G&L Musical Instruments

G&L Musical Instruments
Type Private
Industry Musical instruments
Founded 1979
Founder(s) Leo Fender and George Fullerton
Headquarters Fullerton, California, United States of America
Key people Chairman John C. McLaren
Honorary Chairman Phyllis Fender
Plant Manager John C. McLaren Jr.
Parent BBE Sound, Inc.
Website [1]

G&L is a guitar design and production company founded by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Dale Hyatt in the late 1970s[1]. Fender sold his company named Fender in 1965. He designed and produced instruments for Music Man in the 1970s through his company CLF Research. When relations with Music Man soured, G&L was created to continue operations outside of Music Man. The G&L name comes from the initials of George (Fullerton) and Leo (Fender)[2].

G&L instruments are similar to the classic Fenders, but with some modern innovations. They are built at the same facility on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California that produced the early Music Man instruments. G&L instruments are not widely distributed but are highly regarded by many musicians and collectors. The relatively small scale of production further allows for more custom options than are possible on larger production lines.

After the death of Leo Fender in 1991, Fender's wife, Phyllis Fender, passed the management of G&L to John C. McLaren of BBE Sound[3]. George Fullerton remained a permanent consultant until his death on July 4 2009,[4] and Leo's wife Phyllis remains as Honorary Chairman of G&L.

In a print advertisement for G&L, Leo Fender claimed the G&L line of instruments were "the best instruments I have ever made."[5]

Contents

Innovations

Leo Fender and George Fullerton created improved designs over the years, with the most advanced being featured in G&L instruments.:

G&L guitars

G&L produces several distinct models of guitar and bass products, including:

Electric guitars

Electric basses

All G&L basses feature bolt-on necks and 34 inch scale lengths.

Current models

Discontinued Models

Tribute

In 2003, G&L introduced the Tribute series to the US market as a more affordable alternative to the USA built products. Tribute G&L's were made in Korea by Cort Guitars using mostly foreign-made hardware, though some original parts were also used on select models. The pickups used are all originally made by G&L in Fullerton, California. Production of the guitars has since moved to a Cort facility in Indonesia.

Before 2003, for a short time there was production of Tribute guitars in Japan for non-US markets. But when production in Japan became more expensive and the best Korean manufacturing raised to the same quality level, the production moved to Korea.

The Tribute series is offered in many of the same body shapes as their original creations. The Tribute SB-2 was offered briefly but was discontinued, however, it was reintroduced late 2006/early 2007. The JB-2 was introduced to the Tribute series at the same time.

Tribute Models

Notable users

Notes

References

  • Fullerton, George (1993). Guitar Legends, The evolution of the Guitar from Fender to G&L. Fullerton: CENTERSTREAM Publishing. ISBN 0-931759-69-2. 
  • Fullerton, George (2005). George & Leo, How Leo Fender and I Built G&L Guitars. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard. ISBN 0-634-06922-5. 

External links