NGD - G&L ASAT Z-3

[CVS54]

I purchased this guitar about 2 weeks ago. Initial impressions are

1. A well made, high quaility, instrument - ready to play. Set up was just right for me - medium action.
2. Tones are Strat like in positions 2 & 4
3. Tones are more Tele like in positions 1, 3 & 5

Picture is from Sweetwater - I take lousy pictures

The guitar is a keeper for me and is my 3rd G&L guitar. If any of you have one, I would be interested in your feedback.

 

[Cali Dude]

Awesome guitar! I love mine too. They are kinda sleeper guitars. Not a lot of people playing them. Congrats!

 

[brookdalebill]

Cool!
I covet one of those.
They’re versatile, hum/noise free, and Hipshot B bender friendly.
Soon!

 

[CVS54]

Awesome guitar! I love mine too. They are kinda sleeper guitars. Not a lot of people playing them. Congrats!

To be honest, I was looking for a guitar with Strat like tones in a Tele body. I don't need a floating bridge/ whammy bar and I don't like where the volume control is located on a Strat, but I love Strat tones. This guitar comes close and is definitly a keeper.

 

[beninma]

Very cool... I would love to try one. I have a G&L Doheny that I love, but it's sound is somewhat less versatile than the Tele sound I think. This thing must be a really interesting mix of noiseless Strat and Tele sounds?

The G&L Dealer closed, they were kind of prickly, there were a bunch of models like this they either didn't have or I just didn't get to try. It was one of those places where they gave off a vibe you were wasting their time unless you walked in and said "I'm buying a guitar today".

 

[Linus Pickle]

I love it. Pickups remind me of P Bass split coils. Are they set up the same way so that each pickup is humbucking on its own?

 

[Gladhander]

Awesome! How do you like those pickups? I bought a used MIJ Mustang with them installed. I love them!

 

[hemingway]

This is one of those guitars that would make me break my "don't buy a guitar just coz it looks cool" rule.

I'm not into Strat tones. But this looks suave.

 

[hawk620]

I love it. Pickups remind me of P Bass split coils. Are they set up the same way so that each pickup is humbucking on its own?

Yes. They are a humbucking pickup that tonally is just like a more dynamic single coil. Fatter low end with extended highs. I've had the S-type version, the Comanche.

 

[Cali Dude]

Another cool sound option on the Z-3 is using all three pickups at the same time. Just put it in bridge/middle position, and pull up the volume knob. It is super stratty in this position.

 

[CVS54]

I love it. Pickups remind me of P Bass split coils. Are they set up the same way so that each pickup is humbucking on its own?

There is no hum in any of the 5 positions

 

[CVS54]

Another cool sound option on the Z-3 is using all three pickups at the same time. Just put it in bridge/middle position, and pull up the volume knob. It is super stratty in this position.

I forgot that you could do this. Just tried it - sounds great!

 

[Cali Dude]

I forgot that you could do this. Just tried it - sounds great!

Yeah, pulling up on the volume knob engages the neck pickup. So, you can get neck/bridge by putting it on the bridge pickup and pulling the volume up. That might not interest you as much, as you are interested in the Strat tones. Glad you are enjoying your new guitar.

 

[badinfinities]

Beautiful. Id love to take one of those for a spin.

 

[43mmNut]

Nice looking guitar! Congrats! So much so, I had to check it out at the Sweetwater website.
I could easily see picking one of those up.
I'd like to ask a rep how thick or thin the neck is, what is the nut width, and the average weights that they run.
Again, Congrats

 

[hawk620]

Nice looking guitar! Congrats! So much so, I had to check it out at the Sweetwater website.
I could easily see picking one of those up.
I'd like to ask a rep how thick or thin the neck is, what is the nut width, and the average weights that they run.
Again, Congrats

Based on the specs given on the G&L site the neck profile is described as a Modern Classic "C" profile. Here are it's specs.

1 11/16” nut width with 1 5/8” string spacing allows a generous edge roll for superb comfort without string fall-off. Fairly slim with mild taper from 0.820” at 1st fret to 0.870” at the 12th fret.

The weight of those listed by Sweetwater range from 7lbs 10ozs to 8lbs 1oz.

 

[trandy9850]

Very nice….great color….enjoy!

 

[WalATX]

2. Tones are Strat like in positions 2 & 4
3. Tones are more Tele like in positions 1, 3 & 5

I just bought a Player II tele, I should not be buying another guitar right now.

Definitely not. No way.

(I always have thought these are super cool and I think that thing looks killer)

 

[SuprHtr]

I was suddenly tempted to buy one of these and then remembered that I have almost all of the parts that I need to build one... Time to get busy.

 

[beninma]

Based on the specs given on the G&L site the neck profile is described as a Modern Classic "C" profile. Here are it's specs.

1 11/16” nut width with 1 5/8” string spacing allows a generous edge roll for superb comfort without string fall-off. Fairly slim with mild taper from 0.820” at 1st fret to 0.870” at the 12th fret.

The weight of those listed by Sweetwater range from 7lbs 10ozs to 8lbs 1oz.

Same neck specs I have on my Doheny. It's about as thick as the Am Pro & Am Pro II but it feels less chunky because it's more of a "C" and has less meat on the shoulders than the Fender "Deep C".

I go back and forth between whether the neck on my Doheny is better or the one on my Am Pro II is better. It was hard to compare for a while because the Am Pro II had 9s, but a couple weeks ago I gave in and put 10s on the Am Pro II and now they are much closer in feel. My Doheny had the factory Plek job, the frets are really amazing, but the Am Pro II is also a really amazing neck. There are certain stretches I think just might feel a little better on the G&L.

I guess it can't be forgotten that the Z-coil pickups are basically staggered MFDs, they pick up that "extra deep bass" and "extended high end" from being MFDs more than from being Z-coils. The Z-coils are what cancels the hum. And MFDs are already super low hum before you even add in the stagger. Leo Fender was not messing around with his late career pickup & wiring designs, they are very, very clever.