G&L Doheny

[Larsongs]

I'm sure it's a nicely made guitar, and the bridge might have a few refinements over the traditional Strat unit, but with the basic design and geometry of that bridge with the pivot point out in front of rather than beneath the string ends, it will behave pretty much like a Strat, which kills it for me. It's not just the separate tail with strings behind the bridge (which I prefer), it's the geometry of the offset trem that's the magic for me. The string ends move instantly forward because of the pivot directly below (instead of up & then over like a Strat) so I can't see this thing having that beautiful touch-sensitivity that the offset trem has.
Just my $0.02 of course

Of course it won't have the same touch sensitivity. I don't think any of us fans of the DFV has claimed that, just that it is more subtle and easy moving than a 6 point traditional strat bridge.

I'm interested in the Doheny as an alternative to a trad spec JM, which I already have. I love the shape and I never really got too crazy about G&L designs besides Leo's original designs for the F100, Nighthawk/Skyhawk/S500 and the SC-2 (don't like the rear mounted controls on the reissue. Rather the little control plate).

It is strange how people love Leo's designs so much, but only if it says Fender on the headstock.

It's not strange to me. Leo got so much right in the early days. Tele, Strat, JM & Jag. Also, Amps.... A lot of people have tried to make them better not many succeeded..if anybody..

IMO these G&L Dohenys are a variation of the Offset concept for people who want something that sounds, plays & looks different..not really a JM..but probably not intended to be one though..

[BoringPostcards]

I'm sure it's a nicely made guitar, and the bridge might have a few refinements over the traditional Strat unit, but with the basic design and geometry of that bridge with the pivot point out in front of rather than beneath the string ends, it will behave pretty much like a Strat, which kills it for me. It's not just the separate tail with strings behind the bridge (which I prefer), it's the geometry of the offset trem that's the magic for me. The string ends move instantly forward because of the pivot directly below (instead of up & then over like a Strat) so I can't see this thing having that beautiful touch-sensitivity that the offset trem has.
Just my $0.02 of course

Of course it won't have the same touch sensitivity. I don't think any of us fans of the DFV has claimed that, just that it is more subtle and easy moving than a 6 point traditional strat bridge.

I'm interested in the Doheny as an alternative to a trad spec JM, which I already have. I love the shape and I never really got too crazy about G&L designs besides Leo's original designs for the F100, Nighthawk/Skyhawk/S500 and the SC-2 (don't like the rear mounted controls on the reissue. Rather the little control plate).

It is strange how people love Leo's designs so much, but only if it says Fender on the headstock.

It's not strange to me. Leo got so much right in the early days. Tele, Strat, JM & Jag. Also, Amps.... A lot of people have tried to make them better not many succeeded..if anybody..

I perceive it as simply the collective consciousness were so used to what he did the first time that they can't see the forest for the trees with anything he started doing 30 years later.
G&L had to break poor ol Leo's heart by giving in to demands of dealers who were hearing complaints like "It don't look like no Fender to me". The people who were buying them loved them, but many were snubbing them vocally without even trying them.
It was the dealers impatience with the slow growth of sales that made them change the S-500/Nighthawk/Skyhawk/Cavalier body and the totally different Comanche body into the generic strat shape body it has now. All Leo's original body shapes with G&L were lost on people, but it wasn't because they weren't just as ergonomic and great sounding as a strat, just that they weren't the same shape.

The guitar on the right IS just as good as a strat with enhanced hardware and a different shape.


People wouldn't buy it until they changed the shape:
Like how can somebody play one of these and say "leo got it right the first time", when it's only the shape of the body and the different shape of the pickguard that is really different. The vibrato is better than his first attempt wiht the strat style and the pickups are brilliant. They sound SICK. They play well. They were built like tanks and weren't too heavy. I don't get it. Leo's ghost is doing a facepalm I'm sure.]

Now people are criticizing G&L for not doing what Leo would have done with these.

We're all crazy guys.

[Larry Mal]

I'm not criticizing them for not doing what Leo would have done. I'm criticizing them for playing it safe with these and not really going for it. Just bolting on Leo's designs to a Jazzmaster shape doesn't really cut it for me.

I mean, I'm sure it's a great guitar. I just would really have loved a totally fresh take on the guitar rather than the millionth billionth take on making the Jazzmaster be more like a Stratocaster, even if it is Leo Fender's later take on the Stratocaster.

"Leo got it right the second time!" isn't all that more inspiring here. Doesn't anyone else at G&L know how to design a tremolo unit? Is putting a 40 year old tremolo design on a Jazzmaster shape really all that more fresh than using a sixty year old one?

But I otherwise agree with you, I have some G&L designed basses that were totally groundbreaking, and I'd say they were better than anything else I've ever seen. G&L basses are the world's best in my opinion and they are mostly original designs there.

[andy_tchp]

Shrug. They don't behave anything like a Strat.

[BoringPostcards]

Shrug. They don't behave anything like a Strat.

You've played both an original S-500 or Nighthawk/Skyhawk and compared it to a Strat? You're lucky. They're rare as hen's teeth in Canada. I guess there's more of the original 2000 or so built in Australia to go around? I'm lucky my uncle collects old G&Ls and Music Mans and I used to have a strat so I've played both quite a bit.

[JagInTheBag]

Shrug. They don't behave anything like a Strat.

You are right indeed! Each my vintage Skyhawk, modern hardtail S-500, and my new DFV Comanche each play better than any Strat I've load hands on. I keep going back to the Strat- because it is a Strat- but always end up with G&L...in many way each is more responsive to my hands than any Fender I've owned or played.

[andy_tchp]

Shrug. They don't behave anything like a Strat.

You've played both an original S-500 or Nighthawk/Skyhawk and compared it to a Strat? You're lucky. They're rare as hen's teeth in Canada. I guess there's more of the original 2000 or so built in Australia to go around? I'm lucky my uncle collects old G&Ls and Music Mans and I used to have a strat so I've played both quite a bit.

No, my experience with Leo era G&Ls is limited to an '87 SC-3. I was responding to the post that claimed the DFV behaves 'pretty much like a strat' - seemingly by someone that's never used one but rather based on the appearance of the bridge in pictures...

[BoringPostcards]

Shrug. They don't behave anything like a Strat.

You've played both an original S-500 or Nighthawk/Skyhawk and compared it to a Strat? You're lucky. They're rare as hen's teeth in Canada. I guess there's more of the original 2000 or so built in Australia to go around? I'm lucky my uncle collects old G&Ls and Music Mans and I used to have a strat so I've played both quite a bit.

No, my experience with Leo era G&Ls is limited to an '87 SC-3. I was responding to the post that claimed the DFV behaves 'pretty much like a strat' - seemingly by someone that's never used one but rather based on the appearance of the bridge in pictures...

Oh sorry man, my bad. The DFV behaves somewhere in between a strat and a JM in terms of feel.

[BoringPostcards]

"Leo got it right the second time!" isn't all that more inspiring here. Doesn't anyone else at G&L know how to design a tremolo unit? Is putting a 40 year old tremolo design on a Jazzmaster shape really all that more fresh than using a sixty year old one?

But I otherwise agree with you, I have some G&L designed basses that were totally groundbreaking, and I'd say they were better than anything else I've ever seen. G&L basses are the world's best in my opinion and they are mostly original designs there.

I need to be clear here, because I haven't really been..

It's not that I think Leo did it better the 2nd time, just that I refuse to believe he made things worse in any way. They're at least as good as anything he designed previously.

What do I want to see next from G&L?? Leo's final design before passing away; a baritone guitar.

[SciFlyer]

I've been a Jazzmaster player for 20+ years and I am really enjoying the G&L. It's an impressive guitar and inspiring to play. The pickups are really dynamic- some of the best I've heard in any guitar. It has the most comfortable neck out of all of my guitars. The DF system is really pleasant to use. It's very sensitive and great for really subtle stuff to extreme craziness. It will not go out of tune. All the critics who are upset that it doesn't have a different vibrato system or wanted G&L to do something "new" with this guitar, please try to get out and play one.

[Larry Mal]

I mean, I'm very well versed with the G&L double fulcrum tremolo, it's nothing new.

[Larsongs]

"Leo got it right the second time!" isn't all that more inspiring here. Doesn't anyone else at G&L know how to design a tremolo unit? Is putting a 40 year old tremolo design on a Jazzmaster shape really all that more fresh than using a sixty year old one?

But I otherwise agree with you, I have some G&L designed basses that were totally groundbreaking, and I'd say they were better than anything else I've ever seen. G&L basses are the world's best in my opinion and they are mostly original designs there.

I need to be clear here, because I haven't really been..

It's not that I think Leo did it better the 2nd time, just that I refuse to believe he made things worse in any way. They're at least as good as anything he designed previously.

What do I want to see next from G&L?? Leo's final design before passing away; a baritone guitar.

If they're as great as many here say It's odd that since G&L has been around that tons of them weren't used to record anywhere near as many Hit Records as Fenders? Or that Top Bands aren't using them to perform live? They're still playing Fenders..

[Mechanical Birds]

Yeah I can count on one hand how many times I've seen a G&L used live. A Comanche is a dope as hell strat variant though and I would rock one for sure. The one Andy Tone Report has is killer.

[46346]

I am leaning toward a Cherry Burst fully bound neck with a 12" radius, vintage tint satin neck, Q Sawn Maple, BirdsEye Board, Graphtech Nut, Vintage Frets, black blocks, black binding, Color Matched Headstock, Swamp Ash Body, Spalted Maple Top, Natural Binding, Black Pickup Covers, Black Single Ply Pickguard (I'd prefer Black Anodized Metal), Black Knurled Knobs, DFV, Locking Turners.

Holy SPUMONI!! i can't wait to see that. did you price it out? i'm thinking that will put you well over 2200 bones. nothing wrong about that - two years back i spent that on customizing my AV65 Firemist Jazzblaster... and yours would be even more loaded, hand-finished, plek'd, and probably a more perfect union.

i just spec'd my Doheny too, very excited - looks like it will happen - but i would love to have an anodized guard as well - gold in my case, for tobacco sunburst (which looks like 1959 3TSB to me). alas, it's not an option for me either... curious, as my early ASAT has black anodized, from Leo's tenure. i'll visit with them later in Jan and will see if i can get a template to make an ano-guard from. though it may be too costly to have made, and i've never tried myself...

[Maggieo]

Of course it won't have the same touch sensitivity. I don't think any of us fans of the DFV has claimed that, just that it is more subtle and easy moving than a 6 point traditional strat bridge.

I'm interested in the Doheny as an alternative to a trad spec JM, which I already have. I love the shape and I never really got too crazy about G&L designs besides Leo's original designs for the F100, Nighthawk/Skyhawk/S500 and the SC-2 (don't like the rear mounted controls on the reissue. Rather the little control plate).

It is strange how people love Leo's designs so much, but only if it says Fender on the headstock.

It's not strange to me. Leo got so much right in the early days. Tele, Strat, JM & Jag. Also, Amps.... A lot of people have tried to make them better not many succeeded..if anybody..

I perceive it as simply the collective consciousness were so used to what he did the first time that they can't see the forest for the trees with anything he started doing 30 years later.
G&L had to break poor ol Leo's heart by giving in to demands of dealers who were hearing complaints like "It don't look like no Fender to me". The people who were buying them loved them, but many were snubbing them vocally without even trying them.
It was the dealers impatience with the slow growth of sales that made them change the S-500/Nighthawk/Skyhawk/Cavalier body and the totally different Comanche body into the generic strat shape body it has now. All Leo's original body shapes with G&L were lost on people, but it wasn't because they weren't just as ergonomic and great sounding as a strat, just that they weren't the same shape.

The guitar on the right IS just as good as a strat with enhanced hardware and a different shape.


People wouldn't buy it until they changed the shape:
Like how can somebody play one of these and say "leo got it right the first time", when it's only the shape of the body and the different shape of the pickguard that is really different. The vibrato is better than his first attempt wiht the strat style and the pickups are brilliant. They sound SICK. They play well. They were built like tanks and weren't too heavy. I don't get it. Leo's ghost is doing a facepalm I'm sure.]

Now people are criticizing G&L for not doing what Leo would have done with these.

We're all crazy guys.

Give me that sunburst!!!!!! NOW!!!