G&L ASAT

i actually have 2 asat's. one is blond ash, with an ebony fingerboard neck, with jumbo frets. it has the standard "shrunken head" p-90's, what appear to be schaller tuners, and the usual problematic output jack configuration.
it also has the leo signature on the body.
the oddest part of this guitar is the bridge, a trem, (on a tele body???) that has fine tuners, and a hole to put the whammy arm on either side of the bridge. when a tech did some work on the dreaded output jack, he noticed that the thing looked like it was put together with bubble gum, and bailing wire on the inside. we concluded that it was some sort of prototype that somehow escaped from the factory. oh, and i paid $50 for it, with case:)

my other asat was a pawn shop prize, that i paid a whopping $250 for, as part of a 2 guitar deal, where i also got a 1978 takamine 12 string, both for $500. its an alder body dark sunburst with black hareware, except for the brushed aluminium non-locking sperzels. maple neck with jumbo frets. i bonded with this thing at once.

i used the blond both onstage, and in the studio, and its a champ. i play roots rock, stonesy type stuff.
i play a boogie mk III, and also use the pod.
not noisy at all.
much fuller than my '68 tele, with the real '56 bridge pickup.

both guitars are very well put together. no complaints except the usual output jack moaning, and having to put another string tree on the sunburst to keep the g string in the same county as me when bending it.

with one of these, you can chop your way out of a burning building. the hardware will outlive me, and the finish is superb. i put schaller strap buttons on both axes. i never use any guitar without a backup live.

i used to be in wholesale guitar parts, and the g&l guys were the best i dealt with.

been playing for nearly 40 years. i have a '62 strat, with a lefty maple chandler tele neck on it, a '68 tele with the maple on maple neck, charvel surfcaster 12 string, and a nice pile of acoustics, takamine, epiphone, yamaha, and ovation.

they are the best playing tele style guitars i've ever owned.

Lake Placid Blue with pearliod mother of toilet seat P/G.Alder body ,rosewood finger board bought new August 1997,so last century technology.In Australia the dollar was/is no so great against the green back so paid $1795.00 which was slightly more than say a Tele from Fender.All up standard (when bought)ASAT.
I love the way in which the bread and butter elements have been considered,for example the bridge is FANTASTIC , really well thought out.
The input socket is dreadful and the tuners ...well they had to go because of the post configuration (fat at top, slimming down to the base ) now has Sperzel tuners

I have replaced the original pick ups (10 out of 10 )with RIO GRANDE pearloid pickups .Let me say here the original P/Ups are fantastic and I have not let them go ,I`m just vain and like the look of the new Rio Grandes ,mind they sound fabulous and need a reveiw of their own (10 out of 10 for the rio`s)

Very together when I bought the guitar

Now for the down side the input socket is horrible and unreliable the up side is the rest of the guitar is ....well .... fantastic.

no need yet

If you are thinking about buying a Fender Telecaster go ahead and buy one .If you want to buy a Tele style guitar that is a musical instrument think about an ASAT.

1986-87? Still haven't taken time to get a better understanding of the 'born on date'. Made in USA. Bought this used w/case. Is an experienced guitar. All original parts as far as I can tell. Not sure about the body wood yet, although there are a couple of gouges in paint and it looks like might be ash. Oh yeah, nice creamy-blonde color with black crinkle p/guard and black hardware. Rosewood board. A straight-forward guitar - no surprises. A true example of less is more.
If you are reading this review, you know what to expect.

Ah, the sound ... I couldn't wait to play this when I finally got it home. Clean, it is unlike anything I've played or owned before. Its got some good beefy tones. Neck p/up supports my version of jazz, while bridge can crank it out and let the notes bite with distinction. (okay, sounds crazy, but sometimes I actually do talk like that ;)Am mostly playing 60s,70s rock/r'n'b/blues - lots of rhythm work with the occasional lead/chickn pickn/screech

Usually, just a bit of distortion, unless trying to make noises like pre-historic woolly mamooths completing their mating ritual.

Set-up includes Pro Co Rat, Danelectro Delay, E-H Small Stone Phase and the occasional appearance of a filthy little sound pig called the MXR Blue Box into a Fender 'evil twin' or old Super Reverb.

Traditionally a Fender Tele/Strat fan - but this guitar is giving me the sounds I've been chasing for a long time.
It is a single-coiled dream in terms of TONE.

Well, I bought it used. Have done some tinkering to get action set-up to my liking. P/ups were set at a good height, but may still get some adjustment. Pots still need a quick blast of air to make sure there ain't any excess crud.

Fit and finish? This guitar has seen some action in its day - but the neck pocket and fit are far better than several of the other newer Fenders and other products I checked out.

Neck itself is fairly decent - some frets are 'peeking out' the side a little and may need some attention. Fretboard will get a cleaning one of these days, too.
Tuners are solid - have tried my best to bang heck out of the strings and the tuning holds very nicely.
Giving an 8 cause it ain't perfect, but its pretty close.

By the way - what's the deal with some of the brand-spanking new G&Ls have crappy fret work? I have seen more than a couple with fretwork that looks like it outright missed any sort of quality control. Don't mean to be a nag, but hey - if I'm dropping money on a quality piece of new gear, it's gotta be a quality piece of gear

Reliability? Have a couple of gigs coming up. Will have a back-up as per usual - probably my Tele.
Hardware looks like it will outlast me by a few centuries ...
Finish - its an experienced guitar, but doesn't look like its going to give up all the paint without a good fight.
I expect this guitar will still be making noise long after my time has come and gone.

Warranty? Not likely due to the fact this beast is approx 16 yrs old.
G&L? Nice web-site, but haven't had the need to contact them for anything as of yet.

Repair work? I know a couple of shops around town.

Dig the guitarsbyleo website, too.

Been making noise with guitars since I was 14. Am now 34 and still making noise. Have owned or currently own - various Fenders and Godin guitars. Run all my gear thru tubes amps - its a tone thing.

What do I like about this guitar? It has TONE, looks, feel and staying power. This is the guitar I should have bought when I first started playing instead of the crappy Squire - but that's another story (foolishness of youth and attraction to colors deemed 'awesome' by an ex-girlfriend).

If stolen - I would be very, very angry ....

1994 ASAT (now know as ASAT Special), USA made. Solid Ash body, natural finish and maple neck and fingerboard. Telecaster style body. One volume/one tone and 3-way pickup switch. Two pickups- the ASAT "soapbar" type of pickups. Not as wide as the P-90s but much larger than traditional tele or strat pickups. Bridge is a solid G&L ASAT type, that has a lot of meat to it and a little screw on the side that pushes the saddles together to get the effect of one solid mass. Tuners are non-locking sperzals- standard for G&L. Came with the G&L hardshell (plastic?) case. I give it a 10 for a tele style, but just an 8 compared to guitars with many more features. Don't get me wrong, it's got the features I want and need. Just trying to be fair.

I play blues and rock. It would be OK for Jazz. Useless for "Thrash-noise, death, nihilsitic metal." It sounds like a tele, but then again, it doesn't. It has the scooped out middle like a tele and the twang. But it's a bit thicker, slightly more harmonically complex sound. It's like a tele, but only fuller (hard to describe). The bridge pickup give me lots of bite and twang. I use .11s on this because this type of guitar likes a slightly heavier guadge. The neck is just so full and complex that I love the sound for leads and rhythym. The guitar will weap, moan, laugh and cry. It's the only tele for me. It is the finest tele available. Leo lives!

I got it used, but the set-up was just fine. The guitar is solid as a rock. Action is good (I use .11s on it). This is an extremely well made guitar. Neck fits super tight in the neck pocket (my G&L Legacy is good, but there's enough room to slip a business card in...but not on this ASAT). Excellent wood...quality is visible in the natural finish. Frets are nice and the neck is good. No real flaws. I've heard that the input jack sometimes caused problems. My is OK, but it's not really solid. Sperzal tuners are great--only thing better are locking sperzals.

No such thing as indestructable, but this come closer that most. Other than the input jack, my guess is that this will last forever. Finish is nice and thick. Strap buttons are wide enough that I didn't put locking buttons on it like my other guitars. Probably the only guitar that I could gig with without a backup (I'd still have another for broken string moments). Voted guitar most likely to survive Thermo-Nuclear War.

Haven't dealt with them. Lots of good info on their web page and the G&L discussion page.

The ulitmate Tele. Viva Leo. If it were lost, I'd replace it right away. Only change I'd make is get a rosewood vice maple fingerboard because I prefer rosewood feel and tone (I settled for the maple because of the good price). I love the sound, feel, and durability of this guitar. Beats the pant off of any tele. FYI- I've waited for 5 months after buying to have plenty of time to play this and learn the good and bad, and get a sense of what the guitar "wants" to play and sound like. I reccommend future reviewers do the same--no reviews until you know your guitar inside and out. It will save the ratings inflation.

1989 ASAT, clear laquer on Ash body, 7.5" radius neck (thin design front-to-back), maple fingerboard, 2 G&L Magnetic Field Design pickups (the large rectangular ones). Not much, but meets my needs.

I've played Les Pauls for 17 yrs with Strats thrown in for rythym work but I did not really go for the thin sounding pu's for much else. Always admired G&L guitars but never really picked up an ASAT. Too bad it took me so long, because this guitar is both a great rythym guitar as well as a lead guitar. Very balanced and full-sounding which I was looking for to improve the clarity of my rythym playing...sorry, but my beloved Les Telelphone Pole doesn't do much for me in that department. This guitar just shines for rythym and has brought more clarity and sweetness to my jazz material; a very welcome addition.

The 7.5" radius fingerboard is a challenge when bending, especially beyond the 12th fret, but I've just become used to it and don't really notice it anymore. Also required shifting my fretting hand somewhat to catch all the strings, i.e., the more pronounced curve can cause me to mute notes; but this is my problem from flat fingerboard habit.

I especially like the taper on the volume and tone pots; you don't "lose it all" turning down below "8". Nice job G&L. Tuning machines are very good. Straighter string pull alleviates most string cathces on the nut but I still need to put graphite on it.

It's a well-used, used guitar that is 13 yrs old...dents and dings, etc. Frets need to be recrowned. Only weired bit of factory work I notice are three spots where they put small pegs in what must have been wood knots that popped out or something during finishing. No big deal to me. The guitar is well made, sturdy, etc.

Particularly impressed with the way the hardware has stood up to use. The pots and tuning machines especially. The massive bridge will probably outlast the guitar.

No idea. Neat website, but no older models like mine.

17 years playing progressing from blues rock to boredom, more lessons, and then some jazz lesson for past 3 years. This guitar covers all the territory of material I play and is a welcome change from the shortcomings of my Les Paul; the ASAT will compliment rather than replace my Les Paul, especially in recording. Definitely would buy another one again and wish I had picked one up sooner rather than spending money on more expensive used Fender and Gibson models.

Yeah, I wish it had perfect intonation always and would never go out of tune and would make me learn new material in my sleep...ha, ha. Great buy.

Late 80's model with two fat single coils. 1 volume, 1 tone 3 way selector switch. Maple fretboard, sunburst finish, tele style, hard tail non-locking tuners. Came with decent case.

Bridge pickup is very bright. Running neck & neck bridge takes some of the sharp edge off. I run through a compression pedal & an eq pedal into a Peavey classic 50 410 amp. Super low action with no fret buzz. Good for rhythm or country style players.

Never touched the action & it plays great. No flaws in the guitar when I purchased new years ago. Came set up very well from the factory. I have heard good things about how their guitars come from the factory.

It is a tele - it will last forever. Eventually I will need a re-fret, but it has been a great guitar with absolutely no problems.

Never spoke with the company - never needed to.

Good quality inexpensive guitars. They can be picked up on e-bay for $300 - $500. Not for metal, punk, etc... Good for country & rhythm for main stream rock.

Ok, I'm not going to bore you with specifics like the number of frets or body style. If your reading this your either thinking of buying an ASAT or you already have and you just want to see if everyone else is as exstatic as you are! My review is for those who want to know if the G&L ASAT is a keeper.

My ASAT was built in 1986. It is a basic ASAT except for the fact that it has two larger pickups (the size of humbuckers only they are not) This guitars tone is to die for! It will suit any style from huge AC/DC leads to Beatles material. It never goes out of tune, the tuners are still tight after 16 years of abuse, the neck is very very fast, the construction is sturdier than that of a mack truck,and like I said before the array of tones is f'ing amazing. I've played huge venues and also small clubs this ax's sound will swirl around the room like its alive! believe me the G&L factory mixes a little soul with their ax's! The sound is'nt just bright or thick or creamy its whatever you need at the time, total versitility!

Ok, Pretend that Leo Fender hand built the perfect guitar for you then asked Jimmy Page Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck set it up. I won't even ask if you get my point!

this guitar could withstand islamic jihaad!

G&L will help you in any way the can!

I bought a new Gibson SG a few years back and liked it, but you know that feeling.... like it's not the one. So I went looking at G&l's mainly because of jerry Cantrell. I played several new models and almost passed out because the playability and tones were so good
but the prices fetched $1,500 and higher. I had paid $1,100 for the SG
but you know music stores I was'nt going to get enough cash for an even swap . At first I thought I'd just go home and try to find love for the SG, But by what I consider to be fate I stopped at another
store and there it was all vintage looking with a darkburst finish
only $700 used! An even swap made it mine! Everyone told us it would'nt last. The passion would die and I'd start getting the wondering eye, but did we show them! We still make love for several hours a day! After a nuclear hollocaust there'll be cockroaches and G&L Guitars!!!!!

1999 ASAT with two stock P-90 style single coil MFD pickups. Alder body (black with white pickguard and pickup covers), hard maple neck. All stock with hardtail G&L bridge. Came with nice vintage-style tolex case. Mine also has the jack problem noted by others below.

I've had this for five days and LOVE it. Play direct into older Fender tube amps with some reverb. This is a wonderful sounding guitar. The neck pickup can be mellow while retaining nice sparkly highs. Unusually clear highs for neck pickup, but warm. Gets a great mellow jazz tone with the tone control rolled back a bit. The bridge pickup is good for more overdriven sounds, quite bright and tele-like but warmer. The best sound in my opinion is the middle position. Full range of out-of-phase sonic bliss. Great clean and for driven blues and classic rock. The tone control is very useable, unlike most guitars with a single roll-off tone control. This guitar has excellent sustain. I think this guitar really needs a good tube amp. I suspect that a solid state amp could not bring out its combination of warmth and sparkle.

The nut was cracked in the middle when I bought it and I have yet to replace it. I bought it used from a guy how mostly let it in the case. So there must have been some sort of problem straight from the factory. The cracked nut does not appear to affect sound or action, but I will have to replace it. The main problem is the output jack does not hold a 1/4 plug tightly. I have one cable that seems ok, but I will probably have to replace the jack before I gig with this.

Other than the jack, I think this is very durable. Seems to stay in tune and the neck pocket is nice and tight. The finish seems fine, but shows prints very easy like most dark, high gloss finishes. Very solid.

I have been playing for about 25 years. Have a 2002 G&L Legacy Deluxe, 79 Fender Strat, and several other electrics that are being neglected. This guitar offers a nice full bodied sound that retains a high end "Fender" sparkle. I have had it for less than a week, so my opinions might change. But for clean rhythm guitar and slightly overdriven blusy crunch this is the best guitar I have ever owned. I don't think this will get lost in the mix. Does not sound like a strat (no quack), but has the warmth associated with Gibson guitars while retaining single coil shimmer associated with Fenders. This is just what I was looking for. The best thing is that one can buy these used for a reasonable price.

Mine is a 1987 natural finish with swamp ash body, bolt-on maple neck and maple fingerboard, saddle lock bridge, and MFD (soapbar-type) single coils. There's a volume knob, tone knob, and three-position selector switch. This is essentially what is now an ASAT Special, but in 1987 it was just an ASAT. Like all G&L's, it was handmade in Fullerton, California. I bought it brand new some 15 years ago at Ace Music in Santa Monica, CA (may they rest in peace). It's simple and it's beautiful. The only thing I don't like is the black crinkle pickguard and bridge, but people tell me that's a trademark of the ASATs G&L made back then, so I'm not changing a thing.

This is a bluesy, semi-twangy guitar that begs to be played through a real tube amp. I play blues, Motown soul, and classic-style rock. This guitar is a tone machine. I play through a Peavey Duel 212 Classic Tube Series (yeah, I know most everything Peavey makes sucks, but this is one of the few good ones, trust me) with built in reverb and tremelo (footswitch), Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive (love it), Voodoo Lab Analog Chorus, Boss CS-2 Compressor, and Dunlop Cry Baby (used very sparingly). The pickups are a little bright, but I just roll back the tone knob. I never use the bridge pickup by itself, but the middle position has a great out of phase funk sound and the neck pickup is pure blues vibe. Great clean sound as well. This has been my baby for 15 years. I would say that the way it sounds has defined the way I play.

From the day I bought it, it's played like a dream. The action was low and smooth when I got it, the pickups were set just right, the intonation is perfect. I love the feel of the curved maple fretboard and the fat round neck. I respect Gibsons and those who play them, but I've peronally never liked the way they feel. It's probably due for a fret job, but that's because I've been playing it for 15 years.

Did I mention I've had this guitar for 15 years with no problems. I've played this guitar on stage, I've loaned it to friends who've played it on stage (of course they all tried to buy it off me, NO WAY!). I never gig without a backup though (who wants to change a broken string in the middle of a set?). I suspect it'll last longer than I will.

I've never dealt with G&L. Never had to in 15 years.

I've been playing nearly 20 years. This was only the third guitar I ever owned. I had just graduated high school and was getting out of my "metal" phase. I wanted something with a great classic single coil strat/tele sound. This was the one. I didn't realize what I had at the time, I just knew it was a good price. I feel very fortunate that I stumbled onto this guitar. I would never lose this guitar because when it leaves my house it doesn't leave my sight. If anyone stole it there would be hell to pay! I don't know if I could find another quite like it, but I would definitely buy one of the new ones.

G&L ASAT classic guitar, vert translicide. C'est une merveilleuse guitare. je regardais pour acheter une fender mais je ne regrette pas du tout mon choix. La qualite est irreprochable. Le rapport qualite prix est dur a battre. Si vous cherchez une guitare facile a jouer avec un son riche alors n'h.sitez pas un instant.

Cette quitare a un son superbe. De loin superieur a une telecaster de fender.

Finition impeccable.

La mienne a ete construite en 1995 et elle n'a demandee aucune reparation.

Pas besoin pour le moment.