Description
The ASAT Special is considered by many to be the quintessential G&L guitar. Created by the legendary electric guitar pioneer Leo Fender in 1985, the ASAT Special is based on an iconic ’50s design but sports various innovations that make it, in many ways, a superior instrument optimised for modern players. This particular model, from G&L’s affordable Tribute Series, sports many of the same features you’d find on one of their American-made Fullerton Deluxe offerings. It’s exceptional value for money!
Key appointments include of set of G&L MFD (‘Magnetic Field Design’) Jumbo pickups, which produce a clear single-coil sound but with more output and less noise, and a ‘Saddle-Lock’ bridge that boosts resonance and ensures even string spacing for consistent playability.
Key Features
- Sassafras Body — Often likened to Swamp Ash for its grain pattern, Sassafras is similar in sound but with more lower mid-range girth.
- Bolt-On Maple Neck — A rock-solid material that adds brightness into the tonal mix, with the bolt-on design producing a snappy note response.
- Medium ‘C’ Neck Profile — A comfortable, supportive shape that both modern and traditional players will enjoy.
- Medium Jumbo Frets — Offer a controllable feel for wide vibrato and pitch-perfect string bends.
- G&L MFD Jumbo Single-Coil Pickups — A unique, Leo Fender innovation considered a marked improvement over the traditional single-coil concept. This design transfers the magnetic field to the top of the pickup rather than the middle and features a ceramic magnet; yielding more output, greater balance and less noise! The ‘Jumbo’ versions in the ASAT Special are voiced to deliver a slightly punchier tone, akin to a P90 pickup.
- G&L ‘Saddle-Lock’ Bridge — Another Leo Fender design! Features a small Allen screw on the side of the unit, which presses all of the string saddles together so that they resonate as though they were one single mass; resulting in increased sustain.
Specifications
Body
- Body Shape: ASAT
- Body Wood: Sassafras
Neck
- Neck Wood: Hard Rock Maple
- Neck Profile: Medium ‘C’
- Neck Finish: Vintage Tint Satin
- Neck Joint: Bolt-On
- Scale Length: 25.5″
- Fingerboard Wood: Rosewood
- Fingerboard Radius: 9.5″
- Fret Size: Medium Jumbo, Nickel
- Number of Frets: 22
- Inlays: White Dots
- Nut Width: 1.625″
Hardware
- Bridge: G&L Saddle-Lock
- Tuners: Sealed-Back (18:1 Ratio)
- Hardware Finish: Chrome
Electronics
- Pickups: Leo Fender-Designed G&L MFD Jumbo Single-Coils
- Controls: Volume, Tone, 3-Position Pickup Selector Switch
