FENDER VS G&L - Which Guitar was Leo Fender's Best Design?
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- čas přidán 9. 09. 2024
- Check out this comparison between two awesome mid-rage guitars - a Mexican Standard Stratocaster and a G&L Legacy Tribute!
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Hey Guys! Let me know if you preferred the warmer tone of the Strat or the clarity and string definition of the Legacy :)
Strat: imp.i114863.net/e96KX
Legacy: imp.i114863.net/qJ74j
Darrell Braun Guitar I like the warmer tone myself, caters more to my taste in music. Incidentally, I love the shout to to music man guitars. I've been dreaming of getting one someday!
In all honesty, I liked the Fender better because that is what I am used to playing/hearing. Prior to this video, I actually forgot G&L existed.
I've got to say, I'm a bit torn between the 2. I really like the G&L design, and definitely cuts through better, but perhaps I'm more drawn to the warmer Strat sound.
I prefer the warmer tone of the strat
Actually it seemed either tuning or intonation issues, on the G&L, more evident on chords. G&L had kind of a shimmering quality to the sound vs. the Strat in places. Kinda neat, but borderline luke-warm vs the Strat tones. The only I ever put my hands really played and fretted well. So much so, I put my Schecter back in the shop for a neck tune-up!
When I met with Leo back in 85, he was very active in the g&l world. He told me that the MFD pick-ups were the pick-ups he wanted the strat to have. He liked his strat and was very proud of it but he LOVED the g&L line. I find use for both but I never leave home without my s-500 because of the versatility.
“When I met with Leo” so casual man! Lol. Cheers!
When years have passed and u gain more experience u can go back to your old projects and edit them to be closer to your original idea since u have more knowledge to work with. Tho he was probably a bit limited by his creations being so iconic that it be hard to evolve them without sacrificing elements, thats what G&L ended up being, not overshadowed by the iconic thing of Fended and having a more free space to work with. I have the feeling that G&L ended up being his passion project once having the freedom, perfecting his designs and making new ones with his new and experimental elements. Design is all about creativity and Leo definitely was
I hear (or read) some people choosing the Fender because it's the REAL Fender and the G&L is more of a strat copy. Yeah, I hear ya. And a part of me agrees. But here's the thing - after 1965, those strats weren't backed by Leo Fender anymore. So unless you've got 10k+ to drop on a Pre-CBS strat, it really isn't the same and the quality showed over the decades. If you own a G&L (which I don't, but this video makes me want one), you are owning the latest instance of Leo's designs. G&L is actually quite a bit more Fender than Fender is now. Leo himself said G&L were the best guitars he ever made.
**Edit**I’ve since picked up a G&L Legacy USA and it is a wonderful guitar. Dollar for dollar, it’s significantly better than most Fenders I’ve played at the same price point.
Agreed. The fact Leo designed G&L guitars until his death (and maybe still would if he lived today) makes G&L more of an authentic Fender experience to me than Fender
I just learned about the timeline today and I kinda want a g&l now
Yep.
mim fender is worse quality and overprice if u on the budget go for tokai guitar or gnl i think
i have g&l because its not fender 😁😁 My g&l have pull in middel pot too.
That G&L is impressing me to no end! - so clean.
+Linden Johnson Yeah, it really nail that "prestine" clean tone! 👍
as a kid growing up listening to the Buckaroos and just dreaming of seeing a Fender Tele was real. Later in life I bought one. 1980 I bought a squier that I absolutely regret selling. I now have a Tuff-Dog Merle Haggard. At 64 yrs old I completed my dream. I must admit that I wouldn't even look at G&L's (image thing-mind over matter) in the shops down in the city. Your video has inspired to me to go and check them out! Thanks Darrell!
+Linden Johnson Nice! I hope you find one you like ☺
Linden Johnson was it a japanese squier? i got 2 japanese basses from the early 80s, a squier bullet and a fender p. they both have the best necks ive played
yes it was one of the first units. It was every bit as good as my Tuff-Dog. I just wanted the Fender brand on the headstock - if I only knew ..... Oh well, ya can't look back!
Dang....this is like trying to figure out which hot twin sister to date.
Remember, if she smokes, she pokes! 😀
@@finishin.my.coffee8780 :/
@@WilhelmWilder 😋🤙
@@finishin.my.coffee8780 :/
@@finishin.my.coffee8780 pig :/
Like Fender, but in love with G&L. No need huge marketing and celebrities to influence or persuade my mind.
Somchiman Jerry Cantrell has been with G&L for 20+ years.. His tone is very distinguished partly due to his choice of instrument.
Mike Weaver that is the reason I'm looked into this video
Except Jerry Cantrell, who has played and endorsed G&L his entire career.
Gilbert Leyba a
Plus the name Leo Fender, goes a long way
The G&L’s are some of the most underrated guitars available. I pick them over original Fenders any day. I love how it isn’t quite a Fender nor is it quite a Music Man. It is it’s own beast.
A lot of them are pretty affordable too!
Im having the shittiest day but seeing one for Darrell's video's pop up on my subscriptions makes it a little more bearable, thanks for the great content, man.
+Guy Dude Sorry for the rough day, I'm glad to help in a small way! Take care 😀
Guy Dude ...yeah, he's a pleasure to watch/listen. Some guys are just born with it. And great smile, per my wife.
i have a G&L Trib. Asat Classic Bluesboy since 4 years, terrific guitar , i'm now a big fan of G&L.
Also a recent convert. ASAT Special Delux. Got it half price. Easily the best guitar I've ever owned.
I've been eye balling the Bluesboy...I really want to try one out.
Can't go wrong with either of these instruments, but that G&L is definitely the superior instrument in my ears.
Just got a custom g&l Fullerton deluxe from reverb and words can’t describe how impressed I am. It’s an ssh which I’ve never really messed with, but seriously feels like a vintage strat + a 58 les Paul. The wide range of tones is baffling. Absolutely loving it.
More clarity on the G & L for sure. Great demo, Darrell!
+Andrew Galloway Thanks Andrew!
As an aside, where did you get your G & L? It seems to be next to impossible to find a dealer in Canada.
+Andrew Galloway It's true! I think it was called acclaim music or something. I'll have to look it up.
See now I'm starting to think something's wrong with my ears. I didn't like the tone of the G&L as much especially on the neck pickup it didn't sound as full to me as the Stratocaster did. I also heard the attack of each note clearer on the strat than I did on the G&L.
I think I'd go with the Strat over all, but I'd love to see the G&L trem on the actual strat.
@@sorrenblitz805 This G&L is made of Ash, which probably explains what you're hearing. Ash has a much denser, less resonant sound than Alder does. It tends to have less ring/clarity but more 'weight' behind each note. Certainly has less sparkle.
Fender makes Ash Strats as well, and they sound almost identical to this G&L, with the same characteristics overall. Personally, I love them both. But I'm still all about the Stratocaster.
The nice thing about G&L's is that you can probably achieve Fender's warmer tone on it if you roll the treble down a little bit!
Just wanna say, I think your videos are some of the best on youtube: concise and detailed in such a balance as makes them as interesting, and more importantly useful, as any could possibly be.
Also, would you consider doing a comparison video between the Nashville Tele (3 pickups) and the Roadhouse Strat (the equivalent price-wise to the Tele) - I'm interested in which is the more versatile of the two.
+Daniel Brown Thanks! I appreciate the kind words!
I'll add it to my list 😀
Hey, Darrell! How about an old-school Ibanez 2619 vs modern AR420 shootout? They're bitchin' guitars in my humble opinion. But there's only a few videos out there for the type. And none of them are any good.
You could fix that...
MachOverspeed
+MachOverspeedsPlace Doing a series on "Old vs New" for various brands could be a lot of fun ☺
123
Okay I see now... The tributes are made in Indonesia.
Never thought I would like the G&L better. I guess Leo was the master in knowing how to take the strat to the next level.
Another great demo by Darrell.
Chris
The G&L is a superior instrument in my opinion, I had a chance to play one a few years back and I loved the smooth tone compared to a Strat but I prefer a Les Paul as my favorite so what you said about the fretboard radius makes sense.
Leo Fender designed both, thought about the mistakes he made with the Strat, and then produced the Legacy. The Legacy is a "Strat 2.0," and it is the better axe, for me.
@kiki the gerbil hahaha fender fanboys dont want to accept that fender guitars could have mistakes
@@ggh_-ts6pn one man's mistake is another man's perfect fit, guitars are extremely subjective, at the end of the day both are well made instruments and either model may suit any given person and that's fine. Hell I prefer the feel of my 600$modified gretsch beater to that of my former Les Paul, which was about 4 times the price and was a perfect fit to the gentleman I sold it to.
If you could play either, it's not even a question.
I agree. it sounds awesome.
@@ugosmith7529 why would anyone prefer the screw in system for the tren bar on a Fender over the pop in system for the trem bar on a G&L?
Final verdict: I like the colour on that G&L so i'll go for that!
The G&L had much better low end clarity, single note definition was very impressive. Would love to see and hear the same comparison with Tele's. Great job as usual Darrell !!
Hi Darell, the "definition" of the sounds on the G&L is so much higher and the range of tone is just amazing in the middles. I finaly found a second hand one to my likes here in France. Can't wait to "feel" this baby ! Thanks for your instructive, very well done and entertaining video. You convinced me. Thanks !!!
+Filip 36 Congratulations on the new G&L!
Thank you Darell ! Now I have to check your tutorials and get inspired to play better. Happy playing !
Try g&l superhawk Jerry Cantrell HH.... You can split the coil. It was best on playability and tone
Went to my first Namm show in 95 with music store I was teaching at. The owner was trying to get a Fender dealership. I didn't really like any of the Standards or Customs. I decided to wander around and check out the G&L booth. Every G&L I picked up played awesome and felt great in my hands. Owner got a G&L dealership and I ended up buy 3 of them in a couple months. Have 4 now.
I have a Fender strat and a G&L asat classic and love both, so I'm a fan of both companies. It was interesting that these two sounded similar in the bridge position, but the G&L was much brighter and clearer in the middle and neck positions. If the trem on the G&L stays in tune better, that may be the most important difference though.
So I have a Mexican strat from the 90's as well as a tribute series G&L Legacy. They are both excellent guitars. They are very high quality in my opinion.
thanks for describing all the specs. I had no clue about the differences on a G&L, but I've always loved their models. and good tip on the headphones. don't use your little cellphone speakers to listen to comparison demos! :) I preferred the G&L in this demo
Oh also, don't use your cell phone to listen to ANYTHING at all ever!! Well, except phone calls of course...
The G&L bridge and trem are far better for tuning stability and more comfortable on the palm of your picking hand. I’ve got both and it’s hard to say which is “better,” they’re their own individual things. That said, in terms of clarity, power, and out of the box build quality, G&L is damn good.
I had never clicked a video so fast in my life
+GERSON Fernández 😄😄😄
I think G&L wins this shootout by a mile, but I love the candy red finish, one of the rare interesting colors in Fender's palette.
Considering that the tone control can remove the brightness that some find excessive, the G&L simply has more to offer.
I own a mexican fender in candy apple red... The color is absolutly beautiful. Especially with a darker wood for the fretboard.
The best thing about the color is, that it is a very tiny bit sparkly. You only see it in bright light... But that makes the color look way deeper und more interesting
@@maximilianl4453 It is beautiful, isn't it? My old strat was electron blue. It had the same effect. A closer look revealed a subtle sparkle. It was a beautiful guitar.
G&L was Leo's final design. (improvement). I own both and plan to keep both. In this demo, the strat is muddy. Especially the middle pickup. This happens when the pickups are too high, or over wound. Then you have to roll off the volume too much to clean it up. Fender 57/62 pickups are inexpensive and my favorites for cleaning up your cleans on a strat. I put the tops of the pickup covers a fraction above the scratch guard, with the neck and bridge a fraction higher to balance them out. The legacy has hotter Seymore Duncan pickups, so they are lowered as well. It's amazing how good these 1950's designed Fenders are. There is no better mouse trap in my opinion. If you asked me which one is better, I couldn't choose.
I just bought a 1995 G&L USA Legacy last week and sold my Mexican strat as a result. Couldn’t be any happier - best Strat I’ve played.
now please please do the tele version. This channel is just too good
+Joshua Lessore Thanks!
It's on my list 👍☺
You’ve had a ton of responses already but here is mine. I’ve owned 4 G&L’s; 2 ASAT and a Legacy and S500. I got into them because the store I initially took lessons sold G&L’s. I found them to be very well made. I had problems however with the customer service department when I wanted to have them replace the “baseball” thick neck on the S500. They refused. I wound of trading in for a Fender American Standard Strat 7 yrs ago. I sold all the G&L’s and went to Fenders a lot due to all my hero’s playing them. But I also love their warmer sound and neck feel much more. That said, G&L has a much better Trem design IMHO. G&L also sounded more “glassy” in their tone. Also one has a lot more offerings to changing the pickups in a Fender. Thank you Darrell for this comparison.
If you need a trem upgrade to eliminate all tuning issues get a Super-Vee Bladerunner
The Comanche is my favorite Leo design of all time.
Surprisingly different tonal flavors of the same thing. Thought the Fender sounded slightly better clean while the G&L sounded better with drive. Great work
ash and alder
I own this guitar. i was shocked at how good the g&l single coils sound with high gain but clean they were slightly disappointing.
Never played a Legacy but I have played probably 2500 4-hr gigs on a G&L F-100e I bought new in '81... Great "parrot" guitar for bar gigs - no particular unique voice but good at dialing in humbuckers / single coil sounds etc. - but the main thing for me is the usable 2-pt trem that actually stays in tune. I never used the trems on my Strats - too much hassle but the G&L trem has always worked perfectly and stayed in tune.
I am really really curious about the Fallout and want to try that design. But - want the trem....
Take a look at some of the G&L SC-2 ...not exactly Humbucker - P90 but same body and MFD's...and the fulcrum
if you order a USA Fallout I think you can get it with trem. G&L trems are great very stable. they are semi-custom that way. like the p90s on my Fallout
"A quality musical instrument should be easily repairable" - Leo Fender
I've owned a Strat and a Legacy. I still own the Legacy (I guess that says it all). I've also played a lot of Strats through the years. I have found very few Strats that I like. On your video the Strat was warmer but I have typically found that not to be the case. All in all, though, I find the two biggest things that make the G&L a better instrument for me are the sustain (of which the G&L tends to have loads more) and the neck. The neck is the biggest thing. I find Strats to be very difficult to play for my smaller hands. The G&L, on the other hand, is a joy to play.
So, it's G&L all the way for me.
Guess it depends on your hands. For me, I think I never played best until I picked up my first Stratocaster. It has the C profile and the flat 12 radius which to some is a pain in the ass. But since I have huge fingers (long, not fat) that neck was the first time i felt no problem to play. But then again, my strat is basically what the G&L is here, two-point trem, 12 radius, so I might be better of with a G&L 😂 The only problem is I can't find them in my country
Dude that's a huge difference in sound
I really like the G&L sound thanks for the vid
I have two Legacies: a USA and a Tribute. I love them both. The Tribute is a terrific guitar that requires zero mods, which is amazing at its price point. The USA G&L is my favorite guitar in the world because it has everything just the way I want it: two-tone sunburst over a 2-piece alder body, maple neck and board with a deep V neck profile and 12" radius, G&L's wonderful pickups and PTB controls, that super-stable trem, bone nut, and high quality frets (PLEK'd at the factory).
I can't say that the G&L is objectively better than a Fender, but I will say it's the better guitar for me.
It was the improvement over the strats and even Leo Fender said so himself and I've owned both and...not even close in my opinion
For me the G&L was certainly brighter sounding.
I'm merely a bedroom player and I would say the G&L provides much more value for money.
Darrell you're a real inspiration man keep up the great work
😀🎸
The G&L sounds so bright and clear - very close to the Fender but a degree superior without "polution" my ears. Thanks very much for this tutorial Darell !!
Filip 36 could just be the different pickups?
I love fender, I've had American standards and now a deluxe players. But whoa, the g&l sounds phenomenal.
For some reason, I never considered G&L until this video. I love the tone and clarity. It seems like slightly less output in the pickups, which I like. Also, it looks SO badass in that finish. *reaches for wallet*
I was back and forth for months. Thanks to your vid I swayed more towards G&L. I got a better deal with G&L legacy and the quality is awesome. Everyone has a strat I thinks it's cool have something a little different. So happy with my G&L... I stare it all the time lol Thanks!
+Rusty Barnacle Congratulations!!
I agree; it's nice to have guitars that are a little different 😀
I clearly prefer Fender when it sounds alone (riffs and chords), except the neck position: I find it more "alive".But in the mix G&L sounds way better : more presence, more definition , more "pro" sound. Very interesting...!
+Antonio jnj Great observation! ☺
Way late to the game here, but I'd argue that the S-500 or the Comanche is an even further improvement upon the Strat, thanks to the MFD pickups. Same goes for the ASAT Special/Tele comparison. G&Ls are great.
Cant decide definitively. Sometimes the G&L clarity is really nice like on the 1,3,5 positions. But middle positions are a lot better on a strat where G&L brightness seems to work against it.
I would love a demo video that showcases what you can do with the PTB system. How effective is it at taming the brightness without making it sound dull compared to a strat.
You make my choice between a Fender Mex Strat vs G&L Legacy Tribute even harder ... They both sound sooo good when you play them.
+The Defenestrator 😄 Thanks!
I'm not a natural finish strat kind of guy but you've changed my mind, the G&L looks incredible in it's natural wood. I think you're correct that the G&L tone is a bit warmer which I thought was surprising since they both are maple necks. I also like flatter radius and I'll take the extra fret, G&L FTW (and I own a Strat).
The G&L Comanche was Leo's best guitar IMHO. So versatile and no 60 cycle hum. Genius.
I just bought g&l legacy pickups to put in my strat....the clarity is king for me playing in a larger worship band
Just brought my G&L Legacy strat home. I'm in love.
Funny, I must have missed this clip three years ago. Maybe now in C-19 lockdown, spending more time with my guitars and with youtube.
I have owned and played Fender Strats for 43 years. I have always liked playing them and like the sound.
However, this clip has got me checking the online merchants for a deal on the G&L.
I think it sounded a little richer and clearer, and that surprised me.
The current Strat I have (also have a few others) has the noiseless pickups and that was a mistake. They do remove much of the noise but also mute the sound too much.
Having said that, the real decision may come down to which guitar suits you better, and I like the smaller radius on the "real" Strat.
Yeah-I agree on the neck radius. Never liked the flat "shredder" necks.
Excellent comparison/contrast. I own several Strats and one G&L Tribute Legacy. The Legacy is hands down an improvement. The pickups are divine, the trem is smooth as silk, and it's just an improvement. Plays better, sounds great, and I have had ZERO tuning issues with it. It just works. And for the money, blows a MIM strat out of the water. This is coming from a die hard Strat guy. Although, the Big Apple Strat is my fave of all my strats.
Great accurate description of the differences. I would just reiterate that the G&L isn't for everyone. It sort of has its own thing going on.
I like the g n l. But I'm not sure if my mild bias or my ears or both but prefer the Mexican milder tones. It's really amazing the results MIM has lately. I actually happily went with MIM over American ..had choice of Lightly used either with 250 price diff. I also got a pro fender case that tied my buy to the gilmour looking MIM special edition. So far I'm over the top happy I jumped on it. Warm and strat sound is there. Just how I like it. Not to mention mint. In the case it goes each night. I almost still, went with the USA. It may have been better but even though the price was one most wouldn't pass on I am still happy I went MIM...Again great video production.
This G&L has a bell-like tone which is simply amazing. I fell in love with it
Great demonstration. The G&L really caught my ears.
+Mitch Ross Thanks Mitch!
I Have been playing G& L guitars sense they came out I put synth guitar pickups on all mine as i have been the KING OF THE SYNTH GUITAR Sense the synth guitar was born .it is an honnour to play your guitars everywhere i play all across Canada and the USA Thankyou
3:35 moment to change the wiring of my first guitar to that G&L circuit
You're a damn fine player. You made both of those bottom of the import versions of American icons sound spectacular. Great chops.
+Cybernauts, Terranauts and Astronauts Thanks! I appreciate the kind words! ☺
At first I thought I liked the warmth of the Fender but, in the mix the G&L sounded way better.
great pink panther adman , just purchased my first gnl can't believe I have lived without this guitar all these years i love love love this guitar thank you Leo fender your strats shaped the first half of my life and you just made something to pull me through the last half seriously I have been so blessed by your work
I really prefer the G&L, just not a fan of MIM Strats pickups and tone. If I had one I would definitely swap out those ceramic pickups. I do love that red finish with the maple neck, it is really an eye catcher! Just don't care for the tone.
G&L hands down! I am the lucky owner of a MIA Legacy. Playability, intonation stability, tone (Alnico V pickups that were modelled after the late '50s models to get that unmistakable chime and quack) and PTB (Passive Treble & Bass Tone Controls), price...and 10 year warranty! A propos the "warmer" tone of the Strat vs. the " clarity" of the Legacy: I can get ANY Strat tone out of my G&L, with a little help from my PTB. No need to tweak my amp or pedal. Btw: your demonstration is top notch Darrell! Good information (history) and excellent playing! More please!
While both are great guitars, I'm partial to the G&L...have two of them. The tremolo was a big part of my choice...just a truly great design! And while I went in to this video open to liking either tone wise, for the most part I preferred the clarity if the G&L. Thanks for a great comparison!
I have both Fender and G&L and I find the G&L just sounds better. Also...I find that hybrid picking on the G&L is a lot better and that must be due to the bigger radius.
I enjoyed the sound of the G&L the most. It seems more clear in all of the situations you used. I have a Blueburst model.
thanks for the comparison! Any chance you could do one of the tele vs. asat? Thanks!
+Andrew Karns I'll add it to my list :)
Maybe you can throw in a Squier as well if that makes any sense. I really wonder how these G&L guitars will keep up with Squier guitars. These G&L Legacy Tribute ones could be taken in consideration when comparing them to Classic Vibes or Vintage Modified Squiers.
I'd be very interested in a tele vs asat comparison. I mostly play teles.
+Sean O'Connor I'll see what I can do!
IV-I-XIV-XIV - The Tribute ASATS do not sound like a telecaster. Completely different sound. If you want a cheap tele grab a Classic Vibe or a Vintage Modified. IF you don't mind the weight and the neck profile on the Mexican then they make a great choice as well - although I think the CV Tele sounds more traditional. The ASATS are good guitars but they have their own sound - they don't quack like a telecaster and you don't get the notorious ice-pick highs either.
A friend of mine once did, in his living room of a drunken evening, an a/b between an SB1 and a Precision, although similar the MFD pickups are so much hotter that it drove his JCM 800 bass rig into quite creamy overdrive unlike the AlNiCo pickup which just sounded like a classic Precision. Nice to see and hear other comparisons along the same lines.
Oddly, to me the G&L sounded closer to a Tele than a Strat. 🤔
I got that too.
I have a G&L tribute Legacy. Never liked strats until I picked this guy up. It changed my mind.
I preferred the G&L, and by quite a bit.
I think that may have to do with the pickups in the MiM, though, assuming they haven't been swapped out for something better. One of my Strats is a MiM - originally a Blacktop HH that I've modified to HSH. It plays beautifully, but the original pickups were the most bland I'd heard in a long time. Not horrible, really, just... no character, no stand-out tone. I feel the same may be true in the case of this comparison.
As usual, though, great job and great playing, Darrell.
The pickups used in G&L's Tribute series are exactly the same pickups that are used in the MIA G&L custom shop. So there is definitely a noticeable increase in quality between the MIM fender, and a tribute g&l.
+schweedy1985 Yup! 👍
+Marc Cote Thanks Marc!
Both guitars are stock. The G&L pickups are higher-end and have that sparke and chime nailed :)
Yup. That explains it. Still, it's always a matter of taste... and there'll be people who prefer the MiM to the G&L, and that's OK.
Just in case you're curious, the single coil I put in the (newly created) middle position of my MiM was a standard Fender, but the humbuckers were SD Pearly Gates... my favourite, so far.
+Marc Cote Nice!
Thanks again, Darrell, and hello from our new channel! 🙏
Great depth of review, great presentation. Subscribed.
Also, I prefer the G&L personally. Love rolling a bit more bass response
+Paul Weyer Thanks Paul!
Welcome Aboard! ☺
I have a G&L Legacy (US) and I sold my very nice MIM Strat to get it. The P/U's are the same in the US and the tribute. The sound is so much more clear and bright. But you can use the Bass/Treble control to get many tones. It is very versatile and responsive.
At 3:16 Daryl gives a good explanation of how to use the G&L Bass/Treble controls to get the closest to the Strat sound. It's easy and it sounds great.
In addition to the sound, the feel is and quality build is fantastic. Low action and fast playing neck. Mine has a Satin finish on the neck and it feels sublime. They can be a real bargain on the used market, but hurry, a guitar this good won't stay secret for much longer.
That strat sounds awesome... so warm. Though, in a mix I might have a totally different opinion. Just like how I HATE a P-Bass until I hear it in a mix
Truth.
Hey Darrel. Could you revisit this subject in 2023? And maybe go into the electronics used in both instruments. Diving a little deeper. The cunife pickups compared to the G&L pickups could be an amazing topic all in itself.
I think that the G&L looks a lot more expensive and the sound is more articulated.
I hope you continue to do videos like this and the ones you made after this one. I don’t know how to make videos at all. But up against the 2-3 most popular channels doing guitar stuff your lighting, audio quality and smart well thought out comments are simply better and so more fun. I like both guitars!
Probably for Leo was so weird to walk away from a guitar that was bearing his last name and then watch its evolution from afar, while creating a new guitar with such an inconspicuous name of G & L.
Fender Stratocaster is worth having because it is so legendary, but I think for a musical experience G & L is a winner here.
Verdict: have both.
I bought a 2006 G&L S-500 Tribute MIK a year ago and since then literally sold every Fender I had, Strat`s, Tele`s, I got rid of them all. The G&L is that good that I never wanted to pick up the Fenders, the tone, the feel and finish were so far ahead that I just fell in love with it. It`s my all time single coil, it just has it all! Mine has the toggle switch to pair the neck and bridge pick ups or all three to give a super fat, almost Les Paul like tone. If you can find one of these earlier Korean made models, BUY IT!!!
Both sound wonderful to me. Jimi would've made the sky cry with either of them.
I a fan of both companies while it’s not the intent of the video I can say both offer great products. I bought my first G&L (bass) in
1982 and remains one of my favs. I own a Fender Strat as well.
If I chose based on you video I would have to opt for the G&L. Love the clarity.
Since the mid 80's, I've played and owned a lot of guitars. One of my favorite guitars was the g&l broadcaster. It got ruined in my teenage attempts at modifying sadly....
I've also had a few legacy's, asats, a commache. For Fender's, I've had an srv strat, american and Mexican strats and I liked all these, but I lean more towards the g&l guitars. What I used to complain about, was how narrow the fingerboard was on the older g&l units. Now I own a few tribute series g&L's, and they seem to have a wider fingerboard than the older USA made ones. I actually like them more! The fret jobs on these and overall craftsmanship on the g&l tribute models easily equals or exceeds the USA made strats in my opinion.
I love the entire community from Sammy G to Glen Fricker but you're playing might be my favorite out of almost anyone on CZcams.
Never really paid much attention to G&L before, but I definitely hear the difference and now gotta have one.
Can you be the one to break it to my wife? LOL
+Joe Sasser 🤔 I have enough trouble with my own! 😄
I have both , love my fender for straight warm blues, love my gnl for bluesy rock and tone and general feel. Great comparison Darrell
to me, the fender strat sounds warmer than the G&L, i prefer that sound..but its just my opinion
Alberto, looks like you & I are alone. I prefer the Fender due to its warmth and the lower mids. But I do love the G&L trem design...
Totally Agree about strat and I own an 1988 Legacy. Legacy brittle tone can be reduced with tone knobs and amp as we all know.
heres why The g and l was an ashe body the fender alder so the snap and immediacy of the ash...the alder almost alwaYS DARKER and warmer....surprised he did not mention this soooo obvious
There's also the S500 which sounds warner than the Legacy
Yeah but Mexican starts tend to have a warmer tone
Hey Darrell, Thank you so much for this comparison. Very well done, and a great representation of both Leo Fender-designed instruments!
+David Gibson No problem!
I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison!
They are such great guitars ☺
Yess you have a red Strat just like Mark
+Maro Muratti 😀👍
Maro Muratti Knopfler? lol
emct001 Yes, Knopfler
Excellent video. I'm surprised at just how different they sound. That G&L sounds so clean and full. I think the Fender neck pickup sounds fantastic though.
I definitely expected them to sound just about identical. And goodness knows I love my fenders. But wow. Am I impressed with the G&L here. The cleans are much cleaner. The highs are much higher. I love the sound of a good strat. But I love the sound of a good Tele even more. Especially on the neck pickup. And that G&L sounded like a tele on the neck pickup. Like. VERY tele-esque. They're definitely their own thing entirely. Damn. Now I need to go get myself a G&L! Very cool!
He's using a Mexican Standard Strat with ceramic pickups. Other models sound different.
soulagent79 I have a USA strat, a tele, and a tele special. But I really did love the sound of the G&L.
I noticed it was Mexican, too. Is this a fair comparison? Dunno, but I preferred the sound of the G&L in this video. Is it a fair comparison? Who cares!
+Ndlanding Yeah, it is :)
Both guitars are in the same price range. It's always important to compare instuments that compete in the market against each other 😀
Bloody hell! That was quick! But, yes, i agree with you, although I didn't know they were in the same price range.
My G & L Comanche has been my main guitar since 2003. Love it so much.
Those are definitely cool guitars!
Can you do a comparison between a tele and a g & l asat tele. I got a g & l for Christmas and hoping I got the right guitar. Thanks, great vid
+Chris Eddy It's already on my list ☺👍
The G&L Legacy is dubbed the super Strat for good reason. You can also find 9 1/2” radius necks from the early 90’s. You can get incredibly low action with the flatter 12” radius necks though. You would think they’re “Plecked” because they are so perfect. The bridge gets more sustain and stays in tune much better than the original when using the trem also.
It’s not a “Fender clone” for sure, it’s a huge improvement.
I own a American G&L Legacy...its far more superior to any Fender Stratocaster I own or have owned or have played in my life...but I'm not nocking Fenders because I love and play them also. You just need to try a G&L and maybe be smart enough to add one to your arsenal !!!
feel very similar about my current G&L ASAT and the one i foolishly sold when I was 16
G&l is my personal favorite and I have both . The g&l is Leo’s revision/update of the Strat .
Seems a very most present the "factor twang" in this G&L than in Fender.
Both sound fantastic. Darrell you really do a great job with these videos, thanks!
Funny, I'm interested in buying an electric guitar and stumbled upon the G&L at a shop today. And this video was just posted today. Debating between the american standard or the G&L, what are your thoughts Darrell?
+BTAKYI It all comes down to feel. You need to choose a guitar that will help to assist your playing As for tone, both are great, but if you need that ultra prestine clean tone, the G&L is the one :)
i would go for the american if all else is equal... better parts and pickups on the american.
ken masters even if you compare the US G&L to the US Fender?
You would have to try both out... and see what you prefer. If the price is the same I would choose what your fingers and ears tell you. If all else is equal, I would still choose the fender... better resale value.
BTAKYI I personally have found G&Ls to be far superior to Fenders.
You needed to tell everyone about the G&L Leo Fender MFD pickups, What a great pickup over a standard Strat pickup. Strats have their tone and it is great too but the MFD are a different beast!
The mim has that real creamy sound men