No lie , about 2 years ago I bought a Tribute Comanche and discovered the wiring harness was a complete mess, resulting in several positions not working…. I emailed G&L and they immediately sent me a shipping label to their Fullerton location and fixed it right up and shipped it back. I don’t know if other companies would do such a thing….. G&L fan for life!
@@MarkRigler At first I really couldn’t tell the difference but I looked at them both under a black light. Didn’t really come through clearly until I brought out the microscope.
Awesome to see @GL_Guitars responding. I just got a Fullerton JB in Himalayan blue and I love it. The neck is incredible and the pickups sound great. Watched a lot of factory tour videos in the last week and I like Dave’s love for the brand.
I purchased Two of those babies, the Orange and the clear. Although they sleep in strat hardshell cases. Have had them for a while, love the quack of my G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanches.
Fun Fact: one can purchase G&L parts from electronics to bridges to bodies to necks to fully built B stock guitars and basses...directly from G&L. Name a part on that guitar and you can *just buy it* which if you think about it for a second...nobody else does that, much less down to the screw. Bonus - they're competitive/reasonable in price compared to mainstream aftermarket components or OEM replacements.
I’d really like to buy the little grub screw that holds the tremolo arm in place for my S-500 Tribute. I purchased a floor model and it didn’t come with one.
Fun fact, the pickups on the gnl are the same on the American built ones as the tributes built elsewhere. However, some of the other hardware is different such as tone pots, etc. That said, I haven't had any issues with tone pots on my gnl tribute s-500. Had it for a number of years now and it's a brilliant guitar 🙂 as a dealer friend of mine said the difference between the g&l American guitars and the tribute series is that the American one is twice the price but definitely not twice the guitar 🙂
I am fortunate to have both a '03 Fullerton-CLF and a '15 Tribute Comanche. I had both at the same time for awhile and found them both to be awesome guitars. They both sounded great and as Ryan showed, you have a greater ability to shape the sound with the PTB tone knob system. The tribute in my opinion was a greater value because the quality/cost ratio was more favorable, but the Fullerton-CLF was absolutely one of the top 3 finest guitars I have ever owned and played. The neck was sublime and the build quality coming out of G&L USA is second to none in my opinion and it is the only guitar that I regret selling to the extent that I contacted the buyer and offered him a premium to get it back. I still have my G&L Doheny (offset) and love it. My advice is that if you have $700 get a tribute and if you can swing it, get yourself a Fullerton. Also don't be afraid of the used market, they are a "secret bargain" to be had because resale is usually lower than other brands.
@@888jimm The S-500 package with 3 MFD p/u's, Dual Fulcrum vibrato, the 25.5 scale and the PTB system, fixed nearly all issues with the Strat design and created the most wonderfully versatile guitar Leo ever made.
One of the many nice things about G&L is that nobody generally cares about them. As such, you can find deals on them. I recently grabbed a new Fullerton Deluxe Doheny HH for $1299 out the door. A steal. Anyway, Tribute or USA, they’re great guitars. And why other makers don’t offer some similar type of PTB system is a long standing mystery. Thanks, Ryan!
@@sassycat Yes, I see now that they have a new channel. Since 2 weeks, no less. But what I'm saying is that they have a very low presence on YT and don't seem to cooperate with creators to any significant degree. I believe that Ryan has tried to engage with them before, but without result... (Maybe I'm not remembering that correctly.)
@@perekman3570 and Sassycat, G&L's marketing is poor. Since the inception of the company they relied on Leo Fender's reputation to carry them, and it did. Since his passing they have continued to make improvements on their craftsmanship and even some new innovations. But of course Leo isn't around anymore to drive sales. Unfortunately, they also seem to now rely on the old fashioned model of allowing the dealers to promote their brand. Dealers like SW and Anderton's do a decent job, but it could be better. I will say this; The folks who work at and run G&L are lovely people, that I have had the pleasure of dealing with and I am always rooting for their continued success.
Thanks for this thorough close-up comparison on the details that set the two apart. Based on this, I'd be happy with either of them - but I'm sure I'd be even happier with the Fullerton. It's good to know that it offers a superior experience.😉
I directly compared the G&L Asat Classic Blueboy Tribute to a American Fullerton Bluesboy. I gotta say i liked the Tribute and it was beautiful but after a few minutes of playing and feeling the Fullerton, i put the Tribute back on the wall. The difference is subtle in every aspect but all adds up to a lot.
The Tribute tuners are easily upgraded with GraphTech Ratio tuners. They're a drop in replacement. You don't even need to use any of the adapter plates, since the Tribute tuners and the GraphTech Ratios are both two-pin design. I have them on my MIK S-500 and MIK Legacy, and I know they'll also work on the MII Tributes.
As someone who has played around with wiring for a set of Z coils, I can tell you what the difference is. The Tribute was wired with the individual coils of each pickup in parallel, and the USA G&L was wired with them in series. G&L used to have a model with individual toggles for each side of each pickup called the Comanche Studio VI, and the "both on" setting was in parallel instead of the usual series. Sounded just like that Tribute. I settled on wiring my neck and middle pickups in parallel and the bridge in series. You can also do series/parallel switching with the halves of a P Bass pickup with similar results.
USA G&Ls are among the very best Fenders short of a tip-top custom shop specimen, and have been for decades. A used one is perhaps the best value electric guitar purchase going.
Thank you for this video. I own both tribute and fullerton S500s and Legacy's, they are both giggable guitars, but USA versions offer that extra attention to detail that make them worth it. I'll never sell my G&L's
My #1 guitar is a roughly 2008 US Comanche. I swapped the bridge pickup for the hotter Will Ray Z-Coil (which I don't think that they make any more). It takes a little while to get used to the PTB tone system, but once you put a little time in, it's super flexible. It came with a hardshell case, and I got it with locking tuners, a Graftech nut and string tree, and matching headstock color. I also have a US Legacy Special, and a Tribute ASAT Special. All mighty fine guitars, but the Comanche gets almost all the play time.
Ryan, I don't recall if you've looked at any MusicMan guitars before. I bring it up because the price difference between US MusicMan and "Sterling by MusicMan" is more drastic. Would that be another good video idea? Good examples are Cutlass HSS or St. Vincent. The price difference is nearly 4:1. That would be a good video!
I did a comparison between a USA and sterling st Vincent last time I was in Germany but it was pretty silly thanks to jet lag. If I get the opportunity I’ll do it again in this style.
The tribute has a ground wire soldered to one of the springs where the Fullerton didn't, won't be able to remove the spring without soldering. Just bought the tribute used yesterday and glad I did after watching your video. Good job thanks.
Can't wait to watch this after work. I have Tribute Fallout that I started out making my own recordings on. I recently got a used Fullerton Deluxe Fallout (for the "wiggle stick") and its one of the best made guitars I've ever played. The Tribute is amazing.
And yah honestly the paint job/finish and the high polished gloss is one of the reasons it's better. The finish on my fullerton Doheny Lake Placid Blue is freaking beautiful, the nicest LPB polished paintjob i've seen in person. I was very close to getting the American Performer with the satin Lake Placid Blue as that looks beautiful in person, but those paintjobs are way easier to mess up and scuff and crack and all sorts of nonsense. I was honestly not that big a fan of thick gloss/clear coating until I saw how they polish it to look like glass basically. It's completely changed my mind on highly glossed finishes. As another commenter mentioned even their gloss necks on g&l are nice so I actually am interested in trying that even though I swore off of gloss necks years ago. If there's one thing they do right over there it's freaking polishing. everything polished. The neck and fret ends I imagine are slightly better too. G&L does clearances on their website of b-stock or messups and the ones that are just the paint jobs miffed are a good value.
I have the Fullerton Deluxe Comanche. I absolutely love it. When I got it, it was having some issues staying in tune though. Since I actually live in Fullerton right up the road from G&L, no problem. I called them, drove on down and they dialed it in PERFECTLY! They also swapped out the regular tuners for locking tuners...no charge! It plays like an absolute dream now. I can go nuts on the tremolo bar and it just won't go out of tune no matter how hard I might try. They also swapped out the .10's for .09's and re-setup everything...again at no charge. Anyway, great video and as for G&L, they make GREAT instruments and have wonderful customer service!
An interesting thing about the Tributes is that occasionally Cort (the overseas manufacturer) will do limited runs of instruments without being prompted by G&L. I picked up a limited edition Tribute Comanche last year for $850 that had a burl cap on the body with a roasted neck and locking tuners. I love it. The only issue I had was with the 5-way switch (as you noted), which was having problems with the contacts inside, so yeah, the controls are generally lesser quality on the Tributes. To your point about the bridge, I think the major difference between the bridges is the mass. The USA bridge (including the hardtail) are fully chrome-plated brass, while the imports are (I think) plated aluminum.
I have a Tribute Comanche in Olympic White and I love it! Having large, long fingered hands, I prefer the chunkier Tribute neck to the Fullerton version, but that's a personal preference. Aesthetically, I also. like the push pull better than the little toggle that looks like someone's aftermarket add-on. As for tone, both versions have the same pickups and sound about the same to me, though I did replace the plastic nut on my Tribute with a Zero Glide that's a big help in maintaining tuning stability. All in all, to me the Tribute is a lot more bang for your bucks than the pricey Fullerton version.
Ryan, this is spectacular, like it's so in depth there really aren't many videos that go into this much detail. Would you consider doing this with like a Fender player and a American pro, or perhaps a Player plus vs American Ultra
I have just bought my first G&L ( Tele asat tribute) and I thought about buying the U.S.A. Made one, but. I am not a virtuoso player and the extra expense and subtle difference in tone are not justified.
Your point about Strat knobs being slippery for pulling up was well taken. I replaced knobs on both my Donner DST-400s for just that reason. I even selected a contrasting color for one guitar, so as to "color code" the knob with the push-pull pot. I tried to find out what the sustain block material is. No joy. Even G&L's own site doesn't tell. It DOES say that the saddles are brass, though, and they are clearly chrome plated, so maybe the block is the same. It seems less than likely to me that the plating would do anything to the tone or sustain, but it would look a trifle better to some. A brass block is usually a good thing, though they can be heavy.
Great comparison video!!! I traded a new American Standard Fender Tele for a new G&L ASAT in the mid 90's... best trade ever! The ASAT was a keeper and I still enjoy it today. I'd be curious to know if the material of the hardware on the Fullerton and Tribute are different metal alloys. If I had to guess, I'd say yes.The quality of the Fullerton may not be close to 3 times the quality, but if you want the extra (premium) quality that's the price you gotta pay. I'd love to get a Comanche... and although I'd prefer the Fullerton, my wallet says Tribute.
i was going to hit the button and buy a Fender player II telecaster , i already own a FSR player II series strat, BUT after randomly watching a guitar vid, i bought a tribute ASAT special tele and am very happy i did..won't buy another Fender again as the G&L are cheaper, brilliant quality and are still Leo Fender designed guitars 😁 god bless George Fullerton and Leo Fender for making guitars that Fender can ever dream of beating for the price 🤘
You're probably right about them using a slightly different shaped bit to bevel an round the edges of the two guitars but it could just be that while the Tribute bodies only receive the merest lick of hand sanding after coming off the CNC, with the Fullerton they take more time to hand sand and soften the edges. As for the tonal difference I wonder whether maybe that comes down to Poplar vs. Alder bodies and Maple vs. Rosewood fretboards but it seems quite a big difference for all that. Difference in bridge block material likely comes into play too. For the tone controls, yes, you can put that same wiring scheme in any S style or other guitar with 3 knobs easily. Just look up Reverend or G&L tone control diagram or just copy what you see on these two guitars. I have put the same style controls on my LTD Eclipse 1000
I was lucky enough to pick up an NOS G&L SC-2 a few years ago. Apparently, the music store I got it from bought out an older music store that had stuck it back in the warehouse/back room 20 years before. They had a few other models and I should’ve picked those up while I was at it because I got it at a great price. They even ran it through a FLEK machine. Absolutely a fantastic guitar.
Ryan G&L makes a big deal about how their MFD pickups are only made in the US and whatever model of Tribute you buy the pickups are the same. I own an ASAT Special (Jumbo MFDs) and Comanche (Z-Coils) in the Tribute versions and love them. They also say the bridges are the same, US made, but you have shown that some of the hardware is cheaper on the Tribute, the bridge body is the same. BTW the MFD pickups and bridges were both designed by Leo Fender, some of his brilliant last designs. The PTB circuit is special and I wish all my guitars had a low-cut. I did change the knobs on my Comanche to a design that is easier to pull up. Love G&L! I own 5 tributes, G&L does not get the love they deserve.
I own a two of those Fullertons, the Orange Metallic and a Clear Ash body. The Ash has a maple neck and is brighter. For me those little upgrades are worth it. I also have a older 2019 American Fender Ultra Strat when Fender rereleased them in Plasma Red. All three has newer stock noise canceling single coils. Those G&L’s really shine under stage cans, no hum, and actually hold tuning better than the Ultra Strat. Thanks for the video
I have two G&L guitars, a Fullerton Doheny (JM) and a Tribute Legacy (Strat). I ended up setting up the Legacy with Lollar pickups and electronics more similar to a standard strat setup. The Doheny is still stock. I love them both. I'll never part with the Doheny. If you're in the market for any Fender guitar and the label's not important, try a G&L. Tributes are superior than 99% of MIM Fenders I've played. My Fullerton feels better than any standard American JM, closer to Custom Shop quality. TWO PRINCETONS SLO-MO!
Never understood why people looking for the Fender vibe don’t gravitate to the G&Ls. Better quality and value for the money it most cases. Oh well, at least it gives us G&L devotees more choices on the used market
Ryan, it is pretty simple to do that bass cut mod- although to do it exactly like G&L does it you will need a 1Meg anti-log potentiometer. They are "easy" to find in 16mm diameter sizes, but on 24mm size it's a bit harder (not impossible). The rest is pretty easy to do. I do offer this option on all "strat-type" guitars that drop on my workbench for a setup/electronic service/maintenance. And also the toggle switch option. Because, in my humble opinion, the PTB circuit is a (big) step further the usual strat circuit. Leo knew better.
@@60CycleHumcast Bass cut is awesome on fuzz pedals. Really usefull to tighten the bass response going into the fuzz and overall "mushiness". Works great and gives the fuzz a different, great tonal pallette! I know a thing or two about this ;) Try it!!!
I've owned two tributes and two USAs (well, technically three but the third was modded to hell by a previous owner and ruined), all of them second-hand and nowhere near two grand. My very first was a Korean Tribute ASAT Special that was solid and reliable and sounded great (those overwound MFDs are real noisy, though). in 2012, I got a 1999 USA ASAT Classic that I still own and love. Last year, I got an itch for an S-style, so I found a used Tribute Legacy, which was just fine but not exceptional. Then I stumbled upon a stupid cheap custom shop S-500 and fell in love. It played beautifully out of the box. My ultimate conclusion was that Tributes are good guitars and one of the best values out there, but I've never really bonded with them. I instantly bonded with both of the USA ones and will never let go of either. That said, in practical terms, I'm pretty handy and could probably spend a little time and money working on a Tribute on things like frets, upgrading tuners (see previous post), and maybe little things like switches and pots that would get the Tribute close if not on the same level. But my love for those guitars isn't really practical. It's just a feeling of holding an instrument that is perfect down to the last screw and solder. And I also feel like pickups and electronics account for at least 90-95% of the guitar's sound (player notwithstanding), but little things like tonewoods and just generally being well put together makes that last 5-10% significant and where the magic happens. Worth $1300 difference? Not to me, but I also know you can get great deals on used USA G&Ls if you have a little patience (just a little patience).
About the "jangle" vs. "smooth" sound, is it possible the original pickup height adjustment on the Tribute was correct for the pickups? Just a thought.
Were the strings grounded on the orange one? I looked closely and never saw a ground wire going to the claw in the trem cavity, and I never saw a ground wire in the control cavity when the pickguard was removed. I'm just wondering if I missed it somehow.
I would like to have verified pickup and pole piece adjustment. If these pickups seem that dissimilar then there is an explanation beyond esoteric differences in paint, etc. These sound like two completely different guitars. The abundance of low mids in the USA is a strong clue to the possibilities. I wish more time to investigate the concrete differences had had their due diligence. That said the format of the video was great! Would watch a lot more of this style content.
Generally it's just because of tolerances in making components. No two pickups will produce the exact same signal even under the same circumstances because they're not exactly the same. So it depends on the tolerances in making the pickups. And a big often overlooked factor is the pots. Everyone defaults to CTS potentiometers and the standard CTS line has tolerances of +/- 30% i.e any given 250k pot might actually be anywhere between 175k and 325k, which amounts to wildly different levels of brightness/darkness in output. Even a boutique pickup company like Bare Knuckle, their pots are +/- 10% in tolerance.
31:44 I wonder if the smoother tone (vs the jangle that "editor Ryan" mentioned in the pop up) is coming from the pickup height adjustment. Part of me wonders if they tuned it for the same sound regardless of height and by trying to normalize the two by height it may have given the Tribute a disadvantage for tone.
Router took a dump, thanks for the comparo Ryan. We are lucky to have Sweetwater in this country. At almost 3x the price I expect some cool inlay work on the fretboard.
Unlike FMIC USA vs Mexico, the G&L Fullerton and the Tribute pricing are based on the quality of materials and build that you get and not just name brand. Even though, with either G&L you are generally getting the same p/u's and electronics. It's actually hard to explain because one is excellent and the other is glorious. You would have to hold them in your hands to know exactly what I mean, but you wouldn't have to hold them for very long.
Best comparison I have seen on RUclips. I am in the process of humming and harring over putting an offer in on an Indo Comanche as I write this. Talk about a timely stumbling on to your site. If I get it (highly likely now), its all your fault buddy. I'll get back to you. Cheers from Australia, Ken.
I've got two Fullerton G&Ls. A Legacy and an ASAT Deluxe. I love them more than any Fender I've owned - and I own a lot. The Legacy is superb, but the ASAT is sublime. It's such an amazing guitar that, IMO, kills any Tele made.
As a Fender Fanatic who is very happy with my Strat, I must admit if I was in the market for an S type today, I’d buy the $700.00 Tribute over Fender’s $850.00 Player easy.
This video was a great idea. I’m not an expert on any of this, but maybe these comments will add to the discussion: Yes, you can put the passive treble-bass tone control in another guitar. There are schematics and wiring diagrams online. The original design used a one-meg reverse taper pot for the bass cut. The bass cut knob wiring in the video showed a capacitor on the bass cut pot that is not in the original circuit. The pickups on both guitars are made in G&L’s Fullerton factory. You pointed out the extra wires coming from the pickups. The earliest Comanche models had a toggle switch for each half of each pickup. For example, you could turn on the pole pieces for the lower three strings of the neck pickup and the pole pieces for the higher three strings on the bridge pickup. The pickups are called magnetic field design (MFD) pickups. They are radically different than the pickups used in Fender guitars. Leo Fender decided he had done all he could do with the slug pole pickups used in the Fender guitars. He designed a pickup that used a ceramic magnet. However, the MFD pickups went way beyond the type of ceramic bar magnet pickups found in lower-priced guitars. You might have noticed that the pickups on the Comanche guitars have adjustable pole pieces. This offers an additional way to change the sound. The Fullerton Comanche neck appeared to be thinner than the Tribute neck. At one time, G&L offered a choice of neck profiles for the made-in-USA guitars. They may still do that. That might account for the difference. The differences in the body are puzzling. It would seem that G&L could run the same CNC program in the Indonesia plant as they do in the Fullerton plant. The difference in the guitars, besides the different components, appears to be in the fit and finish. For example: polished frets; the nut is cut better; the metal imparts are smoother and shinier. I suspect that tumors time is spent on quality control in the U.S. factory. Also, many G&L employees have worked there for a long time and have developed a high level of skill. Has anyone ever compared the U.S. PRS guitars to the SE series? Maybe Sweetwater would go for that! All in all, this was a great video.
I have a 2019 Tribute with the burl top finish and roasted maple neck. A few months ago I found a CLF USA version for a great price and I took the plunge. G&L was nice enough to run the serial number and tell me the manufacture date, 2001, neck profile and wood type. When I bought the Tribute I had a USA PRS. The tones on the Tribute were so good that it became my #1. Now my CLF is. There's a difference between the two guitars, mostly in the neck. The tribute is a little wider and has a flatter radius. It's also heavier than the American model. My rig is a Helix and I found there was no need to change tones on any of my presets. I've owned Strats, Les Pauls (I have one now) and other premium guitars. This guitar gives me all the sound, output and tones I need. My LP is for heavier, chunky rock but if I had only the G&L I'd be happy with that .
I got a Comanche Tribute from Amazon (2019). Knowing what I know now I would have immediately returned it. The spread of the pole-pieces were identical on all 3 pickups, consequently the strings were mis-aligned with the pole-pieces except for the neck pickup. (Pole-piece spread should be different on each pickup to accommodate string spread). The high-E string was completely mis-aligned with the corresponding pole piece (bridge) and very wimpy sounding. I had missed the return window. I could not find any options via G&L to replace with correctly designed pickups. I changed the angles of the middle and bridge pickups so that strings were in much better alignment with pole-pieces. I really butchered the pick-guard to make it happen. I could order a new custom pick-guard but I decided it looks kinda cool with the exposed wiring. I know it very likely was an Indonesian bean-counter's decision to put bad product out but I'm disappointed with G&L in letting that happen. I haven't even considered another G&L product since then.
G&L are that 'rare' out here, I'd struggle to think of any store that stocks both variants. I have no idea what the situation is in the US, but I feel as a brand they are almost an unknown quality these days, whereas once they were quite well known. Bit of a pity as I'm all for diversity of brands and competition for the big players Fine idea here for a comparison Ryan... Clearly you aren't just a pretty face. 😊 Cheers 🎸🎸🎸
they are 'rare' because they treat their distributors like crap and send out guitars with warped necks. im a bit biased from working there for years so YMMV
Wonderful video, it helped me a lot in making the decision to buy a Comanche. I love how you go into the nitty gritty details and get into the guts too, 10 out of 10
I own a Tribute Comanche and love it. Regarding the tonal difference between the USA and Tribute, they are slightly different but they sound like they come from the same family. In fact, outside of the side by side comparison, I doubt that very few people would hear the difference if played separately. My only knock on the Tribute was that it had a tiny bit of peach fuzz on the frets at first. It was noticeable but not enough to bother polishing the frets, I just played it in and it's fine. Regarding the price difference, the Tribute is a compelling value. I also owned, but foolishly sold a USA S500, selling it was a huge mistake. I'm now considering buying another S500. The question now becomes, USA or Tribute for the future S500.
I bought a Legacy Tribute used on EBay. Turns out it is a 2003 model made in Korea. I love it, just as good as any Strat I've played. G&L Tributes are one of the best bargains out there. Give em a try.
The obvious cost of labor comes into play. If the Tribute were made in the US, (with the same materials and workmanship), I would guess it would be double the price. They are both reasonable options once you are fully informed on what you are paying for. Thank you for making the video, you are a true wordsmith.
G&L are underrated instruments. I have a 1990s Legacy Special and it feels amazing in my hands, just a joy to play. I never could get the stock Gotoh blade pickups to work for me. However, they didn’t sound bad and I could imagine them being perfect for another player. At any rate, traditional single coil pickups are easy to find and my Legacy Special is now one of the nicest “Strats” I ever played.
When you compare US and imports, it is very important to also compare things like "string spacing" at the nut and at the bridge, "tremolo bridge posts spacing", and neck radius (at nut and at neck joint if it's a "compound radius") ... to do so you need 2 tools : a good professional vernier caliper, and the "StewMac Understring Radius Gauges Set".
"If those dates sounds like they're in the past, then you've already missed it" - Well, it _is_ already the 23rd of October according to my calendar, but I live in NZ, so it must still be the 22nd in the US! 😁 And I'm watching this video on my laptop, and the orange colour of that Fullerton G&L does look great indeed! 😊
Roughness on Tribute and especially the nut is not acceptable in this price point. If I can see roughness, not fully cut bits or some wood dust on 200$ Squier that's fine but not on 700$ G&L. For this price I expect taking the guitar out of the box, tuning it and not having to touch anything else. I got myself a Sterling bass in the same price point as G&L in the video and yeah, it's made with lower quality components but it was still crafted with care and properly quality controlled with routs cleaner than both guitars in the video.
I have the Tribute G&L ASAT deluxe and I dig it. The neck is wide though so more complex chords can be challenging but for playing leads it is a blast. I'd recommend to anyone looking for a humbucker Tele.
It should have the same 1⅝" nut width as every other G&L Tribute model (slightly narrower than the 1.650" nut width common to Squiers and Mexican Fenders). Can you compare the the width of that neck, even the feeling, to another guitar you own?
Hi! I enjoyed your video. I believe there’s a screw behind the vibrato bar that can be tightened with an Allen key to provide more stability. As for the sound differences, I think the pickups are the same, but the ones on the Tribute model have slightly higher output, and I did notice a volume difference. Probably, if you hadn’t raised them, the differences wouldn’t be as noticeable. I have an ASAT Special, and I know how much the height adjustment of the MFD pickups matters. They can sound very bright if they’re raised too much 👍
I have visited the G&L factory on multiple occasions throughout the years and I can tell you that the luthiers that work in that facility are amongst the very best in the world. The attention to detail and quality of craftsmanship that goes into each and everything guitar that they produce there is impeccable.
Great comparison! I'm really interested in this guitar model. But it's clear, a higher quality is more expensive. The sounds of the tribute series are really good. I would like to have the bronze block in the Fullerton version...
As far as I've read, the parts used in the USA and tribute models are the same, save for small details here and there, but what makes the price different is that manufacturing in Indonesia costs less in USD than it does in the US.
Fullertons are the only models where I actually like high gloss finished necks. I don’t know what they do, but they never get sticky. The fretboards and frets, while very well done, can easily be refined to Music Man standards.
I hesitated with my Espada that I've bought two months ago, because I never wanted a glossy neck again. Nevertheless I was drawn so much to this guitar, so I ended up buying it anyway, and when it came I was astounded! The gloss is amazing, pure silk, no stickiness whatsoever. I'm so happy with this finish now. Because satin finishes also have their downside. No, this finish - which was my only concern before buying (I couldn't test a sample of those necks anywhere) - is now my favorite neck finish of any guitar I've owned. G&L mastered this one!
The fret wire looks different ...Tribute has a wider, flatter surface while the Fullerton 's are narrower, with more of rounder surface all the way across. Thaks for the closeups!
Love the Color on the DeLuxe Comanche! I used to have a Dodge Avenger in that color. Chrysler called it Copperhead Orange. I miss that car, as much for the paint job, as anything else. That car turned heads going down the street.
G&L claims they use the same California made pickups on everything (aside from CLF Research models?) and they make the bridges in California (but apparently it’s not the same bridge). Body woods are different. I’m jonesing for a Skyhawk, and it sucks they don’t make a Tribute version. Edit: there should be a set screw for the wiggle stick under the bridge plate.
I still own my G&L Skyhawk and it is definitely worth "jonesing" for. There is no Tribute Skyhawk, but there is a Tribute S-500 that has the same P/U configuration and PTB layout. Maybe that could hold you over until the Skyhawk descends into your hands.
I'm watching at work. One of the differences that really surprised me is the difference in the edge radius between the two. The Deluxe one is much rounder. More strat like.
I have grown to quite a fan of G&L. I own 3 ASAT T-style Fullerton guitars and a custom Doheny. I have had my eyes on a Fullerton Comanche… a burst on Sweetwater. This video has pushed me a bit closer. As Ryan said several times… thanks Sweetwater!
It’s interesting to hear the differences between the two price points. I think I liked the sound of the Tribute better, but I also think it would come down to the difference between rosewood vs. maple fingerboards. I prefer the sound of a maple board-I can hear the difference-but I like ebony better than either. I have a hollow ASAT Z-3 with a bound ebony fingerboard, and it sounds and feels great. It doesn’t have the PTB setup, though-just a treble-rolloff tone control. I’ve used it for all kinds of gigs; I even played it on a big-band jazz gig once, and it sounded like a big jazz box. I didn’t dare use anything but the neck pickup on that gig!
Difference in sound sounds very like a difference between full maple neck with more bright tone, and a maple neck covered with rosewood or similar with little less bright and additional middle tone. If that Z-coil pickups in both guitars a same with same resonance peak, than that could be that difference in sound. And btw there is available models with neck pad for cheaper guitar. So in the end they possibly could sound almost identical.
No lie , about 2 years ago I bought a Tribute Comanche and discovered the wiring harness was a complete mess, resulting in several positions not working…. I emailed G&L and they immediately sent me a shipping label to their Fullerton location and fixed it right up and shipped it back. I don’t know if other companies would do such a thing….. G&L fan for life!
Difference is clear as day. One’s blue, one’s orange.
good point.
How can you tell?
@@MarkRigler At first I really couldn’t tell the difference but I looked at them both under a black light. Didn’t really come through clearly until I brought out the microscope.
this guy gets it
I think you may be right
Holy Crap, I won the Comanche! What kind of beer do you boys like
Thank you! 🙌
You Bet! if G&L ever wants to collaborate directly hit me up. 60cyclehumcast@gmail.com
That would be great! 👍
Awesome to see @GL_Guitars responding. I just got a Fullerton JB in Himalayan blue and I love it. The neck is incredible and the pickups sound great. Watched a lot of factory tour videos in the last week and I like Dave’s love for the brand.
I purchased Two of those babies, the Orange and the clear. Although they sleep in strat hardshell cases. Have had them for a while, love the quack of my G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanches.
Fun Fact: one can purchase G&L parts from electronics to bridges to bodies to necks to fully built B stock guitars and basses...directly from G&L. Name a part on that guitar and you can *just buy it* which if you think about it for a second...nobody else does that, much less down to the screw. Bonus - they're competitive/reasonable in price compared to mainstream aftermarket components or OEM replacements.
Could you provide a web-link to the G&L parts page?
Thanks! 🌈⭐
I’d really like to buy the little grub screw that holds the tremolo arm in place for my S-500 Tribute. I purchased a floor model and it didn’t come with one.
😮 thank you so much I did not know
Fun fact, the pickups on the gnl are the same on the American built ones as the tributes built elsewhere. However, some of the other hardware is different such as tone pots, etc. That said, I haven't had any issues with tone pots on my gnl tribute s-500. Had it for a number of years now and it's a brilliant guitar 🙂 as a dealer friend of mine said the difference between the g&l American guitars and the tribute series is that the American one is twice the price but definitely not twice the guitar 🙂
G&Ls in general deserve more love. Even the Fullerton US models are a steal. Such great guitars.
Completely agree. They make amazing guitars
Dunno if I'd call them a steal at 2k American..
I am fortunate to have both a '03 Fullerton-CLF and a '15 Tribute Comanche. I had both at the same time for awhile and found them both to be awesome guitars.
They both sounded great and as Ryan showed, you have a greater ability to shape the sound with the PTB tone knob system. The tribute in my opinion was a greater value because the quality/cost ratio was more favorable, but the Fullerton-CLF was absolutely one of the top 3 finest guitars I have ever owned and played. The neck was sublime and the build quality coming out of G&L USA is second to none in my opinion and it is the only guitar that I regret selling to the extent that I contacted the buyer and offered him a premium to get it back.
I still have my G&L Doheny (offset) and love it. My advice is that if you have $700 get a tribute and if you can swing it, get yourself a Fullerton. Also don't be afraid of the used market, they are a "secret bargain" to be had because resale is usually lower than other brands.
Well said and reflects my experience as well ....hated selling my S-500
@@888jimm
The S-500 package with 3 MFD p/u's, Dual Fulcrum vibrato, the 25.5 scale and the PTB system, fixed nearly all issues with the Strat design and created the most wonderfully versatile guitar Leo ever made.
If you did this style of vid with every US made vs. import, I'd watch them all. I'm not a strat guy, but I'm absolutely captivated.
One of the many nice things about G&L is that nobody generally cares about them. As such, you can find deals on them. I recently grabbed a new Fullerton Deluxe Doheny HH for $1299 out the door. A steal. Anyway, Tribute or USA, they’re great guitars. And why other makers don’t offer some similar type of PTB system is a long standing mystery. Thanks, Ryan!
The G&L company is completely ignoring RUclips and it's costing them.
@@perekman3570they're on RUclips.
@@sassycat Yes, I see now that they have a new channel. Since 2 weeks, no less. But what I'm saying is that they have a very low presence on YT and don't seem to cooperate with creators to any significant degree. I believe that Ryan has tried to engage with them before, but without result... (Maybe I'm not remembering that correctly.)
re: PTB they (Leo) invented it.
And Reverend uses it too. They also kinda stole the awful headstock shape from G&L.
@@perekman3570 and Sassycat,
G&L's marketing is poor. Since the inception of the company they relied on Leo Fender's reputation to carry them, and it did. Since his passing they have continued to make improvements on their craftsmanship and even some new innovations. But of course Leo isn't around anymore to drive sales.
Unfortunately, they also seem to now rely on the old fashioned model of allowing the dealers to promote their brand. Dealers like SW and Anderton's do a decent job, but it could be better.
I will say this; The folks who work at and run G&L are lovely people, that I have had the pleasure of dealing with and I am always rooting for their continued success.
Thank you Ryan. Best show ever. But I'm biased because I just love all things G&L!
Thanks for this thorough close-up comparison on the details that set the two apart. Based on this, I'd be happy with either of them - but I'm sure I'd be even happier with the Fullerton. It's good to know that it offers a superior experience.😉
I directly compared the G&L Asat Classic Blueboy Tribute to a American Fullerton Bluesboy. I gotta say i liked the Tribute and it was beautiful but after a few minutes of playing and feeling the Fullerton, i put the Tribute back on the wall. The difference is subtle in every aspect but all adds up to a lot.
The Tribute tuners are easily upgraded with GraphTech Ratio tuners. They're a drop in replacement. You don't even need to use any of the adapter plates, since the Tribute tuners and the GraphTech Ratios are both two-pin design. I have them on my MIK S-500 and MIK Legacy, and I know they'll also work on the MII Tributes.
As someone who has played around with wiring for a set of Z coils, I can tell you what the difference is. The Tribute was wired with the individual coils of each pickup in parallel, and the USA G&L was wired with them in series. G&L used to have a model with individual toggles for each side of each pickup called the Comanche Studio VI, and the "both on" setting was in parallel instead of the usual series. Sounded just like that Tribute. I settled on wiring my neck and middle pickups in parallel and the bridge in series. You can also do series/parallel switching with the halves of a P Bass pickup with similar results.
Would that have something to do with the different switching methods? Would it be tricky to rewire in series?
USA G&Ls are among the very best Fenders short of a tip-top custom shop specimen, and have been for decades. A used one is perhaps the best value electric guitar purchase going.
Thank you for this video. I own both tribute and fullerton S500s and Legacy's, they are both giggable guitars, but USA versions offer that extra attention to detail that make them worth it. I'll never sell my G&L's
The bass roll off knob is super cool. Reverend guitars have it on most of their guitars. They are really easy to do too with a little soldering.
My #1 guitar is a roughly 2008 US Comanche. I swapped the bridge pickup for the hotter Will Ray Z-Coil (which I don't think that they make any more). It takes a little while to get used to the PTB tone system, but once you put a little time in, it's super flexible. It came with a hardshell case, and I got it with locking tuners, a Graftech nut and string tree, and matching headstock color. I also have a US Legacy Special, and a Tribute ASAT Special. All mighty fine guitars, but the Comanche gets almost all the play time.
Yeah the will ray's are discontinued amd the store finally sold out. I bought an extra, 'just in case'.
Thanks Sweetwater, you definitely know how to help a local San Diego boy great content, we will buy you guys Carne Asada Burritos when you visit us
It was really fantastic that GL gave you the chance to do this experiment.
Ryan,
I don't recall if you've looked at any MusicMan guitars before. I bring it up because the price difference between US MusicMan and "Sterling by MusicMan" is more drastic. Would that be another good video idea? Good examples are Cutlass HSS or St. Vincent. The price difference is nearly 4:1. That would be a good video!
I did a comparison between a USA and sterling st Vincent last time I was in Germany but it was pretty silly thanks to jet lag. If I get the opportunity I’ll do it again in this style.
The tribute has a ground wire soldered to one of the springs where the Fullerton didn't, won't be able to remove the spring without soldering. Just bought the tribute used yesterday and glad I did after watching your video. Good job thanks.
the Passive Treble Bass control is genius , I love my 2 tributes for that one reason ! I just don't wanna play any other configuration now :P
Can't wait to watch this after work. I have Tribute Fallout that I started out making my own recordings on. I recently got a used Fullerton Deluxe Fallout (for the "wiggle stick") and its one of the best made guitars I've ever played. The Tribute is amazing.
And yah honestly the paint job/finish and the high polished gloss is one of the reasons it's better.
The finish on my fullerton Doheny Lake Placid Blue is freaking beautiful, the nicest LPB polished paintjob i've seen in person.
I was very close to getting the American Performer with the satin Lake Placid Blue as that looks beautiful in person, but those paintjobs are way easier to mess up and scuff and crack and all sorts of nonsense.
I was honestly not that big a fan of thick gloss/clear coating until I saw how they polish it to look like glass basically.
It's completely changed my mind on highly glossed finishes.
As another commenter mentioned even their gloss necks on g&l are nice so I actually am interested in trying that even though I swore off of gloss necks years ago.
If there's one thing they do right over there it's freaking polishing. everything polished.
The neck and fret ends I imagine are slightly better too.
G&L does clearances on their website of b-stock or messups and the ones that are just the paint jobs miffed are a good value.
I appreciate this review. I recently bought a used Tribute Comanche on reverb for a little over 400 bucks. It's a fantastic player. G&L for life!
I have the Fullerton Deluxe Comanche. I absolutely love it. When I got it, it was having some issues staying in tune though. Since I actually live in Fullerton right up the road from G&L, no problem. I called them, drove on down and they dialed it in PERFECTLY! They also swapped out the regular tuners for locking tuners...no charge! It plays like an absolute dream now. I can go nuts on the tremolo bar and it just won't go out of tune no matter how hard I might try. They also swapped out the .10's for .09's and re-setup everything...again at no charge. Anyway, great video and as for G&L, they make GREAT instruments and have wonderful customer service!
G&L guys love guitars. It shows all over the ones they make.
An interesting thing about the Tributes is that occasionally Cort (the overseas manufacturer) will do limited runs of instruments without being prompted by G&L. I picked up a limited edition Tribute Comanche last year for $850 that had a burl cap on the body with a roasted neck and locking tuners. I love it. The only issue I had was with the 5-way switch (as you noted), which was having problems with the contacts inside, so yeah, the controls are generally lesser quality on the Tributes.
To your point about the bridge, I think the major difference between the bridges is the mass. The USA bridge (including the hardtail) are fully chrome-plated brass, while the imports are (I think) plated aluminum.
I have a Tribute Comanche in Olympic White and I love it! Having large, long fingered hands, I prefer the chunkier Tribute neck to the Fullerton version, but that's a personal preference.
Aesthetically, I also. like the push pull better than the little toggle that looks like someone's aftermarket add-on.
As for tone, both versions have the same pickups and sound about the same to me, though I did replace the plastic nut on my Tribute with a Zero Glide that's a big help in maintaining tuning stability.
All in all, to me the Tribute is a lot more bang for your bucks than the pricey Fullerton version.
I believe the fullerton models can be ordered with at least 5 different neck profiles
Ryan, this is spectacular, like it's so in depth there really aren't many videos that go into this much detail. Would you consider doing this with like a Fender player and a American pro, or perhaps a Player plus vs American Ultra
If I get the opportunity. This was able to happen because g&l made marketing funds available to seeetwater so it would a similar circumstance.
@@60CycleHumcast smart move by G&L, really informative video, I don't think there is anything this in depth as a comparison on RUclips!
THIS
I have just bought my first G&L ( Tele asat tribute) and I thought about buying the U.S.A. Made one, but. I am not a virtuoso player and the extra expense and subtle difference in tone are not justified.
Great video! I’m a bass player but seeing the differences is fascinating and since I’m looking a some G & L basses…..
Thanks for your vids!
Your point about Strat knobs being slippery for pulling up was well taken. I replaced knobs on both my Donner DST-400s for just that reason. I even selected a contrasting color for one guitar, so as to "color code" the knob with the push-pull pot.
I tried to find out what the sustain block material is. No joy. Even G&L's own site doesn't tell. It DOES say that the saddles are brass, though, and they are clearly chrome plated, so maybe the block is the same. It seems less than likely to me that the plating would do anything to the tone or sustain, but it would look a trifle better to some. A brass block is usually a good thing, though they can be heavy.
Great comparison video!!! I traded a new American Standard Fender Tele for a new G&L ASAT in the mid 90's... best trade ever! The ASAT was a keeper and I still enjoy it today. I'd be curious to know if the material of the hardware on the Fullerton and Tribute are different metal alloys. If I had to guess, I'd say yes.The quality of the Fullerton may not be close to 3 times the quality, but if you want the extra (premium) quality that's the price you gotta pay. I'd love to get a Comanche... and although I'd prefer the Fullerton, my wallet says Tribute.
i was going to hit the button and buy a Fender player II telecaster , i already own a FSR player II series strat, BUT after randomly watching a guitar vid, i bought a tribute ASAT special tele and am very happy i did..won't buy another Fender again as the G&L are cheaper, brilliant quality and are still Leo Fender designed guitars 😁
god bless George Fullerton and Leo Fender for making guitars that Fender can ever dream of beating for the price 🤘
You're probably right about them using a slightly different shaped bit to bevel an round the edges of the two guitars but it could just be that while the Tribute bodies only receive the merest lick of hand sanding after coming off the CNC, with the Fullerton they take more time to hand sand and soften the edges.
As for the tonal difference I wonder whether maybe that comes down to Poplar vs. Alder bodies and Maple vs. Rosewood fretboards but it seems quite a big difference for all that. Difference in bridge block material likely comes into play too.
For the tone controls, yes, you can put that same wiring scheme in any S style or other guitar with 3 knobs easily. Just look up Reverend or G&L tone control diagram or just copy what you see on these two guitars. I have put the same style controls on my LTD Eclipse 1000
I absolutely love G&L. I have a Tribute S-500 and its my favorite guitar i own. I would love to try an American made G&L
I was lucky enough to pick up an NOS G&L SC-2 a few years ago. Apparently, the music store I got it from bought out an older music store that had stuck it back in the warehouse/back room 20 years before. They had a few other models and I should’ve picked those up while I was at it because I got it at a great price. They even ran it through a FLEK machine. Absolutely a fantastic guitar.
Ryan G&L makes a big deal about how their MFD pickups are only made in the US and whatever model of Tribute you buy the pickups are the same. I own an ASAT Special (Jumbo MFDs) and Comanche (Z-Coils) in the Tribute versions and love them. They also say the bridges are the same, US made, but you have shown that some of the hardware is cheaper on the Tribute, the bridge body is the same. BTW the MFD pickups and bridges were both designed by Leo Fender, some of his brilliant last designs. The PTB circuit is special and I wish all my guitars had a low-cut. I did change the knobs on my Comanche to a design that is easier to pull up. Love G&L! I own 5 tributes, G&L does not get the love they deserve.
I own a two of those Fullertons, the Orange Metallic and a Clear Ash body. The Ash has a maple neck and is brighter. For me those little upgrades are worth it. I also have a older 2019 American Fender Ultra Strat when Fender rereleased them in Plasma Red. All three has newer stock noise canceling single coils. Those G&L’s really shine under stage cans, no hum, and actually hold tuning better than the Ultra Strat. Thanks for the video
I have two G&L guitars, a Fullerton Doheny (JM) and a Tribute Legacy (Strat). I ended up setting up the Legacy with Lollar pickups and electronics more similar to a standard strat setup. The Doheny is still stock. I love them both. I'll never part with the Doheny. If you're in the market for any Fender guitar and the label's not important, try a G&L. Tributes are superior than 99% of MIM Fenders I've played. My Fullerton feels better than any standard American JM, closer to Custom Shop quality. TWO PRINCETONS SLO-MO!
Thanks for the info!!
the offset style vibrato and the rhythm circuit tho :(
Never understood why people looking for the Fender vibe don’t gravitate to the G&Ls. Better quality and value for the money it most cases. Oh well, at least it gives us G&L devotees more choices on the used market
Ryan, it is pretty simple to do that bass cut mod- although to do it exactly like G&L does it you will need a 1Meg anti-log potentiometer. They are "easy" to find in 16mm diameter sizes, but on 24mm size it's a bit harder (not impossible). The rest is pretty easy to do. I do offer this option on all "strat-type" guitars that drop on my workbench for a setup/electronic service/maintenance. And also the toggle switch option. Because, in my humble opinion, the PTB circuit is a (big) step further the usual strat circuit. Leo knew better.
I need to pick a guitar for this mod.
@@60CycleHumcast Bass cut is awesome on fuzz pedals. Really usefull to tighten the bass response going into the fuzz and overall "mushiness". Works great and gives the fuzz a different, great tonal pallette! I know a thing or two about this ;) Try it!!!
The bass cut seems like it would be particularly well paired with P-90s or humbuckers.
Oh yeah! I put a PTB on every project I work on. It is just plain awesome.
I need to try a Fullerton one soon, so far it has all the sounds that my Strats have. Not offering a PTB circuit was a miss for FMIC.
Very Cool, Thankyou. Both awesome Looking and Sounding Guitars. Amazing "Jam Mix" playing near the End. Nice Work. All the Best. Cheers
I've owned two tributes and two USAs (well, technically three but the third was modded to hell by a previous owner and ruined), all of them second-hand and nowhere near two grand. My very first was a Korean Tribute ASAT Special that was solid and reliable and sounded great (those overwound MFDs are real noisy, though). in 2012, I got a 1999 USA ASAT Classic that I still own and love. Last year, I got an itch for an S-style, so I found a used Tribute Legacy, which was just fine but not exceptional. Then I stumbled upon a stupid cheap custom shop S-500 and fell in love. It played beautifully out of the box. My ultimate conclusion was that Tributes are good guitars and one of the best values out there, but I've never really bonded with them. I instantly bonded with both of the USA ones and will never let go of either. That said, in practical terms, I'm pretty handy and could probably spend a little time and money working on a Tribute on things like frets, upgrading tuners (see previous post), and maybe little things like switches and pots that would get the Tribute close if not on the same level. But my love for those guitars isn't really practical. It's just a feeling of holding an instrument that is perfect down to the last screw and solder. And I also feel like pickups and electronics account for at least 90-95% of the guitar's sound (player notwithstanding), but little things like tonewoods and just generally being well put together makes that last 5-10% significant and where the magic happens. Worth $1300 difference? Not to me, but I also know you can get great deals on used USA G&Ls if you have a little patience (just a little patience).
Excellent comparison video, really worked on this one and it paid off big time. I appreciate it and Sweetwaters part too.
G&L sells those tuner sets for $70 off their site. I love them (I have two Fullerton G&Ls) and just bought a set for partscaster I'm building.
About the "jangle" vs. "smooth" sound, is it possible the original pickup height adjustment on the Tribute was correct for the pickups? Just a thought.
I read a strat setup guide online somewhere that suggested lowering the height of all the pickups.
if you look back there are different capacitors on both
Were the strings grounded on the orange one? I looked closely and never saw a ground wire going to the claw in the trem cavity, and I never saw a ground wire in the control cavity when the pickguard was removed. I'm just wondering if I missed it somehow.
Different body wood
For the price difference, they have a different sound but the tribute is fine
Too bad they don't come with roasted maple necks ‼️
I would like to have verified pickup and pole piece adjustment. If these pickups seem that dissimilar then there is an explanation beyond esoteric differences in paint, etc.
These sound like two completely different guitars.
The abundance of low mids in the USA is a strong clue to the possibilities. I wish more time to investigate the concrete differences had had their due diligence.
That said the format of the video was great! Would watch a lot more of this style content.
Generally it's just because of tolerances in making components. No two pickups will produce the exact same signal even under the same circumstances because they're not exactly the same. So it depends on the tolerances in making the pickups. And a big often overlooked factor is the pots. Everyone defaults to CTS potentiometers and the standard CTS line has tolerances of +/- 30% i.e any given 250k pot might actually be anywhere between 175k and 325k, which amounts to wildly different levels of brightness/darkness in output. Even a boutique pickup company like Bare Knuckle, their pots are +/- 10% in tolerance.
31:44 I wonder if the smoother tone (vs the jangle that "editor Ryan" mentioned in the pop up) is coming from the pickup height adjustment. Part of me wonders if they tuned it for the same sound regardless of height and by trying to normalize the two by height it may have given the Tribute a disadvantage for tone.
Router took a dump, thanks for the comparo Ryan. We are lucky to have Sweetwater in this country. At almost 3x the price I expect some cool inlay work on the fretboard.
Unlike FMIC USA vs Mexico, the G&L Fullerton and the Tribute pricing are based on the quality of materials and build that you get and not just name brand. Even though, with either G&L you are generally getting the same p/u's and electronics. It's actually hard to explain because one is excellent and the other is glorious. You would have to hold them in your hands to know exactly what I mean, but you wouldn't have to hold them for very long.
Im definitely late to the party, but you playing Green Onions spoke to the Chicagoan in me 😂
Best comparison I have seen on RUclips. I am in the process of humming and harring over putting an offer in on an Indo Comanche as I write this. Talk about a timely stumbling on to your site. If I get it (highly likely now), its all your fault buddy. I'll get back to you. Cheers from Australia, Ken.
First time here. I like the tones of the pick ups. I’m typically an SG guy with P-90s. This guitar in either model is very versatile. Well done G&L.
I've got two Fullerton G&Ls. A Legacy and an ASAT Deluxe. I love them more than any Fender I've owned - and I own a lot. The Legacy is superb, but the ASAT is sublime. It's such an amazing guitar that, IMO, kills any Tele made.
As a Fender Fanatic who is very happy with my Strat, I must admit if I was in the market for an S type today, I’d buy the $700.00 Tribute over Fender’s $850.00 Player easy.
@@artamussumatra6286 in my opinión the tribute is even better than american standard fender
This video was a great idea. I’m not an expert on any of this, but maybe these comments will add to the discussion: Yes, you can put the passive treble-bass tone control in another guitar. There are schematics and wiring diagrams online. The original design used a one-meg reverse taper pot for the bass cut. The bass cut knob wiring in the video showed a capacitor on the bass cut pot that is not in the original circuit. The pickups on both guitars are made in G&L’s Fullerton factory. You pointed out the extra wires coming from the pickups. The earliest Comanche models had a toggle switch for each half of each pickup. For example, you could turn on the pole pieces for the lower three strings of the neck pickup and the pole pieces for the higher three strings on the bridge pickup. The pickups are called magnetic field design (MFD) pickups. They are radically different than the pickups used in Fender guitars. Leo Fender decided he had done all he could do with the slug pole pickups used in the Fender guitars. He designed a pickup that used a ceramic magnet. However, the MFD pickups went way beyond the type of ceramic bar magnet pickups found in lower-priced guitars. You might have noticed that the pickups on the Comanche guitars have adjustable pole pieces. This offers an additional way to change the sound. The Fullerton Comanche neck appeared to be thinner than the Tribute neck. At one time, G&L offered a choice of neck profiles for the made-in-USA guitars. They may still do that. That might account for the difference. The differences in the body are puzzling. It would seem that G&L could run the same CNC program in the Indonesia plant as they do in the Fullerton plant. The difference in the guitars, besides the different components, appears to be in the fit and finish. For example: polished frets; the nut is cut better; the metal imparts are smoother and shinier. I suspect that tumors time is spent on quality control in the U.S. factory. Also, many G&L employees have worked there for a long time and have developed a high level of skill.
Has anyone ever compared the U.S. PRS guitars to the SE series? Maybe Sweetwater would go for that! All in all, this was a great video.
G&L built me a Legacy Special in ~1997 and it is so comfortable and versatile and looks great. 👍🏻
Some players prefer a push-pull switch. Some players prefer a push- push. Philadelphia Eagles players prefer a tush push.
Go birds
I have a 2019 Tribute with the burl top finish and roasted maple neck. A few months ago I found a CLF USA version for a great price and I took the plunge. G&L was nice enough to run the serial number and tell me the manufacture date, 2001, neck profile and wood type. When I bought the Tribute I had a USA PRS. The tones on the Tribute were so good that it became my #1. Now my CLF is. There's a difference between the two guitars, mostly in the neck. The tribute is a little wider and has a flatter radius. It's also heavier than the American model. My rig is a Helix and I found there was no need to change tones on any of my presets. I've owned Strats, Les Pauls (I have one now) and other premium guitars. This guitar gives me all the sound, output and tones I need. My LP is for heavier, chunky rock but if I had only the G&L I'd be happy with that .
The Tribute is more G-y. You can really hear the L come out more in the Fullerton. I'd like to know which model gives equal amounts of G&L.
I got a Comanche Tribute from Amazon (2019). Knowing what I know now I would have immediately returned it. The spread of the pole-pieces were identical on all 3 pickups, consequently the strings were mis-aligned with the pole-pieces except for the neck pickup. (Pole-piece spread should be different on each pickup to accommodate string spread).
The high-E string was completely mis-aligned with the corresponding pole piece (bridge) and very wimpy sounding.
I had missed the return window. I could not find any options via G&L to replace with correctly designed pickups. I changed the angles of the middle and bridge pickups so that strings were in much better alignment with pole-pieces. I really butchered the pick-guard to make it happen. I could order a new custom pick-guard but I decided it looks kinda cool with the exposed wiring.
I know it very likely was an Indonesian bean-counter's decision to put bad product out but I'm disappointed with G&L in letting that happen. I haven't even considered another G&L product since then.
G&L are that 'rare' out here, I'd struggle to think of any store that stocks both variants.
I have no idea what the situation is in the US, but I feel as a brand they are almost an unknown quality these days, whereas once they were quite well known. Bit of a pity as I'm all for diversity of brands and competition for the big players
Fine idea here for a comparison Ryan... Clearly you aren't just a pretty face. 😊
Cheers 🎸🎸🎸
they are 'rare' because they treat their distributors like crap and send out guitars with warped necks. im a bit biased from working there for years so YMMV
@@bajablastoise73you worked for G&l?
Wonderful video, it helped me a lot in making the decision to buy a Comanche. I love how you go into the nitty gritty details and get into the guts too, 10 out of 10
yes you got the sound comparison spot on! better stuff lasts longer.
I own a Tribute Comanche and love it. Regarding the tonal difference between the USA and Tribute, they are slightly different but they sound like they come from the same family. In fact, outside of the side by side comparison, I doubt that very few people would hear the difference if played separately. My only knock on the Tribute was that it had a tiny bit of peach fuzz on the frets at first. It was noticeable but not enough to bother polishing the frets, I just played it in and it's fine. Regarding the price difference, the Tribute is a compelling value. I also owned, but foolishly sold a USA S500, selling it was a huge mistake. I'm now considering buying another S500. The question now becomes, USA or Tribute for the future S500.
Why not stainless steel frets in the high end model?
Because stainless is a dumb fad.
I bought a Legacy Tribute used on EBay. Turns out it is a 2003 model made in Korea. I love it, just as good as any Strat I've played. G&L Tributes are one of the best bargains out there. Give em a try.
The obvious cost of labor comes into play. If the Tribute were made in the US, (with the same materials and workmanship), I would guess it would be double the price. They are both reasonable options once you are fully informed on what you are paying for. Thank you for making the video, you are a true wordsmith.
Excellent video and great way to compare them in a way that makes sense to the viewer. Kudos!
60% of string vibration occurs at the neck. Maple is brighter, especially unplugged. It’s real
G&L are underrated instruments. I have a 1990s Legacy Special and it feels amazing in my hands, just a joy to play. I never could get the stock Gotoh blade pickups to work for me. However, they didn’t sound bad and I could imagine them being perfect for another player. At any rate, traditional single coil pickups are easy to find and my Legacy Special is now one of the nicest “Strats” I ever played.
When you compare US and imports, it is very important to also compare things like "string spacing" at the nut and at the bridge, "tremolo bridge posts spacing", and neck radius (at nut and at neck joint if it's a "compound radius") ... to do so you need 2 tools : a good professional vernier caliper, and the "StewMac Understring Radius Gauges Set".
"If those dates sounds like they're in the past, then you've already missed it" - Well, it _is_ already the 23rd of October according to my calendar, but I live in NZ, so it must still be the 22nd in the US! 😁 And I'm watching this video on my laptop, and the orange colour of that Fullerton G&L does look great indeed! 😊
Roughness on Tribute and especially the nut is not acceptable in this price point. If I can see roughness, not fully cut bits or some wood dust on 200$ Squier that's fine but not on 700$ G&L. For this price I expect taking the guitar out of the box, tuning it and not having to touch anything else. I got myself a Sterling bass in the same price point as G&L in the video and yeah, it's made with lower quality components but it was still crafted with care and properly quality controlled with routs cleaner than both guitars in the video.
Tbh the $700 strats arent any better.
I have the Tribute G&L ASAT deluxe and I dig it. The neck is wide though so more complex chords can be challenging but for playing leads it is a blast. I'd recommend to anyone looking for a humbucker Tele.
It should have the same 1⅝" nut width as every other G&L Tribute model (slightly narrower than the 1.650" nut width common to Squiers and Mexican Fenders). Can you compare the the width of that neck, even the feeling, to another guitar you own?
I used to have a 1992 USA ASAT that i got for $575. Best guitar i ever owned 😭
I miss my Tribute ASAT dearly
Hi! I enjoyed your video. I believe there’s a screw behind the vibrato bar that can be tightened with an Allen key to provide more stability. As for the sound differences, I think the pickups are the same, but the ones on the Tribute model have slightly higher output, and I did notice a volume difference. Probably, if you hadn’t raised them, the differences wouldn’t be as noticeable. I have an ASAT Special, and I know how much the height adjustment of the MFD pickups matters. They can sound very bright if they’re raised too much 👍
Hi, I think the differences in sounds are due to the materials. The Fullerton is alder body/rosewood the tribute is basswood/maple
I have visited the G&L factory on multiple occasions throughout the years and I can tell you that the luthiers that work in that facility are amongst the very best in the world. The attention to detail and quality of craftsmanship that goes into each and everything guitar that they produce there is impeccable.
My fullerton Deluxe guitars are certainly better than my tribute guitars, but they aren't $1400 dollars better.
Great comparison! I'm really interested in this guitar model. But it's clear, a higher quality is more expensive. The sounds of the tribute series are really good. I would like to have the bronze block in the Fullerton version...
As far as I've read, the parts used in the USA and tribute models are the same, save for small details here and there, but what makes the price different is that manufacturing in Indonesia costs less in USD than it does in the US.
Fullertons are the only models where I actually like high gloss finished necks. I don’t know what they do, but they never get sticky. The fretboards and frets, while very well done, can easily be refined to Music Man standards.
I hesitated with my Espada that I've bought two months ago, because I never wanted a glossy neck again.
Nevertheless I was drawn so much to this guitar, so I ended up buying it anyway, and when it came I was astounded! The gloss is amazing, pure silk, no stickiness whatsoever. I'm so happy with this finish now. Because satin finishes also have their downside.
No, this finish - which was my only concern before buying (I couldn't test a sample of those necks anywhere) - is now my favorite neck finish of any guitar I've owned. G&L mastered this one!
@@asharpbflat7179 that is one fine, premium instrument! Could last you a lifetime.
Tribute series guitars are made at the guitar factory of Cor-tek(Cort), South Korean company in Indonesia.
21:49 "marry him, or marry me. Umasumma dingagunga dongadee. I ain't got no fitigoo family tree, so umma zumma dimma gonna dong degree. umma zumma dimma gonna dong degree!"
The fret wire looks different ...Tribute has a wider, flatter surface while the Fullerton 's are narrower, with more of rounder surface all the way across.
Thaks for the closeups!
Love the Color on the DeLuxe Comanche! I used to have a Dodge Avenger in that color. Chrysler called it Copperhead Orange. I miss that car, as much for the paint job, as anything else. That car turned heads going down the street.
G&L claims they use the same California made pickups on everything (aside from CLF Research models?) and they make the bridges in California (but apparently it’s not the same bridge).
Body woods are different.
I’m jonesing for a Skyhawk, and it sucks they don’t make a Tribute version.
Edit: there should be a set screw for the wiggle stick under the bridge plate.
I still own my G&L Skyhawk and it is definitely worth "jonesing" for. There is no Tribute Skyhawk, but there is a Tribute S-500 that has the same P/U configuration and PTB layout. Maybe that could hold you over until the Skyhawk descends into your hands.
I am watching on a big screen TV. It’s funny to me when people don’t consider RUclips “TV” since I watch more RUclips on my TV than anything else.
I'm watching at work. One of the differences that really surprised me is the difference in the edge radius between the two. The Deluxe one is much rounder. More strat like.
I have a custom G&L S-500 and a tribute ASAT. The fit and finish is much nicer on the custom, but the tribute is fine too, no glaring issues.
i could definitely argue that the rounded body edges are MORE COMFORTABLE. someone else might disagree, but 100% its more comfy on the tummy and arm
I have grown to quite a fan of G&L. I own 3 ASAT T-style Fullerton guitars and a custom Doheny. I have had my eyes on a Fullerton Comanche… a burst on Sweetwater. This video has pushed me a bit closer. As Ryan said several times… thanks Sweetwater!
Good review!!! Q. Are the neck pockets the same? In other words, are the pickup height to the strings the same? Also weight difference?
I'm just as moved by that orange color as you are!
😮 I'm watching on the big screen😊
It’s interesting to hear the differences between the two price points. I think I liked the sound of the Tribute better, but I also think it would come down to the difference between rosewood vs. maple fingerboards. I prefer the sound of a maple board-I can hear the difference-but I like ebony better than either. I have a hollow ASAT Z-3 with a bound ebony fingerboard, and it sounds and feels great. It doesn’t have the PTB setup, though-just a treble-rolloff tone control. I’ve used it for all kinds of gigs; I even played it on a big-band jazz gig once, and it sounded like a big jazz box. I didn’t dare use anything but the neck pickup on that gig!
Difference in sound sounds very like a difference between full maple neck with more bright tone, and a maple neck covered with rosewood or similar with little less bright and additional middle tone.
If that Z-coil pickups in both guitars a same with same resonance peak, than that could be that difference in sound.
And btw there is available models with neck pad for cheaper guitar. So in the end they possibly could sound almost identical.