Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 21, 2017 Members Share Posted August 21, 2017 I should be receiving a G&L Tribute ASAT Special tomorrow...... One of Europe's major retailer (bax shop) had a massively discounted B stock (I believe missing box) and I could apply an extra 15% discount...... meaning that I should get a new guitar tomorrow for less than the price of a 2nd hand one...... I didn't take too long to think about it!!!!! I'm pretty excited. The ASAT Special ticks a number of boxes for me.... including no ashtray bridge , as I don't find them comfortable, and 6 saddles. People can say all they like about vintage correct 3 saddle tele, I don't care for the vintage look, I prefer totally accurate intonation as I regular play chords with open strings all the way up to the 15th fret. Not a big fan of narrow neck radius and vintage correct fret wire, and here it's a reasonable 9" radius, medium jumbo frets. I prefer radius towards the 12", but am usually happy from 9". And I'm super excited about the MFD pick ups...... they get great reviews everywhere, I'm really looking forward to trying those through my amps!!!! The wait is on...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted August 21, 2017 Members Share Posted August 21, 2017 The two I have seen and played, have been VERY nicely crafted. Good job hunting one down, but please reconsider the 3 barrel bride. The vast majority of the 6 saddle ones I have seen, from Squier, Douglas, etc etc, have been rattle traps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted August 22, 2017 Members Share Posted August 22, 2017 Happy (Pending) New Guitar Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted August 22, 2017 Members Share Posted August 22, 2017 I agree on the rattles. My Squier had them,heavier strings helped a lot . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted August 22, 2017 Members Share Posted August 22, 2017 Nice score! I agree with you about the 6 string saddle. I think Leo designed them both and the G&L is an improvement. Pay no mind to the comparison with Squier and Douglas. Not in the same league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 22, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 22, 2017 The ASAT Special comes with a saddle lock bridge, so it looks like Leo Fender agreed to a degree with Badpenguin and Gardo - and designed the solution!!!@ http://www.glguitars.com/features/SL-bridge.asp That whole bridge unit looks very well designed. The tracking status is "out for delivery "!!! Woop woop!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 22, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 22, 2017 I'm hoping so. It looks like G&L have been quite good about their Far East production. Cheap labour but good hardware throughout, like good tuners, bridges & pick ups. It should be a good guitar on paper. Let's see how it turns out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 Well I missed the delivery yesterday....... But drove to the depot after work to pick it up!!! That G&L ASAT Special tribute is a REALLY good guitar. The neck is really nice, it looks great, the saddle lock bridge is super comfortable, and is a very neat unit. The pick ups are the great surprise. They're really really, and something really different!!!! Lots of smooth treble, full low end (not as much as a humbuckers, but more than any other single coils I've tried), great clarity and full sounding. Now the catch is...... it doesn't sound like your traditional telecaster - but is as comfortable as one to play. I played it briefly through my Orange RV50 last night, and these pick ups are great clean, and brilliant with dirt too. Lots of sustain, they're really sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted August 23, 2017 Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 HNGD!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 How do we post pictures here? http://i.imgur.com/Q7MibXp.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted August 23, 2017 Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 How do we post pictures here? http://i.imgur.com/Q7MibXp.jpg just copy the image and paste it very nice... congrats... always thought they were cool guitars i have an tribute asat that is a great guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 They really are great. I've had a number of mex fenders and squiers vintage modified, and this feels a much better guitar I must say. Really good quality, and the pick ups really are a step up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 Thanks, I see now. So here's a pic of the saddle lock bridge. On the bottom side of the bridge, there's a small screw that pushes all the saddles firmly together. Once tightened, no movement, vibrations or anyhting. It's a very well designed bridge unit, I like it a lot. Well thought through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 Crappy pic, but here it is, getting acquainted with a part of my stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 How do we post pictures here? [/url] Hit the "A" box in the upper right hand corner of the "reply" area, which will open up two rows of icons. Click on the one that is just to the right of the two "chain link" looking icons - the one that looks like a picture with a profile of a mountain and a tiny sun... the "film" looking one (for videos) is on the other side of it. In the box that opens up, insert the URL for the photo you want to post, then hit enter... you can then add any comments and finish up your post, then just hit the post reply button below, and you should be all set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 The Tributes I've auditioned have all been really nice guitars. Congrats on the new addition to the stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 23, 2017 Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 I got to work on one a while back, agree completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 Thank you!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 23, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2017 Yes, im really impressed. The fret work is really good too.The only negative is the poor set up. The neck is a 9" radius. There's a visibly pronounced curve..... yet all the saddles are set at the same height. Unsurprisingly, there's quite a bit of fret buzz on the D and G string..... I find that pretty incredible. The intonation isnt right either, but the strings are dead (I got it as a B stock for cheaper than regular 2nd hand price for that model), and probably are the original strings (year of make 2015). I will change to 10-46 gauge anyway, and would have done a full set up, so not an issue. I'm still pinching myself at how good a guitar I've managed to buy there!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted August 24, 2017 Members Share Posted August 24, 2017 That blue thing next to it, an Aria Inuenza? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 24, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 2017 It's an Aria Pro II RS X80. A slightly better picture! Super rare, made in Japan in 1983. Great axe, but needs a refret at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members crustoleum Posted August 25, 2017 Members Share Posted August 25, 2017 Does G&L still use "3 bolt" on necks...My buds G&L Stratocaster got a bow in the neck. No amount of truss rod tweaking could fix...He got rid of it...got a Gibson SG...happier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Freeman Keller Posted August 25, 2017 Members Share Posted August 25, 2017 Ironically the reason I had the one was the owner wasn't happy with the setup. I don't remember the details but it must have come out OK without any major surgery. What I do remember was keeping it for a few days and playing it - I thought it was a very nice playing and good sounding tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 25, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 25, 2017 To be honest FK, I'm not sure if I should be disappointed or not...... though i am. I would have done my own set up anyway. I'm going up a gauge, so truss rod, intonation will be needed. But the saddles height not being set to reflect the curvature of the neck..... is just dumb.And it means all notes on the G and D strings buzz reallu bad. It's pretty poor in my book. But, I was going to do a set up anyway, so it's not a big deal.I'm wondering that's why it stayed unbought for 2 years before I took a punt on it as a B stock at almost 50% off new price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted August 25, 2017 Author Members Share Posted August 25, 2017 Mine is a 4 bolts neck, but I can't say if that's the norm nowadays for G&L. That's a shame about your friend's guitar. Whilst a truss rod itself isn't expensive, the labour cost and possible damage to the finish of the neck make a repair really prohibitive. I hope that never happens to any of my guitars!!! I totally understand your friend though.... I love my SG. It's a great guitar. Lots of fun!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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