G and L L2500 FL5 Reviews 
4 / 5 based on 1 reviewsInclude some more details about the product (color, size, finish, strings, etc.)....
Silver Sparkles, Giant Sparkles ! ! ! [LARGE flake sparkles, like you'd see on a drum kit]
Otherwise it's a normal late 90's L-series with dual MFD humbuggers, active/passive system, 34" scale, lotsa switches: 3-way for PUs [no fader], series/parallel, and passive/active/hi-boost switch. Tone is always paasive, so it works in all modes, bass cut and treble cut [so "flat" is both tones dimed]. FB is ebony blank plank, nut is brass [silly for FL], and neck joint is six screws.
....tell us a little about your history as a musician. What do you play? For how long? In a band? Musical tastes:
Been in one situation for 6 yr, no drummer, just vox, KB, and bass. Occasionally we add a fiddler who also doubles on geetar. Material is Blooz, Ballads, B'way, etc. Ms Diva's job is to sound beautiful. My job is to make people dance. Fiddler's job is to make us more like a complete band.
This is a used bass from Daddy's Junky Music Store. I already have a very similar GnL bass but this has one more string and of course Giant Silver Sparkles ! ! GnL have terrible resal value, so in excellent shape this was about 50% of discount new retail, even WITH the Sparkles, so I got me a flashy version [my other one is black].
What's NOT to like ? It's a GnL ! Actually, GnLs do have a few warts, but nothing else sounds like an L-series GnL. They are made of common woods, but the PU's and pre-amp are just astounding. Actually, the PU's are the deal cuz it's amazing even in passive mode. The PU's aslo have adjustable slugs, so you can tweak the style. I raise or lower slugs to lean toward a "P-reverse" effect on both humbuggers.
The bridge on these is massive and also embedded, not just screwd to the surface. The 5-string bridges are 2-way, thru body or thru bridge. Tuners are large "Fender type" but with light weight aluminum pegs. This bass has no neck dive.
And of course the Sparkles ... and with matching finish on the headstock !
As mentioned, there's no PU fader. OK. I will live, but I'd rather have a fader.
A brass nut does not belong on a FL bass. Just think about it. But at least it will never break. And a bit of fuzzy stuff under the strings in first position will defeat that unwanted "fretted note" effect it has on the open string notes [of which this ax has a very useful 5 notes].
There is absolutely zero shielding, altho it's always in humbugger mode so there's ALMOST never a problem about interference.
There's no seperate battery door, but there can never be a "battery emergency" either, since it's an active/passive system.
GnL are built much like MM's ... solid and
traditional, with massive hardware and heavy duty wood work. It is, after all, a Leo Fender company ... and it shows. The finish on a GnL is usually nothing special, except for THIS one !!! Did I mention the Giant Sparkles ? I did ? OK.
L-Series GnL are among the most modern of the Olde Skool basses. Before the recent advent of dual PU MM's, they were THE most modern rendition of Olde Skool. Now one has a choice, and it's very close choice ... so close that I never could choose and just have both instead.
But neither company offers Giant Sparkle finishes any more, and back when they did, all MMs were single PU while GnL already had dual PU's long time. So, if you want a Giant Sparkle Olde Skool Leo-heritage type of bass, WITH dual humbuggers, you gotta find a GnL ... with matching headstock ! !
I'm rating it a "4" for the silly brass nut, the lack of a PU fader, and lack of a seperate battery door, but it's still a waaay verrry killer ax. Did I mention the Giant Sparkles ? They are giant !
Golem rated this unit
on
2009-03-16.
