G&L JB-2

Sunburst finish on an alder body, a two-piece maple neck,rosewood fretboard, and an adjustable truss rod. Two alnico pickups, two volume controls, one tone control. This G&L (USA-made) is far & away much better than the American Standard Series Jazz Bass which I bought new (and sold quickly) in terms of playability, range of tone, and overall contruction.

My style of playing is strictly finger plucking of the strings. I play blues, classic rock,hard rock, country. Whatever I want from this bass, tonal-wise, I get. It has a huge range of tones from very buried, deep bass to high, twangy sounds if I want. The output is low from the pickups, and I'm tempted to get a set of Lindy Fralin split coils, but that's yet to be seen. I'll put back a few bucks a week for a 'rainy day, dream away' sound that requires new p'ups.

I bought this used by a ebay. That's a treacherous way to buy. The guy described it as "perfect." Well, no, it wasn't 'perfect.' When I got it, the neck had a bad convex bow. Buzzing of the frets, no clear sound, etc. But I tried to be patient and, since I was stuck with it, I adjusted the truss rod very slowly, a little at a time, with days inbetween adjustments to let the wood settle. Within a week's time, the action was perfect....better than any other instrument I've had before. Now this is my bass of choice. It plays so well, the action is very quick, the neck is thin yet solid, and my hand slides fast on the maple neck. Love it, but only after adjusting it. Beware of buying long distance and just by looking at pictures.

If I lose it, if it gets ripped off, I'll replace it with another G&L JB-2 (USA). The hardware is strong like a tank, the strings stay in tune, and the finish must have some sort of a thick protective coat that keeps it resistant to any scuffs or scratches.

Never sought it yet.

I've been playing for 40 years. I've had a pre-CBS Jazz, several makers basses (Warmoth, Fender, Peavey, Epiphone, Gibson, Warwick), but this is by far the best. As I wrote above, if it gets lost, stolen, or if I have to use it as a paddle on a raft in flood waters, I'll buy another. No questions asked. It is definitely worth the money and the wait if ordered new.

Two vintage alnico Jazz Bass pickups, very nice sounding. Have rich and full sound. The bridge is very massive, and the bass seems to resonate very well so the bridge does a good job in this aspect. Neck is a standard Jazz bass neck, it has great feel. Overall this bass is very comfortable to play. I received a free hardcase with this bass.

This bass has a great sound with much variety. I like to play in many different styles from hard playing to flowing runs to slap bass. The sound is very rich and is very diverse. The slap tone is great, but I can play very smoothly as well.

The action was very good. It stayed very constant frmo the nut to the bridge and was even across, which I like. The pickups are at a desirable height. Everything seems new and functions well. The finish is a blueburst finish and looks very good. All of the hardware is very durable and quality made.

THis bass will withstand live playing. It is very tough. Everything feels very solid. The finish is very tough as well. I believe it has a polyutherene finish, which makes it tough,

I have never dealt with G&L.

I own two other basses, a Traben Phoenix and a Fender Precision bass. My amp is an Ashdown 180-15 Electric blue. I would definately buy this bass again if it went out of my possession. I am in love with the sounds it can produce and I'm very happy with the comfort it provides.

US made JB-2. Sunburst (2 tone) with maple neck (quartersawn). Standard gloss finish on body and satin on neck. Came in standard G&L case. Has all the features you need in a Jazz bass - VVT and 2 pickups.

Sound is mean and growly like a good jazz bass. I changed my pickups for Duncan Antiquity II's, but this was really a matter of taste and is not necessarily an improvement, just different. They just give me the sound I was looking for, more of a midrangey thump. But I could just as easily change my mind and put the originals back in. That is one great thing about the bass - aftermarket Fender style pickups slot straight in. Other reviewers are right about the standard alnico pickups, they are very revealing. The front pickup sound doesn't seem quite as warm as some of the Fenders I've played, but it is superior to many Fenders in many respects. I use it with Eden amps and cabinets.

Just stunning, beats the pants out of the new Fenders I've had. The neck on this thing is unbelievable, doesn't have that painful Fender-itis that you get on jazz necks. It is straight as a die and stable. Mine was also quartersawn, which you have to pay big dollars for on boutique brands like US Laklands. I'd give it an eleven if I could!

Rock solid in every respect. Full confidence in this bass - as it's passive I'd definitely use it without a backup.

Not had to use them at this stage.

Playing bass and guitar for over 30 years. Love this bass, one of my favourites from a nice little collection.

Mine is a 2001 model, first year of production I think. Passive electronics, standard J bass array. Ash body finished in a gorgeous Vintage White. Hard maple neck and rosewood board. G&L has always had the best bass bridge around, locking down the saddles makes for big sustain. Nice-fitting molded hardshell case. This is not really a bass that you buy for "features", but the features it has are very well executed, my favorite being the shape and contour of the body, which makes it comfortable to wear even for long sessions.

I like the sound of this bass, but it does take some EQ tweaking for me to get the thick, round lows that I like. It has a strong mid-range and lots of highs, enough highs there to force you to play cleanly. I'm a finger picker, so I find a sweet fundamental right above the neck pup and move toward the bridge pup to find gobs of grind & growl. The JB-2 has more growl than my Warwicks, but not quite as sweet down low. Pretty good variety of tones, but its not a P bass. I bought the JB-2 for raw punch, and it delivers big time.

Got it used, dont know how the factory had it set up. Right now it plays well but not perfectly. I'll have my tech look at it next time I visit Chicago, but I feel a fret leveling job coming. That's okay, I dont expect perfection immediately. Build quality.... Outstanding! All new G&L's are absolute stunners, even the gaudy-color ones. They are built as well as USA Lakland basses(IMO)and about half the price. Much nicer than MM. And Fender?...PLEASE! G&L's are the "ultimate Fenders", a true distillate, refined to near perfection. I say "near" cause I had to fix ringing springs under the pups with adheasive tape. With this fixed, I honestly cannot find anything to critisize now. Truly superior quality.

Absolutely top-notch hardware, components, and materials. Built to last. Christ, if you can't get 20 yrs out of one of these you're an animal. And you are not going to be messing with truss rods four times a year, either. Really strong necks made from really hard maple. Asking some one if they will play a job without backup gear, is like asking if they drive their car without a spare tire.

Unknown territory here. They answered my first e-mail, but ignored my second one. I'll have to bail on this question, I guess.

Overall, if you like bolt-on, Fender type basses, then G&L is the way to go, and if you dig jazz basses, then the JB-2 is a fine choice. Way under rated, a great value. Used G&L's are bargain priced. Since 1970, I've had scads of basses, especially pre-CBS Fenders and early Stingrays, but I must say that my JB-2 is in a whole nuther league when it comes to quality. I agree with the previous reviewer that, if G&L made a stacked knob version of this bass it would be irresistable.

My 4 string bass guitar was perfect.It has two pick ups and has volume,tone,and every thing that you can think of that would go good go on a bass.The tuners are a fancy type and i ttunes very easily.the neck is thin and it is very light.it came with a hard shell case and a certificate.

when i first pick the bass up it sounded great i compared it with other bass guitars and the others sound like a rogue.it has rich and very full sound.

The bass was set up perfect and got to be a great hit.I finally got on and was excited.the pickups were adjusted and no scratches or anything.

it has a rock solid body and is very hard.it can stand any thing from anywhere from practicing and playing live gigs.

it had a warranty and it was a forever on.If you ask me it is perfect.

i have been playing it for 2 years.and it is great.

My JB-2 was made in 2001 (In USA of course). It is 4 strings and has two tone controls and volume control. Pick-ups are Alnico jazz pickups. The neck is maple. It has a high gloss black finish and the body style is jazz. The bridge is G&L saddle lock (the usual for a G&L). The neck is thin (just right for my small hands) and the guitar came with a hardcase. I have only been playing bass guitar for two months (started at 53 years of age - better late than never). I bought a bottom-rung guitar and practiced with it through a yorkville amp for a month (about 2 hours a day). I found I could not easily use the neck of the guitar (too wide) and the sound was awlful (clattering and lots of distortion). I thought it was me until I picked up the G&L and played it in the store. I couldn't believe the difference. It was like the guitar was made for me. The price was over $1,000 and I considered it out of my range. However, the store gave me a great buy on it and I took it home.

I love the sound of this bass. The tone is rich and full - very warm. I use a yorkville amp with the bass. I have been practicing a variety of music (classic rock, country rock, blues, etc.) and it seems to be able to play them all. I am not interested in performing but I definately have found a great instrument. There is nothing I don't like about this guitar. My son has played guitar for years (he has three) and he calls the G&L the Gibson of the bass guitars - he loves its sound.

Fit and finish is top-notch. It stood out in the store because of its finish - it was adjusted perfectly and there were absolutely no flaws (I have a very critical eye for that sort of thing). It practically shouts CLASS! I love the glossy black finish.

I can't say too much about its durability - I have only owned it over a month but it appears to be very durable - I practice upwards of 3 hours a night on it and it plays like the first day I bought it - the stap buttons are solid (one came out of my other guitar) and the there was no need to adjust the neck.

Don't know about customer support - have read some negative reviews about customer support - hope it is better than indicated.

Only been playing for about 2 months. I got a great deal on a terrific bass after having numerous problems with the cheap bass I bought (name withheld to protect the innocent). I like the way it feels, the way it plays, the tone, and the size of the neck. I compared it to Spector (almost bought one) and Fender (too expensive).

This JB-2 fretted bass was built in 2001, features an ash body, finished in "Honeyburst", maple neck with rosewood fretboard. 2 passive Alnico pickups, in jazz configuartion, with 2 volume and 1 tone control. Also features G&L lighweight tuners, and came with case

I play this bass through an SWR Workingman 12" combo amp, with 10" extension cabinet, through a Boss EQ pedal. It is used weekly to play with a bluegrass band where all other instruments are acoustic and in a small, all electric, blues - early rock gig. I have been able to find sounds to suit these styles of music, from full and warm, almost upright like, to compliment the acoustic instruments, to punchy enough to cut through the other electrics. I had to return this instrument to G&L for warranty work, when I shipped it away I would definately describe it's electrics as "noisy". However since being returned to me it is very quiet. I don't know what they did, I checked under the cover, they did not shield it, but it sure is much nicer now. Another observation re sound: the E string when played above the 9th position seems to lose any resonance, produces a thud, which by itself sounds awful, but for some reason works well in the mix.

This bass came from G&L set up perfectly. This was probably one of it's best selling features for me. It felt like an old friend the minute I picked it off the rack in the music store. Since I know the store owners they allowed me to try this instrument overnight. I tested every screw, all tight, all controls were solid, the nut is well cut, the neck joint is very tight. Overall a well built instrument, obviously built by knowledgable craftsman.

I've owned this bass for 8 months, in my estimation it will stand up. I sure hope so,I've gotten rid of my other basses since acquiring this one. The hardware appears to be very solid, the tuners sure are compared to other basses I've owned, straplocks are well attached, have not had to adjust truss rod at all, action stays good. This bass feels and plays like a "keeper".

The warranty with this bass is 10 years. I have had to return it for warranty work. Because I live 5000 miles from California, (east coast of Canada) this involved shipping the bass to G&L and waiting 3.5 months for it's return. There support was not that great, when you call their 1-800 number you get a company not called G&L. They do not respond to e-mail or voice mail, in fact it was very difficult for even the store owner to get a real live person. So basically you ship your bass off, you're not sure if it arrives, you certainly don't know what they intend to do with it or when. But I will give the Devil his due, when it arrived back, with a new neck installed,it is a very fine instrument. So Mr Romero, a simple phone call or e-mail to say it has arrived, it needs whatever, and will be back on this date would ease a lot of anxiety.

This is a nice, well built bass. Nice wood was used in it's construction, it is well balanced, especially with the light weight tuners. If it were lost or stolen I would get another one. I like everything about this bass, especially the way it has returned the ability to find an interesting variety of tones back to the player,however I sure wish I could find a way to make the E string resonate better in the upper registers. If I were designing this bass I would add a second tone control and shielding. If you have the opportunity to try one of these, go for it, but don't be surprised if you leave the store owning it.

I was working with a music store in town that carried G&L and we decided to close the store. I decided to order one and pick it up around the time of NAMM(2002). i orderd it with EVERY option in the catalog. Unfortunatley this was not physically possible. I got a call from the rep saying theay could not give me the gun oil rub on the bound neck (dont know why, i used to shoot it on fenders. oh well) i wound up with a birds eye maple neck white bound (beautiful piece of wood. i highley recomend it. theay also left the good grain for the finger board.), swamp ash body with a tobacco burst finnish. Chrome hardware. I orderd a upgrade case, but theay were out. i got the regular one (i recomend the upgrade one. the regular one scars easialy) The alluminum tuners take a while to get used to because of the weight (any other jazz bass players will notice, but you learn to like it) The pickups are the vintage type as well. the locking bridge is worth all the tea in china. this rig never goes out of tune, and i play lite roto sounds (barbwire in music form)

I play a fender 400PS with 2 cabs. This bass really speaks well with the amp. it takes a while to dial in your sounds, but when you do, it makes alot os scence. You have to play with the EQ to get the fundemental out, but it is usualy not a problem. word of warning. this bass puts your playing under a microscope. lots of high end. not for the first timer. but you can do things with it that a fender cant do. i use NO effects, NO compressor, NO limiter and the bass is well ballanced. it dosent need anything. you can get it to bark right into a DI. If you want to be expressive. its the bass for you. it forces you to stand up and play. no hiding behind this thing.

fit is perfect. however as with all fender type basses a nice wide comfy strap is a good idea. the thing is built tighter then any other bass i have ever played. makes a music man look like a yugo in quality of build. The finnish is perfect. not a single line on it.the maple in the neck was hand selected. it came right out of the box still in tune and ready to play. it came with medium boomers i believe, but i soon threw my rotosounds on it fast. the neck is flat as a board. most jazz bass players play that way. so do i. I caught a guy trying to put some relief on it when i told him he could play it. he got a earfull. It plays well in comparason to the 62 and 67 i used to play. but compared to what fender currentley offers the thing is in a whole different world above the fenders.

I drag it all over had have not had a single problem. One thing i did notice was the pickup mounting springs would ring a bit. a little masking tape on them to bad down the ring took care of that. NOTE TO G&L!!!!! Pulling the pickups reveals how good the finnish job is on the bass.

theay are a very small company. its sometimes hard to get somebody on the phone. my only real complaint.

This bass is the best bass i have ever owned. Its my new best friend. I do however wish theay had one with concentrics like the old fenders. also it would be nice to have the mute option like the origional jazz bass. if it was stoled or destroyed i would get another one. but i wuld try to get some more custom options. I highley recomend you get as with all G&L products every option you can get. theay really make beautiful guitars that play and sound great. Thier L series blow the music man products out of the water. I only wish theay had a rounder finger board avaliable (i like the tight radius fingerboard) witha deeper neck, but a narrower nut. oh well. maby on the next one. but i plan to never sell this bass. its too special to me.

My JB-2 is finished in a "honeyburst" sunburst finish. Very nicely executed, not too overpowering visually as some G&L finishes can be. It has a maple neck w/ rosewood fretboard, and the body is a nice sounding pice of ash. Neck feels great and has that familiar Jazz Bass feel to it. Very playable, and very straight. Alnico pickups, 2 volume controls and a master tone knob. Hardware is chrome. Has all the features you need to get that classic "J" bass sound.

I play rock. Suits my style very well. I like the tone this bass has. I use a Gallien-Krueger 400RB210 combo for smaller gigs and an SWR SM400S head and Goliath III (4x10) cabinet for bigger venues. Also a SWR working man 12 for practice. The bass is nice and quiet through the pickups, but there is a bit of what I call "G&L Hum" from the lack of shielding. My other G&L bass as well as my G&L ASAT guitar suffer the same problem. Sound is full. You can get jazz sounds or Skynyrd type sounds; very versatile. I mostly use this one in practice and live. Haven't recorded w/ it yet, but it should be up to the task. I like the lightweight of this particular bass, and the great finish and attention to detail that G&L put into their products. My only dislike is the lack of proper shielding to cut out some of that hum.

Bass was set up very well when I received it. I bought it from a popular retailer in CA. that handles quite a bit of G&L products. The action is low w/ no buzzing. My Fender J bass had some neck issues, but my G&L JB-2 doesn't! Pickups were adjusted a bit too high, and I lowered them a hair to suit my playing style. I play almost entirely fingerstyle. There were no flaws in the finish or hardware that I could find, the pice of ash used had a nice figure to it and is quite attractive.

I've used G&L basses almost exclusively for the past year playing 2-3 times per week. This has led to NO problems, and I regularly gig w/o a backup when I use them.

I've never dealt w/ the co. for warranty work, though I've not needed to. They have a fine reputation and seem quite accessable.

I've been playing bass as a hobby for the past 12 years. Most of that time I played Fender's and not much else. I discovered G&L about a year ago and have sold off all but one of my Fender P basses.If this bass was lost or stolen I would definately replace it. I have other basses (Fender, G&L, Brian Moore) But this is my only remaining Jazz style bass. It is so good I unloaded my Fender quickly. The G&L basses (and guitars for that matter) are handmade in Leo Fender's last guitar shop (after he left Fender and Musicman). Bassically a custom shop quality bass at a factory bass price.