My bass collection - G&L
My bass collection - G&L
The 1st style SB-2 clearly is based on the Jazz-bass with the 1st style SB-1 a single pickup version. In 1985, the SB-1 became a more Precision-bass like instrument by introducing body contours, a pickguard, and changing to a split-coil Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickup with slightly offset coils. That same year the 1st style SB-2 evolved into the Lynx Bass. However, by the start of 1989 G&L had reintroduced the SB-2 as an interesting mixture of J- and P-bass. Most had a contoured swamp ash body, though this instrument still has a soft maple body, and black powder-coated Locktight (Saddle-Lock) bridge without the S/N which is now printed on the 3-bolt neck plate. Both the J-bass like MFD bridge pickup and the P-bass like MFD neck pickup are mounted on the body with the latter surrounded by the black powder-coated aluminum pickguard. The wiring harness is interesting: each pickup has its own volume control and there is neither a pickup selector nor tone control. The hard-rock maple neck with maple fingerboard has the usual 34” scale length but a narrow 1½” nut width (see the picture on the page for ‘entry level’ models comparing the nuts of both style SB-2s), later also found on the ASAT bass, making is feel more like a vintage Jazz-bass. Generally available since 2015 as the SB-2T, which has an additional master tone control, a configuration which in 2017 became the default, the “traditional” SB-2 is still in production as seen on the current G&L website at:
SB-2 (2nd style)
The story behind this bass
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Since the ‘entry level’ guitars are found in both 1st and 2nd style versions in the collection, symmetry needed to be restored in the land of the low-enders too. It all started in 2016 with the search for a 2nd style SB-1, in particular one with a Schaller PBX pickup. Initially, that search was not successful but a few weeks later this 2nd style SB-2 became available for an extremely fair price. In writing this text, much was learned about its peculiarities which are all born out when one starts playing this instrument. The P-style pup provides the low-end and roundness of the tone; the J-style pup sparkle and bite. Very easy to dial in some delectable tones with this super simple configuration.
The story behind this guitar
1990
B020774
AUG 2 1990
MAY 16 1990