Help information about Japanese G&L Tribute S500

[thumb=][/thumb]HI all. Just bought this morning. Appears to be a Japanese made 2003 G&L Tribute. Was just wanting to learn a little more about if. Ie body wood, pick ups, extra switch function. The pick ups have very small writing on them G&L and a patent number. Are they USA pick ups? Would the body be Basswood or Alder?

Haven't had much of a chance to play it but sounds sweet enough. New set of strings, clean, fingerboard oil and set up first.
Never had a G&L before. The front of the bridge is sticking right up. I normally hard tail my strats by tightening the springs right up. This one looks like it might be a little different as I believe the G&L's pull up and down on the whammy bar. I would like to bring the front down a bit to lower the action. Is that possible by tightening the springs underneath?

I live in Thailand and thats where I bought is. Pretty grubby but otherwise unplayed by the looks of it. Are the Japanese ones better than the Indo ones same as the Fender Japan guitars are? Were they made in Japan very long or only made for the Japanese market?

Anything anyone can tell me about this guitar would appreciate it. Not sure if the photo link is working? I created an album on Flickr and shared the album link. There are no restrictions on who can share my album. Maybe you guys can see it but I can't. Am I doing something wrong? I copied the link into the URL section

Serial number 03070937 (rear headstock on the end)
Colour Black, maple neck
Main large logo emblem says TRIBUTE S500, small letters underneath G&L
Tuners no markings
Pick ups embossed G&L Patent #####
Has the typical G&L bridge dual fulcrum
Only reference to Made in Japan on the neck joint steel cover plate.
Has 3 knob controls and a small 2 way switch (what does the switch do?)
Truss rod adjustment from the headstock / small tunnel for allen key
No skunk strip on the back of the maple neck. Looks like a maple neck capped with maple

[thumb=]https://www.flickr.com/gp/185017721@N08/659A5x[/thumb]
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Last edited by Kenny202 on Sat Oct 12, 2019 7:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

Welcome to our site.

This is not a Made in Japan G&L Tribute S-500. It is a first year Made in Korea,
but the neck plate was replaced with a Made in Japan G&L neckplate. The early
Made in Korea neckplates were plain chrome no badging.

See these posts:
What is the new Tribute series which G&L announced in 2003?
Serial number significance
What is the expander switch used on many of the models?

For posting photos, see: Tutorial: Posting photos

Also, please add your Tribute S-500 to our G&L Registry.
Hope this helps.

I completely stripped the guitar down, cleaned and polished everything. Lemon oil on the fretboard. New strings and set up. Wow! This thing is smooth. Action is low and fast all the way up the neck. The sound of the guitar has a shimmer similar to a Rickenbacker. Very nice tone and very easy to the touch. Very very impressed. Many of the you tube videos the G&L's sound so twangy and nasally. This is lovely. I dare say a nicer more defined tone and a lot more control than a strat. I haven't read what the switch does yet but it seems to go from Strat to Tele if that makes any sense. Not sure which position I like best yet.

Just for my own reference, why do you say it is Korean? I am guessing the bridge and the pots just from a quick read of what you sent. Doesn't matter greatly to me in any case. I must say the materials are good, but the finish not so good. Just where they have finished / sanded the neck etc, particularly around the headstock bit rough. I am in Thailand so I don't know how they would have got another neck plate (very few G&L's here and not many parts) but who knows where it's been. Was a neck shim in the neck pocket too. A shim and a strip to alter the angle of the neck. I took it out but it did need it so put them back again as very little lower adjustment left in saddles and action at the 12th too high.

Can you tell me what the body wood would be and if these pick ups are USA G&L?
Where the Korean Tributes considered good? Better than the Japanese ones? Better than the ones produced now?

Many thanks for your help.

I completely stripped the guitar down, cleaned and polished everything. Lemon oil on the fretboard. New strings and set up. Wow! This thing is smooth. Action is low and fast all the way up the neck. The sound of the guitar has a shimmer similar to a Rickenbacker. Very nice tone and very easy to the touch. Very very impressed. Many of the you tube videos the G&L's sound so twangy and nasally. This is lovely. I dare say a nicer more defined tone and a lot more control than a strat. I haven't read what the switch does yet but it seems to go from Strat to Tele if that makes any sense. Not sure which position I like best yet.

Just for my own reference, why do you say it is Korean? I am guessing the bridge and the pots just from a quick read of what you sent. Doesn't matter greatly to me in any case. I must say the materials are good, but the finish not so good. Just where they have finished / sanded the neck etc, particularly around the headstock bit rough. I am in Thailand so I don't know how they would have got another neck plate (very few G&L's here and not many parts) but who knows where it's been. Was a neck shim in the neck pocket too. A shim and a strip to alter the angle of the neck. I took it out but it did need it so put them back again as very little lower adjustment left in saddles and action at the 12th too high.

Can you tell me what the body wood would be and if these pick ups are USA G&L?
Where the Korean Tributes considered good? Better than the Japanese ones? Better than the ones produced now?

Many thanks for your help.

Why I say it is Korean made:
1. The serial number and build year (2003), see previously referenced post: Serial number significance.
2. The decaling on the headstock and see previously referenced post: What is the new Tribute series which G&L announced in 2003?.

Can you tell me what the body wood would be and if these pick ups are USA G&L?:
Basswood body wood and yes, the exact same pickups as the USA S-500 and made at the G&L Fullerton, CA, USA factory. See previously referenced post: What is the new Tribute series which G&L announced in 2003?.

Where the Korean Tributes considered good? Better than the Japanese ones?
Yes and Yes, read the previously referenced post: What is the new Tribute series which G&L announced in 2003?.

Better than the ones produced now?
There are a couple members here that feel some models of the Made in Korea Tribute Series is better than the current Made in Indonesia Tribute Series models. IMO, the Made in Indonesia models are much better overall, see: Why the change in manufacturing location for the Tributes?.

HTH

Thanks for that. As I said I am in Thailand and they do unbelievable things here to guitars so I don't doubt it is Korean. I have seen some photos of the Indonesian ones and just by the look of them I would have to say much better finish. It is still a really amazing guitar and sounds so good. I will be keeping it for sure and keeping an eye out for a USA G&L. I didn't realise they are such great sounding and playing guitars. Thanks again for your help. I did read your link that said the Korean ones were superior to the Japanese ones but it looked like schpeil came from G&L themselves. You agree Korean better than Japanese as I have seen a few Japanese G&Ls for sale here and was going to keep an eye out for one