NGD: G&L Legacy Tribute (Irish Ale)

[OldStrummer]

It took longer to arrive than I'd expected, but that was due to the Easter weekend. It finally showed up at my office today, and here it is, fresh out of the wrapping. I haven't yet plugged it in (I believe in letting guitars acclimate for 24 hours) but the build quality looks super. The neck feels comfortable (that Brazilian Cherry wood isn't an impediment), and it tips the scales at a manageable 7.4 pounds. G&L includes a truss rod wrench three allen wrenches and a tensioner spring (can't figure out what that's for, unless it used to add a whammy bar). The color is "Irish Ale," and these quickly-taken photos don't really show it well. I like the tortoise-shell pickguard, but I know some people can't stand them. All in all, for the money I paid (FREE shipping!), this is a pretty terrific guitar. Once I play it, I'll be able to say that more affirmatively.

[ch willie]

OS, that's beautiful, and I think the tort pickguard suits it perfectly. Congratulations.

[melody]

Nice axe... Enjoy!

[DanTheBluesMan]

happy strat shaped object day

was that one of the SDOTD guitars?

[Don]

I like that a lot! Congrats!

[OldStrummer]

happy strat shaped object day

was that one of the SDOTD guitars?

Yep! I've been curious about G&L guitars, having heard nothing but good things about them, but never could find myself justifying the purchase of one. Then along came the SDOTD and the look and price were too much to resist!

[OldStrummer]

Well, now I've had some time to play with it, and here are my initial observations:

It needs some setup. Hey, that's what I hired Joe Walsh for! There is some string buzz on the A and D strings. But I found that after tuning them, letting them go out of tune, and tuning them up again (a few times), the buzz has nearly been eliminated. The first thing Joe does is pull on the strings. Lesson learned...

The pickups put out an awesome sound. The three G&L alnico single coils are crisp, clear, punchy and growly. Nice. The five-way selector switch is interesting. There is a definite difference between the straight neck and straight bridge sound, but the other three are not so well defined. Joe has that topic covered, as well.

I now have an improved appreciation for the fingerboard of my Fender Custom Shop Robin Trower signature! While well crafted, the cherry fingerboard feels "slower" than the Fender's. Keep in mind that the CS costs ten times as much, I'm not complaining. I may just need to play it some more.

So, it's a mixed review. I paid for this the same amount as I paid for my Fender Classic Player Triple Telecaster, and that guitar won me over moments after I started playing it. This G&L seems like it's going to have to work a little to earn my love.

[OldStrummer]

I need to update this thread, and in doing so am going to divulge how little I know about the "care and feeding" of a guitar.

A week or so ago, I had moved the G&L out of my living room into my guitar room to make room for Shimmer (my CS Robin Trower Strat). I broke a string, had to order more and waited. That's another story.

Yesterday, I was in my guitar room and felt the desire to play. First, I picked up my Magnificent Seven Telecaster and played a couple of tunes. Then I picked up the G&L.

WTH?

Every string buzzed. I checked the intonation, and all was in order, so the problem exists between the 12th fret and the nut. My first thought is that I need to adjust the truss rod. But really? After just a few weeks?

One of the reasons I got this guitar was that I figured it could be my "work project." Well, project #1 just showed up: figure out how the guitar got "injured" and how to heal it. I'm posting here both for assurance and guidance.

Any ideas? I probably won't entertain sending the guitar to someone, but other than that...?

[DanTheBluesMan]

it has gotten appreciably warmer in the past week or so in No VA, has it not? could it be an environmental change, maybe it doesn't like hot weather?

[FrankJohnson]

That is a great looking instrument!!!! How is that neck??

[OldStrummer]

it has gotten appreciably warmer in the past week or so in No VA, has it not? could it be an environmental change, maybe it doesn't like hot weather?

True, the weather has gotten appreciably warmer (up into the 90°s), but only for the past three days, and I have a "smart" home that keeps temperature and humidity pretty even throughout the year.

But the neck of this baby is topped with a Brazilian Cherry fingerboard, and THAT may be susceptible to minor environmental changes. I'm going out of the country for a week, so I don't have time to tinker with it until I return. Who knows, maybe by then it will have "settled" into the right frame of mind again.

[CoyotesGator]

Sure is pretty!

[gibsonjunkie]

I didn't read anywhere that you put new strings on it. I'd do that, too.