NOthing these days, but they tried introducing them in teh Eighties. I can't remember the model designation, NH-1 or something, but tehy looked lke a JAckson with pointy drooped headstock, 6 tuneers on the top etc, totally bombed.
There are a bunch of failed experiments from Gibson, basically any time they deviated from "their" formula.
But I love the fat tele!!!
I want to get one then put in some lace sensors (double red in the H and Silver in the S). Would sound awesome.
I didn't say they were no good, just that teh market hates any attempt by Gibson or Fender to change their formula.
BTW, I've got a couple red lace sensor pups if you want one.
1) G&L Comanche
2) Marshall TSL100 head with 1960A cab
3) Gibson SG Special II EMG
4) Fender Custom Classic Telecaster
5) Gretsch G6136T White Falcon with Bigsby
and by the time i can afford all this, i'll be dead. but it's fun to pretend...
1) G&L Comanche
2) Marshall TSL100 head with 1960A cab
3) Gibson SG Special II EMG
4) Fender Custom Classic Telecaster
5) Gretsch G6136T White Falcon with Bigsby
and by the time i can afford all this, i'll be dead. but it's fun to pretend...
Ya do know that G&L sell in teh US for about 1/3 theit new value don't you. That sucker might be closer than you think.
Ya do know that G&L sell in teh US for about 1/3 theit new value don't you. That sucker might be closer than you think.
i have not heard anything about this. i was under the impression that the one i wanted would run me about $1600-$1700 here in the US, which is still a very good deal:
i have not heard anything about this. i was under the impression that the one i wanted would run me about $1600-$1700 here in the US, which is still a very good deal:
Buy a used G&L if possible. Resale value only sucks if you bought it new.
Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
i have not heard anything about this. i was under the impression that the one i wanted would run me about $1600-$1700 here in the US, which is still a very good deal:
Look, I'm no expert, but I read on forums that resale on G&L is terrible, which means a super deal if you buy second hand. Check the usual ebay, craigslist etc. They are supposed to be about teh best value for money second hand in the US.
I started a thread on http://www.thegearpage.net/board about Fender vs. G&L if you had $1500 to spend. I got several responses saying not only is G&L better than Fender, but that G&L rivals Fender's Custom Shop models even. Not to mention, if you bought used, you could get 2 G&L's for that kind of money.
Check The Gear Page's Guitar Emporium if you're looking for one. G&L's do pop up quite a bit.
Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
the problem with G&L is resale. G&L is fender. George Fullerton and Leo Fender.
If Leo hadn't been forced to sell the company to CBS in the late 60's due to illness, that's where it would have gone, with obvioulsly his headstock and body shapes.
G&L is a great company the guitars just don't hold their value like custom shop fenders and the slight differences are huge for some people.
general consensus yeah, if you can find a good used G&L snap it up, but maybe don't buy new.
______________________
to add to this thread, one of my five is probably an Esquire.
Infact, I'd love to see if I could build a custom hollow body esquire. It'd be a great one for a warmoth or USACG project.
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
I had previously looked at G:L Comanches. the new price is around $1600 (though I've seen some new ones on ebay for about $1300). and the going rate for a used one on ebay usually seems to be about $1100. that's not that big of a knockoff, 1/3 of the new price knocked off. that seems to be the same price knockoff that a used Gibson or Fender would go for. plus, I've heard the Comanche is MUCH better and more versatile than any Strat. but alas, I'm now a Gibson man until I ever find a reason not to be.
Jerry Cantrell pretty much made the G&L famous with the Rampages that he used. but even he is using mostly Les Pauls now.
My next 5:
Artinger DAG HollowSport should have it this summer
Vinetto Custom P. Rogeria 54 Strat
Fender Summers Tele tribute
Martin Custom OM21
Les Paul of some sort (maybe a black beauty)
I sold the Cruz/McDaddy Relic Strat and the Murphy R6 GT to fund the Rossington Les Paul.
PSSS, buy a Artinger he is the by far the best builder I have seen yet.
WHAT IS THAT NOISE?
Hanging at www.TheGuitarHub.com
The only Forum for players by players.......
Playing Les Pauls, Teles, Hubers, Gustavssons, Kolls through a Mad Professor amp with a Bob Burt Cab.
BJF powers my Pedal Board
PSSS, buy a Artinger he is the by far the best builder I have seen yet.
Artingers are verrrrrrrry nice.
Camden I '06, Camden II '06, Bonnaroo '08, Camden I '08, Camden II '08, Philly Spectrum II/III/IV '09, MSG I '10, MSG II '10, Made In America '12, Wrigley '13, Brooklyn II '13, Philly I '13, Philly II '13, ...
My next 5:
Artinger DAG HollowSport should have it this summer
Vinetto Custom P. Rogeria 54 Strat
Fender Summers Tele tribute
Martin Custom OM21
Les Paul of some sort (maybe a black beauty)
I sold the Cruz/McDaddy Relic Strat and the Murphy R6 GT to fund the Rossington Les Paul.
PSSS, buy a Artinger he is the by far the best builder I have seen yet.
DAG as in Destroy All Guitars?
That should be lovely.
My Girlfriend said to me..."How many guitars do you need?" and I replied...."How many pairs of shoes do you need?" She got really quiet.
Current Gear :
Epiphone Standard Les Paul - I don't actually like it that much, but its my main guitar.
Eleca Strat Copy - I actually play this to practice and the les paul for gigs. I just like the feel and sound of a strat better, even a copy.
Roland Cube 30 - Unfor. not loud enough for gigs, but good amp.
Vox AD50VT - The amp I gig with. Yeah, bigger, louder, but comparable to the cube.
Dunlop Crybaby Wah - Sits in my room wah-ing its batteries to death.
Next Gear :
1. Fender Highway One Stratocaster.
2. Some sort of acoustic, prob a Fender. But recommendations welcome! Willing to spend around £150 to £250 on a nice acoustic.
3. Some sort of tube amp. Early days on this.
4. Gibson Les Paul.
5. Fender Telecaster.
But if you asked me next week it would prob have changed.
I played one of those through a humble little Blues Junior today... that neck/middle pup combo was butter. I was kind of in a hurry though so I didn't get to compare it to a standard American strat, but damn. Now I'm reminded why an American strat was first on my list.
It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
thanks for all the advice on G&L. you guys may have saved me a lot of money (and time spent waiting)...
i'll definitely have to research this when i start looking for mine. as a life-long gibson fan, i guess i'm just not accustomed to getting a good price on a used instrument.
i was in a band with a guy who played a G&L legacy. he got it used for $650, which is about $400 less than a new one would cost today. i thought that was a good deal at the time.
i guess there's just not that big of a market because most people would rather see the "fender" label on their headstock. i assume that's it, right? i don't know, it seems crazy to me. i think G&L is a great company.
of course, if i'm paying $1600+ for a new guitar, it should be comparable to a fender custom shop model. i could get a classic player strat for around the same price (it was recently discontinued in the US but i'm sure i could still find one if i wanted). that's something i've been going back and forth about for a while, even though honestly i'm still not that close to buying. they're both exceptionally high-quality instruments, although much less similar to each other than one might expect given the common characteristics. as MLC said, the comanche is definitely more versatile.
partially, it's a question of whether you have more faith in leo fender's most recent design concept or the highly-skilled craftsmen at fender's custom shop. there really isn't a wrong answer to that one...
2 main guitars i've been gassin for are carvin dc-127 and a fender 72 custom tele...only thing is i can't get myself to drop $1000 on a guitar (carvin) that i won't get to play first since i'm nowhere near a carvin store...the carvin ct's look pretty sweet too
thanks for all the advice on G&L. you guys may have saved me a lot of money (and time spent waiting)...
i'll definitely have to research this when i start looking for mine. as a life-long gibson fan, i guess i'm just not accustomed to getting a good price on a used instrument.
i was in a band with a guy who played a G&L legacy. he got it used for $650, which is about $400 less than a new one would cost today. i thought that was a good deal at the time.
i guess there's just not that big of a market because most people would rather see the "fender" label on their headstock. i assume that's it, right? i don't know, it seems crazy to me. i think G&L is a great company.
of course, if i'm paying $1600+ for a new guitar, it should be comparable to a fender custom shop model. i could get a classic player strat for around the same price (it was recently discontinued in the US but i'm sure i could still find one if i wanted). that's something i've been going back and forth about for a while, even though honestly i'm still not that close to buying. they're both exceptionally high-quality instruments, although much less similar to each other than one might expect given the common characteristics. as MLC said, the comanche is definitely more versatile.
partially, it's a question of whether you have more faith in leo fender's most recent design concept or the highly-skilled craftsmen at fender's custom shop. there really isn't a wrong answer to that one...
the G&Ls use those "z" shaped pickups which supposedly give it a warmer tone than the Fender single coils. so really, the G&L is more rock and less blues than a Fender. also, a lot of them have the faster black fretboards (like the Les Paul Customs have), I don't think Fender makes any guitar with that fretboard. if you look at a commanche up close, you can tell Fender has nothing on a G&L as far as craftsmanship goes. they may be "equal", but nobody can honestly say that a Fender Strat is "better" than a Commanche. I personally don't buy it.
the G&Ls use those "z" shaped pickups which supposedly give it a warmer tone than the Fender single coils. so really, the G&L is more rock and less blues than a Fender. also, a lot of them have the faster black fretboards (like the Les Paul Customs have), I don't think Fender makes any guitar with that fretboard. if you look at a commanche up close, you can tell Fender has nothing on a G&L as far as craftsmanship goes. they may be "equal", but nobody can honestly say that a Fender Strat is "better" than a Commanche. I personally don't buy it.
you mean the ebony fretboards? gibson uses them on a lot of their high-end models. fender does not. i wasn't aware that G&L used ebony fretboards. i'll have to look into it. i'll tell you though, the gun oil-tinted maple looks really good.
from a design perspective, i agree with you that G&L tends to be better than fender. but i was just trying to consider the fact that the craftsmen at the custom shop really know what they're doing. i think the biggest problem with fender right now is that their lack of quality control results in too many defects coming off the assembly line... but you'll never have that problem with a custom shop model.
and even as a gibson fan, i really do like that classic strat tone (who doesn't?). still, i'm leaning heavily towards the comanche.
the ASAT Z-3 semi-hollow looks very intriguing too. i've never played one though. does anyone have experience with this model?
you mean the ebony fretboards? gibson uses them on a lot of their high-end models. fender does not. i wasn't aware that G&L used ebony fretboards. i'll have to look into it. i'll tell you though, the gun oil-tinted maple looks really good.
from a design perspective, i agree with you that G&L tends to be better than fender. but i was just trying to consider the fact that the craftsmen at the custom shop really know what they're doing. i think the biggest problem with fender right now is that their lack of quality control results in too many defects coming off the assembly line... but you'll never have that problem with a custom shop model.
and even as a gibson fan, i really do like that classic strat tone (who doesn't?). still, i'm leaning heavily towards the comanche.
the ASAT Z-3 semi-hollow looks very intriguing too. i've never played one though. does anyone have experience with this model?
I agree about the quality control. I played an AWFUL American Strat. Just wasn't 'right' at all. Having said that, I played a kickass one, and it's sitting in my room right now! Basically, you can get a $500 guitar or a $2000 guitar within the same model. Play everything you can.
Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
you mean the ebony fretboards? gibson uses them on a lot of their high-end models. fender does not. i wasn't aware that G&L used ebony fretboards. i'll have to look into it. i'll tell you though, the gun oil-tinted maple looks really good.
from a design perspective, i agree with you that G&L tends to be better than fender. but i was just trying to consider the fact that the craftsmen at the custom shop really know what they're doing. i think the biggest problem with fender right now is that their lack of quality control results in too many defects coming off the assembly line... but you'll never have that problem with a custom shop model.
and even as a gibson fan, i really do like that classic strat tone (who doesn't?). still, i'm leaning heavily towards the comanche.
the ASAT Z-3 semi-hollow looks very intriguing too. i've never played one though. does anyone have experience with this model?
It's probably just really dark rosewood. Braz can be really dark, as can Indian or MAdagasccan, and be hard to tell from ebony.
here is the link to the G/L Telecaster model with the 'ebony' neck. it's an older Leo version. the Commanche I saw with the ebony neck was a little older too because the certificate was signed by Leo Fender. but I'm pretty sure it was selling for around $1000. the newer ones appear to have choice of maple or rosewood.
from a design perspective, i agree with you that G&L tends to be better than fender. but i was just trying to consider the fact that the craftsmen at the custom shop really know what they're doing. i think the biggest problem with fender right now is that their lack of quality control results in too many defects coming off the assembly line... but you'll never have that problem with a custom shop model.
not sure. with Fender and Gibson, there are so many different price ranges and 'customs' that I can't keep them apart. my usa strat was about $700 in 1997. I've seen some 'custom' strats that cost over $5000. so yeah, that's probably a VERY nice guitar, but it's also a HUGE price jump considering a commanche is $1000-$1600. I'd say that in the $1000-$1600 range, I have my doubts that Fender would beat G/L overall (as in, if say 10 of each were tested, I think more G/Ls would be better overall).
Comments
I want to get one then put in some lace sensors (double red in the H and Silver in the S). Would sound awesome.
'06 - London, Dublin, Reading
'07 - Katowice, Wembley, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Nijmegen
'09 - London, Manchester, London
'12 - Manchester, Manchester, Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen
NOthing these days, but they tried introducing them in teh Eighties. I can't remember the model designation, NH-1 or something, but tehy looked lke a JAckson with pointy drooped headstock, 6 tuneers on the top etc, totally bombed.
There are a bunch of failed experiments from Gibson, basically any time they deviated from "their" formula.
I didn't say they were no good, just that teh market hates any attempt by Gibson or Fender to change their formula.
BTW, I've got a couple red lace sensor pups if you want one.
1. Martin D-28 Dreadnought Acoustic - Sunburst
2. Taylor GA7 Grand Auditorium Acoustic
3. Gibson Acoustic Songwriter Deluxe
...can't make up my mind on a new acoustic...
4. Fender VG Strat 3 Tone Sunburst w/ Rosewood
5. Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Antique Goldtop
Rhyno
11/30/1991 ~ 3/25/92 ~ 8/28/92 ~ 6/30/98 ~ 10/8/2000 ~ 6/18/2003 ~ 6/21/2003 ~ 6/26/2006 ~ 6/27/2006 ~ 7/7/2006 ~ 8/5/2007 ~ 6/24/2008 ~ ALPINE VALLEY in '09 ;-)
1) G&L Comanche
2) Marshall TSL100 head with 1960A cab
3) Gibson SG Special II EMG
4) Fender Custom Classic Telecaster
5) Gretsch G6136T White Falcon with Bigsby
and by the time i can afford all this, i'll be dead. but it's fun to pretend...
Ya do know that G&L sell in teh US for about 1/3 theit new value don't you. That sucker might be closer than you think.
i have not heard anything about this. i was under the impression that the one i wanted would run me about $1600-$1700 here in the US, which is still a very good deal:
http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/pics/large/COMANCHE-honeyburst.jpg
how much are they elsewhere?
Buy a used G&L if possible. Resale value only sucks if you bought it new.
Look, I'm no expert, but I read on forums that resale on G&L is terrible, which means a super deal if you buy second hand. Check the usual ebay, craigslist etc. They are supposed to be about teh best value for money second hand in the US.
Check The Gear Page's Guitar Emporium if you're looking for one. G&L's do pop up quite a bit.
If Leo hadn't been forced to sell the company to CBS in the late 60's due to illness, that's where it would have gone, with obvioulsly his headstock and body shapes.
G&L is a great company the guitars just don't hold their value like custom shop fenders and the slight differences are huge for some people.
general consensus yeah, if you can find a good used G&L snap it up, but maybe don't buy new.
______________________
to add to this thread, one of my five is probably an Esquire.
Infact, I'd love to see if I could build a custom hollow body esquire. It'd be a great one for a warmoth or USACG project.
Jerry Cantrell pretty much made the G&L famous with the Rampages that he used. but even he is using mostly Les Pauls now.
Artinger DAG HollowSport should have it this summer
Vinetto Custom P. Rogeria 54 Strat
Fender Summers Tele tribute
Martin Custom OM21
Les Paul of some sort (maybe a black beauty)
I sold the Cruz/McDaddy Relic Strat and the Murphy R6 GT to fund the Rossington Les Paul.
PSSS, buy a Artinger he is the by far the best builder I have seen yet.
Hanging at www.TheGuitarHub.com
The only Forum for players by players.......
Playing Les Pauls, Teles, Hubers, Gustavssons, Kolls through a Mad Professor amp with a Bob Burt Cab.
BJF powers my Pedal Board
Artingers are verrrrrrrry nice.
DAG as in Destroy All Guitars?
That should be lovely.
Epiphone Standard Les Paul - I don't actually like it that much, but its my main guitar.
Eleca Strat Copy - I actually play this to practice and the les paul for gigs. I just like the feel and sound of a strat better, even a copy.
Roland Cube 30 - Unfor. not loud enough for gigs, but good amp.
Vox AD50VT - The amp I gig with. Yeah, bigger, louder, but comparable to the cube.
Dunlop Crybaby Wah - Sits in my room wah-ing its batteries to death.
Next Gear :
1. Fender Highway One Stratocaster.
2. Some sort of acoustic, prob a Fender. But recommendations welcome! Willing to spend around £150 to £250 on a nice acoustic.
3. Some sort of tube amp. Early days on this.
4. Gibson Les Paul.
5. Fender Telecaster.
But if you asked me next week it would prob have changed.
I played one of those through a humble little Blues Junior today... that neck/middle pup combo was butter. I was kind of in a hurry though so I didn't get to compare it to a standard American strat, but damn. Now I'm reminded why an American strat was first on my list.
i'll definitely have to research this when i start looking for mine. as a life-long gibson fan, i guess i'm just not accustomed to getting a good price on a used instrument.
i was in a band with a guy who played a G&L legacy. he got it used for $650, which is about $400 less than a new one would cost today. i thought that was a good deal at the time.
i guess there's just not that big of a market because most people would rather see the "fender" label on their headstock. i assume that's it, right? i don't know, it seems crazy to me. i think G&L is a great company.
of course, if i'm paying $1600+ for a new guitar, it should be comparable to a fender custom shop model. i could get a classic player strat for around the same price (it was recently discontinued in the US but i'm sure i could still find one if i wanted). that's something i've been going back and forth about for a while, even though honestly i'm still not that close to buying. they're both exceptionally high-quality instruments, although much less similar to each other than one might expect given the common characteristics. as MLC said, the comanche is definitely more versatile.
partially, it's a question of whether you have more faith in leo fender's most recent design concept or the highly-skilled craftsmen at fender's custom shop. there really isn't a wrong answer to that one...
the G&Ls use those "z" shaped pickups which supposedly give it a warmer tone than the Fender single coils. so really, the G&L is more rock and less blues than a Fender. also, a lot of them have the faster black fretboards (like the Les Paul Customs have), I don't think Fender makes any guitar with that fretboard. if you look at a commanche up close, you can tell Fender has nothing on a G&L as far as craftsmanship goes. they may be "equal", but nobody can honestly say that a Fender Strat is "better" than a Commanche. I personally don't buy it.
you mean the ebony fretboards? gibson uses them on a lot of their high-end models. fender does not. i wasn't aware that G&L used ebony fretboards. i'll have to look into it. i'll tell you though, the gun oil-tinted maple looks really good.
from a design perspective, i agree with you that G&L tends to be better than fender. but i was just trying to consider the fact that the craftsmen at the custom shop really know what they're doing. i think the biggest problem with fender right now is that their lack of quality control results in too many defects coming off the assembly line... but you'll never have that problem with a custom shop model.
and even as a gibson fan, i really do like that classic strat tone (who doesn't?). still, i'm leaning heavily towards the comanche.
the ASAT Z-3 semi-hollow looks very intriguing too. i've never played one though. does anyone have experience with this model?
I agree about the quality control. I played an AWFUL American Strat. Just wasn't 'right' at all. Having said that, I played a kickass one, and it's sitting in my room right now! Basically, you can get a $500 guitar or a $2000 guitar within the same model. Play everything you can.
It's probably just really dark rosewood. Braz can be really dark, as can Indian or MAdagasccan, and be hard to tell from ebony.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1985-G-L-Broadcaster-Fender-Tele-Vintage_W0QQitemZ180128089535QQihZ008QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
FYI: there is a "practically new" Commanche on Ebay right now with a BIN price of $1050. that's almost a steal, imo.
not sure. with Fender and Gibson, there are so many different price ranges and 'customs' that I can't keep them apart. my usa strat was about $700 in 1997. I've seen some 'custom' strats that cost over $5000. so yeah, that's probably a VERY nice guitar, but it's also a HUGE price jump considering a commanche is $1000-$1600. I'd say that in the $1000-$1600 range, I have my doubts that Fender would beat G/L overall (as in, if say 10 of each were tested, I think more G/Ls would be better overall).