G&L in trouble...?

[wateroftyne]

I'm seeing a few rumours on the internet - only rumours, mind - that G&L are in trouble.

See this post from one of their master builders.

If it's true, I hope they get through it...

 

[gjones]

That's sad to hear. I notice that GuitarGuitar have started selling them again.

I'm a big fan of G&L, I bought a used L2000 Tribute off Reverb yesterday.

[dmckee]

I hope not! (And I’ve just ordered some pickups ☹️)

[Beedster]

Yamaha’s next buy?

[LeftyJ]

Apparently this has happened several times before and they got through it in the end. I hope they'll live through this too! Would hate to see them go.

 

They're owned by BBE, who don't exactly appear to be very relevant anymore as a company. Their Sonic Maximizer pedals, rack units and plugins were succesful for a while and they made some cool preamps in the past, but when you visit their site now it still says "2016" at the bottom and the button that should lead to their Products page is very much dead. Not a good sign. Their website for their plugins is more up-to-date though (2025).

[BlueMoon]

I hope not. By and large they make great basses, but their distribution has been patchy in Europe.

[Cato]

Their UK suppliers never seem to last long, every now and then someone like Andertons will get a few bits and pieces in but when those are gone that seems to be it.

 

I was very interested in trying an ASAT bass a few years ago and couldn't find one, new or used, being advertised anywhere in the UK.

 

I always assumed the US made stuff was fairy low production numbers so most of it stays in the States.

 

It'll be a shame if they do go, a lot of their stuff, both bass and skinny strings, guitars are an interesting twist on Leo's original designs. I'd be sorry to see some of those designs go.

 

 

[Sean]

Sad news indeed. There’s something about G&L that just doesn’t fly with the market and it’s been that way for years. Prices of used USA basses are proportionately low compared to US Fender or US MM equivalents. Some of the US L2000 instruments that you see for sale used go for Japanese Fender prices and the Tribute line used prices are rock bottom (I’ve sold a couple in the last 2 years). I had a few of each and the quality/sound/playability is as good as anything comparable but they have remained very niche.

 

A few times over the years I’ve had compliments on my G&L basses especially a US trans-orange L2500 I had but people said that they couldn’t get past that headstock. One person said that the G&L headstock makes it look like it’s aimed at the country music sector. I couldn’t disagree.

 

G&L has lacked faces too, in a recent Andertons video on why Andertons is still in business, Lee Anderton says that they keep good stocks of and sell lots of instruments that customers’ favourite guitarists/bassists are playing. G&L just isn’t on the radar of many buyers in the way that Fender and MM are. There isn’t a high profile artist roster and there’s not a history of legendary stars out there playing them in the same way you see Fender and Gibson etc.

 

G&L marketing focuses on the Leo Fender legacy and “the best instruments Leo made”. All commendable and worthy but I don’t think that figures in the buying decision of many people. The landing page of the website says “Made in Fullerton since 1980” - who cares about this except for me and few other crusties? It presumes that you know the history of Fender and significance of it, whereas most Fender owners have no idea where Fullerton is nevermind that it was where so many great Fender instruments were made. The product info is all “features” like Saddle Lock Bridge and Dual Fulcrum Vibrato; that’s like a car manufacturer putting “Fuel Injection”, “16v” or “ABS” on their products, it’s old hat, we expect all this and a lot more these days. There’s a bloke in a G&L top and jeans sitting down playing a natural JB. Then there’s pictures of Leo and other G&L blokes in plaid shirts in the workshop, one is even holding up a competitors guitar (it’s a Fender). That’s the shop window of G&L today. None of that helps get these amazing instruments into the hands of potential buyers. 

 

I’ve dealt with G&L customer service a coupel of times in the past and it’s so far above and beyond expectation, it’s like dealing with a boutique builder that focuses on your need, they’re fantastic. I’ve had a pickup sent out FoC from California and another time they shipped me a tuner to replace one that was bit stiff. 

 

I really hope G&L comes through this in whatever way, the products are fantastic but they need a serious business rethink to get them out there selling decent numbers. Spector went through a rough patch in 2007-09 with distribution, image etc. Prices were disproportionately low but now it’s bounced back. Fender went through a rough patch in the 80s until the management buy-out. 

Edited 31 minutes ago by Sean

[Beedster]

12 minutes ago, Sean said:

said that they couldn’t get past that headstock

 

Sad but true 

[Beedster]

13 minutes ago, Sean said:

Sad news indeed. There’s something about G&L that just doesn’t fly with the market and it’s been that way for years. Prices of used USA basses are proportionately low compared to US Fender or US MM equivalents. Some of the US L2000 instruments that you see for sale used go for Japanese Fender prices and the Tribute line used prices are rock bottom (I’ve sold a couple in the last 2 years). I had a few of each and the quality/sound/playability is as good as anything comparable but they have remained very niche.

 

A few times over the years I’ve had compliments on my G&L basses especially a US trans-orange L2500 I had but people said that they couldn’t get past that headstock. One person said that the G&L headstock makes it look like it’s aimed at the country music sector. I couldn’t disagree.

 

G&L has lacked faces too, in a recent Andertons video on why Andertons is still in business, Lee Anderton says that they keep good stocks of and sell lots of instruments that customers’ favourite guitarists/bassists are playing. G&L just isn’t on the radar of many buyers in the way that Fender and MM are. There isn’t a high profile artist roster and there’s not a history of legendary stars out there playing them in the same way you see Fender and Gibson etc.

 

G&L marketing focuses on the Leo Fender legacy and “the best instruments Leo made”. All commendable and worthy but I don’t think that figures in the buying decision of many people. The landing page of the website says “Made in Fullerton since 1980” - who cares about this except for me and few other crusties? It presumes that you know the history of Fender and significance of it, whereas most Fender owners have no idea where Fullerton is nevermind that it was where so many great Fender instruments were made. The product info is all “features” like Saddle Lock Bridge and Dual Fulcrum Vibrato; that’s like a car manufacturer putting “Fuel Injection”, “16v” or “ABS” on their products, it’s old hat, we expect all this and a lot more these days. There’s a bloke in a G&L top and jeans sitting down playing a natural JB. Then there’s pictures of Leo and other G&L blokes in plaid shirts in the workshop, one is even holding up a competitors guitar (it’s a Fender). That’s the shop window of G&L today. None of that helps get these amazing instruments into the hands of potential buyers. 

 

I’ve dealt with G&L customer service a coupel of times in the past and it’s so far above and beyond expectation, it’s like dealing with a boutique builder that focuses on your need, they’re fantastic. I’ve had a pickup sent out FoC from California and another time they shipped me a tuner to replace one that was bit stiff. 

 

I really hope G&L comes through this in whatever way, the products are fantastic but they need a serious business rethink to get them out there selling decent numbers. Spector went through a rough patch in 2007-09 with distribution, image etc. Prices were disproportionately low but now it’s bounced back. Fender went through a rough patch in the 80s until the management buy-out. 

 

Despite what we may think, we rarely buy the best tool for the job, which is why Fender are where they are and G&L are where they are