G&L Legacy

I purchased a used 1993 USA built Legacy. It has the three bolt neck with the micro screw adjustment. It has the tri-color sunburst on a what has to be an alder body (it just doesn't feel heavy enough for ash). The electronics are the original three alnico V single coil pickups with cloth lead wiring. Along with the PTB tone system. It has a bird's eye maple neck with a beautiful rosewood fretboard, and a one ply beat to hell white pickguard. There is the standard duel fulcrum vibrato. the neck is almost as shallow as the wizard neck on my Ibanez, certainly nothing like the wide fat neck on my PRS. The 12 inch radius is nice.

I have owned several Fender strats and even a Parker night fly. I have never been satisfied with the thin tones from those guitars. This Legacy has very nice pickups and the PTB system is AWESOME, if I want a chimey glassy clean I dial back the bass to 0 and crank the treble to 10, if I want a punchy crunch I dial back the bass and treble to 2 or 3 and it leaves a nice midrange punch, if I want a jazzy mellow tone I crank the bass to 10 and dial the treble to 3. All switch possitions are very musical. I am currently playing through a 5watt class A tube amp (Peavy JSX Mini Colossal) that interacts with these pickups and tone controls amazingly well. Sometimes I use a VOX Satcherator> Boss chorus ensemble> Digitech digital delay but I really enjoy the dynamics of running straight into the amp. I play worship, alternative rock, some jazz and blues. This guitar can cover the gamut. If I need a heavier sound I use my PRS single cut and the Satcherator.

It was NOT set up from the pawn shop. I fitted it with a new set of elixers in 10 - 52 gauge and set the action where I wanted it as well as adjusted the vibrato to float. I did not have to adjust the neck at all. The finish is in amazing condition for being 16 years old, so I'll give it a 7.

This guitar is 16 years old and the electronics don't have a hint of crackle or pop at all. This blows my mind. EVERY USA built Gibson or Fender I've owned started crackling and popping after two years or so, only my G&L and PRS have stood the test of time so far and the PRS is only 7 years old as of this writing. The finish is also amazing on this guitar.

I give a low rating here because I contacted G&L about obtaining a vibrato arm and new pickguard for it and still haven't heard back from them.

This is the best Strat style guitar I have ever owned. I plan to upgrade the pickguard to tortoise shell and the string saddles to graphtechs. I might even add a switch to enable the rhythm pickup when the treble, and treble middle positions are chosen on the 5 way switch. If this guitar where lost or stolen I would certainly buy another one if I could afford it. If you are looking for humbucker tones get a Les Paul or PRS. This guitar is the ultimate incarnation of Leo Fender's stratocaster.

A 1998 3 tone sunburst Legacy with Maple neck. If you have a 'standard' Legacy, I don't need to go into the rest of its features.

I play rock, blues, and indie, a little of everything, and this thing howls. I have owned it for 10 yrs and haven't looked back. I love the strat sound and this thing does it. I have since played many American made Fenders, and they all seemed to fall short (at least next to my Legacy). The custom shop ones do sound equally as good, but for $3500+, come on... I smile to myself when I play other people's American Standard Strats, knowing that my Legacy would suplex it, then hand it back and politely comment on its good tone. The great thing about this guitar is there is no hard to find proverbial 'sweet spot' in the controls. You can find great tones everywhere, pending on your mood. Even the volume knob is a tone control. After 11 years with this guitar, I still find myself in the mist of a jam and hearing a squeal or scream come out of this beast and thinking, damn I love this guitar...

Final thoughts: While I have probably been over-zealous in my review, the bottom line is this guitar SCREAMS!!! If I could give it an 11, I would.

I don't remember if it was setup good when I got it, but it is now. The finish was impeccable when I got it, but now it is a little beat up.

This guitar is built like a brick house. Never any issues and don't expect any. It's seen many stages and while small, they were stages none the less and I have never had problems.

Never delt with them. Never needed to.

I've been playing for 16 years, fairly seriously. I've been in several bands over that time. My rig in order is Legacy -> Crybaby wah wah -> TS-808 reissue (modded by Analogman) -> Voodoo Labs Microvibe -> reissue American Big Muff Pi -> Modded Peavey Classic 30 (Celestion G12H 70th Anniversary Edition speaker, beam blocker, and tube tamer).

If my Legacy was stolen, initially I would probably cry. This depressed state would slowly turn to rage at which time I would try to find the individual that stole it, so that I could repeatedly stab them with a common and dull case knife. If I could not find them, I would of course, go buy another Legacy.

I some time in the future I am probably going to purchase an ASAT Special. My musical tastes have changed a little and I think it would suit me well.

2008 USA Legacy in 3 tone sunburst with a maple neck and fretboard. all original specs 22 frets, 3 single coils, premium ash body, and your basic 5 way strat type pickup configuration. very beautifully constructed and the 12 inch radius is very cool but the guitar was a little heavier than I wanted.

I play blues/rock and a little traditional jazz. I play through a fender deluxe reverb with a tube screamer and compressor. The guitar is just as noisy as any other single coil guitar but the sound is what I don't like. It's nowhere near the sound of a Fender American strat. Fender strats give a more warm, bell like, chimey, glassy, rich tone (imho) than these G & L's. I was disappointed with the sound. I expected a louder more powerful sounding instrument than my strat but I was wrong. I did an a/b comparison and totally loved the sound of my Fender strats and ended up selling my G & L. The legacy was too thin, harsh and unexpectedly weaker. It's hard to imitate a Fender strat with any other guitar on the market. If you want a nice Stevie Ray/Jimi tone or an Eric Johnson or Gilmore sound, than stick with what they play, a fender, plain and simple!

guitar was setup perfect!!

Can't comment. I never had it long enough.

Pretty good quality but the guitar was too heavy and lacked the tone that I was looking for. I would not buy this guitar if it was lost or stolen. I'll stick to my Fender strats because that is the tone that I prefer for it's single coil sound.

Spec as G&L website but have made changes as below

I got this off Ebay, no problem there this is a 2001 model in a very nice honey burst and I had a Plek set up done by CCGX who did a great job. I thought is sounded good until I got a Nash and then it did not sound do good at all a bit dull and lifeless, I think is is down to the unusual tone and Vol control Pots and Caps, it's arranged so that one tone is like a treble and the other like a base but I think this sucks the life out of it.

Anyway I fitted Amalfitano pickups and changed the pots to all 250K and with a treble bleed on the vol all from Single Coil and fitted a paper in oil cap, low value, and now it's pretty damn good very which I think is mainly down to the awesome Amalfitano pups.

So great guitar but get rid of the controls and maybe the pups

2007 Legacy (USA)

PICKUPS 3 G&L vintage style Alnico V single coil pickups (passive)
BODY WOOD Alder
NECK WOOD One piece Rock Maple (#1V)
FRETS 22 vintage style (25.5" scale length)
NECK RADIUS 12" (304.8mm)
NECK WIDTH AT NUT 1 5/8" (41.3mm)
TUNING KEYS 12:1 ratio, sealed lubrication, adjustable knob tension
BRIDGE G&L Dual Fulcrum vibrato with chrome-plated brass saddles
CONTROLS 5 position pickup selector, PTB system
FINISH Emerald Blue
OTHER Chrome Hardware; 3-ply Creme pickguard; G&L molded hardcase included (with key)

Also Allen wrenches and Certificate of Authenticity.

Basic G&L strat with usual features, plus a vintage neck feel.

The combination of components works very well here to give a broad range of strat tones for all the styles I play from pop, jazz, rock, blues (good SRV neck pickup tones), country, classic R&B, and raunchy dance music.

I use it with two Tech 21 Trademark 60's and a Boss ME-50 multi-effects unit. Also a Kustom Tube 12A practice amp sometimes, with or without a 12" extension cab.

Well shielded and humbucks in switch positions 2 & 4.

The volume pot is 250K, the treble pot 500K, and the bass pot 1 meg (it's the lower tone control). With the treble and bass pots turned down it gets a unique honkin' midrange tone, especially useful on the middle pickup with crunch or distortion.

It won't quite get the massive Les Paul hard rock rhythm punch, but it has lots of steam and comes close enough. Plus it has a crisp high end when you want, but anything less still sounds good when I trim off some highs or reduce the guitar's overall volume. The pots work great together.

I like 500K tone pots for the extra highs on single coil guitars (vs the usual 250K), and have retro-fitted plenty of Fenders with them. The 1 meg bass pot on this guitar is a bonus.

I like the G&L PTB system. Some s/s/s G&L's have an extra switch to allow neck and bridge (or all on) variations but this one doesn't have it. Not that important to me.

It's great to be able to dial out some bass in the middle of a solo if my amp's speakers should start to flap. I can tighten it up right from the guitar. Makes my amp setups more usable without walking over and adjusting them all night.

I haven't adjusted the neck, bridge, or saddles since I've owned it. The neck is hell for stout and doesn't flex. No seasonal adjustments even.
I use 0.010" - 0.046" GHS Nickel Rockers. I forget what came on it. D'addarios, but I can't remember what guage.

The pickups only needed slight adjusting for my taste and usual setup and balance preferences.

The neck pocket is very tight. It won't shift at all. I don't think it can. Very precise fit. Even looks precision, which is unusual in a bolt-neck Fender design.

They said the neck was hand rubbed gunstock oil for tint, under lacquer. I'm not sure why they choose to say that. It looks vintage, maybe like an old Stevens .22 bolt action?

The body finish is beautiful and flawless "Emerald Blue" poly.

I used to think lacquer finish was important on a guitar. I can't hear the difference anymore, and keep my stuff pretty protected from the kinds of exposure that causes that vintage checkered lacquer patina on old guitars with history.

I certainly wouldn't pay extra to have a guitar beat up so it looks like I've neglected it.

I gig plenty. My stuff still looks as good as I can keep it, though it gets nicks from music stands on the occasional tuxedo job, etc. The body finish on this one is very durable. If it somehow blankets the sound I can't tell. It sounds great to me.

I don't see how you could improve anything.

I'm not sure how I could hurt its basic structure without meaning to, and the neck is nice and beefy without being just sloppy fat.

The components are all premium.

The strap buttons are much better than the usual stuff. Good sized, and shaped right. No worries. A strap in decent shape will not come off easily with these buttons.
I used to put a couple of those plastic breadloaf wrapper closures over my strap ends, or use locking systems, but these don't need any help.
I'm not jumping around much anymore anyways, now that I'm almost 60.

No experience really. I've had G&L's before and have never had any trouble with them. The components are good.

10 year warranty is nice, but I can't see ever needing it. Bolt-on maple necked solidbody guitars are probably the strongest and simplest proven design ever conceived.

Played guitar since 1960.
This is my main instrument for all kinds of stuff, though I also have a Les Paul Studio and an old US Kramer. They just hang on the wall unless our youngest son plays 'em. And a cheap Epiphone acoustic.

In the past I've had a used G&L ASAT, S-500, and an older Legacy, as well as bunches of Fenders over the years.

I love the neck on this one. Beefy, with some V to it, and 12" radius with small frets. Perfect for what I want in a neck feel.

This neck used to get a bit sticky feeling like lacquer, so I sprayed it with FingerEase once in a while. Eventually it got to where that's not necessary any more.

This Legacy sounds just like the last Legacy I had, which was from a different era and used, but had the same pickups and alder body, though that one had a rosewood fingerboard.

The used S-500 I had was older too, but about the same general idea. Locking tuners I think.
This one may be a bit brighter sounding overall, is more precise in the neck pocket fit, and prettier. And I picked it new off the rack.
The neck on this one sold me.

It sustains better than any other bolt-neck I've owned, and using the vibrato does NOT throw this guitar out of tune.

I would replace it with another just like it if that became necessary.

legacy, maple w/ birds eye, hand made in USA,PTB system,schaller tuners,dual fulcrum tremolo,lake placid blue color,w/ case.

it's a strato style guitar,but much warmer than standard Fender stratocaster, thanks for the pickups i think..
you can get almost every style sound except for metal,very versatile, thanks for the PTB system.I use Marshall VS65R, Boss DS-1,SD-1,Zoom G2. Legacy,it's sound beetween Fender and Musicman i think..

it doesn't set up right from the factory, to be honest this guitar is kinda difficult to adjust,i have to bring it to a local luthier for a set up twice,then its allright..but maybe its just me. But the neck feels like butter,really nice, i owned American standard strato, musicman silloute, legacy neck feels much smoother! the finish is good.

this legacy will stand through the test of time..

never deal with 'em

I've been playing for 15 years,Legacy is better than standard Stratocaster,sound much warmer,dual fulcrum tremolo seem more solid than a standard strat tremolo,but i'm not a fan of its head model though, its handmade,comes w/ certificate,the PTB system is a great breakthru,more exclusive looks than Fender.
The only thing i hate is hard to set up,but its allright now, maybe because i'm not used to the neck size & radius,but i get used to it.
I wish mine comes w/ humbuckers, this guitar is a great bargain..

Just an update for those of you who don't know about the G&L #4 neck. It's 1-3/4" wide at the nut, a touch over 2-1/16" at the 12th fret and has a 12" radius. All of G&L's Custom Order Options are available on their website.

My 2008 G&L Legacy is a made in USA model with a Premiere transparent blueburst gloss finish and stock two-point vibrato. It features a two piece swamp ash body and originally came with the #1 neck (1-5/8" wide and 12" radius) satin finished rock maple with a gloss rosewood fingerboard. It was factory upgraded with all black plastics and 3-ply black pickguard and a stock white plastic nut. I got the deluxe G&L gig bag with the purchase.

I bought it used off Ebay from a guy who said he was selling it for a friend who was closing his store. This turned out not to be a true story... surprised anyone? It came to me with lots of dead spots on the fingerboard caused by a very slight "S" warp in the neck. Even after a pro set up it would not play well and fretting out (at the octave and above) could clearly be heard through the amp. I think it was exposed to excessive heat while left on a truck or in a car trunk and the fretboard shrunk - the first 5 frets had to be filed because they caught the high E if not played carefully. Obviously the fingerboard shrunk - the original rosewood fingerboard looked dry and rather dead.

I'll give G&L a 10 here because they made a great guitar that someone else abused.

Great strat style sounds with more "Umph," thanks to the stock G&L pickups. This guitar has a nice sound acoustically and sounds great amplified. I use a Peavey Classic 20 around the house and get a great tone mixing the master at 5 and the volume at 6. When I use pedals it's a Danelectro Chicken Salad tremolo, Peavey reverb and an Ibenez Tube Screamer (primarily when playing my PRS C22). I also use Amplitube 2 Live by itself through the Classic 20 to get a ridiculous array of sounds.

Factory set up with the new neck was spot on. Intonation is perfect, with reasonably low action and workmanship that appear hand done and near flawless. The bookmatching seam of the two piece body is almost invisible through it's high gloss transparent sunburst finish - looks very much like one single slab of swamp ash. The satin finish of the neck and the wide deep profile of the #4 neck (12" radius) suit me very well. The neck is almost the same profile and width from end to end... no tapered toothpick here! The two point vibrato is the best I've tried, though I do find the whammy bar set screw tightening to be rather annoying.

There aren't any reviews out there for G&L's with the #4 neck so I wanted you all to know that it's a treat for those of us with large hands.

This guitar is a tank - I know this will withstand lots of abuse. I always have other guitars with me but this will be my primary guitar. All the metal work is top shelf and the stock tuners hold tune well. The plastic nut doesn't seem to present a problem as some do on other guitars. Nice, somewhat oversized strap buttons, but I always opt for strap-locks.

I can't say enough about G&L's customer support. Chris Robosan, G&L's Service manager, is a great guy to deal with. At first I was turned down for a warranty repair. Clearly understandable, since I was not the original owner - the 10 year warranty terms are clearly spelled out on their website. Most people mislead others on Ebay stating that their guitars are still under warranty. I was told I could register the guitar by it's seller... not true. But, after some heartfelt emails pleading my case, Chris did some research using the guitar's serial number and found that I was lied to during my Ebay purchase. Whether it was because my Legacy was an almost new 2008 model or because of my persistence and a run of good luck, Chris brought my plight to the attention of powers that be and G&L decided to make an exception in my case and take the guitar in for a warranty repair. I can't say this will happen for everyone, but this story had a very happy ending.

I was told it would take 5 to 10 weeks because the G&L factory is closed during the month of August. Since G&L makes necks specific for each guitar to insure that the neck pocket is a perfect fit, I was allowed to request the #4 neck - their largest. I can't say if they do this for everyone, but I'm glad I asked... I'm 6'-4" tall with large hands and the standard #1 neck is just too cramped.

After 7 or so weeks, I got a call from Chris to tell me the guitar was being shipped back ... AND that I had received some upgrades in wood from the factory workers. The guitar arrived safely and it's a real beauty. The #4 neck is beefy and beautify - easy playing for larger hands. I was surprised with an upgrade in neck wood to satin finished birdseye maple topped with a very special piece of rosewood. The fretboard is near ebony with a gorgeous feather of bright rusty red running from the nut through the octave and off the bottom edge - it;s absolutely brilliant. The neck show a lot of handmade charm with absolutely beautiful fretwork. No dead spots on this baby! The sustain from this Legacy is outstanding!

The guitar came back with a new serial number, a Certificate of Authenticity and the stuff you get with a new G&L. I did not get the C of A with the guitar originally, so this was a big bonus.

No more used Ebay purchases for me! G&L is the real deal - I have a guitar that was built by hand in the original Fender factory - all that mojo built in without today's vintage prices. I'll certainly be buying another G&L from an authorized dealer in the future.

2003 G & L Legacy made in USA
5 way switch w/ 3 single coil G&L p/u's normal Strat configuration
Alder body w/Mary Kaye transparent cream color w/gold hardware
Heavily birdseyed maple neck w/gun-oil tint
Tuners are G&L but made by Schaller I'm pretty sure as they have the slotted screw. Usually a phillips screw indicates Asian-made.
White pickguard, switch tip and knobs(with gold numbers)

The Legacy has a wide variety of tones . It's the best sounding Strat I ever heard and it's quiet! I always hate when people describe tones in the usual "upper sparkle,glassy,quack etc) so I'll say that I can get a full range of usable sounds. Anything from SRV,Clapton, Jimi, Trower, Gilmour or anybody whose sound you like that plays a Strat! I usually play through a Blues DeVille using the standard effects. Overdriving it brings out the real payoff of this beautifully crafted guitar. I want to be objective but I'll be damned if I can find any flaws or negatives to share. I've owned the Legacy since new and liked it so much I ordered a '57 reissue type Legacy w/tobacco sunburst , aged plastic parts and chrome hardware a month later!

Fit and finish were perfect but on the tobacco burst , there was a crack in the finish at the neck pocket so I shipped it back for repair.

The gold hardware is still as good as the day I got it. Sometimes, that's a problem with other manufacturers. I wouldn't even mind if it got a worn,relic look but even though I play it all the time, it still looks new!

As I mentioned, I shipped my other Legacy back due to the finish crack at the neck pocket and I asked that they send me the same one back because the neck is so heavy on the birdseye and the body looked so good that I was afraid I might not get one as beautiful. Either they complied or they sent me one just as good. Either way I am extremely pleased with customer service. I think it took 4-5 weeks to get it back but I'm not sure since it was 6 years ago.

I've played for 25 years and I also have a 1981 F-100 and an ASAT Classic from G&L so I would say I am a very impressed fan of G&L. I also have a Ric 360,a '76 Tele, a couple of Gibsons and Strats etc but the Legacy is my favorite. I have recently begun building guitars because I feel that most companies don't hand-craft guitars using top of the line components like G&L does and it makes a huge difference. Other guitars aren't really that bad but when you play something with the quality of G&L, you don't want generic, overseas, assembly-line guitars in a solid body. I mean Epiphone makes great stuff for the price, but if I have to install Bill Lawrence pickups and better tuners, I might as well build my own! Without a doubt, I'd replace the Legacy if it was lost. The pickups are awesome sounding but I don't play super hot distortion stuff so I don't know if the Metallica crowd would appreciate the satisfaction of a sweet sounding,full spectrum tonal palate that's available on a Legacy. The Legacy stays in tune even when using the vibrato bar and I think most players will find that it's a better choice than about anything else regardless of price.

If mine had come with locking tuners it would be perfect.

I usually have the bridge pickup on, all the time. The guitar can do lots of stuff. I'm just in love with the brightness. It does have the usual single coil hum. Who cares? You can fool with the knobs and get whatever sound you want.

I play punk/ garage/ psychedelic.

This is the best playing guitar. Before I owned this guitar, I played an American Strat Plus. The G&L is much better.

It stays in tune. I whack the heck out of it, I sweat like a pig, I use the whammy bar relentlessly and it stays in tune.

You won't need customer support.

I ended up buying this guitar because I didn't know any better. I was playing an American Fender Strat Plus, that got stolen. I was shopping for another Fender when the salesman start ripping on Fender coasting by on their name. He recommended the G&L. They had a purple sparkly one, and that settled it. At the time I don't think I had the wherewithal to know the difference. 12 years later, I've picked up a good measure of Fenders in stores (when trying out pedals/ amps). I've never envied anyone's guitar.

FLAT POLE PIECES TO MATCH THE 12 DEGREE RADIUS OF THE G&L NECK
VINTAGE OUTPUT

THIS PICKUP IS STCK ON G&L lEGACY GUITARS
THIS PICKUP IT VERY BRIGHT ON THE HIGH END BUT MUDDY ON THE BOTTOM YOU HAVE TO REALLY LOWER THE BASS SIDE TO MAKE THE PICKUP SOUND DECENT.SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THAT

AFTER YOU LOWER THE BASS SIDE REALLY LOW YOU AND RAISE THE TREBLE SIDE ONLY THEN CAN YOU GET A DECENT SOUND.
G&L SHOULD BE PUTTING A BETTER QUALITY PICKUP IN THIS MODEL IT OUGHT TO SOUND GOOD ON BOTH THE TOP AND BOTTOM

I WOULD REPLACE THESE PICKUPS WITH SEYMOUR DUNCAN IF THEY WERE STOLEN.
I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.
I PLAY ALMOST G&L ANYMOORE.LOVE THE CLIMAX SERIES.
A G&L IS BETTER THAN MOST FENDERS
TAKE A ONLINE TOUR ON THE PLANT AND YOU WILL BE IMPRESSED
I HAVE YET TO BREAK A STRING ON A G&L GUITAR

Bottom line is that the G&L Legacy is the Strat you always wanted, at a price you can afford. You probably already know that G&L stands for George Fullerton and Leo Fender, who built G&L up after Leo sold Fender to CBS. The G&L Legacy is made in Fullerton CA. It's quality through and through. You rarely hear about them because G&L doesn't really market them, they just build and sell. But they are widely used by session musicians in L.A. The Legacy seems to be about the same quality as a well made USA Fender Deluxe Stratocaster, but my guess is that quality control at G&L is more consistent. You can easily get all the details at the G&L website.

I just bought a used 2000 Legacy, made of 2 pieces of swamp ash, maple neck with rosewood freboard, 12 inch radius. The neck shape is C -- less chunky than the vintage C, but a bit fuller than the Modern C used on many of the current Fender products. Mine was upgraded with Fender Vintage Noiseless single coil pickups in all 3 positions. The tuning heads are stock, and although they look good, I think I'll upgrade to the GL Schaller locking versions.

This is a straightforward Strat guitar, with no modern additional modern features (although the 12 inch radius neck is more playable in my opinion than the older vintage Strats)

Its everything you want if you want the vintage Strat sounds. 5 way switch and the Fender vintage pickups provide everything Strat from fat and warm to thin and twangy. I play it through a Peavey classic 50 watt 4 x10 with the original Blue Marvels and original tubes. Ash body balanced with the rosewood fret board makes for a nice middle tone, not as snappy as a maple or ebony fretboard I suppose, for purists. There's nothing to dislike about this sound, unless you are looking for something other than classic Strat sounds.

Its 8 years old and has a wonderful honey or amber lacquer which gives the ash grain a glorious presentation. Plenty of curb appeal. The neck, thankfully, is satin finished (I believe), so its clear and a little grainy, not like the lacquer on the body. Very playable. Action is fine, 12 inch radius and C shape neck make for good action and playability

The ash body is a bit thicker than the cuts now being used for the Fender Deluxe; the neck is also slightly thicker and the bolt on joint looks tight and well done. Lacking any real gimmickry, my guess is that it will last a very long time and improve with age. The body has rounded edges and a contour back, so its quite comfortable

I called them for info prior to buying (though I bought it from an individual, not from them), and they were quite helpful. They actually called me back after I left a message!

Been playing on and off for 30 years. I've owned a 76 Les Paul Custom, 84 Strat, Baker Bushwhacker, Ibanez SRX700 bass, Brazillian Rosewood Tacoma, Taylor rosewood Jumbo, Martin Dreadnaughts, and a bunch of lesser quality stuff. Those are all good guitars, and this one is right there in quality, though at a lower price point, that's for sure. I would replace this guitar in a heartbeat. If it were stolen, I track the culprit down and force him to learn Wind Cries Mary on it before taking it back. I would encourage anyone to try G&L guitars or other non famous brands, and not be convinced that the best guitars are the most expensive ones. The famous brands spend tons on marketing and jack their prices up accordingly. Fender and Gibson do from time to time make superb guitars, but, you'll pay a hefty premium to get one.

Typical strat features, excempt the whammy uses an allen head screw to set the tension. It's not threaded and so you don't screw it in like the fender.

I like blues and rock and a fat, warm sound. The legacy is too bright. You can warm it up by playing through a hot pedal like and Ibenez tube screamer, and I have read on this forum that hotter aftermarket pickups will warm it up. The one exception is the bridge pickup, which is better than my American Fender strat.

Supeior to the Fender. The tuners are better. And the heavier bridge saddles improve the sustain and volume.

I suspect it is durable. I have to find a way to warm it up enough to make it my everyday player so I will know for sure.

Don't know

If I can warm up the tone a little, I would prefer it to my American strat, California series. I wish it had a brass, bone or rock nut. My Fender is still my #1, only because of the tone.(not the playability) The Legacy is 2nd, my Carvin is a Les Paul type and would be like comparing apples and oranges. I play through a Peavy Classic 30, and a Roland JC50 (Jazz Chorus). I would like to hear it through a Fender Hot Rod Deville, but I don't know anyone with one right now.

Here is pre CNC, handmade (USA), alder body, maple neck, G & L Legacy guitar. Other people gave some good description of this instrument, so I will go to the sound section.

Sound, as you know, is Fender like. Is it better? Nobody can tell you that. You have to try it for yourself. Some people here think that pre-CNC or CNC ones sound like a toy comparing to fender custom shop. Maybe some of these people were lucky or unlucky to try good or bad guitar. Maybe they are so proud to own custom shop fender and nothing compares to it. Here is my opinion. I wanted to buy custom shop fender as it is, simply put, a better guitar than standard production guitar. Note, I also played few production fender guitars that sounded better than custom shop ones. So be careful how you want to spend your money. Then, I tried G&L. I compared it to USA Stratocasters and Deluxe models. Sound wise, these models could not even get close to G&L. Then, I compared it to custom shops. They were very close. None is the winner. The reason I chose G&L over $3500 custom shop fender is the matter of my taste, which we all know, we should not discuss it here. Price? You can get these guitars very cheep and they are comparable to custom shop guitars. Not to forget to brag. Yes, I also own collection of guitars worth lots of money. Some of them are over $8000. I have no guitar that is worth less than $3000 dollars and here I am very happy about 700 dollar guitar that joined my collection.

It is very well built guitar. It is not high end PRS, but very good for handmade instrument.

I agree with all positive reviews here.

I have been playing for over 20 years, and own or owned everything worth playng.

Ordered in 2005 through Performance Music in Woburn MA (great shop!). 3-Tone sunburst alder body, maple neck and fingerboard with gun oil tint and 12" radius neck. I also got creme covers and knobs on the white pickguard. Thee Alnico V single coils. While I ordered it with the tremolo bridge, I ended up getting the bridge blocked because I don't use the tremolo. It came with a hardshell case and all the goodies. In particular, I like the PTB tone control system more than a traditional strat setup and the ability to semi-custom order at this price level (something you cannot do with Fender!) sets the Legacy apart from other Strats. It's not incredibly feature laden but very functional without being complex.

I've had this guitar for 2 years, so this is no honeymoon review.

I play blues, classic rock, alternative, and some jazz. My amps are a modded Fender Deluxe Reverb RI and a Peavey Classic 20, and my pedal setup is a Teese Picture Wah into a Barber Direct Drive (awesome pedal!) into a Guyatone MD3 Delay. I'm very happy with the way this guitar sounds. There is a lot of clarity and detail to the sound, and the cleans are fantastic. Overdriven, I'm able to get a very sweet sound that still cuts through the mix very nicely. The Legacy is not as ballsy as some Fender strats - it doesn't have as much low end punch. It has a bit of a different vibe, almost more refined. My friend has a CS '62 Relic strat and the Legacy compares well. They sound different, but it's hard to say one is truly better than the other.

My only real complaint is that the bridge pickup is a little thin for my liking. I find it to be a bit thin and lacking sustain for single note playing at times. For chording, it has great bite and nice body though.

At the price I think this sounds better than comparable Fenders.

Finish on the neck and body were flawless from the factory, and the fit between the neck and body is extremely tight - much better than on my Ibanez Prestige RG. All hardware is very solid, and the electronics have been trouble-free. Came set up nicely from the factory. Each individual G&L's neck shape is a bit different since they are shaped by hand - mine has a fairly thick C-shape. Neck shape is a very subjective thing and I'm not too picky about it, so I can't say that's really good or bad. This guitar plays very well.

Only problem here - I think the metal on the frets is a bit soft. I prefer to use the positions below the 15th fret, and because I'm doing more bends down lower the frets have already worn down more in middle section than up at the highest frets. I'm a bit shocked there has been noticable wear like this because my Ibanez RG3120 has not displayed this problem yetand I've had it for 4 years longer than the G&L. I also wish they had including something better than a plastic nut.

Barring this however, this guitar is fantastically set up.

This guitar is very solid. I have gigged it without a backup numerous times. Very well put together and the tuning stability is excellent. All components are very very solid.

Have never dealt with G&L directly, so I cannot give an opinion. When I ordered the guitar it only took about 3 months to get it, faster than expected. I believe the warranty is 10 years, which is better than most brands.

I've been playing for 6 years now, fairly seriously, with some experience in bands. I'm an above average guitar player for sure. My other "nice" electric guitar is my Ibanez RG3120, I also have a Squier Strat which I've put some new electronics into hanging around. Before the Deluxe Reverb, my main amp was a Mesa Boogie Single Rectifer. G&L makes the best value strat in the price range. I've played some nicer strats (vintage pre-CBS, D'Pergo), but all have been far more expensive. I don't dislikes Fenders, but I really do think G&L makes the better instrument in this price range. The quality on this is also much higher than on my Ibanez, which cost the same and was top of their line at the time.

I would absolutely buy G&L again. I shop pretty carefully and have played many guitars, and at this price I haven't found anything better. This guitar isn't quite perfect (what is?), but I have been incredibly happy with my tone these days. Overall an 8, but at the price, a 10.

Fullerton Red (which is code for Bright Orange)
Matching headstock.
rosewood fretboad.

I'm not 100% sure which neck it is, but it feels incredible...it's either a really soft V or the best C I've felt.

Everything else is standard Legacy fare, which is to say that it's awesome. I would have originally preferred a different color, but it really grew on me.

The PTB system is what strats should have. Period. I got in the market for a good strat (as opposed to my SG) after playing the EC Signature Stratocaster, and I really liked its electronics. I honestly think these are better. The pickups are better too. Noiseless is noiseless, but if you're complaining about single coil hum, you shouldn't be playing a strat. I am, however, giving it a 9 in this category just because it doesn't have the EC mid boost. I might get a clean boost pedal to do the same thing, but it's going to have to be /clean/ for me to be happy with it not coloring this sound.

It came with the same crappy strings every guitar does. I restrung with Martin Darcos and even with brand new strings, the guitar stays in tune better than anything else I've played. I don't see myself using the trem, but I love the sound, and it's actually useful for stretching springs right after stringing.

I've gotten really into blues, southern/classic rock, and what I consider "my emo," which actually is just specific rock songs and has literally nothing to do with emo.

The guitar is perfect. There's a reverberation in the body that's just amazing. The best way we've thought of to describe it is that it sounds like one of Leo's real strats raped an old resonator acoustic and 9 months later, this was born. I'm running it into an Epiphone Valve Junior head into a gutted Vox Valvetronics Cab (all electornics removed after the DSP died, just the speaker/cab) and it's absolutely amazing. I run the amp wide open and control the volume/breakup with the guitar's volme. And it's gorgeous. I can't see ever needing a pedal with this setup except maybe a clean boost for solos.

Not a single complaint. This thing sounds better than the EC strat. It sounds better than Custom Shop strats up to more than 3 times its price.

Action was acceptable. Finish was impecable and much more impressive in real life. I never though I'd buy an orange guitar. The Frets are not 100% perfect (compared to Nash and Grosh) but they're better than any major brand (Gibson, Fender, PRS...even the custom shop stuff I've played). And I don't anticipate replacing them any time soon.

Intonation was spot on from the factory. And when I took it off the wall to demo it, it was actually in tune...that's the only good thing I can say about the dealer.

No flaws I can find in any of the finishing. The plastic covering on the pickguard was a pain to get off because the pot covers fit so well...which is amazing compared to my SG. The knobs fall off if you turn them the least bit too far.

It seems like it'll last. Only time will tell.

Okay, so. I didn't deal with G&L directly. The dealer (Maple Street Guitars at the corner of Peacthree and Maple Dr in Atlanta (Buckhead)) told me that custom orders can take over a year to fill. After the rest of my experience, I think this was complete garbage.

The sales guys (who aren't even on commission there) were pushy and annoying. At one point when I was literally playing every Legacy in the store one after the other, he asked me if I was ever planning on buying anything or just wanking. It was insulting. It's buckhead. The store is filld with under-educated, over-drugged trust fund babies getting lessons while still wearing their soccer uniforms because mommy wants them to be rennaissance men.

On top of that, G&L's website promises a hard case with Legacies. Perhaps this has changed, but they gave me a gig bag with it.

The dealer sucks, but of the two places I know of that sell G&Ls, they were the only ones to have non-tribute models on hand. I'm never going there again without contacting G&L directly first. I'm in the process of drafting a letter to them about the dealer, because I know any decent shop (like G&L) would not approve.

I'm not leaving a rating because I don't want it to affect the averages, as I think G&Ls are great guitars, but if I could give this shop a negative rating, I would.

I haven't been playing especially long and my technical knowledge vastly surpasses my skill. But I worked at Guitar Center for a while and I've played Strats from $100 Squires to $4000 Custom Shops to $35,000 vintage strats.

G&Ls are leaps and bounds better.

If you're thinking about getting a Fender Custom Shop anything, don't. Look at Grosh, Bill Nash, or G&L. Those are my personal favorites from the boutiques in Atlanta. The Grosh I liked was absolutely gorgeous, and a bit more tehcnicalocially advanced than the others...interesting tone options, and a flawless guitar. the Nashes are just cool...it's like playing a 50-year-old strat that's been played all the time.

I have no idea how Bill Nash does it, but those guitars have souls. I would have gotten one except for two things: 1) price, 2) I didn't find the Nash Strat with a soul that matches my own. When I do, I'm buying.

I bought this guitar because of three things: 1) I really wanted a Strat soon, 2) it felt like it belonged in my hands as well as guitars that cost twice as much, 3) for my playing level, it was the best cost/benefit ratio.

There is no doubt in my mind that I'll own a Bill Nash Strat at some point in my life, but until I find that perfect one, this one has got me sitting pretty happy.

And I'm glad I didn't waste my money on a Fender. They have nothing but marketing left. Every single boutique strat or tele I played was better than its fender equivalent, even comparing them to Fenders that cost twice as much.

This is what a Strat is supposed to be. For about a grand, you can't do better...unless you like a Comanche or S-500 better.

This is a '96 Legacy (U.S.A. made) that I aquired used. Alder body, "green swirl" (one of the bowling ball finishes they don't make anymore, "pearloid" pickguard, maple neck/boards with tons of gorgeous birdseye, SSS pups, dual-fulcrum bridge, etc., etc.

You get a volume, treble cut and bass cut (3 knobs), 5-way selector, and that's about the size of it. I'll give it a 10 because I love strat type guitars and this to me is like a strat with something extra.

This beauty fits me like a glove. I play alot of styles ranging from rootsy country and blues, to progressive rock, to pop/rock and a little adult contemporary. Also been known to jump into some classic rock, gospel, hard rock, a sprinkle of jazz, and even played contemporary christian/worship music stuff. I am able to get sounds that are appropriate to all of these styles. Of course the thing makes some noise. It's got single coils so 60 cycle hum goes with the territory (and I wouldn't have it any other way).

Now I am a strat player/lover for the last 11 of my 20 years playing. There is just something about that sound and this is where my G&L has captured my heart. I've owned mexi, american, and even squire strats over the years. I've played and/or performed with a few vintage strats ('63 and '67 on stage) and a '73 tele (also on stage) not to mention that I work at a music store and get my hands on nearly everything at one time or another. All are wonderful instruments in their own right (even the squires are good for the price point) but this instrument has exceeded all my expectations. Think of a strat tone but richer, fuller, and with more character. Still has that classic bell/quack/latex tone we all know and love but it's more refined, more inspiring, more musical to my ear.

Just to be fair, here is my main rig with this axe:
G&L>TUNER>Jekyll&HydeOD>TS9>DanoDelay>Blues Jr

This is a fairly modest and simple rig to be sure but it suits my needs for rehearsal,gigs,jams and sounds great! This guitar absolutely sings.

Got the guitar used with great set-up. Can't speak for the factory setup. Neck joint is flawless. The only flaws where a couple of battle scars on a well played instrument.

Feels absolutely solid. I can't foretell the future but I anticipate no problems with this piece.

No contact....no need.

As I said earlier I have been playing for a little over 20 years now. I've owned many instruments and amps and pedals and assorted toys over the years. Some I don't miss and others I wish I could have back. This one is a definite keeper. If it were stolen I would weep bitterly, fantasize about what I would do to the thief when I got my hands on him/her and then I would begin to look for another Legacy. All in all this is my favorite guitar I have ever owned. I am one happy guy!

This guitar is the Legacy humbucker in cherryburst. I am particularly delighted with the separarte bass and treble controls.

The sound from this guitar beats my Lonestar strat hands down. It has a full rich tone as well as a thin blues sound and then dirtys up just how you would like.

The attention to detail in the construction of this guitar is obvious. The quality of materials is something you feel instantly.

I have taken this guitar to two gigs, and I will no longer carry anything else with me. It gives me the confidence to play and worry about equipment failures.

I have has occassion to use customer support and found them to be GREAT. John Toner is a wonderful service person who understands players and gives sound advice in the use of the features of these instruments!

I own many guitars and this is the first of many G&Ls that I will by. I used to play LPs only, now I have a broader set of tones and new found creativity.

Finish on this USA made Legacy is a 3 tone sunburst over alder wood with a maple neck and maple fingerboard. The neck is a gloss finish over the hand rubbed gun oil tint with a 12" radius. There are 22 jumbo frets. Pickguard is the upgraded pearloid. Three G&L single coild pups with 5 way switching, typical Strat configuration. Really has all the features you might want from a Strat, maybe you can do fancier switching so I will give it a 9/10. However, this guitar has two tone controls and is provides much more tonal variety than Fenders. Maybe it should be 10/10?? By the way, as you read on you will see some folks have described the Tribute Legacy and not the USA made Legacy. Too bad because the rating of the USA made guitar would be even higher if you take out all the data on the Tribute line.

I have owned the guitar for over a year now and played it in and out, so this is not a first impression here. Playing blues, rock, country, and some R&B and this covers all the bases very convincingly. I tried a lot of Fender Strats before buying because I was never a Strat person and thought I better get a guitar that had a good resale value since I might be selling it soon. Well after listening and playing loads of Fenders I gave this a try and it was beyond belief how much better it sounded and felt. Simple choice to make even if hte resale is not as good. The G&L is cheaper than Fender in the first place. I have played it with a number of amps and it sounds great through all but a 70's Fender Twin where it was too harsh/brittle no matter what I did. Through the Fender Blues Deluxe, Bassman 59 reissue, Blues Junior, and Prosonic amps, a few Riveras, and through an Orange AD30 head it sounds absolutely great. The Strat sound as designed by the man himself, before it turned into whatever it is now.

Action, fit and finish were perfect out of the box. There is nothing I can criticize in this area.

This guitar has been played without a backup lots of times, holds tuning very well, and seems like it is extremely well built for the working musician. I bring a Tele along now and then but not as a back up so much as just when a Tele is all that will work. Bu tI must say that the middle pup/bridge pup combo and the bridge pup alone on this Legacy go way into Tele land and do a great job of it.

Warranty is 10 years but have never had any need to contact G&L or the dealer about any issues in over a year now. Why 10 years though? Look at other warranties and they are not 10 years. Hmmmmm.

Never, ever thought I could be a Strat player but this changed all of that for me. Been through a whole lot of guitars in the past 35 years of playing and only tried to get comfortable with a Strat in the past 5 years. I mean I really forced myself to see what was going on here because before that they left me wondering what was the big deal. Sure they sound great on record but never sounded good to me in person. So I tried a lot of Strats and kept trying. As I said above, the Fender products left me cold every time. Of course the ??ustom shop starts to sound good but that is usually near $2000 or more to get into that sound. This G&L with some extras (gun oil and pickguard) came to $1050 and sounds like a Strat should sound, is incredibly easy to play, has a huge variety of tones (especially with the two tone controls). There is a sound for almost every mood I am in and the only thing missing is the rosewood fingerboard sound that some might like. I prefer maple so I don't miss it. I would buy this again in a minute, there is no other Strat for me. Perhaps I might try some of the others by G&L but that is as far as I would wander. Still have my Fender 52 Tele reissue but all the other electrics are gone now. The acoustics are Martin HD 28 and D12-28 as well as my old Guild D25 from 1972 when I bought it new.

Clear finish. Lite ash body, maple neck and fretboard. 22 frets. Fender-like single coil pickups with 5-way switch.

Pickups compare to American Strat more or less. Like American Strat many tonal varieties. Volume control scratchy. Tried Deoxit made no difference. Pot needs to be replaced.

I re-did the set-up as I wanted the action lower. Once I got the neck releif set I was able to set the bridge height about where I like it and had no string buzzing. The pick guard was very poorly mounted. I had to remove it counter-bore three of the screw mounting holes and re-drill as the mounting screws were so far off alignment that the pick guard looked like it would eventually crack or tear. After removing the pick guard I saw it had the "swiming pool" style routing where they dig out the entire area under the pickups. The tremolo groung wire and output cable to the jack were simply twisted and taped with masking tape. I cut these out and replaced with soldered connections.

I would gig this guitar only as a back up. Although it sounds pretty good and I like the feel of the neck and medium size frets it's heavier than my American Strat and the feel seems to tell me that it wouldn't last long on stage. Tuners are so-so and I plan to replace them Sperzal or Schaller locking tuners. Tremolo could have more range. (For some reason I'm trying real hard to like this guitar.)

Haven't tried it as I generally don't trust anyone and I can do all my own work.

This CNC version of a G&L guitar is OK but I sure would rather have gotten ahold of one of the hand made G&L's. I like Stratocasters in general and disregaurding all my complaints it isn't as bad as some imports I've played and/or worked on. It certainly beats the Mexican Fenders. It would be a good guitar for a beginner.

Made in the USA, by hand, in 1994. Mine is the 3-bolt model with factory SD SSL-2 pickups.

The neck is perfect. It has a natural, oiled back. So, it's not covered in coats of clearcoat. Great feel. Also, the 12-inch radius is perfect for me. The neck is slim, which is also just right for my taste. Jumbo frets are well-polished with no rough edges.

The tuners are Sperzel, non-locking, and work great. I won't replace them.

I've covered the pickups in another section, as well as the electronics.

My Legacy came stock with Seymour Duncan SSL-2's. These really capture the vintage vibe, and are supposedly well-suited for flatter fretboards, so I assume that why they were chosen. Frankly, they capture that vintage tone a bit too well for my taste. When it comes to guitar construction, I'll all about old-school. However, when it comes to pickup design, I really embrace technology. So, even though these are very, very nice pickups, I switched them out for a set of Fender vintage Noiseless pickups. I can't stand the hum of conventional single coils, no matter how much they cost. The older Noiseless pickups (as opposed to the newer "hot" version), in my opinion, nail that great single-coil tone, without any of the buzz.
With the new pickups installed, this guitar is now tied for first place on my "best guitars ever owned" list.

Mine also came with the switching option found on some of G&L's other models. It's a push/pull tone pot that lets me activate the neck and bridge together, for a jangly tele sound, or all of them at once. This, combined with the standard G&L switching system that was already WAY more versatile than any Fender system ever designed, opens up every single pickup combination available. That, combined with the passive bass and treble controls, make this the perfect "strat" system.

Because the original pickups did capture the sound that most folks will be looking for, and becuase the switching system is so rediculously versatile, this category gets a perfect 10.

Mine is a '94 that I purchased in 2006, so I have no clue what the factory setup was like. When mine arrived, I worked on it for an hour or so to acheive an action/buzz ratio that I could live with. Well, more than that, I'm really happy with it. Like every other guitar I've had, it could always be just a little lower with absolutely no buzz. However, you can really tell that this instrument was crafted with care, and the current setup reflects the efforts of the G&L guys 12 years ago.

That said, the guitar was built exceptionally well. Like many other reviewers, I would rank this guitar with the Fender Custom Shop Strats. The quality GREATLY exceeds any standard USA Strat I've played that was manufactured since the CBS buyout of the late 60's.

I've been playing on and off for about 15 years now. I'm by no means a professional, but I have owned dozens of guitars over the years. That whole time, I've been searching for guitars that have that perfect "feel" to them, without worrying so much about looks, brand name, or country of manufacture. I'm all about value. Judging from the $600 that I paid for this guitar, it's one of the best values I've encountered (the Korean-made Washburn HB-35 is still the best value I've ever seen, and has been for many years now). This guitar is a blast to play, has incredible action, sports every single pickup combination (even if yours doesn't come with this mod, your local shop can take care of it easily), and was perfectly constructed. The 3-bolt neck joint is incredibly solid (not shaky like the 70's Fenders), so don't worry about that. The neck pocket is so tight that it plays almost like a set-kneck. You can feel the string vibration even at the tip of the neck at the headstock. Very impressive. No, it doesn't have Les Paul sustain, but it's WAY better than a Fender. Pretty much in the middle.

OK, here's how much I like it. I've had it for 3 days, and I've already purchased another one in Vintage White with a tinted birdseye neck. I don't have a lot of cash at present, so this wasn't a casual purchase. I'm just addicted to this guitar. If you are trying to decide between a Strat and a Legacy, look past the ugly headstock and buy the G&L. You won't regret it!

For those who care... The other guitars in my quiver include a Washburn HB-35 (as I mentioned, best value of any electic made, period), a Washburn J3, 3 Dillion guitars (well-made Korean copies of a PRS, PRS hollowbody, and a Martin accoustic/electric), and a Heritage 140-CM. If you don't know Heritage, you should. Its history is very similar to G&L's, but it's Gibson instead of Fender. The one Fender that I have left (of many) is an 85 Japan model, which has my favorite neck of any Fender ever. It's very similar to the Legacy, with a 12 inch radius. It's kind of funny that my favorite Fenders of the modern era were made in the 2 years that production moved away from the US completely...

Buy this guitar!!!

Bird's eye maple neck; gun oil finish. Two-tone sunburst. Upgraded case. Preferred to the EJ Strat.

Played through a Germino Masonette combo, with either a TTE or reverb pedal and one of my chorus pedals. Added Eric Johnson pickups. Sperzel locking tuners. Great axe.

Setup needed tweaking, no problems now. No issues with hardware, controls etc.

Stands up to heavy playing. No problems.

Never had to call them.

I've got an American made, 22 fret, alder body, maple neck/fingerboard gorgeous legacy. It's sort of a reddish sunburst (very classy). The PTB system is a strat lover's dream. I know strat players who had their fenders rewired to try to accomplish what G&L do. The bridge is cool, and the whammy bar just goes straight in and out, without all the winding of a fender. The frets are quite heavy, jumbo I believe, and this baby stays in tune better than any guitar I've ever owned.

If you want a strat, and can't afford a pre-CBS or a really slick custom shop, then there should be no question. G&L is the answer. I reckon it's fierce competition with Fender's top of the line custom shop, and the fenders are a helluva lot more expensive by the way. This guitar has a beautifully bright sound. It's great for blues, although the neck pick-up doesnt cut through sometimes unless you really tweek your sound. Using the middle and bridge pickup at the same time yields a wonderful Jerry Garcia type tone. Who knew? It sounds sexy. The Alnico pickups have so much warmth, and while they're not as loud as say, a texas special, they are beautiful sounding pickups. Run your legacy through a nice fender amp with a touch of crunch and reverb, and that's all your gonna need!!

Finish is lovely. Reddish sunburst. Action is superb after being professionally set up with 11's. Like I said, the guitar stays in tune better than any guitar I've ever played. Personally I feel a rosewood fingerboard is a lot faster than a maple, but this maple gives such a distinct sound that it's just a case of what do you want. I also have a comanche with an ebony board so don't we all need a maple as well???

C'mon now, it's really a strat, just better. Any little dings it takes give it character. If you scratch my 335 I'll kill you, if you knock around my legacy, I probably wont mind.

No idea

If you want to buy a strat, play a legacy. Unless you can afford a pre CBS, you need a G&L. And even still, the care that they make these bitches with SHOULD BE BETTER than a pre CBS. At the end of the day, they're custom made and each one is different. Play one and see if you like it. I love mine and dont know anyone who doesn't like theirs.

1994 G&L Legacy guitar.
Strat-style design:
Double cutaway body, made of alder (I think)
Six-on-one-side tuners
Two point tremolo bridge with pop-in trem arm
3 single coil pickups w/ a 5-way p/u selector switch
1 volume, 2 tone knobs. The only difference here is that one knob works to cut/boost high frequencies, and the other works to cut/boost low frequencies across all pickups. Better than the standard Fender design, if you ask me.
Bolt-on maple neck with rosewood fretboard. 3-bolt neck with the tilt adjustment
Single-ply pickguard
Deluxe tolex hardshell case

Basically, a Strat with a few little changes.

Sounds like it looks. Like a Strat. And I wasn't expecting anything different. Typical strat noise on the individual pickup modes, and hum-cancelling on the 2 and 4 positions. Like most Strats, the bridge pickup was a little thin and weak, so I replaced it a DiMarzio Hot Rails humbucker. That helped balance out the sound a lot.

I have a black finish, and if you look closeley enough on the body, you can see the seam where they joined the two wood body pieces together. Hardly noticeable, but it's there, which I've never seen on a black guitar.

That being said, the thing plays like a dream. The neck feels just a little more narrow and a little thinner than my Strat, but it's incredibly comfortable. I've heard a number of people say that their necks warp beyond playable, and I haven't had a problem. I did, however, bottom out the truss rod to keep the neck straight (strung with 11s), and was stuck with just a little too much bow. To combat this, I had to remove the truss rod bolt and place a washer on the truss rod before replacing the bolt. This gives me more thread to work with, and was an easy fix to the problem. Now that I've got that fixed, this is definitely the most comfortable of my guitars to play.

I've had this guitar since 1996, and other than the truss rod/neck issue (see Action, Fit, & Finish), I've never had any problems. Finish has held up well, case has held up well, though I don't gig with this guitar (I'm a bass player)...

Never had to deal with the company for any of my 3 G&Ls, so I couldn't tell ya...

G&L's version of a Strat. A few little things, like the bridge and the tone controls, make it just a little nicer than a US-made Fender Strat. I prefer this over my Fender American Deluxe Strat. I love it. I have 2 G&L basses and this guitar, and would definitely buy another one of these if lost/stolen (and same thing with my basses).

This one was made in 2005, alder body, 3-tone sunburst, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck, G&L tremolo, 22 jumbo frets, G&L (Seymour Duncan) single coil pickups, Spertzel non-locking tuners. Features are what I wanted. Fingerboard radius is 12", a major reason for going with G&L.

I bought this to mod into an HSH pickup configuration, but the stock SSS single coil setup sounds quite good. They're true single coils, so they can be noisy in certain situations, but workable. Alder body with rosewood fingerboard is definitely what makes this guitar for me.

The 3-tone sunburst is great, hardware works like it should. Pickups needed adjustment. Big bummer would be the fretwork. I've bought 2 newer G&L guitars in the last year, and the fretwork is pretty poor for an instrument in this price range. Both needed a thorough level and dress on the frets. Once these guitars are setup with proper fretwork, they are great, they can play and sound better than any Fender out there, but come on, G&L, get it together with the factory fret work. No excuse for this lack of quality control. Tuners are not seated properly, either. They need to quit getting boozed up on lunch breaks.

Reliability is fine, it's bolt-on guitar, it will take a fair amount of abuse and still get the job done.

Don't know, haven't tried to contact them. I do my own mods/repairs. Warranty is 10 years, but I'm not in the mood to send it to them, wait for months, and then have to level and dress the frets again anyway once I got it back.

It's a great guitar - once it's set up properly. Out of the box, new G&L guitars are a crap shoot, though that's not uncommon. Too many U.S. production guitars suffer from poor quality control. For the price paid, new American-made guitars should be much, much better. I chose a G&L mainly because of the fingerboard radius of 12". Tired of the Fender 9.5" radius that strats have. The tremolo system is great, very stable and sounds better than most of the other floating tremolo systems on the market. Quality control is what's keeping these from being truly great instruments.