Leo Fender never stopped innovating, and here's another great example: the G&L Comanche Studio VI, featuring Leo's split single-coil pickup ("Z-coil") that's humbucking yet sounds like a single coil, with higher output from ceramic magnets. This is one of a special build that G&L did this summer of a Comanche model that was originally produced 1988-1991. The original Comanche featured the Z pickup in a Strat configuration, but the Comanche VI took it a step further with the ability to turn on or off each half of the pickups (a design of two other G&L people). This gives quite a number of useful combinations.

This guitar sounds fantastic: These pickups have SO MUCH sparkle, and a rich full sound across the spectrum. It sounds similar to a Strat in the standard five positions, but vastly better. For example, I play the keyboard lick from "Superstition" in the out-of-phase position (neck + middle) and it sounds so funky---almost like a thumb-popped bass---without any other coloration (such as a wah pedal, which takes away more than it adds). The middle pickup gives me great Jerry Garcia tone, and the bridge is bright and rich, not thin. I'm finding that even compression is hardly needed. I mostly color the tone with different shades of overdrive, some chorus or vibrato (Leslie-style), and occasional phase shift.

Then, get into the combinations: take the treble half of the neck combined with the bass half of the middle for a cool variation on that out-of-phase sound. Same for the middle+bridge out-of phase. Or combine halves of both out-of-phase positions. Also, combine the neck and bridge (a common feature on current G&L guitars and others).

The switching is pretty straightforward: The two-way toggles located where the 5-way switch would be turn each pickup completely on or off. The toggles in the tone control position are three-way and turn on the bass half, the whole pickup, or the treble half of each.

I've gigged with it once so far, but have five coming up in the next month. It takes a little learning, but most of the time I stay in one tone for an entire song, and make changes between songs. (I play mainly rhythm in the band, which simplifies things.) For lead, I can flick the bridge on and another off (two toggles) in one move, just as quickly as you'd hit a 5-way Strat switch or an LP switch. But I usually switch channels on my amp or my Mesa-Boogie V-Twin floor pedal for lead.

The fit and finish on this guitar is first rate. The neck pocket is tight (not the credit-card reader that came on my '79 Fender Stratocaster!), the burst is lovely on both sides, and the (EI) rosewood fingerboard has a beautiful grain.

Just loving it!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: uponamouse,

Beautiful guitar!

Here are my G&Ls: USA Legacy on the left and Tribute Bluesboy in trans orange (aka, The General Lee) on the right. Love them G&Ls!!

I think G&L's are the greatest value in electric guitars- 'ceptin' maybe Eastman archtops. I played nothing but legacy or legacy specials in the early ninties, after have gone through a cord of strats looking for "the one". "The one" is a Grosh. I've been jonesing for a Bluesboy for a backup electric/slide guitar. Way better than Fender for way less money.

I'm afraid to play a Grosh. I'm afraid I'll like it better than my Legacy. My Legacy has the vintage strat tone I was looking for. The tonal palette of that thing is amazing...and I've only scratched the surface of it.

My Bluesboy is one of the G&L imports made in Indonesia. Talk about value. USA pickups and setup at the factory in CA before shipping to the dealer. The damn think plays like butter. I replaced the stock G&L 'bucker with a Duncan Seth Lover and, man, it is sweet sounding.

David Ely bought a new ASAT classic a couple weeks ago at a shop here in Austin. He stopped by the house with it and we picked the blues a little while about as well as we know how and I gotta tell you that is about the sweetest sounding tele I have ever heard. Big, warm, round tone but with tele twang out the wazoo from the bridge pickup. Man, that is a cool guitar.

I have a Legacy that was my first electric. Had to order it to get just what I wanted. 1-11/16" nut, 12" fretboard radius. Belair green with white guard, pickups & knobs. Looks like an oversized kids toy. Cool. Has been my favorite.

But I just brought home a 290 tonight, so the Legacy may move down to second favorite. But it might not, I'll see after a while. If only Collings made them in green.

When I picked up this Comanche at the dealer, I took the opportunity to put my hands on as many of their G&Ls as I could. The S-500 was similar to the Comanche tone, but it had the hum that the Z-coils cancelled! I think I forgot to play the Legacy; I tried every ASAT variation they had (about 6). The Bluesboy, to my surprise, didn't bowl me over like I expected, but I may need to give it another shot. Certainly, the Tribute is a great option. One of the ASATs had this incredibly beefy D-shaped neck which blew my mind.

Like you, Allen, I'm afraid to try a Grosh or a Suhr in case it's incurable!

What did blow me away at the dealer was the Victoria Regal II amp that I played everything through. Holy cow, WHAT AN AMP! I have never heard bass so rich and deep and complex, and that was at setting 4. I actually had to turn it down to 3+ because it was too intense for me! My Comanche sounds fantastic through my MusicMan and my old Ampeg, but the sound of it through that Victoria gave me GAS!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: uponamouse,

I bought my first G&L, an SC-1, in 1983. Then I bought an SC-2 and an SC-3. All of them had Mustang shaped bodies, maple necks/boards, dual fulcrum tremolo tailpieces and the first series (HOT) MFD pickups.

I still have the SC-2 (in my view, the evolutionary descendant of the Tele and Mustang, a full scale twang/rock monster). Sold the others last year, after 20= years of stewardship. The owners are thrilled. GREAT GUITARS.

G&L's are superb player's guitars, the best of the blue collar, straight ahead notion that Leo had at the beginning. I mean, what does "L" stand for? All I can say is don't play a Grosh. I got a mint used one for 1500 five years ago, and I'll never need another strat style guitar for as long as I live. It's that good. I wish it weren't so, but I gotta testify.

Joe McColley was kind enough to let my play his 290 for a couple of weeks e few months ago. What a guitar! I may be repeating myself on th forum,. but I wanted more fender edge and bite, while the 290 was rich and warm. My ASAT gives me all of it.
Buying it was a real liberating experience. I drove to Austin to check out a Fender '52 reissue tele, hoping to love it. Brought my G&L Legacy that never did much for me for comparison. Guitar Resurrection in Austin set me up with amp of my choice (Fender Pro Junior, sinc ethat's what's here at home). I grabbed a couple of Fenders, 3 G&L's and my own and sat alone for about an hour. I was intending just to educate myself on differences, get a feeling for preferences.
I purposely stayed away from the Fender custom shops, and there was a used Grosh tele that I avoided as well - just beyond the price range. But that ASAT Deluxe spoke to me and fit my had so nicely, and they gave me a decent trade on my Legacy, and a great trade on a National I underutilized.
Now I have to get new strings on my acoustics to get ready for the gathering, since I haven't played either one for the last month.
Now on to amps!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: David Ely,

From what I hear: Carr Mercury. Waaaay too much money, but boy does it deliver the goods.

Did I mention I passed on the Grosh as it was out of the budget? But I guess having an amp with equal or more value than the guitar is akin to the price of violin bows.

I've heard from more than one pro that you're better off playing a good guitar through a great amp than vice versa, but I haven't listened. Yet.