Strat or legacy?

[Dantesstudio]

I have decided that i want to buy something more classic like a strat. After a lesson at UT one day i wondered around Knoxville looking at Strats until i found a G and L dealer. The G and L Legacy (strat) is alittle cheaper and much more customizable (they let you choose your pickguard, color, neck wood and hardware color). I played one and it seemed even better than the normal Fender American Strat. Should i skip the Fender and go for G and L?

[elcid]

Short answer, absolutely go with the G&L

[Dantesstudio]

Fullerton Red, Cherryburst, or baby blue. I cant decide

[Valhalla]

Originally Posted by elcid

Short answer, absolutely go with the G&L

Why would you say the G and L is better? Not antagonizing, just curious....

[elcid]

Had a few of both Fenders and G&L. I always thought that overall the G&Ls looked, played and sounded nicer and were a better deal for what you got. Then again, I still have a Strat and long since sold my Commanche. The G&Ls dont seem to hold their value as well as the Fenders, if that matters to you.

[Dantesstudio]

Is the commanche cooler than the legacy? Whats the difference? How do you feel about the Z coils?

[elcid]

Im pretty sure the only difference is the Z coils and if I remember right, the Commanche has a mini toggle to get the neck and bridge pickups together. The Z-coils were pretty cool, but I couldnt honestly tell you how much or how little the shape affected the sound. They are still single coils. The main drawback to that is if you want to replace the pickups with the Commanche you are pretty much screwed. You will need a new custom made pickguard.

[Dantesstudio]

The comanche is more expensive too i wanna say its 1500 and the legacy is like 1200.

[elcid]

I got mine for just over $1000, I want to say $1025. It was beautiful too, highly figured maple neck, 2tone sunburst finish. This picture doesnt do it justice.



I had an ASAT too, the guy bought it, then returned it just after the 30 day period so the store took it in as used, I got it for $550 in new condition.

[Tank]

IMHO G&L is more bang for the buck. Nicer sounding woods, better craftsmanship, better quality control and very nice pickups and customizeable.
I am not that fond of Fender, their name is the only real value they have and their quality control is a joke. Some American Standards play like a dream and others are worse than the worst mexicans.

[Valhalla]

Hmmm, so how does a G & L compare with a Suhr Strat?

[dragsternj]

Originally Posted by Tank

Nicer sounding woods, better craftsmanship, better quality control

Either one of these points is plain rubbish. And being from Austria how many G&L's have you seen ? Own any?

I have 2 of each here, and they are the same. What nicer woods do you get on a G&L ??

[Tank]

Originally Posted by dragsternj

Either one of these points is plain rubbish. And being from Austria how many G&L's have you seen ? Own any?

I have 2 of each here, and they are the same. What nicer woods do you get on a G&L ??

Yes I live in Austria and we do have something called Music Stores ... I am not living on Mars. That aside almost 100% of my guitars come from the US as the dollar is so weak compared to the Euro that importing guitars is much much better. The older guitars: most of them I bought in Germany, mostly one of the big dealers and setup by a luthier in vienna (some even rebuild).

Now from my past guitars (only Strats):
- Blade Texas Special (had 2 of those, great guitars)
- American Standard Strat (Vintage white with Maple Neck)
- American Standard Strat (Black with Rosewood Neck)
- Clapton Signature
- Lukather Signature
- 2 G&L Legacy (one Dark Cherryburst one a Special Edition Tocacco Burst)

Now I give you that I did not play a G&L the last 2 years, as I sold both to finance my JEM. But as far as Strats go these 2 were absolutely stunning.
As far as woods go, they sounded much better than the Fender, which is of course a mix of wood and pickups. By better woods I also did not mean the type of wood but the quality grade wood that is involved and that remark came from my luthier who did the setups, fretjobs and rebuilds.

Those guitars are only the tip of the iceberg by the way. I am an old fart who had LOTS of guitars over time, Strats, LPs, V's, Jacksons, ESPs, Blades, PRS, Eggles, EBMMs and some more unknown stuff (hell you could count G&L into that category, as most kids still think that Fender is owned by Leo and the poor fellow is dead now...).

[HeavyMetal4Ever]

I played a purple flame top G&L Invader with a maple fretboard, an original floyd and H/S/H about a year ago that was imho superior to any Fender Strat I've ever laid my hands on. It was probably the best "strattish" superstrat I've played.

Rock on!

[jim777]

If you played the G&L and really liked it, then get it. Don't worry so much about the name on the headstock, you can't play that