13th. I've got a brand new set of Rotosound's waiting for it! I still have to pick up a set of Dunlop StrapLocks.

BTW, a similar bass to mine just recently sold on evilBay. It closed at $947.00, but I (and others on the GbLDP) believe the seller could have gotten more if he had checked his facts more thoroughly. I know of at least two people who were looking to buy it so that they could then offer me a trade for my S-500. Unfortunately, the seller did not know for sure what type of body wood the bass was made of, and what the neck and body dates were, which determines age on these instruments. Anyway, here's the link.

eBay Leo-era L-2000

[SuperSwede]

You are going to get a top notch instrument, thats for sure! Congrats Rob

[r_a_smith3530]

According to Big Brown, it's now less than 50 miles away!

[warren0728]

isn't online tracking fun!

I know you are excited!

ww

[r_a_smith3530]

isn't online tracking fun!

ww

Not when you are excitedly waiting for a shipment! Since early this morning, my new bass has been sitting a distance that even out-of-shape-me could probably ride on my bicycle! Urgggh!

I could have spent the day dialing it in. Hey, I can't complain too badly. Even my soon-to-become backup bass is pretty damned nice, and fun to play.

[marnold***]

I've got to stop listening to you, Rob. Every time I do, I want a bass again.

[r_a_smith3530]

I've got to stop listening to you, Rob. Every time I do, I want a bass again.

Ah, feel the force Luke!

[r_a_smith3530]

Hey, it has arrived, and after what seemed an eternity of letting its temperature normalize, I pulled its strings and separated it neck from its body. I cleaned and polished it thoroughly, and took note of its neck date (MAR 29 85). As both myself and the seller had guessed, it has been refinished, the evidence of that being a neck pocket completely clearcoated. G&L mounts the body in a fixture that is made from an old neck in order to apply any finish or clear, so the pocket is pretty clear of paint. Unfortunately, the body date was covered.

I installed the neck back onto the body and strung it up. I next took measurements, using the old G&L bass setup guide included as a reference. I made a slight adjustment to the truss rod, set the intonation, and it was good to go.

Now for the moment of truth! I plugged her into the old Crate head and let 'er rip. This thing is phenomenal! I love it. For the next hour, I played with the 'Hog, checking out all its tonal options, and man does it have a few. Next, I spent the rest of the afternoon going back and forth between Frankenbass and the 'Hog. It is truly a wonderful thing to have two bass guitars that complement each other so nicely.

Frankenbass' 1960's P neck is about an eighth of an inch wider than the L2K's, but the L2k has about an eighth of an inch additional front to rear, so they pretty much even out. They feel equally comfortable to my hand, and I can go from one to the other without problem. The two seem to balance about equally which was no surprise seeing Leo had designed both. I would have to say that the G&L is about three or four pounds heavier than Frankenbass, that weight accounted for by the 'Hog body.

When it comes to sheer power, the twin humbuckers of the G&L hold an edge. Although the Bart P in Frankenbass is pretty ballsy, the J is not quite so, and the 'buckers pull ahead.

Where the two are not matched is in sustain. I had thought Frankenbass was pretty good, but its hard to beat a big chunk of Mahogany. That dense wood, plus Leo's ingenius Saddle Lock Bridge design allow the L2K to hold a note longer than my Les Paul!

So, the verdict? I owned my G&L guitar for close on to thirteen years, give or take a month or so. The way this new member of the family plays, it will be around at least that long, if not much, much longer!

As for Frankenbass, I've gained a new level of appreciation for him. There are still things where he fits in just slightly better than his new bunkmate, so don't look for him to be headed for the door quite yet, unless it's to a gig!

[r_a_smith3530]

When 'Hog L2K arrived, it was shod with a set of roundwounds of unknown make or vintage. They hadn't been played much according to the former owner, but they'd been on it for some time.

Well, I really like flatwound bass strings, so Friday night I ordered a set of Thomastik-Infeld JF-344 Jazz Flats for this bass. They should arrive today. TI flats, although almost twice the cost of other brands (around $45 street price), last far longer than anything else out there. They also have extremely low tension at pitch when compared to others like Rotosound's. That makes string bending all that much easier!

[r_a_smith3530]

Well, I decided on a name for my newly-acquired bass. I've christened it "Mr. Bacon," based on two things, its weight, and the fact that it's made of MaHOGany! It joins "Fender Frankenbass" as the only instruments I've ever given a name to. Must be a bass thing!

[warren0728]

I've christened it "Mr. Bacon," based on two things, its weight, and the fact that it's made of MaHOGany!

now that's funny

ww

[Spudman***]

Hey R.A.
If you are interested in hearing one of the best bass players in the world that you have never heard of check this link http://www.flowerkings.se/?s=discography and go to Unfold The Future for starters and click on the symbol to hear clips. Jonas Reingold is his name.
He also has his own site http://www.jonasreingold.com/m1/index.php

[r_a_smith3530]

Hey R.A.
If you are interested in hearing one of the best bass players in the world that you have never heard of check this link http://www.flowerkings.se/?s=discography and go to Unfold The Future for starters and click on the symbol to hear clips. Jonas Reingold is his name.
He also has his own site http://www.jonasreingold.com/m1/index.php

Thanks Spudman, I checked them out. I especially liked the clip, "The Truth Will Set You Free." It has a kind of Yes aire to it. As I was listening to it, I couldn't help but think of the Yes tune "Roundabout."

[r_a_smith3530]

Wow, I just read the coolest descriptive term used for the G&L L-2000. In comparing the L2K with G&L's SB-2 the writer referred to the L2K as the "Swiss Army Knife of basses." That rocks! It's also pretty damned accurate.