Interesting prototype G&L is working on ...

[Craig]

This was posted on G&L's facebook page today:

At some point Leo had done some work on this concept and we've started it up again. We used five S-500 pickups, with two pairs configured as humbuckers. The five-way does the usual thing, the mini-toggle does series/split/parallel of the "humbuckers" (G&L bass fans know this as K-wiring on an L-2000) and a push/pull pot does the pickup expansion duty as the mini-toggle would normally do on an S-500. PTB system is standard S-500, at least so far. We're using the outside coils on the split and got some pretty authentic S-500 tones. I think we counted 19 combinations, though quantity isn't important, quality is. And yeah, that's a lot of screws, but R&D ain't supposed to be pretty. We happened to have this Greenburst S-500 around so we decided she'll do. Didn't mean to be all fancy about it. ; )

I'm liking it.

What do others think of it?

Last edited by Craig on Thu Jul 30, 2015 7:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: fixed link to photo

If for nothing else, I love to see G&L do experiments like this.

Looks great, even with the screws and all.

- Jos

I'm liking it.

What do others think of it?

I like it too.
I have 4 SC MFDs in an old F-100, it really makes for a myriad of tones...some really cool and unique.

This was posted on G&L's facebook page today:

At some point Leo had done some work on this concept and we've started it up again. We used five S-500 pickups, with two pairs configured as humbuckers. The five-way does the usual thing, the mini-toggle does series/split/parallel of the "humbuckers" (G&L bass fans know this as K-wiring on an L-2000) and a push/pull pot does the pickup expansion duty as the mini-toggle would normally do on an S-500. PTB system is standard S-500, at least so far. We're using the outside coils on the split and got some pretty authentic S-500 tones. I think we counted 19 combinations, though quantity isn't important, quality is. And yeah, that's a lot of screws, but R&D ain't supposed to be pretty. We happened to have this Greenburst S-500 around so we decided she'll do. Didn't mean to be all fancy about it. ; )

I'm liking it.
Craig, go ahead and ship it to me, Ill let you know.
HLG

What do others think of it?

I dig it - I'm all for bringing back Leo's ingenuity…

Cheers,

KF

I do love seeing some activity in the lab and actual progress, but would like to see it on an ASAT with SHH set up.

I do love seeing some activity in the lab and actual progress, but would like to see it on an ASAT with SHH set up.

That would be killer!

It certainly is an interesting concept. I'd have to hear it to pass judgement. As others have said, nice to see some experimentation going on.

Looks to me like it has something under the hood! I like it.-- Darwin

I thought something looked familiar here. This looks like the old Invader Plus with a DF trem instead of the Floyd Rose and pup changes.

http://www.glguitars.com/instruments/USA/guitars/invader-plus/index.asp



I do like the pickup changes and combinations, should sound better. Even better in an ASAT body

Interesting. I wonder how that would sound with the Gotoh Dual Rail pickups as used in the Legacy Special.

Five of those with the bridge + neck combiner switch, plus series or parallel for each pickup.

Now that would be awesome, and hum cancelling in all positions.

NIce. I'm not usually totally convinced by the HSH combo but I do enjoy seing the experiment with the MFDs. /,,/

if it still sounds like a S500 only dead quiet I'm in ..... love the green burst with natural binding , I'll have to put it on the list of colors to have

I really dig the way it looks. Screws don't bother me, and I love the greenburst with binding. Very clean look. I'd love to hear how it sounds though - I bet it's a very complete package.

What do others think of it?

Well, it was the early '90s

Wondering if (even) more authentic tones might be achieved by tilting the bridge pair in the typical manner.

Black pickguard screws would help the overall aesthetics... just a thought....

Couldn't you put the pickup screws under the pick guard the same fashion as the ASAT Tributes have? That would clean up the look a bit at least.

I've been waiting for this for so long I lost the count !
I want one of those, de-fi-ni-te-ly

that is one dead sexy prototype.

Looks cool! Still using 250K/500K/1Meg for the PTB system?

Try bumping the volume to 500K and the treble roll off to 1Meg. I use this setup with single coils, and really like what it does.

I'd love to see an Asat in an HSH config with MFD's all around!

I like it!!

When it comes time to restore my old Legacy, thats the route I'd like to take And to be truthful, who cares that there are a few extra screws? I think it looks great!! AND you have much more adjustability than a typical humbucker

Let's do it!

HSH config!!! This is looking nice...I miss my neck humbucker sometimes.

That is a GOOD surprise

By now I have 2 HSH guitars all not the Quality a G&L has.So I am sold on it once available and let the Ib.. float away

Above pickguard comment is right-_>make it as clean as possibel with all that screws

And I pay more if I can get a pickguard less one ( like the Invader Plus ) but on the Legacy Body.

Roland

( that says somebody which has quite a few G&L's allready

Wow, many-many tone choices in one instrument

id buy one

I WANT that guitar

I know this is a really old tread, but... would there be any way to order a humbucker pickup like that? A pair in fact! I know they are two single coil together but, there must be a way to put them in humbucker format! It's exactly what I've been searching for! I wanna add F100 in my S500 guitar, but routing the pickguard and modding the guitar is a tad rough on my heart.

@Craig : Any idea? I would pay whatever the price! I so want a pair of those!!! But well, it's pretty custom of a demand, but we never know!

Since they just a combination of single coils put together, do they sound humbucker (usually, it doesn't really sound the same but well, better ask than be sad). If a custom pickup ain't possible, what is the wiring used for this config?

Yes, for years, some of us have been wishing for an MFD pickup that fits in a standard PAF pickup ring. I wouldn't mind if it were either a humbucker or single coil. Apparently there was work back in the Leo era to put a Zcoil in a standard pickup ring (see this thread for a pic):

viewtopic.php?f=122&t=14020

I have a couple G&Ls with humbuckers that I would swap out with MFDs in a minute, if they were available.... heck they are even making Jazzmaster format MFDs now! I would think it wouldn't be hard for them to make a PAF sized MFD and I would think there would be some market for them, since they really are a unique sounding pickup, and the format is so ubiquitous.

Interesting prototype. I'm just wondering how it sounds like

@Cho : Completely agree with you on that. MFD are amazing, but their format makes it hard to mod anything. Putting them together might not be that hard... from the way I see it, it's just a matter of casing... Maybe it's to prevent people from putting them in other guitars than G&L, I don't know (I don't want to presume anything, might just be speculation). G&L stuff is always amazing, I crave for a humbucker in bridge but have a hard time putting regular ones in S500 guitar. Something in my head condemn such a thing. At least, humbucker MFD would fit with the S500 neck and bridge. I wish there was a way! Putting two single MFD won't sound like a humbucker, pretty sure of it. I have the perfect guitar, the s500, in marvelous top and finish, but the bridge makes me put the guitar down too often. I would always play with it if it was a humbucker in. Always never play single coil in bridge and play 80% of the time on bridge position on my guitars - maily due to my playstyle and preferences. Yet, maybe our prayers will get answered one day But from what I see, the F-100 looks like two S-500 together, since the pickup cover is splitted in two from the inside. So maybe just modding a guitar to have two S-500 would sound like a F-100? Whaddya think?

Interesting prototype. I'm just wondering how it sounds like

They sound great!

I know of an Interceptor owned by a friend of mine with such compound S-500 pickups and I own this Superhawk prototype which allegedly is the last project Leo Fender world on (so not that baritone you may know about) according to very reliable sources who were running G&L in the day.



- Jos

So maybe just modding a guitar to have two S-500 would sound like a F-100? Whaddya think?

In series they do get pretty thick, I could string this up and post some soundclips.


I tried using SC coils in the F-100 casing, they sorta fit but the pole piece holes have to be moved a tad...

@Elwood : well, that settles it - it's not s500 in f100 casing. Meaning they do changed something on them. String spacing is a bit different. It would really be a pleasure to listen to a sound clip. Something really simple, string to string, and a power chord progression (2 or 3 notes) and maybe a chord. But well, just suggestions here, I would love to hear it. It it works, Gonna get myself a nice HSH pickguard and mod, instead of having a HSS with f100. I am just afraid of the sizzle sound of it, because humbuckers are usually two coil wired together instead of two coils wired separately (well, f100 is separate, cavity makes me believe so) and single coil in bridge is a big no for me - I really hate the sound, makes my head hurt and I usually cringe heh. Anyway, I trust your judgment. I have a HH legacy with seymour duncan JB bridge and 59 neck, and the JB is spectacular. I love it more than my "other brand I won't mention here" guitar loaded with "the same brand" humbuckers. Supposed to be the glorious tone and I love the Legacy more. My guess is f100 or s500x2 would fulfill the need. REALLY love the s500 tone! If it can sound beefy and rock-y, that would make my day! Thanks for the pics, details and chatter

@yowhatsshakin : well, that is the same idea I came up with months ago but since I know nothing of electronics, I just thought I would let go that project. Modding a guitar as great as the s500 I've got make me kind of nervous. But seeing it already exist, means it can be done! Wonder if I could make them fit just a pickguard plate without the ring (always hated the look of a ring on pickguard loaded stuff. Still, a big thank you for your time, pics and all, even if it wasn't directly aimed at me, it was helpful

Jos, is that a standard sized pickup ring you are using for the two S-500 pickups?. Did you have to do any extra routing?

From the pics, it looks like it was routed. There is no finish around the pickup cavity. The ring have two screws (top and bottom) each side, instead of 1 / 1 or 1 / 2). Just my wild guess. He will answer soon enough Sorry to stick in-between

Jos, is that a standard sized pickup ring you are using for the two S-500 pickups?. Did you have to do any extra routing?

Cho,

That guitar came that way from the factory. All I know about the history on this "Leo's last project" Superhawk, with supporting references, is presented on my website. Indeed, that is a standard humbucker pickup ring you see. If I had to guess, and given the holes, I think it might be one for a Schaller bucker, which were the standard pups for the Superhawk in the day. Still, given the covers for the S-500 pups, a little bit of routing needed to be done to fit these. Things might have been OK without the covers but that would look pretty ugly with the windings exposed.

Enjoy the story,

- Jos