My guitar collection - G&L
Is this an ASAT Classic Bluesboy ‘S’? Or an ASAT Classic ‘S’ HB? I opted for the former model name believing it is more accurate and avoids the double qualifier as well. But it is undeniably what one gets when a Bluesboy is fused with a Classic ‘S’. As such, this guitar has an ASAT Classic Magnetic Field Design (MFD) single-coil pickup in the bridge position, a Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity S-500 MFD single-coil pickup in the middle position, and a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover (SH-55N) humbucker in the neck position. These pickups appear on a Fullerton Red double-bound alder body with an Original Leo Spec (OLS) depth. This option was introduced on the 2 ASAT models in the 2015 35th Anniversary Collection and implies the body has the same thickness as in Leo’s days, i.e. 1.625” (1⅝”) instead of the BBE-era 1.780”. Completed 12/21/2015, this is the oldest ASAT Classic (Bluesboy) in this collection where an ASAT Classic 6-saddle bridge is combined with 6 individual ferrules inserted in the back of the body instead of the ferrule block used prior, likely being one of the first exemplars with this now standard feature. This guitar further has a 3-ply white pickguard, and the ASAT Classic ‘S’ wiring harness with a push-pull volume control for additional expander functionality, a tone control, and a 5-position pickup selector, together providing access to all possible pickup combinations. The light tint satin hard-rock maple neck has a 9½” rosewood fingerboard with Jescar Medium Jumbo 57110 frets, 1¹¹⁄₁₆” wide bone nut, and standard closed tuning machines. Although there is no other information on this specific model/configuration, both the ASAT Classic Bluesboy and ASAT Classic ‘S’ are still part of the G&L lineup.
ASAT Bluesboy Classic ‘S’
The story behind this guitar
Year:
Serial number:
Neck date:
Body date:
Strings:
This may well be the only official ASAT Classic Bluesboy ‘S’ out there. I had not heard of this factory issued configuration until the last month of 2020. Currently, there are 3 other Bluesboys in the Registry of the Guitars by Leo website which have been modded by adding a middle pickup. But as stated, these are not factory original, the main requirement (with a single exception) to be included in this collection. This guitar is from the first year the OLS depth had become an option on any ASAT model. But soon enough the corresponding body thickness became the standard again without the need for explicit mention on a spec sheet as is still the case for this guitar. With such an arsenal of pickups, one should have high expectations on flexibility and tone shaping. So do these expectations bear out? The bridge pickup gives you that snappy, twangy sound. The bridge combined with the middle has a surprising amount of quack and Strat tones. The middle pickup by itself is fantastic and when combined with the humbucker, some serious but darker tones are available. The bucker by itself provides all the jazzy warmth one would like. I could not find much use for all 3 pickups together in that it lacks a unique character. But the neck and bridge give you that famous in between tone of the Bluesboy. An absolute ideal guitar to bring along for band practice.
The story behind this guitar
2015
CLF075819
12/1/15, marked ‘ASTCB-’, ‘FULLERTON RED-RW-BB-WBW-’, ‘LTSN-OLS-MIDDLE
PICKUP-’
none, marked ‘BB’
