Some people may just see a G&L and assume it's another Fender rip off, but look a little into the history of the company and you get a different story. After Leo Fender sold his company to CBS in 1965, he stayed on as a consultant until about 1970. (a period in which he made his final contributions to the company like the 3 bolt neck) He famously then went on to work with Music Man and help make some very iconic instruments and some very familiar yet kick ass amps. After Music Man, Leo teamed back with his partner in Fender's golden age, George Fullerton, to start making guitars their way again. And thus G&L was born. (stands for George and Leo)
Leo clearly felt he could improve on the iconic designs he created and set about making instruments again. Although he is long gone now, the company continues to make impeccable guitars with loads of tone. The nicest thing about G&L is that the instruments (the american made ones, not the korean made tribute series) are all made to order. This means you get a guitar crafted upon order, without the high price tag of a Fender Custom shop or a smaller boutique builder. You can choose from a large number of customizations including color, pick guard color, neck shape, and finish. If you're a strat or tele lover, this is a great way to get the one of your dreams without breaking the bank.
The S-500 is a personal favorite of mine. It's a strat style guitar, with a little extra flexibility. It features 3 of G&L's own single coil pickups, which on the S-500 have a greater output than most, and are much warmer. Just like any other strat style guitar you get one volume knob and two tone knobs. The little extra difference on this guitar comes in the form of a mini toggle switch, which when activated allows some extra pickup configurations. When on , in the 5th position you get the bridge and neck pickup together. In the fourth position, you get all 3 pickups at once, giving you something closer to the warmth and output of a humbucker.
The S-500 can be ordered with a hard tail but does come standard with G&L's two point vibrato, which to me feels far more stable than a Fender. It's noticeably heavier, but is far more reliable. The model pictured in this post, which we have at the shop, is in two tone sunburst and features their standard "C" shaped neck in a satin finish. The neck and fretboard are both hard rock maple and you can also get them in a tinted or non tinted gloss finish. All G&L's are set up with the PlEK system, giving you a fantastic setup right out of the case. The moment you have your hands on one you can feel difference in quality. They always feel to me more substantial than a fender strat, like it's going to have no problem taking whatever abuse the road and numerous gigs can bring it's way.
This guy I'm showing you today sells for $1299 and comes with a hardshell case, although when you order from the company a gig bag is an option. Compared to some of the prices out there, these axes are a steal and more than live up to Leo Fender's name. If the man himself figured he could make things better, and counted these as the improvement, there's gotta be something special to them!
Feel free to leave any thoughts, and as always I'd love to show it to you in person!
K.
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