My guitar collection - G&L

 
 

A full Clear Red guitar without any markings and an origin story evoking some questions on chronology, but in appearance undeniably a G&L. The contoured swamp ash body has the same shape as the 1992-2017 BBE-era Invader which has somewhat longer, sharper, and sleeker horns with a deeper cutaway compared to an S-500/Legacy body of the same era. Two Jumbo Magnetic Field pickups with white covers power this rocking machine. It further has a Saddle-Lock bridge, and rear-loaded volume, tone, and 3-position pickup selector just like the ASAT (Special). So although ‘LegASAT‘ may roll of the tongue a little easier, given the body shape the nickname ‘InvASAT‘ was bestowed on her. The matching Clear Red hard-rock maple neck has a 12” maple fingerboard with the same finish; one of only 2 examples of an G&L with such a feature I am aware of. The matching Clear Red headstock is void of a logo, model decal, as well as serial number. To match the Pearl cavity cover, I changed the original chromed buttons on the G&L branded Schaller closed tuning machines with small pearloid versions.

 

‘InvASAT’ prototype

The story behind this guitar

Year:

Serial number:

Neck date:

Body date:

Strings:


What an enigma! This instrument was bought from Dino Bogris. He believes this instrument was demoed on the 2005 (Winter) NAMM by the previous owner, an artists whose name has escaped Dino. An included note states it is a “2003 G&L ASAT Special guitar”. The CTS 500kΩ Audio Taper pots are from the 36th week of 2003, i.e. September 1-7. That all jibes. However, the blade switch pickup selector has a sticker ‘51992 0551’ attached to it. If the ‘0551’ is a date code similar as then used by CTS, the guitar is from much later. But no later than mid-2006, since it still has a Bi-Cut neck. And the wiring harness is essentially identical to the one used on the 25th Anniversary model, a model from 2006 too. Asking Dave McLaren about it, he could not recall this instruments which he nevertheless deemed “very cool and unique”. He suggested to look in the pickup cavities for any additional hints. No such luck. Instead of springs or tubing, a piece of foam is used attached to body and pickup by double-sided sticky tape. This covers up most of the area but careful inspection does not reveal any writing spilling out. What is that other example with a stained fingerboard you may ask? A Clear Red Legacy HB prototype listed on Facebook during 2020. Also allegedly built in 2003, that gorgeous instrument has a mahogany body, quilted maple top with natural wood binding, Dual-Fulcrum Vibrato, Lollar bridge humbucker, CLF-100 middle and neck pickups, custom wiring harness, mahogany neck with stained quilted maple fingerboard and headstock veneer, both with natural wood binding, and Graph-Tech RATIO tuning machines. Also here a serial number is missing and, as hinted to by the absent model decal, it was built for a NAMM show, with the year unknown. In other words, these traits are exactly the same and indicative of a shared history with this ‘InvASAT’. So I will take her for what she is: a gloriously sounding head-turner. First time I played her, “Before They Make Me Run” fell out with all the dynamics audible on that 1978 Stones tune. Is that a sign?

The story behind this guitar

2003

none (200[5] Winter NAMM guitar, prototype)

none

none

D’Addario EXL115 Nickel Wound Blues/Jazz Rock (11-49)