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G&L ASAT Classic S Himalayan Blue
This custom USA ASAT Classic S features:
- Himalayan Blue finish on Basswood, 7 pounds
- White top binding
- Original Leo Spec. 1.625" body depth
- Vintage tint satin maple neck, maple fretboard
- Modern Classic neck profile, 9.5" radius, 1-11/16" nut width
- Medium jumbo frets
- G&L split and drilled tuners
- 1-Ply white pickguard
- G&L MFD ASAT “ashtray” bridge pickup assembly
- G&L MFD S-500 middle pickup, reverse wound
- G&L MFD neck pickup
- Black pickup covers
- Volume and tone controls
- 5-way pickup switch with pull volume control
- Plek® laser guided fret finishing
- Deluxe tolex hardshell case
- Made in Fullerton, CA
- List price: $2644
The G&L ASAT Classic S is G&L's interpretation of the "Nashville" style Telecaster that is popular with many session musicians. By adding the middle Stratocaster® -- but in this case S-500 -- pickup this type of guitar is capable of the classic Tele sound plus the funky middle and "out of phase" tones typically available only with the Strat. Finished in the dreamy Himalayan Blue and sporting eye-catching white binding, this particular ASAT Classic S is both classy looking -- and with the OLS body -- comfortable.
This guitar has a Basswood body which is a new build option at G&L. It is an abundant material, so it is less expensive than a Swamp Ash upgrade and more consistent in terms of weight. It's tonal profile is also very similar to Alder which makes it a no brainer if you want punchy tone and comfortable weight. Basswood is a little softer than Alder: But if you are going to drop your guitar hard enough to dent Basswood, you'll dent Alder too.
The G&L ASAT Classic MFD pickups take the best of the Tele tones: Round and warm or bright and twangy, and fills them out with greater clarity, dynamics, and output. The neck pickup has the bell-like tones of the original Telecaster, but with less compression and spongy feel. Bright without being edgy and with a rich full bass, it's captures the essence of Fender's original design but makes it vastly more usable. Although not as glassy and scooped as a Strat, the ASAT neck pickup can handle lead work quite nicely, and it's strong output and lower noise works well with distortion and boost pedals.
The bridge pickup assembly combines plenty of rich twangy goodness, but with more body, midrange, and no icy top end. It too drives pedals really well, with lots of output and harmonic complexity. Big rock tones are no problem with this guitar, and it's got humbucker-like output with superior clarity and detail. It's a great pickup for lead guitar work, and with your favorite stomp box you go can go from Bad Company to Brad Paisley in an instant.
The addition of the S-500 middle pickup adds the slightly metallic, grainy blues tones you'd expect from this position, but with that extra MFD midrange presence and dynamic range. With its 5-way switch, the in-between positions on Classic S have great spunky out-of-phase cluck, and produce both great country twang and super-funky tones. There is a lot more oomph in these positions than your typical Strat® and you won't get buried in the mix.
This guitar comes with G&L's newest neck profile, the Modern Classic. Slimmer like the old "Slim C" the Modern Classic has a 9.5" radius and a 1-11/16" nut width. The string spacing is the same as their 1-5/8" Classic C necks, and the extra width is there to help prevent string fall off. Players who like an American Fender® neck will take to the Modern Classic. The Plek'd® frets have nice rounded ends, and feels extra smooth with the satin finish maple neck.
The G&L ASAT Classic S provides traditional vintage flavors but with the output, clarity and punch that makes it great for both recording and live performances (And you can plug your ASAT and your Les Paul in the same amp and not have to redo all your settings). For pure flexibility and great tone, it's one of our favorite G&L's and if you can only bring one guitar to a gig or jam session, it's a brilliant choice.