Without question, Leo Fender was a visionary, and when he founded G&L and began producing guitars in the Fullerton, California factory on Fender Avenue he forged a legacy of craftsmanship, creativity, and quality. Each guitar in the main G&L line is a custom instrument, finely tuned to exacting standards. Because of this level of detail and attention, these guitars are highly desired but often out of reach for the everyday musician. That is until G&L introduced the Tribute line of guitars and basses. Using all of the modern capabilities of the Korean luthiers, like CNC machines and precision machining, G&L was able to capture the essential features and unique properties of the main G&L line while maintaining a surprisingly attractive price point. When I asked Dave McLaren of BBE Sound, Inc. (the parent company of G&L) about the Tribute line he sent me a gorgeous Tribute L2000 Premium bass guitar to review. I suggest you read the whole article for the details, but I can tell you right now that I was more than impressed by this amazing instrument!

The G&L Tribute Line – For the Workingman!

The Tribute line was introduced by G&L in 2003. They are produced in Korea to meet exacting criteria specified to the smallest detail by G&L. Going into this project, G&L did not want to sacrifice much if at all in terms of quality – instead what they elected to do was highly standardize and streamline the product line. Each model in the Tribute line features key elements of the custom line of U.S.A. made G&Ls, including genuine G&L USA Pickups, bridge designs authentic to Leo Fender’s designs, and electronics matching those found on the original models. They were able to bring the price point down by primarily limiting the number of woods, designs, and finishes. Nevertheless, eight of the most popular guitar models (ASAT Classic, ASAT Classic Semi-Hollow, ASAT Special, ASAT Special Semi-Hollow, Invader XL, Legacy, Legacy HB, and the S-500) and two popular bass models (L2000 and L2500) are produced under the Tribute line in a wide variety of finishes. All of the models have three levels, Standard, Plus and Premium. Electronics and equipment are the same among these; however, the body wood and available finishes differ. Standard and plus have basswood bodies and the premium model has a swamp ash body. As these guitars arrive in the Fullerton factory, they are actually set up by the same guys who set up the custom line! The bottom line is that these guitars were designed from the outset to be faithful to Leo Fender’s promise, and to deliver a high-quality guitar or bass at price within reach of the working musician.

The Tribute L2000 Premium



The bass guitar that I received was the Tribute L2000 Premium with a Swamp Ash body sporting a fantastic Tobacco sunburst finish. The L2000 model is a 4 string bass model (as opposed to the L2500 which is almost identical to the L2000 except is it a 5 string bass). The neck was carved out of hard rock maple and was topped with a smooth rosewood fingerboard. The neck was a bit wide but very comfortable. At first glance it is incredibly difficult to tell the components used on the Tribute model from those used on the Custom model. The bridge uses a G&L designed saddle lock system. The pickups were genuine G&L humbuckers routed through the same kind of “Tri-Tone” electronic system used in their high-end models. This system includes multiple toggles for pickup selection, series/parallel selection, and preamp controls. All hardware was chrome. The guitar was packaged inside a very nice G&L gig bag.

Features of the L2000 Tribute

• OVERALL DESIGN: Designed to original specifications of the G&L custom line.
• PICKUPS: 2 Fullerton-made, Leo Fender designed, G&L Magnetic Field Design humbucking pickups
• BODY WOOD: Basswood on Standard versions and Swamp Ash on Premium versions
• NECK WOOD: Hard Rock Maple with Rosewood or Maple fingerboard
• NECK RADIUS: 12" (304.8mm)
• NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 1 3/4" (44.5mm)
• TUNING KEYS: Open-back traditional tuners
• BRIDGE: G&L designed Saddle Lock bridge with nickel plated die-cast saddles.
• CONTROLS: G&L Tri-Tone active/passive electronics identical to those found in the custom line
• SETUP: Each Tribute set up in the USA by G&L technicians
• OTHER: G&L Deluxe Gig Bag included in USA

Fit and Finish




When I first pulled this bass out of the packaging, I really could not believe that this was not one of G&L’s custom instruments. If it were not for the word “Tribute” stamped on the headstock and on the bridge, I might still be in denial. The tobacco sunburst finish was glassy and translucent, allowing the beautiful grain of the swamp ash body to emerge. The frets were highly polished and the neck was smooth and comfortable. The action was exactly to my liking, not too high and not too low without any apparent buzzing or rattling. All electronics worked great without any of the telltale popping or scratching of inferior components. Simply put, I could not find a single flaw on this guitar, which is amazing achievement for an Asian manufactured guitar. Don’t get me wrong, I am amazed everyday at the unbelievable quality and price of Korean made guitars, but I’ve not seen one yet achieve this level of exactness. The finish was perfect. The neck was perfect. The action was perfect. The frets were perfect. The electronics were perfect. A tag came on the L2000 that said it was inspected by “t-p-“, I’d say it was a job well done!

Sound Test

As I mentioned, the action on this bass was outstanding for my style of playing. Since I mostly play guitar, I tend to be a rather straight ahead bass player, but occasionally I do like to slap and pop the strings for effect. There was no buzz during any of my normal playing and no rattles following a slap. In terms of range, I was very pleased with the high output and clarity of the humbuckers. To make sure my sound test was unbiased, I decided to compare the G&L Tribute to another active bass I have in my arsenal. Without mentioning names, I’ll have to be honest and say that the G&L blew away its competition, there really was no comparison. The G&L was louder and more resonant. Even with the bolt on neck, the sustain of the L2000 was phenomenal. What amazed me was how notes on the low E could literally rumble the floor and shake the walls, yet higher notes on the G string remained clean and crisp.

This is probably one of the most versatile instruments (guitar or bass) that I have played relative to its variety of tonal options. This range of options can be attributed primarily to the “Tri-Tone” electronic system. There are three knobs and three mini-switches on the L2000. The knobs are volume, treble, and bass. The first switch allows for the selection of the neck, bridge, or both pickups. The second switch, selects between series or parallel pickup modes. The third switch, allows for selection of passive electronics, active electronics, or active electronics with a treble boost. Experimenting with these options I was able to capture everything from a soft jazzy sound, to low thundering rock, to a bit of rockabilly with sweet twangy edge. I did find that overall I preferred the active mode with treble boost along with the parallel mode; however, a great feature of this guitar is that it allows for a wide range of experimentation.

Conclusion

This L2000 certainly lives up to its namesake. It is indeed a “tribute” to Leo Fender. If this bass is a representative example of the Tribute line then you can be confident that you are not settling in any way for lesser product. By minimizing the number of custom options, G&L has brought to the average musician instruments that have near custom quality at a price that is a bit easier to manage. This is definitely a professional guitar that you can take on stage or into the studio. If you are looking for a huge “step-up” from your beginner guitar without having to break the bank, then I would recommend you take a hard look at the Tribute line.

Because of its outstanding quality and craftsmanship, as well as representing an incredible value, the G&L Tribute L2000 Bass receives the GuitarGearHeads “Approved” award for 2005. Also, since it clobbered my other bass guitar in a head-to-head sound test it also receives the “Rig Ready” award. This bass was made to be played!

We would like to thank Dave McLaren at BBE Sound (www.bbesound.com) for allowing us the opportunity to review this instrument.

Written by Daniel L. Halberg



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