My bass collection - G&L
Among all ‘entry level’ models from G&L’s early days, the 2nd style SB-1 and 2nd style SB-2 were the only instruments carried over into the BBE-era. And between the 2, only the SB-2 has never been on hiatus. Not surprising given its versatility using a MFD “Jazz” pickup near the Locktight (Saddle-Lock) bridge and a split-coil Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickup in the center, each with their own volume control to mix them for a wide palette of sounds. Still, some players were still missing a tone control. Allegedly, the 30th Anniversary Collection produced in 2010-2011 includes an SB-2T with such a modded configuration although I have not seen any so far, only an “ordinary” SB-2 residing in Japan. To make room for this tone pot on the control panel the output jack had to be moved to the side of the body. As told on the “‘Entry level’ models in the BBE-era” page, this mod became optional in 2015. This particular exemplar is from the last month of 2016 and has a light Empress wood body instead of alder which would otherwise have been used under the Orange Metal Flake finish. The mint 3-ply pickguard matches that finish well. The hard-rock maple neck with 9½” radius maple fingerboard has the usual 34” scale length, 1⅝” wide bone nut (not the narrower 1½” found on the pre-BBE version), and Ultralite bass tuning machine with the tuning machine for the E-string replaced by a Hipshot BT1 Bass Xtender. Although the SB-2T may have become the “standard” configuration in 2017, it does not have its own page on the G&L website. Instead, the “traditional” SB-2 is still shown at:
SB-2T ‘Juicy Lucy’
The story behind this bass
Year:
Serial number:
Neck date:
Body date:
Strings:
The tone control is not the only reason for adding this bass to the collection. Sometime during 2019, a Margarita Metallic SB-2T appeared on one of the auction sites. What made that bass the more appealing was the fact it had a transitional serial number, i.e the water slide decal used after the brushed aluminum plate was abolished in September 2016 but before the serial number was etched into the back of the headstock starting in February 2017. I missed out on that one, missing the chance to kill two birds with one stone, and hence needed to resort to a much more expensive instrument with a similar trait. But an SB-2T was still needed even in that case. Guess my surprise when in February 2020, just at the right time, Todd Costner lists his ‘Juicy Lucy’ on Reverb at more or less the same price point as the aforementioned SB-2T. And also with a transitional serial number given it was completed on my wife’s birthday, 12/13/2016. Todd likes to customize his basses with additional water slide decals, in this case giving ‘Juicy Lucy’ some elements commonly found on a WWII Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress; a look (and association) I happen to like. And it came with a nice strap lock system already installed with matching patent leather strap. The stickers on the neck heel show a date of 11/18/2016, hidden under a piece of tape used as a wedge to the the neck angle. But as a rarity, the true neck date stamp is found on the butt end! The extra tone control definitely gives you the facility to sculpt the sound even more. But I do not deem it to be an essential addition when compared to my other SB-2 basses. However, this SB-2T does have a leg up in the weight department. With its Empress wood body, it is physically non-exhausting having it hang around ones neck for a whole rehearsal and/or gig. Nice!
The story behind this guitar
2016
CLF079305
NOV 29 2016
none
