G&L USA Limited Run ASAT Classic Alnico Thinline Guitar, No F-Hole, Mako Blue

PLAYER'S PERSPECTIVE

We're excited to grace you with the elegance of this limited-edition G&L USA ASAT Classic Thinline semi-hollow in a wavy Mako Blue finish! The ASAT is G&L's evolved take on the original T-style guitar designed by Leo Fender himself, and this is definitely a piece that carries on the legacy of the instrument.

Only one of 25 made, this one has a few very special features to truly make this a unique instrument - in addition to the gorgeous Mako Blue finish, black back, and the killer Alnico single-coil pickups, this semi-hollow guitar foregoes the typical f-hole for the appearance of a solid-body, BB King-style! This allows you to get the distinct Thinline-style pickguard and control layout with a solidbody appearance. Not a configuration you'll see often!

Here at the shop, we love guitars that are modern and practical with "quality of life" improvements that cater to the player, but retain the vintage tone we all love. This model features a Hard Rock Maple fingerboard and G&L's Modern Classic neck profile, which plays fast and allows you move quickly up and down the neck while still harkening back to the general shape of vintage instruments. Next is the bridge - it combines the modern six-saddle design with improved intonation with the brass construction of the vintage-style T bridge for a true marriage of the best of both worlds.

Compared to the MFD pickups that we've come to expect from G&L, these Alnico single-coils are a little more traditional. Rather than the robustness of MFDs, these are a little lower-output and lean toward the bright and sparkly side of things (without being too treble-happy, of course). Clean, the typical T-style twang is present in spades. You can also back off the tone on the neck pickup for some great classic jazz sounds. With some overdrive, this guitar turns into the perfect tool for any kind of blues, rock or country. It thickens up and cuts through while retaining that vocal-like quality of good single coils.

If you want to try a great T-style guitar alternative that has the pickup configuration and playing comfort worthy of a true workhorse, take this USA-made ASAT Classic Thinline out for a spin!

Details

While the G&L ASAT® Classic is Leo’s final word on the traditional single-cutaway bolt-on axe with its Magnetic Field Design single-coil pickups, the new ASAT Classic Alnico has arrived to blend latter-day-Leo with uncompromising Alnico sonic flavor. Framed in a classic boxed-steel bridge, the single-coil Alnico V bridge pickup belts out meaty twang that that’ll stop you in your tracks, while individual brass saddles Leo upgraded for the ASAT Classic offer modern levels of intonation refinement. Flip to the Alnico V neck pickup and you’ll discover our spec offers a fuller tone that leaves those anemic old pickups in the dust. What’s more, the two pickups pair beautifully for an exceptionally sweet, jangly tone bursting with harmonics.

These Alnico wonders aren’t just another flavor-of-the-week, having been carefully refined by G&L’s Paul Gagon for personal guitars since the late 1970s. Back then, Gagon was an R&D engineer at another company when he was tasked with finding out what was so special about the early bolt-on guitars many players raved about. Gagon analyzed many examples of what were considered “holy grail” guitars, spending time out on the shop floor talking to builders still working in the pickup department since the ‘50s, all on a quest to discover where the real mojo was – and wasn’t. What he learned from the builders matched his own engineering analysis. You see, back in the day, the actual spec of pickups coming that down that old production line varied considerably. Moreover, that nagging imbalance between bridge and neck pickup was something he longed to improve on, and today, Gagon’s preferred pairing of Alnico V pickups has arrived to delight the ears of the discerning guitarists.

The ASAT Classic’s hard-rock maple neck features an easy-playing satin finish, comfortable 9 1/2″ radius and Jescar 57110 medium-jumbo nickel-silver frets for silky playability. The moment you open the luxurious hardshell case, you’ll be greeted with a stunning instrument and delicious aroma that’ll have your pulse racing.