G&L ASAT Classic versus boutique tele's, nocasters

[12strings]

How do ASAT classics stack up against other tele's such as Danocaster, Fender Custom Shop, boutiques, etc.?

Can boutique pickups like lollars, mares be installed in ASAT classics? How about Glendale bridges and saddles?

Thanks in advance.

[Lowlands Erik]

I have a '94 Classic.
Beautiful piece of wood.
Sounded great with the ceramic pickups but after 15 years I decided to put in some alnico pups (Hamels). I like the sound and feel of the alnico pups better.

So, no problem putting in other pups.
I left the original wiring, bridge etc
No need to replace them.
Although I love a 3 barrel bridge, the Classic's 6 saddle bridge is great.
I guess you could replace the bridge with a Glendale (I use them too).

cheers
Erik

[frank4001]

I put Don Mare's Sportster's in one of mine and love it. Maple neck. Lightweight guitar too... I have a black ASAT Classic Custom with big MFD in front and standard one in the back .... Rosewood board. It's not like I don't like the G&L pickups. Excellent guitar but darker sounding and a bit heavier weight.

While I had the black G&L on order a Re-Fin '63 Tele showed up in my life at very reasonable price. Completley done and ready to go. I sucked it up and bought it. Love that guitar. That being said I wouldn't bother with changing out the bridge on the G&L. I think it sounds and performs in a good way.. Here is picture before I swapped the pickpus..

Just ammending this to add that I really like G&L MFD's. I changed them out (and still have them) of some curiosity and to have a backup for a traditional style sound. My black G&L stock is an all round excellent guitar.. I still have all three...

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af38/frank4001_bucket/Christmas06april07170.jpg

Another shot of the '63...

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af38/frank4001_bucket/Telelespaul011.jpg

[shredtrash]

I don't understand why people want to buy a G&L and change out all of the stuff. IMO, the reason you buy G&L's are for the bridges, pickups, etc. That's what sets them apart. If you don't want that, there are plenty of Fenders out there to hack up.

[bc-cosmo]

^^^
This

The G&L bridge pickup is really distinctive and usable--I've swapped pickups in my bluesboy, but the original works best.

[Seafoam Green]

I have no comments on the G&L's (great guitars though) but that '63 looks delectable!

[Rotten]

I have three Nocasters and an ASAT Classic. I love Roy Buchanan and Bill Frisell. The ASAT Classic holds up fine. More of a modern sound for when I'm trying to sound like Bill Frisell. The workmanship is comparable and mine is fairly light weight.

[frank4001]

I have no comments on the G&L's (great guitars though) but that '63 looks delectable!

It's a great guitar. I saw it without electrical stuff in the corner of a repairman's shop. I felt the neck and asked him that if he got together would he give a chance to buy it.
(This repaiman now works for PRS building Artist Guitars. Like if some famous guy calls, he builds it. He's repaired Abert Kings flying V. I mean the guy is great.)

So he puts it together and gives me about 2 hours to by it before he brings to a local boutique like shop and cashes in. No haggleing, nothing. Cash or it's gone. I play it. It's great. I buy it. I've had two or three chances at great affordable (stretch) vintage stuff in 30 odd years of this. I jumped on it. Played it hard for two years too. Lots of gigs and some recording. Glad I pulled the trigger...

That being said I love my G&L's too...

[johnnyqb]

The ASAT Classic is a beautiful guitar. As some have said, leave it stock! The pups are distinct from tele pups, some like them more, some less. Generally, they are quieter than tele pups. I don't think it is quite fair to a Rice Custom or Danocaster to compare them to an ASAT though. Those boo-teek-ee teles are at a higher level.

[lumco]

I have 2 ASAT Classics.. older models, nice guitars but the frets seem like traks under my fingers and hard to bond with them.

[duaneallen]

I put Lollar T's in mine and like it much better. It really sounds like a great tele now.

[Boris Bubbanov]

I don't understand why people want to buy a G&L and change out all of the stuff. IMO, the reason you buy G&L's are for the bridges, pickups, etc. That's what sets them apart. If you don't want that, there are plenty of Fenders out there to hack up.

I think perhaps the #1 defining element is the neck join, 22 fret zero overhang and considerably wider. Custom fitted and with the plane of the fretboard well above the body face, quite unlike the FMIC models.

But I haven't changed a G + L pickup and don't plan to soon, I agree on that.

I like replacing the Delrin ferrule block with aluminum or brass, and changing tuners and bridge parts. You can tweak the sound this way, in addition to leveling and polishing the frets. I've also buffed up the satin parts of the neck where contact is made; I like the feel better.

[Boris Bubbanov]

How do ASAT classics stack up against other tele's such as Danocaster, Fender Custom Shop, boutiques, etc.?

Can boutique pickups like lollars, mares be installed in ASAT classics? How about Glendale bridges and saddles?

Thanks in advance.

All these other guitars are Fenders or Fender copies.

+

The G + Ls are sui generis. They're a critter all unto themselves. They differ in serious, material ways. Frankly they're far and away the most distinct T and S type guitars made of conventional materials. I mean, obviously a Trussart is more different but there are very few exceptions.

[LonesomeCraig]

I have 3 G&L Asat Classics. They are very solid and stable. They are very well put together and visually perfect. There are many neck shapes to choose from. The pickups are great with a more modern sound and increased output. The volume and tone controls have a broad range, and many different sounds can be found here.

I have changed the pickups on (2) of them, looking for a more traditional sound. The results were fantastic! Rumpelstiltskin white ropes wound slightly hotter in the Ash/Maple ASAT and Ron Ellis 50/60' set in the Alder/Rosewood ASAT. The 3rd ASAT will stay stock and is perfect.

The electronics are top notch as is the bridge. That being said I did change the bridges on two of them to traditional tele bridges. I like the Joe Barden ones because of the small cutout where your pinky rests. Then 3 compensated brass saddles from Mark Rutters.

The pickup and bridge swap was as easy as it gets. No adjustments needed!

[upfrontguitars]

The key to the ASAT Classic is the pickups. They may be more "modern" as some people describe, but I would also say more flexible. It's not a guitar you play full-up all the time, and it you work the volume and tone controls you can get Classic Tele and more punchy rock tones. The bridge pickup has great output and with the right pedal has a fantastic lead guitar tone with tons of sparkle and overtones. If you want true authentic Tele tones only, buy a higher end Fender or one of the many high quality clones from smaller builders. Buying an ASAT Classic and dropping in Lollars or something is self defeating.

[vortexxxx]

If I was going to get a G&L, the pickups are what make them unique so I wouldn't want to swap them.

[he_is_kyle]

I agree with most of what has been said. The only american G&L ASAT classic that I've played had a very dark tone to it, not that that is bad, just not the vintage tele twang. Definitely a more modern sound. I'd compare it to the sound of texas specials except even thicker, but still a very balanced sound. It was also by far the heaviest telecaster I've ever played.

[Lowlands Erik]

I really don't see why hacking up my G&L is such a strange thing to do.

I bought the G&L because it was a better playing and sounding guitar then guitars from other brands (including Fender) that were available at the time.

After 15 years I decided I wanted to try different pickups. Does that defeat the purpose of buying the G&L in the first place? I don't think so.:bonk It sounds even better now.

So why drag "buy a Fender" into it if someone wants to experiment? I hack up most of my guitars until I am satisfied. Maybe I will put the ceramics back someday.

By the way: putting the "old" ceramic pickups in a Fender doesn't make a G&L out of it!

[duaneallen]

You're not allowed to change the pickups in your G&L guitars to try to sound like a Fender. You're supposed to buy a Fender and change out the Fender pickups for something else so that it can sound more like a Fender. Awesome!:bonk

[gitapik]

I love my ASAT Classic. If I want a traditional Tele sound, I'll buy a Tele. As is, it can play a lot of styles...and it's an unbelievable blues and rock guitar. And I like what it does with country and jazz.

It is heavy, though...that's true.

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k92/guitapick/IMG_1832.jpg

[Rotten]

I don't get the advice not to change anything. It's not like there are a ton of moving parts. If you get one that you like, why not change a few parts to your liking? My replacement parts are an audio taper tone pot, a tighter jack, a Duncan Broadcaster in the bridge, and a Don Mare neck. If you get a body/neck combo that you like, tweak to your heart's desire.

[ASATlove]

Well, I agree with those that say leave the G&L pick ups in. That's what makes it sound like a G&L. Tweak the other parts if you like tweaking things. G&L does now make an ASAT model with alnico pick ups in it from the factory(sacrelige to me). I have had classics, Classic S's and have a blues boy. Love every one of them. The tone knob on an ASAT will give MANY tones to one guitar. Love my ASATs, don't think I'll ever go back.

[lemmiwinks]

I've played a few at the local music shop and they are all super heavy guitars. You can feel the quality, but I usually look for a lighter guitar.

[Bluesdaddy]

My asat classic is the lightest tele I've had, almost comparable to a chambered tele. I also have a light weight legacy so there are light weight G&Ls out there. I've had a couple custom shop fender , a suhr ,and Anderson T type that went back out the door rather quickly but my 2 Asats ( classic and hollow special ) remain .... Great guitars. The Anderson and Suhr were flawlessly built though just not a sound I was after . Never felt the need to mod my asats

[martyman]

It's an interesting dilemma. I modded a Legacy because I got it used at a ridiculously low price because some genius had put some stickers on it and hadn't cleaned it in years. I was looking for a Hendrix vibe and swapped out the pickups to get it. On the other hand, I felt I didn't want to take apart my ASAT Classic, so I bought a Squier CV tele to put in Don Mare's and vintage wiring. Go figure.

[Bluesdaddy]

I was hesitant to buy an asat special because I figured it would be near impossible to Change the pickups , I didn't care for the look of them either. But once I plugged it in I ran to the counter to buy it . I still have that one a swamp ash hollow special with maple fretboard. I also have an asat classic in ash with maple , sounds like a higher output tele to me , love it. Others have come and gone , they all sounded great ..one I had a hard time getting sounds I liked out of was an alder body special with ebony board...

[mad dog]

A '94 ASAT Classic served me well for many years. Outstanding neck p/u, an all-time favorite. Not so with the bridge p/u, so much better with a Don Mare 0038 installed. Swapping in Glendale bridge and saddles was another big improvement.

Why mod such a guitar? Why not? The p/u was a matter of taste ... bridge and saddles upgrade an obvious functional improvement. Why not change a guitar for the better?
MD

[Manic Manager]

I love my ASAT Semi Hollow. Bought it used and it had Danny Gatton PUs in it. They sounded good but not the tone I wanted. Bought some Don Mare Bakelites and it is now perfect. The luthier I use loves the guitar. He said he just sat and played it after the last setup. I might had he is very well respected internationally....so his opinion is much more valid than mine. I would always welcome another G&L into the fold.

[KRosser]

I adore my '96 ASAT Classic...over time I've lost count of how many aftermarket pickups I've put in and always wound up putting the stock set back in. It's stayed that way now for years.

The only mod I did that I kept was adding a 4-way switch, which I find very useful

[Jonny D]

I would agree with a good number of gents that have posted saying that there is really no reason to swap out G&L pickups. They are more flexible than Tele pickups. If you want that classic older Tele sound, so for a Tele. No need to make the ASAT sound like a Tele.

Maybe it is just mine, but the neck of my ASAT Classic is so much nicer than the Tele neck. Notes almost bend themselves. Very snappy guitar.

[SouthpawGuy]

First thing I had done to my ASAT Classic Custom was have the pickups replaced.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh98/SouthpawGuy/GandL%20ASAT%20Classic/DSCF0963.jpg

I like MFDs, the main reason for the change was 60 cycle hum, can't stand it, and it now has Wilde L200s installed.

[Presc]

I think it's reasonable to make a pickup swap - G&L builds one of the most consistent, high quality guitars at its price point. If you want a more traditional tone but like the underlying guitar as a platform, a swap makes sense.

The guitars are really well made. Better than Fender CS or boutique? They're certainly as tightly put together as anything I've seen and are well finished. The poly finish is much thicker than what you get with a good nitro coat (I've got chips in both my G&L and K-Line...trust me, it's not even close) and I personally find the feel a bit "plasticky".

Even the non-relic Fender stuff and most boutique stuff goes for an old school feel. G&L decidedly does not and it's more than just pickups. Hardware, finish, bigger frets, flatter boards, neck sits in the pocket differently. Bottom line they make great stuff, but it's modern not just due to the pickups but also in feel.

[gitapik]

The bridge pup on my Classic is beyond words.

[prs1999]

Went in for a new strap and ended up walking out with a ASAT Classic from Guitar Center today. The only thing that clued me in that the guitar was even played was pick marks on the guard. Damn near mint.
Anyway,a Fender 52 reissue is in my stable and these are same,but different axe's. Maybe the pickups come into play but the G&L seems to have more bottom end,but a real snappy top if the tone is wide open.

As the honeymoon with this guitar has barely started, I see no reason to swap pickups. As stated a few post's ago,the key here is using the volume and tone controls.

Works for me;)

[bluesguitar1972]

I have an ASAT classic - bought it used and it came with a set of Duncan stacks. I had the fellow include the original pups as I wanted to try it with them. So far I've kept them in, and I'm not actively looking for another set to put in, but I certainly don't think it's a crazy notion to swap them out.

I'd throw in a set of Fralin Split blades if they came my way. :) Overall, the ASAT is everybit the guitar my Fender Tele is, with a tighter neck pocket. I don't like the neck pickup mount in the G&L though. Makes for a pain to swap and adjust.

[Secret Ingredient]

I was at the local GC yesterday and they had a used Asat classic on the wall. It was badly in need of a setup. Comparing it to my peavey Jerry Donahue sig the Asat had a much slimmer neck. The neck finish was also not as silky and fast as the peavey, which feels like bare wood. It had a nice light weight. The bridge was fully intonatable, unlike the peavey. I much preferred my guitar but GC wanted under $400 for the asat, which sounds like a really good deal to me.

[ASATlove]

First thing I had done to my ASAT Classic Custom was have the pickups replaced.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh98/SouthpawGuy/GandL%20ASAT%20Classic/DSCF0963.jpg

I like MFDs, the main reason for the change was 60 cycle hum, can't stand it, and it now has Wilde L200s installed.
A lot of the 60 cycle hum in the G&L's comes from the fact that G&L does not shield the cavity. That may be the ONLY draw back to buying a G&L. BUT I use copper shielding tape in all of my G&L's and THAT makes a HUGE difference in the noise of the guitar. At that point, the noise is more quiet than a Tele. Those MFD's are amazing pick ups.

[SouthpawGuy]

A lot of the 60 cycle hum in the G&L's comes from the fact that G&L does not shield the cavity. That may be the ONLY draw back to buying a G&L. BUT I use copper shielding tape in all of my G&L's and THAT makes a HUGE difference in the noise of the guitar. At that point, the noise is more quiet than a Tele. Those MFD's are amazing pick ups.

At the moment I have ten ASATs, and eight of them are stock, this one and a Deluxe have been modded. The main reason I changed the pickups on the one above was because in Ireland we can only get CFL light bulbs now, i.e. fluorescents, and they cause a lot of problems with noise / hum etc. So at least with this one I can play close to a PC monitor with the lights on !

[ASATlove]

Got ya. I have the same thing going on here with the light bulbs. The shielding works well.