G&L Climax Bass

Everyone else here has done a great job of describing the bass so I'll refrain from repeating most of the information. The only feature not mentioned (that's worth mentioning) is that you can split the two pickups -- there's a knob to blend between them. Maybe I'm just dumb but it took me about a couple of days playing around with it before I really felt comfortable with all the knobs.

I originally bought this because I was too broke to buy a Stingray. I had read reviews (from here and elsewhere) that compared the Climx to the stingray and I have to say I'm very impressed by the similarities. To some extent, the Climax is even punchier than the Stingray. I do agree with most of the other reviewers here that the Climx is not the most versatile bass -- if you switch between lots of styles and you're looking for a variety of sounds then you might look elsewhere but if you like that classic puncy-mid tone of the Stingray then this could be a great alternative.

There's a little buzzing with the actives turned on but I think that might be more my issue than the bass.

No problems yet ... I'm giving this a 9 just based on G&L's reputation for putting together solid guitars.

Haven't had a need to call.

I'm running this through a YBA 200 tube head, an eden 2x10, and a Energy 1X15. It sounds like it should sound.

Ok, Mine has an Ash body, and a Maple neck and maple fingerboard. This is a 21 fret instrument with one G&L pickup that is a humbucker with coil splitting capabilities. The electronics are active/passive , Volume, Treble, and Bass Controls. It has two mini toggle switches that turn on and off the active circuit, and the other splits the humbucker. The neck is like a Jazz (Fender) style, except this one has the personal touch of love in it so I would believe that it was finished by hand. Very easy to play! The G&L bridges are really awesome for sustain charectoristics, and this one is just over built, to last forever. The strings go through the saddle block and really ring into the wood because of the massive design. The tuners are classic Fender style tuners and they never give me any problems once I have it tuned up. As for looks, almost everyone says to me "I like that one! That's beautiful" It is a vintage clear finish body and neck, and it really has a pretty yellow tint to it. I bought this one new with a hard shell case about 6 years ago.

The tone of this bass is quite impressive. It has a serious piano like active punch/ring to it and the passive tones can be dialed in to suit my taste as well. I usually use the passive mode through my Fender Quad amp, but just because I'm a man and I have testosterone screwing with my common senses, I turn the amp up and punch in active mode and kill neighborhood cats. It is really a universal guitar, that takes care of my personal needs for the bass register.

The action is great! The neck to body fit is wonderfully tight. The finish is excellent. The pickup adjustment is super. The only complaints I have are 1) the fret wires were poorly filed on the outside edges, and I refiled them myself to keep from feeling like I was going to get opened up from the frets, and 2) this bass is heavey! Ok, some friends of mine have said that the best bass guitars that they own are the heavey monsters, so maybe that's why mine sounds so good. But, my Chiropractors would like me to play my bass more often.

Please! G&L builds stuff to last forever. I have to adjust the truss rod twice a year just like all of my 6 string guitars, but I love the Mid West, and so that is just par for the coarse. I only own one bass guitar, and even when times get tough and I should sell something, when I come to thinking about selling this, I ask myself "What!?! Are you crazy?" I don't need a back up bass. Although this instrument suits me fine, I'm not a regular bass player(guitar is my thing and I own several)and if I was, I bet I would want more than one in my arsenal, but this covers sounds that seasoned bass players say, "That's the sound I like out of a bass!"

The only time I called for customer support was for my ASAT guitar, and they didn't help me at all. I needed a lighter body, (another heavy piece of wood) because my back was badly hurt and the weight was too much. But my Chiropractors rescued me, and I can hang with this bass now. But really, they should be more helpful to their customers.

I didn't pay retail for this guitar because of closeout reasons, or because it's so damn heavy that nobody wanted to buy it, but regardless, it looks good, sounds good, and plays real well. I think it retailed for $1200.00, but I purchased it for $695. plus tax. It is heavy, but like I said, it sounds great! It is in the vein of Fender basses, and some of my friends like other types more, but if you do like Fenders, and you can hang with the weight, then if one becomes available on the used market, give it a try. You most likely will take it home with you.

Light Swamp Ash body, maple neck with rosewood board. The neck has a Jazz profile, nice and narrow. One soapbar humbucker with a humbucking/single coil switch and an active/passive switch. The Climax bass balances nicely, no neck dive at all.

I usually don't like single pickup basses, but with this one I don't miss the other pickup. It's still not as flexible tonally, but the sounds you can get are so good I don't care. I also have an L-2000, and I can't get the same tone with it.

I bought this used, so there are some dings and scratches, but the construction is top-notch as usual with G&L.

Should last forever, the active/passive switch allows you to keep going if your battery dies, and one of the best things about G&L active basses is that the tone controls work the same whether you're switched to active or passive. The only bass I know of like that.

I've called G&L several times and always got helpful people on the other end.

20 years experience. Lots of other basses in the stable, some much fancier than the Climax bass. I've owned this for around 6 months so far - I think I'll always have one of these. My favorite features of this bass are the SOUND, the comfortable #6 neck (1.5" wide, 7.5" radius Jazz style), and the incredible price I paid.

The Climax Bass is the predecessor to the 1500 model. The Electronics are the same as the 1500 with an active/passive circuit and a Series/Parallel switch. The neck has a jazz taper to it while the 1500 has a PBass sized neck. The body is swamp ash with a nice rosewood board. Massive G&L saddle lock bridge is std. The controls are volume, Bass rolloff and treble rolloff. The MFD humbucker has extremely high output. Really no need for treble of Bass boost.

If you've played a Stingray, the Climax/1500 delivers a more aggressive sound. The mid punch is very focused and powerful. I find myself using passive mode mostly, but when things get loud, the active circuit is like putting on an afterburner. The series switch adds some nice bass boost, and you can rolloff the highs to mellow out the sound quite a bit. Overall pretty versatile, but not as much variety as the ASAT/L2000.

I've owned a few G&L's and they're built like tanks. Very rarely go out of tune, and humidity changes don't require a truss adjustment. The thick polyester finishes are very durable.

The preamp allows passive mode to work even if the battery dies so you'll never need a backup. G&L's are considered to be a workingman's bass and I don't think one would ever leave you high and dry.

I bought this Bass used and it was noisey in active mode. I called customer service and they sent me a preamp chip which quietted things right down.

If you want an axe that will outpunch a Stingray/Sterling, the Climax is the Bass to own. The Climax neck profile is thin like the Sterling and the 1500 is more like the Stingray size. Either G&L choice will deliver more bang for the buck compared to the MM Basses at a price that is $250-$400 less expensive.