Vintage-savvy G&L folks

[Bassomatic]

This looks a lot like a refin to me.

What say you?

 

[Member 995]

What makes you think it is a refin? Considering that everything else looks correct (even missing the volume knob), I wouldn't suspect a refin without some other info.

Bryan

 

[Bassomatic]

Could be the photo, but it doesn't appear yellowed enough, and these guys usually exhibit a good deal of lacquer checking. I dunno, it just looks like poly to me. We'll see if the seller answers my Q.

 

[Member 995]

Could be the photo, but it doesn't appear yellowed enough, and these guys usually exhibit a good deal of lacquer checking. I dunno, it just looks like poly to me. We'll see if the seller answers my Q.

I've had a few F-100s over the years. One had absolutely no checking at all. Another looked like it had been through some serious temperature changes, not to mention some other abuse.

Here is the one that was in great shape. I sold it several years ago:

Bryan

 

[ahab]

I was under the impression that G&L guitars were finished in poly...

 

[Gasp100]

I read that they were finished in poly as well and some players don't like that because they don't yellow/age the same. Maybe you can find more information here: www.guitarsbyleo.com

 

[Bassomatic]

Bryan -

Point taken. Maybe my sampling has been off, being based in cold-ass New England. I have a Series II I'm planning on selling which is checked like crazy (bought that way 5 or so years ago).

I always assumed it was nitro because it's so checked - prolly mistaken.

That said, they tend to yellow a lot, but I s'pose that could be the photo.

Mine's a real relic, appearance-wise. If it was a newly minted fake relic, it would probably fetch a much higher price. The irony!

 

[ahab]

Bassomatic--
If you G&L is checking, then there is a possibility that it might be a professional refin/relic. I don't mean any offense, and I certainly have been mistaken before, but I am not so sure that Poly "checks" the way that nitro does. I believe this is one of the main reasons why many builders have gone to poly.
Best.
Ahab

 

[Bassomatic]

No offense taken, Ahab. Poly does *not* tend to check like nitro. That said, I've seen a lot of old checked G&Ls. Also, there's little chance that someone would have gone through the trouble of stripping and shooting/curing nitro on a local guitar that I got into for relatively little dough. Most guitar players in these parts don't even know what nitro is (or want to - trust me on this!).

 

[ahab]

Gotcha. And you are certainly right there, a refin from poly to nitro would be a considerable amount of work!
I used to play G&L's for a few years, I loved the ASAT...just an amazing guitar.
Have you heard from the seller yet?
Please keep us posted :AOK

 

[JES1680]

I had a series I that was pretty heavily checked. Sure didn't look like poly to me.

 

[treeofpain]

Poly DOES check if subjected to temp extremes. It is more resilient than nitro, but not totally impervious to checking.

It does not check or wear in the same manner as nitro. Also, it may or may not yellow based on exposure to sunlight and other elements. There are a lot of 70's poly strats that have certainly yellowed, and they are poly for sure (except front of headstock, which is usually nitro).

 

[rastus]

Looks right to me-I've seen these in ash with this type finish-thick and looks like poly. I remember back when these were new it seemed most of them had this finish. Some poly (especially the stuff used on Music Man and G&Ls back then) will check quite easily in cold climates. They used a lot of hardener in their finishes back then-not near as much plasticizer as most poly has in it these days (mostly because the old stuff would crack and cause warranty issues) Down south and out west these things didn't crack as bad. That finish looks exactly like my buddy's G&L bass from the 80's. If this was resprayed, the proof would be quite easy to see in the cavities.

 

[sundaypunch]

No offense taken, Ahab. Poly does *not* tend to check like nitro.

Uh oh, someone forgot to tell my horrible, thick-skin, poly-finish '73 Strat that it wasn't susposed to check.......

 

[stringgears]

I am quite sure that its poly and it can check.
I have owned a nat . f-100 that looked just like the one pictured. Mine was all original and there were a few check marks on the finish. I sold it to a fellow musician and he refinished it in red.
SG

 

[Johnny Alien]

Most G&L's were poly but a few were nitro.