G&L L-2000: Keep the preamp, or swap it?

Discussion in 'Luthier's Guitar & Bass Technical Discussion' started by dangayle, Feb 8, 2012.

  1. Feb 8, 2012 #1
    dangayle

    dangayle Member

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    I have an '81 G&L L-2000 that was somebody's roadwarrior axe, and the pre-amp doesn't seem to work in it. I have a few options:

    1) Fix it

    2) Replace it with the preamp from a different L-2000

    3) Replace it with something else entirely


    From what I hear, one of the most often cited complaints about the L-2000 was the non-standard controls and pre-amp. If I were to put in something different, I could conceivably fix that. Also, from what I gather, the pre-amp on that was a treble boost only, which I'd rather have a bass boost.

    Thoughts?
     
    dangayle, Feb 8, 2012
    dangayle, Feb 8, 2012
    #1
  2. Feb 10, 2012 #2
    JKjr

    JKjr Member

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    I was waiting for someone who actually KNEW anything to chime in, but I can offer an uninformed opinion. I played an older G&L in a store, not sure if it's your model or not, but it had the preamp. The build quality was great and it rang acoustically, but I could not coax a good sound out of it amplified. If it were me, I'd rip that stuff out in a skinny minute and throw your favorite passive setup back in. BTW I have a P type from the same time period,(L 100 maybe?) I'll never part with. Good stuff.
     
    JKjr, Feb 10, 2012
    JKjr, Feb 10, 2012
    #2
  3. Feb 12, 2012 #3
    dangayle

    dangayle Member

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    You're feelings are similar to mine, but I don't mind the current passive setup. I just want the active part to boom! (also, it's pretty noisy with hum, so maybe a good active will keep that down)
     
    dangayle, Feb 12, 2012
    dangayle, Feb 12, 2012
    #3
  4. Feb 12, 2012 #4
    Jon C

    Jon C Silver Supporting Member

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    post your Q at the G&LDP and you'll get much more feedback... I haven't heard significant criticism of the L2K and think it's a pretty darn good bass, but then I usually don't use the preamp tones either.

    jc
     
    Jon C, Feb 12, 2012
    Jon C, Feb 12, 2012
    #4
  5. Feb 12, 2012 #5
    walterw

    walterw Gold Supporting Member

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    i've done just that to many of these, with really good results.

    the stock preamp just boosts everything, having another setting for a treble boost on top of that, and you just use the passive bass-cut and treble-cut to turn it back down.

    replacing that weird setup with a normal two-band preamp like the EMG BTS control gives way more flexibility, as the bass and treble knobs become actual cut and boost EQ knobs with a center detent for "flat".

    i like to keep the bypass switch to kick the preamp out for passive operation.
     
    walterw, Feb 12, 2012
    walterw, Feb 12, 2012
    #5

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