This rare G&L ASAT Special is nicely appointed with the following features:
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East Indian Walnut Body with Satin Finish - 7.6 pounds
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G&L #1 maple neck, 12" radius, rosewood fingerboard
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Satin neck finish
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Dunlop 6100 frets
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Sperzel tuners
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(2) G&L Large MFD pickups
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Black 3-ply pickguard
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G&L Saddle Lock Bridge for excellent sustain
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Volume and Tone Control, 3-way switch
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Plek® Laser Guided fret finishing
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G&L non-compression truss rod
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G&L deluxe tolex hardshell case
We tried out this nifty Walnut ASAT Special using ValveTrain Trenton and Bennington 1x12 Combos, along with a JHS Charlie Brown distortion pedal for rock tones.
There is something special about the G&L large MFD pickups. Their broad frequency response, slightly soft attack and bouncy feel have always seemed like the perfect pickups to me. When played clean, their touch, range and clarity is hypnotic. Through a good stomp box or gain channel there is punch plus harmonic complexity that is the best of both single/double-coil worlds. The Walnut body works nicely with these pickup, and the sound is similar to Swamp Ash although a little crisper and more detailed. It's a more "stringy" sound, which brings out a lot of detail in the lower strings, although at the same time it's not lacking bass. I guess you could say it sounds as if you just put on a new set of strings. With both pickups together it's massively twangy and chewy, and it seems as though Walnut is the perfect country guitar wood, at least in sound if not appearance. Ditto for the bridge pickup, which is brighter than the traditional ASAT Classic bridge assembly, but still has enough body and twang to hang with the pickers. The neck pickup has a nice slightly soft attack and enough scoop in the midrange to take on a Strat-like character, but mellows nicely with a little volume or tone roll off. It's a pickup that can be played hard or easy, and is very responsive to playing style.
Using the JHS Charlie Brown through the Blackface-inspired Bennington, the guitar is bluesy with a nice midrange scoop that brings out both the top and bottom end of the guitar. Hit it hard and you get that nice springy Texas blues "crash" that is big and piano-like. Sliding over to the Tweed-like Trenton and the sounds become a little smoother and more soulful, with a little more sag and less attack. The harmonics of the MFD pickups come through nicely but it's softer on top, and more of a Larry Carlton West Coast sound. Depending on your amp and effects the large MFD pickups can sound like almost anything you want.
The G&L #1 neck is the same profile as used on the Legacy, and the 12" fretboard radius with Dunlop jumbo frets is comfortable for both chords and bends. It's a little beefier than a vintage style neck, but still easy to get around and probably the best overall shape for today's players. Combined with the MFD pickups this guitar is great for rhythm or country, but also has the output and presence to grind out some awesome rock tones. Once you've gotten used the the power and versatility of G&L's MFD pickups, conventional pickups sound a little thin and uninspiring.
With its traditional shape and exotic wood, the Walnut ASAT Special is its own guitar with a sound that bridges the many styles of music, allowing the player to create their own signature sound.
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