My guitar collection - G&L

 
 

The S-200 looks very much like the S-300, with similarly shaped, black powder-coated control panel holding the the PTB wiring harness, preamp switch, and output jack. But visibly sticking out from the plastic pickguard are 2 Jumbo MFD pickups instead. Two specimen are known to exist both with a maple body. The hardware used on either differs a bit. One has chromed dome knobs and a chrome preamp mini-toggle whereas the other has SC/HG/SB type plastic knobs and a more vintage red tip mini-toggle. Since I known more about the latter, it will be taken as the basis of this discussion. One finds a big surprise after loosening the 7 screws and removing the plastic guard: a 3rd pickup, another (neck) Jumbo “MFD” but with non-rounded bobbin particle board on top and bottom and missing the magnet underneath. The adjustable pole piece screws of this dummy coil have been removed and it is fastened to the body with a wood screw through the insert underneath the D-string. Since the dummy coil causes the signal to be weakened, the preamp has the function of buffering the signal and bring it back up to the proper level. Leo was known to experiment with such a setup to create a noiseless single-coil experience. Another example is his work on the Innovator in 1984. Even more, this arrangement of Jumbo MFDs and dummy coil should have been the defining feature of the John Jorgenson Signature model. The hard-rock maple neck with maple fingerboard has no model decal on its SC-shaped headstock. As can be gleaned from its date stamps, the guitar was completed in August 1982. Nonetheless, it never went into production which makes the SC-2 released to market in September 1982, just a month later, the first commercial guitar with these fabulous single coil pickups.

 

S-200 prototype

The story behind this guitar

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Not in the collection and likely will never be. I only became aware of the existence of G014324 when group moderator Shawn Penney decided to use a picture provided by “Fans of G&L - CLF Research” Facebook group member David Kendrick as its cover photo. To see the linked picture, you will need to be logged in and be a member of the aforementioned group. The shown guitar belonged to David’s dad, the late Buddy Kendrick, who worked with and for Leo Fender for 3 decades as an artist liaison. Buddy also owned several Music Man related prototypes. Currently all these instruments reside with David to whom I owe gratitude for him posting more pictures of this unique instrument in FB posts from October 2019 and September 2020 and hence providing all the stated info. In contrast, the Guitars by Leo (GbL) Registry has no pictures of any S-200 nor has either specimen been registered. There are no posts on the GbL site making mention of the S-200, even as late as December 2021. Neither did it pop up in any correspondence I have had with other collectors and G&L experts like Gabe Dellevigne and/or Greg Gagliano. The latter did provide a picture of the 2nd specimen, which he referred to as an S-200E given the presence of the buffer preamp, in response to one of David’s FB posts so undoubtedly they are familiar with Buddy and the S-200. Mea culpa, clearly I just forgot to ask them about it.

The story behind this guitar

1982

G014324 (prototype)

AUG 3 1982

AUG 3 1982

D’Addario EXL120 Nickel Wound Super Light (9-42)