Whitstable Guitars
A selection of good quality, used guitars and specialising in imports from Japan since 2008
2000 approx G&L ASAT Classic MIJ Blonde & New Hard Case
£629.00 + shipping
CURRENTLY ON HOLD
01/05
JAPAN IMPORT
Well, you won't see many of these! Few people will know that G&L have built some of their guitars in Japan. This started just before the end of the last century and according to some sources, only lasted a few years before manufacture shifted to Korea & later Indonesia but other information suggests that they still build them in Japan now. I'm not so sure but they definitely built a few around 2000 & these were built to the usual high USA specifications & all pickups, electrics plus the bridge were USA but the tuners are Japanese GOTOH
This particular guitar is very good for it's age but does have some wear with some minor dents around the body (photographed) one of which I have repaired on the lower edge and, more noticeably the lacquer has worn on the fretboard however, the frets are excellent having been recently replaced at "Crockett guitars". I don't know if has been refretted but if it has, it's been done really well. Please check out all the photos in the gallery. As stated, G&L guitars are really highly rated & this guitar plays really well & looks really good. I actually really like the worn fretboard look.
Here's some history & info from the web
G&L Guitars
Clarence "Leo" Fender sold his eponymous company Fender in 1965. He designed and produced instruments for Music Man in the 1970s through his company CLF Research. When relations with Music Man soured, G&L was created to continue operations apart from Music Man. The G&L name comes from two founders' first names, George Fullerton and Leo Fender.
G&L instruments are similar to the classic Fenders, but with some modern innovations. They are built at the same facility on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California that produced the early Music Man instruments. G&L instruments are not widely distributed but are highly regarded by many musicians and collectors. The relatively small scale of production further allows for more custom options that are not possible on larger production lines. The Tribute range of G&L are built outside the USA, firstly in Japan then in Korea and Indonesia.
Leo Fender and George Fullerton created improved designs over the years, with the most advanced being featured in G&L instruments.:
The Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickups use a ceramic bar magnet in combination with soft iron pole pieces with adjustable height, instead of the traditional Alnico magnet, and allow a player to set the pickup output per string, as opposed to the entire pickup as a whole in traditional single-coil pickup designs. MFDs are known for their distinctive tone, which combines clarity, high fidelity and power with an airy "sweetness".
Before 2003, Tribute guitars were briefly produced in Japan for non-US markets, shifting to South Korea.
The pickups used are all originally made by G&L in Fullerton, California.
Here are some specifications
G&L ASAT Classic Blonde
Manufacture Around 2000 Japan
Body: Alder
Colour: Blonde
Neck: Maple with Maple fret board (bolt on) aged satin finish
Fingerboard:Maple 242 mm (9.5") Radius
Profile: Modern C Shape
Weight: 3.498kg (7lb10oz)
Scale Length 25.5"
Width at nut 41mm
At 12th Fret 51mm
Pickups: (Neck) G&L USA MFD pickup (see above)
(Bridge) G&L USA MFD pickup
Hardwear: Chrome
Tuners:GOTOH
Bridge: Ashtray style Chrome with 6 chrome saddles
3 way Switch
Controls:1 Volume, 1 Tone (Neck & Bridge), Lever 3 Way SW
Pickguard: Tortoiseshell 3 ply
Hard Case: Thomann Black Plain (Can be upgraded)
As stated many times, due to courier damage, all my guitars are shipped in hard cases (usually new) this one being a plain black one. If you are collecting, I'm happy to knock off the price of the case (About £50) & I may even have an old gig bag you can have to take it away in
So to sum up, an excellent guitar from G&L Japan. This model is impossible to find here in the UK unless you import it. Why not play something that's just a little bit different?
If you are further interested in this guitar, you can either email me with any queries & I'll do my best to get back to you within 24 hours.
Or, you can buy quickly and safely using the PayPal "buy now" button and I will ship to most UK addresses the next working day. Highlands and Islands can be slightly dearer but I'll keep the cost as low as I can.
I can accept credit card payments by phone and will also offer a small discount to purchasers using bank transfer payments.
Overseas customers are very welcome but please email me first for shipping quotes.