G&L Legacy Lefty

This Legacy was made to order in 2001; it was made in the Fullerton, Ca chop(not the "tribute" shop in Japan, which from what I've seen makes very good stuff). This instrument has all the normal things on the Legacy(22-fret,vol-bass-treble-3 standard single coils) and the following options:
1. Swamp ash body with "honey finish"
2. Birdseye maple neck with hand rubbed gun oil finish
3. the cream colored pickguard, which sure didn't feel worth 50 bones, but it does look nice.

The neck scale was standard and I didn't opt for the V-shaped '59 type neck, which I kick myself for because I think I would've liked it. I also didn't get the locking tuning machines. THIS WAS A HUGE HUGE HUGE MISTAKE!!!!

This part was an aquired taste. Things were not too perfectly set up out of the box, which I attribute to the fact that it was shipped all the way here to Japan! I changed out the 9's that were on it and put in EXL110s and try as I might for a few months I couldn't get it right, it was just out of wack! Intonation sucked, the bridge wasn't quite right and it went out of tune every 15 seconds. After what I spent, why the HELL didn't I get locking tuners!!!

Unfortunately, around here nobody knows what the hell they're doing along the lines of guitar service and repair, so I'm going to have to wait until I come home to have it "set up". I think this will solve all of my problems in this regard, as I don't quite seem to have a knack for doing this myself.

Anyway, about a month ago, for no reason other than the fact that the ambient temp and humidity changed, this thing found its sweet spot! It hasn't gone out of tune in 2 weeks and I've played it 2 or 3 hours a day(don't know why the strings haven't popped). This thing sounds better than the Strat I used to have ever could, which isn't exactly fair because, although this can sound very similar to the Fender equivelent, they are not quite the same beast. This sounds a little thicker and poppier(probably the ash body showing through).

One thing is the same, I never use the bridge pickup. Unless your into that beach boys/early Beatles kind of tinny guitar sound, there's nothing nice to say about that pickup position. Not my cup of tea. The middle pu has some character as does the bridge. But my all time favorite pos on this thing is the middle/bridge combination. This pu selection with the classic gain channel on My DSL100 is absolutely beautiful! I could play with it there for hours, and there is nothing that the old Fender Strat I had could do to come close. For fuzzy rock, blues, classical or even country I suppose, there's a sound to appeal to everything to be found here!

I would really like to know, however, if there is really any sound degradation to be found by using this "swimming pool" rout for the pickup area. I've no experience with this as none of my other guitars have routing for electronics like this and when I get back to the world, I would really like to do a resonance and feel comparison between this model and a Legacy that was made with individual routes for the pickups and the electronics cavity. Until that time, I'll widthold judgement.

As I said, I think the excessive shipping and me upping the string gauge and not properly releveling the bridge hosed things up on me which is not G&L's fault. The action....Was nothing less than I dreamed that it could be. Even if I didn't like this guitar I would've kept it just to have that NECK! I love the feel of that thing and I wouldn't change it for the world. Universes different from my other guitars, and thats why I love it.
The bridge was expertly routed as is the joint that connects the neck to the body. No complaints for workmanship. The nut actually looks like it was meant for a left handed instrument, not like a quick knockoff/filedown of a righty bridge(some people have actually tried that shit on me, dont laugh!) \
Everythings solid, I JUST WISH THAT I GOT THE FRIGGING LOCKING TUNING KEYS(have I mentioned this once or twice yet?)

Well, I've gotten no indication that this thing will ever simply fall apart on me. It should widthstand any playing situations I throw at it(except underwater). I think its a keeper in the last department. Thinking, however, about replacing the strap buttons with those dunlop straplock guys, but I don't want to screw up the finish. Eh, I own the thing, right? Its not an artifact.

I haven't yet delt with them, but the thing is allegedly under warranty for 7 years. If anything decides to go terribly wrong I'll
make mention of the experience here.

I've been playing on-again-off-again for around 7 years now, and have amassed a good deal of stuff to include:
1. Ibanez RG-680Lefty: wonderful instument, personal favorite
2. Epi Les Paul Standard Lefty: modded w/SD59's and is still kind
of a piece of shit, but I like the feel of that neck
3. Kramer no-name from '86 lefty: not that well made really, but its
got that feel that just keeps me from getting rid of it! Got 2
Dimarzio Evo's in it now, helped the sound.
4. Some Ibanez POS acoustic(Performer series)

All electrics played through:
1. Marshal DSL100 head: very,very nice amp, especially that clean channel/yeah and a 1960A cab(75 watters, ok)
2. Boss digital delay ROD-10(love it)
3. Morley bad horsie wah: the best wah around
4. Digitech whammy-4: Why did I buy this again? Kind of, but doesn't completely, suck at what it was designed to do.

I now love this thing every bit as much as the Ibanez for completly different reasons. It has a feel(thanks to that neck)and sound all to its own(its not a strat wannabe). It was an aquired taste at first due to the tuning problems, and I think for the money, it should have just come with the locking tuners, but I've heard that once you've straightened out these dual fulcrums, they're as stable as the Floyds without all the mucking about, so we shall see!

Overall a fine instrument that I would recommend to anyone for any style of music(except extensive nu-metal bullshit, but you'll want a 7-stringer for that anyway), especially if your wanting something with some single coils in it!

OH YEAH, AND THANKS G&L FOR BEING ONE OF THE ONLY COMPANIES NOT TO BONE LEFT HANDED PEOPLE BY CHARGING THEM EXTRA FOR YOUR INSTRUMENTS! IF FOR NO OTHER REASON, THIS IS WHY I CHOSE YOU OVER FENDER. BESIDES, LET SEE IF THEIR CUSTOM SHOP COULD'VE BEAT YOUR PRICE FOR THE OPTIONS I GOT!

If any lefties out there got any questions on this, feel free to email me with them, I can definitely elaborate on this review. We gotta stick together out there!!!