NBD (nhc) G&L L-2500 5 String Bass from 2006 - This thing is LOUD!

[tbonesullivan]

I may or may not have been influenced by Ed Friedland getting a L-2500 750 recently, but after owning an G&L SB-2, I decided it was time to check out the last member of Leo Fender's bass designs. The L-1000, L-2000, and L-2500 are not nearly as famous and ubiquitous as the Precision and Jazz Bass designs, or the Stingray, but there are some who swear by them, and they are definitely a bit of a unique take in terms of pickup and preamp design. It's also got the G&L "Saddle lock" bridge, which has a set screw on the side that presses the saddles together, and the bridge itself has a protrusion on the bottom that sticks into the body.

The electronics on the bass are mostly passive, with a take on the G&L Passive Treble Bass system, which are the three knobs. Top switch is for the pickups, center switch is for series or parallel wiring, and the bottom switch is an active preamp buffer, which is off, on, or "treble boost". It's mainly designed for signal integrity over long cable runs, and with it on you do get a bit more bass. However you don't really NEED it in most situations, as the output from the MFD pickups is MASSIVE. I used to have an SB-2 years ago, and like that bass, I need to have the "active" switch turned on to avoid clipping out the preamp of my bass amp. All the sounds are usable, and are somewhere near a p-bass and a stingray in a way. In the series mode the sound is quite aggressive, while the parallel mode is more scooped, and there is definitely more of a variation than I get on my Stingray 5H, which has the series parallel option as well.

This has the "old" headstock for G&L 5 string basses, which has a string retainer for the A string, something I DEFINITELY want. Makes it so much easier to really dig in on the open A string without worrying about nut buzz. I also really don't like their current headstock for the "CLF Research" line that they have now, which looks pretty much like a bloated fender headstock. I also like having the little "spike", which is distinctive to G&L.

Only question left is whether I want to go for the black, red, and white switch tip covers that the OG front routed basses had, and currently have.

[topekatj]

It’s bitchin’!

[RobB]

8 hours ago, tbonesullivan said:

Only question left is whether I want to go for the black, red, and white switch tip covers that the OG front routed basses had, and currently have.

Many sleepless nights are ahead of you for this decision.

Nice bass!

[duncans]

Nice bass!! The only bass I've ever owned was a L-1000. It was a LOOOOOng time ago, probably when they first came out. Mahogany body as I remember, maple neck and fretboard. Beautiful bass and great sounding to my ears(hearing was better then than now!) I sold it to a buddy who later moved to Austin, TX. Fast forward, a couple years ago he posted a picture of a recent gig. He was still playing the G&L !

[tbonesullivan]

8 hours ago, duncans said:

Nice bass!! The only bass I've ever owned was a L-1000. It was a LOOOOOng time ago, probably when they first came out. Mahogany body as I remember, maple neck and fretboard. Beautiful bass and great sounding to my ears(hearing was better then than now!) I sold it to a buddy who later moved to Austin, TX. Fast forward, a couple years ago he posted a picture of a recent gig. He was still playing the G&L !

Those are also great, with the pickup in the "P-bass" position. It really is amazing how Leo Fender managed to pretty much invent and then re invent the bass guitar so many times.

[Jakeboy]

Looks like a versatile bass. Rock it in good health!

[Jimbilly]

very cool! I hear nothing but good things about G&L, - I've only got one guitar (skyhawk).

what's it weigh?

[tbonesullivan]

9 hours ago, Jimbilly said:

very cool! I hear nothing but good things about G&L, - I've only got one guitar (skyhawk).

what's it weigh?

I'll have to get it on a scale. I have one at work but forgot in my rush to get it back home to blast it. I THINK... it's a swamp ash body. But part of me thinks it looks a lot more like alder.