G&L Tribute Series Fallout Bass, flatwound string demo

While there are some great reviews of the G&L Tribute Series Fallout Bass available online, this video explores what great retro tones are available when this bass is strung with flatwound strings. For this demo, the Fallout is strung with a set of La Bella, Deep Talkin' Bass 760FM-S strings, in thickness from .049"-.109". I demonstrate the bass in all three modes - parallel, single coil and OMG (bass boost), plucking at the pickup and also close to the fingerboard. I also repeat those demos with the tone control reduced to approximately 50%. The second part of the demo also touches on some retro style pick playing and a segment on Tic Tac Bass

[@r.l.rachel740]

This is a very good instrument demo; Very, very nice tones. Thx.

[@1okanaganguy]

Nice, thorough demonstration. Very sweet on your Ampegs.

[@jfturner67]

That thing sounds fantastic with the flats, especially through that sweet Ampeg. Thank you for the great demo.

[@FlowJunkie65]

Thanks so much for making this educational and very informative video -- it is very much appreciated! Thanks for taking the time and effort to share all this great info! Liked and subscribed.

[@BassGuitarInstrumental]

Excellent sounds and very informative. You know your history too. A worthwhile watch.

[@austinpeters4630]

I’m blown away that we haven’t seen this bass either on stage or in studio recently; this bass sounds very versatile and feels like a well kept secret.

[@MrSparks54]

I have a Fallout Tribute, absolutely love it. Also have a CLF L-2000. My Fallout is my go-to for band practice. Thanks for the demo.

[@Loki_FPV666]

Awesome video! That bass has tone for days

[@darrellwilliams6741]

Cool Demo great Playin and Awesome Tone Bravo Well Done indeed My Friend 👍

[@ianbaker2599]

That's a big bass sound, especially when played closer to the neck. I like it.

[@kelalamusic9258]

That is going to be my next bass. It’s what a bass should sound like . . . a bass. Beautiful tone. Leo Fender did an awesome job when he designed that pup. After all, he was into electronics before he started out designing and building guitars.

[@TheChrist117]

Very informative - thanks. I've been looking at getting hold of a Fallout for some time. The flats really do suit this bass well. I own a G&L M-2000 (quite rare these days) so I know the scope of the MFD pickups - excellent performance and certainly rank among the best I've played. Well, it looks like I'm sold on the Fallout - you should invoice G&L for commission! Thanks again, Chris.

[@timodelange]

Wow very good demo thanks! This helps alot

[@jonathanchevallier7046]

Very nice sounding bass. The amp is very warm too.

[@mowler8042]

Sounds wonderful 👏

[@chomusic]

Nice review.

[@ChrisJohnsonChannel]

Yea Ampeg!! I love that tone !! Nice bass too

[@tigerscott2966]

Good video. Nice bass. It really has that warm Motown tone. I think James Jamerson would like this bass. Thanks.

[@musicalpurpose2566]

Great video

[@donhall-aquitania1025]

This is the only demo I’ve seen where a heavier gauge string was used to compensate for the shorter scale. I’m actually interested in having the strings a little looser and easier to play as my hands are getting creakier. Loved this demo!

[@bobt5778]

Exactly the same for me! I own several shorties and I typically string them with 45 -100's just for ease on my arthritic hands.

[@judecarpenter2990]

Smart man. G&L fan is a smart man in my opinion

[@marioharaldklug]

i like this Bass

[@Kosthoms]

Nice demo! You get the McCartney sound with an instrument that looks more versatile than the Hofner

[@Md75897]

Nice video, sounds great with the flatwounds, I believe the middle position is actually split coil

[@hammerbass1470]

They call it single coil, which is what it is. Only one of the coils is on in that position (the coil closest to the bridge). The forward position is full humbucking, with both coils running evenly. The OMG setting has a capacitor across the coil closest to the neck, which cuts treble on that coil, while the other coil is unchanged. OMG has a small amount of 60 cycle hum, since the two coils are not firing at equal strength, but the hum is slightly less than single coil mode

[@cedcobasse]

Great video thanks a lot, it sounds great, is it also confortable to play?

[@paulmullen2620]

It looks like it's balancing very well when you let go of the bass. I had been concerned about neck dive because of the horn placement. How does it feel on your shoulder?

[@hammerbass1470]

I haven't had any issues with neck dive with it. It feels great on the strap

[@michrun]

Nice review. Appreciate you keeping things simple and the riff consistent throughout the video and thank you for demonstrating it with flats. I keep going back and forth on this bass (both the tribute and the USA) and just can't make up my mind but.....based on the tones you were getting in this video, I now think if I do end up with one it will be the tribute at about half the cost of the USA version so there's one question answered. I also understand that even though it's "short scale" it's actually quite a bit larger overall than other short scales with maybe just the bridge moved towards the neck. Does it feel like a regular size bass in hand? I have no where close by that actually has one I can hold and play. Was there anything you didn't particularly like about it? Again thanks for the demonstration. Great job

[@hammerbass1470]

Yes, the instrument is laid out so that it sits far enough out that it does feel closer to a long scale bass than you might expect, so it's not a huge adjustment to switch back and forth. I guess a combination of the body size, horn placement and bridge placement help with that. The only tiny thing that I don't like as well as I might is the satin neck finish. I'm a big fan of gloss maple boards, and the Indonesian shop actually does a really nice gloss. I would have preferred that, but I do understand that most players prefer the satin

[@michrun]

@@hammerbass1470 Thank you. Very informative.

[@wcheng4927]

May I know if you went with Fullerton or Tribute model? I still can't decide. What makes the Fullerton twice the price with the Tribute using the same pickup and bridge. Fit and finish? I understand that import use probably cheaper and electronics and hardware, but I'm sure it's good enough. If they have the Tribute in black with maple fretboard I'll do it now, but too bad that combination is only for Fullerton.

[@michrun]

@@wcheng4927 If this question was directed to me, I personally went with the tribute. This video helped me with that decision as I just couldn't see paying more than twice as much for the Fullerton, and am completely satisfied. One of the big cost savings, as I understand it, is that the tribute is assembled in Indonesia with not much, if any, differences in parts. This isn't my main bass so the tribute was more a want than a need, plays really nice, sounds great with flats, and the cost left me with no buyer remorse. I like a rosewood fingerboard and, like you, wish there were more color options but being that I didn't have a black bass that's what I opted for.

[@wcheng4927]

@@michrun yes, thanks for your response! I read somewhere that G&L switched to a new business model not too long ago hence the Fullerton Deluxe (probably similar to Fender's Am Std) - limited color options, no more hard case, and not PLEK'd at the factory. I have never played any G&L but people seem to really like it over Fender. How is the fret work on your Tribute? Neck fits in the pocket snugly with no real gap in between? Plan to keep it as my only bass, sold my Mustang Bass, going to sell my Starfire Bass (great studio bass, not the most comfortable at band practice let alone shows) very soon to fund this. I like the versatility of the single MFD pickup, and the ergonomic of a standard scale bass on a short scale.

[@drwinkle101]

Are the pickup poles height-adjustable?

[@hammerbass1470]

Yes, all MFD pickups have individually adjustable pole pieces, and since it's a humbucker, you could in theory even have one coil higher than the other. I've never really done that, but it is something you could explore