What exactly have I bought???

Over the weekend I finalised the purchase of a 'mint', Made in the USA, ASET guitar. The guitar was bought from a renowned local player and G&L dealer, close to where I live. It was one of his own personal guitars (amongst a number of others, including G&L guitars).

As I already own an 85 'Broadcaster' with its marvelous MFD pickups, I was immediately attracted to this guitar. It has some excellent provenance along with those magic pickups. Unfortunately, some of the original paperwork has been mislaid at some point over the years, but hopefully it will eventually be found.

The case has a homemade handwritten sticker stating 'Classic ASET Custom'.

The serial number is CLF 13821. The neck is dated July 1999, whilst the body neck pocket is dated '1997'. There are some other markings on the neck and body, which I have attached photos of. They mean very little to me - although I assume the 'B' on the body might indicate a medium width neck .

As mentioned the guitar has a pair of MFD pickups.

I was told that the guitar was 'special ordered' - the owner as previously stated is a G&L approved dealer - with a custom colour body and a similarly finished headstock. It also has a graphite nut, top bound body and locking tuners. etc.

I have checked the G&L registry but cannot match this guitar to any particular model of guitar mentioned there.

Does anyone on these forums have any idea just what I might have acquired here, model wise, or it is a 'one off' kind of thing, simply built to a customer's specifications?

Btw, I love the guitar. I consider myself lucky to have been given the opportunity to become its second owner. It is what it is, but in fear of asking too many questions, I knew I was getting a good guitar at a very good price. I didn't want to risk driving the price up, as there where others who were just waiting to step in.

Can anyone shed light on just what this guitar is .........?? Thank you!

Some photos .....

A custom ordered ASAT Special with Dual Fulcrum trem, in emerald blue metallic with matching headstock and top binding , graphite nut with locking Schaller tuners. That about covers it.

And a fine one it is too !

it's a beauty for sure , not many had DF's

Yessir! They don't make them any better than that! -- Darwin

Thank you all for the informative replies.

So as I see it, my newly acquired guitar does not fit into any of the G&L guitar registration categories, as my 'Broadcaster' did ?? Is this correct?

Thank you all for the informative replies.

So as I see it, my newly acquired guitar does not fit into any of the G&L guitar registration categories, as my 'Broadcaster' did ?? Is this correct?

It is an "ASAT Special" model. That is model name you should use to add it to our G&L Registry.

That's a nice ASAT Special, and loaded with options. Basically, your new guitar is a direct descendant of your Broadcaster. The name changed from Broadcaster to ASAT in '86, and then to ASAT Special sometime around '92. The headstock logo says "ASAT" because that's what every ASAT since 1986 has said. The "Special" in the model name originally denoted chrome trim, but pretty soon after that the option of black hardware (with the model name "ASAT", no "Special") was phased out.

Your ASAT Special would have been a special order (as all G&Ls are), but the original owner definitely went all-out with upgrades. The markings on the neck indicate Emerald headstock ("EMR HDSTK"), ebony fretboard ("EB"), and that it was for an ASAT. Tony was probably the builder's name. I'm not sure about the B in the neck pocket, but it wouldn't have been a neck profile (those have always been designated by numbers).

As far as the serial number goes, all you can tell from it is that the neck was made after 1998 (the serial number format changed in 1999).

So, how does it sound compared to your Broadcaster? Do you hear a difference?

Ken

Thanks Ken for the great info and for the kind words........

I have only just acquired this guitar - two days ago to be precise - but from what I have seen and heard so far, I have a very warm feeling.

My 'Broadcaster' however, has simply sublime sound. My friend (who was the owner of the previous guitar) has played guitar with the local Philharmonic orchestra, and is a highly accomplished player, mastering many styles of music. What he 'got out' of my Broadcaster is breathtaking. As yet I have actually not heard him play this actual one, even though he had owned it for the past fifteen years ....... and anything I am capable of doing would not be comparable in any way.

Once I get this one set-up to my own liking, I will have him compare the two. As I said previously I didn't want to appear too enthusastic and had already told him I that I wasn't too interested, (how to find the 'readies' so close to Christmas was part of my problem) but having chatted with my wonderful wife, a decision was made to buy it. He was playing out of town when I finally made the commitment to buy. After Christmas, when things begin to settle down, we'll perhaps have more time to do the A vs B routine.

Regardless, I feel extremely fortunate in having had the chance to acquire this beautiful guitar, as I know I wasn't the only person interested in acquiring it.

Thanks to all ..... I have now registered my ASAT Special.

Thanks to all ..... I have now registered my ASAT Special.

Thanks for registering it Tony. Love the story of both this ASAT Special and your Broadcaster.

Now that we've figured out what the guitar is....what is that statue behind the guitar doing!? (Beautiful ASAT Special by the way...play it in good health).

That statue is just very happy to see such a nice guitar...

Now that we've figured out what the guitar is....what is that statue behind the guitar doing!? (Beautiful ASAT Special by the way...play it in good health).

Thank you all for the feedback and for the good wishes.

Wow, I've been negligent in replying for a number of reasons - but not to worry, all is fine and dandy once again. Some minor health issues, some family stuff and perhaps the main reason ..... pure laziness. All compounded, it just didn't help.

First the statue (desertrat07). It is, I believe, a pre-Columbian funerary piece that I bought from an old oil man who had spent many years in Central America back in the day. I have owned it for perhaps 25 years, and am still I not too sure of it's exact provenance, I think I was told 'Ecuador' but have since had some other guesses and a couple of good offers for it from collectors who have seen it. Perhaps you can tell me more about it? We do have a lot of old oil people here in Alberta - this being oil country. In fact I'm one 'em.

OK, what's been happening? Well my best news is that I recently bought a G&L Comanche that a local enthusiast was having to sell for his own good reasons. (Oil is just not flowing the way it was).

This is a beautiful guitar and is dated July 2003 in the neck pocket. It carries the Serial Number CLF30267 on the headstock. It is still in minty condition and really plays beautifully. A good find I thought, and had no hesitation in deciding that I 'needed' it, especially as the price was equally attractive. (Don't ask in case my wife reads this.)

Buying the Comanche is perhaps one of the main reasons, apart from mislaying my password to this forum and eventually having to sort that problem out ........ that I am now able to get back on line. Plus, I do want to learn as much as I am able too, about this sweet looking guitar. This forum being the motherlode of information for G&L guitars.

And now, a few photos, which may just help .......













Please tell me anything that comes to mind about this guitar. Information is not all that easy to come by - at least - so it seems. Thank you!

Your Comanche is a beauty!

The body finish is Honeyburst on an optional Quilted Maple Top. Would need to see the back of the body to determine the body wood (could be Swamp Ash (stock) or Alder (optional)).
The neck looks to be an optional Birdseye maple neck with the optional Glossy Tinted finish. The locking tuners are stock and are Schaller tuners.
The nut is stock and is a Graph-Tech graphite nut along with the Graph-Tech string retainer which is also stock. The bridge is the G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato but
the saddles look to be Graph-Tech "String Savers" graphite saddles which would have been added by a previous owner as they are not a factory option.

The mini-toggle switch is the pickup expander switch, see: What is the expander switch used on many of the models?.
The pickups are Leo Fender designed MFD Z-coil pickups, see: List of pickups used in G&L guitars.
The tone controls are the PTB system, see: Can you explain the PTB circuit?.
Also, see Boogie Bill's post: Comanches For Dummies Redux by BoogieBill.

Hope this helps.

Your Comanche is a beauty!

Would need to see the back of the body to determine the body wood (could be Swamp Ash (stock) or Alder (optional)).

Hope this helps.

Hi Craig,

Thanks for all the information.

Here is a photo of the back of the body of my Comanche. I was told it was Swamp Ash, but I would like your expert opinion to confirm or refute this.

Thanks, Tony.

Your Comanche is a beauty!

Would need to see the back of the body to determine the body wood (could be Swamp Ash (stock) or Alder (optional)).

Hope this helps.

Hi Craig,

Thanks for all the information.

Here is a photo of the back of the body of my Comanche. I was told it was Swamp Ash, but I would like your expert opinion to confirm or refute this.

Thanks, Tony.

Yes, I too, think it is Swamp Ash.

It's a (very small) shame the tremolo cover doesn't match the pickguard, but man! That sure is a purrdy guitar! I'd have bought it quick as a fiddle. I have to catch myself, having recently purchased my first G&L guitar, I am suddenly stoked to buy another - and I've been keen on these Z Coil pickups, so ASAT Z3s and Commanches have been particularly tempting. Curse this audio avarice!

Thanks Dan,

Yes this guitar would have been very hard to walk away from.

I only own three G&L guitars, and each one is special in some way. All three are referred to in this thread. Whenever I examine one I become more amazed by the shear quality of design and the execution of that design in these guitars. As a company it would seem that they have been working in the right direction since their inception.

I still love my Fenders and Gibsons, but my feeling is that the G&L is still a Fender, and in a good way. I feel that these guitars are examples of where Leo would have taken Fender had he not left the original company. He was a genius in many ways.