G&L Tribute S500 Left-Hand Guitar in Tobacco Sunburst

When Leo Fender† launched the G&L SB•2™ bass in 1982, he packed his latest innovations in pickup and bridge design into a straightforward, hard-working bass. If you prefer a less-is-more aesthetic but hunger for something meatier, the SB•2 is just the ticket.

The G&L S•500™ debuted in 1982 as Leo’s own evolution of the traditional double-cutaway bolt-on axe, delivering innovations including the Dual-Fulcrum™ vibrato and Magnetic Field Design™ single-coil pickups, each designed by Leo Fender† himself. These MFD™ pickups deliver a bright and sparkly top end and robust bottom end, all without losing midrange focus.

You’ll find plenty of punch in the MFD pickups, but what’s surprising is how glassy and detailed they become as you roll back the volume and bass controls, the latter a part of the S•500’s PTB™ (Passive Treble and Bass)* system which functions on all three pickups. What’s more, the G&L Tribute® Series S•500 includes a push-pull Expander Switch** on the treble pot to allow neck+bridge or all three pickups together. In a pinch, the neck+bridge combo does a convincing faux ASAT™ Special. Talk about versatile!

The new G&L Tribute Series S•500 features one of Leo’s favorite pairings: the power of MFD pickups mellowed by the high porosity of a nato body. Making the most of this delicious combo is Leo’s Dual-Fulcrum vibrato, a work of engineering art which allows bending up or down with unsurpassed stability, while offering a silky feel through its beefy aluminum vibrato arm.

Leo’s forward-looking spirit is clearly reflected in the S•500, a guitar he designed for players who share that spirit. And now, it’s available at a price within reach of every working musician. Once you play a G&L Tribute Series, you’ll never look back.

**P.T.B.-Passive Treble and Bass Controls-Dramatically more effective than a standard tone control, treble and bass frequencies can be separately cut with this exclusive passive style circuitry via two separate tone knobs.

**Expander Switch-A mini toggle switch (push/pull knob on Tribute Series) adds two additional pickup selections when used in conjunction with the five-position switch. The switch is on when thrown towards the pickups (knob pulled UP on Tributes) With the five-position switch set to either extreme, a selection of the bridge and neck pickup is available. All three pickups can be selected when the bridge pickup coupled with the middle pickup or the neck pickup coupled with the middle pickup is selected with the five position switch.

Specifications

• CONSTRUCTION: bolt-on
• SCALE: 25 1/2"
• PICKUPS: Leo Fender†-designed G&L MFD™ single coils
• BODY WOOD: Sassafras
• NECK WOOD: Hard-Rock Maple with Maple fingerboard
• NECK WIDTH AT NUT: 1 5/8"
• NECK RADIUS: 12"
• NECK PROFILE: medium C
• FRETS: 22 medium jumbo, nickel
• TUNING KEYS: 18:1 ratio, sealed-back
• BRIDGE: Leo Fender-designed G&L Dual-Fulcrum™ vibrato
• CONTROLS: 5-position pickup selector, volume, treble, bass (PTB™ system), push/pull expander on treble pot enabling additional pickup combinations of neck+bridge or all three pickups together.