G&L Guitars Fullerton Deluxe S-500, Maple Fingerboard, Blueburst

G&L Guitars Fullerton Deluxe S-500, Caribbean Rosewood Fingerboard, Blueburst

The 2018 Fullerton Deluxe S-500 bundles some of the most time-honored option combinations from the G&L Individual Order menu. All FD S-500s feature swamp ash bodies coated in transparent finishes to showcase their beauty, with ideal pickguard pairings to set off the colors just right. That elegance continues up the neck with the G&L polished Vintage Gloss finish that looks fantastic and feels silky, not sticky.

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 S-500 includes a mini-toggle switch 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 S-500 features a Leo Fender-designed 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. The S-500’s hard-rock maple neck features an easy-playing satin finish, while its 9.5” radius lets you bend notes deeply and its Plek-dressed medium-jumbo nickel frets deliver silky playability. The moment you open the luxurious deluxe Tolex hardshell case, you’ll be greeted with a stunning instrument and delicious aroma that’ll have your pulse racing.

Leo’s forward-looking spirit is clearly reflected in the S-500, a guitar he designed for players who share that spirit. If that’s sounds like you, you owe it to yourself to check out the S-500.