Machines Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Got this from GuitarGuitar a few days ago. I saw it the day before but was busy packing for a camping trip so decided to leave it, but then ordered it the next day at 5AM whilst staring at a tent roof. I figured it was worth a go and could return it if it wasn't for me. USA Built, June 1995 in Blue Swirl (aka bowling ball finish). In reasonable nick with a few lacquer dings you can only see close up. The finish is quite subtle but really shows up with decent lighting. Stock EMG 40DC pickups and BTC preamp, these were the stop gap between the L-5000 and L-2500 as the 5 string MFD pickups were not yet available. Produced for about 2 years and ~350 were made, mostly in stained ash finishes. It was up for quite a decent price for the spec, only a bit more than you'd pay for a L-2500 Tribute 2nd hand. I can't think of any other USA built instruments that go so cheap, and it is not the quality that is the reason for this. On arrival it didn't work which was a bit annoying, but only a loose volume pot wire, 20 seconds with the soldering iron sorted that. Build and playability is excellent, the tone is very bright and in your face as you'd expect from the pickups, not typical G&L sound at all which may have put people off. For a 34" scale the B string is surprisingly good, no flapping fart noises here. Decent sound demo: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardH Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Lovely!!! I have an L2000 in red swirl - bought it about 14 years ago, and it came with a couple of chips in the finish (which they are a bit notorious for) - stabilised with some superglue and no further issues with the finish. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 VERY cool! I had a Legacy Special (g**t*r) in that finish. It had air bubbles under the finish in the cutaways (looked like a foil wrap with a clear coat over it) but otherwise looked great. Great guitar that I bought for only €250 (because someone had once mounted a Roland GK-2 and removed it again, leaving two small holes in the pickguard and body) and stupidly sold again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 Your blue swirl look great. Mine in see thru red looks a bit more conservative though no less lovely. As said before, I think my L5500 sounds more like my Spector Euros I used to own than any other G&L I’ve owned and/or played. Don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing and I don’t really understand some of the negative comments about the pickups/EQ on this model. The MFD pickups aren’t always the best fit for any genre and are not to everyone’s tastes either though I suppose they are the signature G&L sound. Each to their own I guess. Just realised I have three G&Ls and not one has MFD pickups. Enjoy your L-5500🙂 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 £500 is stupid cheap absolute bargain and they’re great basses USA 5 string bass with EMGs for a tribute price Well done and enjoy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 (edited) Good score there. Personally I have come to realise that I don`t get on with MFD pickups, far too hot so the pickups in this would be ideal. Edited August 17, 2020 by jezzaboy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted August 17, 2020 Share Posted August 17, 2020 What a great deal the OP got, mine came from BC'er Graham 1945 (thanks again Graham!) for a similar price. It's my favourite bass by far that I've owned and nothing has turned my head since I got it back in March 2016; it always gets compliments ,the sound not my playing, and sounds great whenever I hear live recordings of gigs and rehearsals. Mine is a Jan 1996 maple neck. I changed the bridge pickup to a 40J and it lost a bit of the pipe organ quality in the mid setting on the pan pot, it sounds more Jazz bass like now but with it's own character. It was translucent green but Graham had it sprayed black, it's gradually becoming trans green again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 10 hours ago, The fasting showman said: What a great deal the OP got Yeah it must have been a part-ex, which makes me a little sad the original owner most likely got about £250 trade in from GuitarGuitar 😬. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The fasting showman Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Machines said: Yeah it must have been a part-ex, which makes me a little sad the original owner most likely got about £250 trade in from GuitarGuitar 😬. I can't believe there's now two L5500s within 5 miles of each other, I'm down the road in Lichfield! Particularly if there was so few of them made, I've heard conflicting estimates. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted August 18, 2020 Share Posted August 18, 2020 I had a '95 SB2 in that exact finish, it's lovely. I really like the look of these with the EMGs, will have to try and play one some day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted August 18, 2020 Author Share Posted August 18, 2020 3 hours ago, The fasting showman said: I can't believe there's now two L5500s within 5 miles of each other, I'm down the road in Lichfield! Particularly if there was so few of them made, I've heard conflicting estimates. I'm a few miles east of Tamworth but let's not be pedantic 😆. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 (edited) On 18/08/2020 at 12:19, The fasting showman said: I can't believe there's now two L5500s within 5 miles of each other, I'm down the road in Lichfield! Particularly if there was so few of them made, I've heard conflicting estimates. Thread revival time. I sold my blue swirl, don't particularly remember why but never mind. A couple of days ago @The fasting showman put his L-5500 up for sale, pulled the trigger and picked it up yesterday. Only a 20 min drive too ! Came with original branded hardcase, a spare pickup (there was a 40J in the bridge position) and a few other bits. Spent the afternoon giving it a full service/clean and sounds bang on. Edited April 5, 2023 by Machines 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Congrats on getting this. I was after it but was second in line. (I think we must have both felt some L5500 sellers regret) Anyway if you ever decide to move it on please let me know . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted April 5, 2023 Author Share Posted April 5, 2023 40 minutes ago, dub_junkie said: Anyway if you ever decide to move it on please let me know . Noted. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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