Is there a DIFFERENCE between the

[@annabelablue]

No lie , about 2 years ago I bought a Tribute Comanche and discovered the wiring harness was a complete mess, resulting in several positions not working…. I emailed G&L and they immediately sent me a shipping label to their Fullerton location and fixed it right up and shipped it back. I don’t know if other companies would do such a thing….. G&L fan for life!

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

Difference is clear as day. One’s blue, one’s orange.

[@60CycleHumcast]

good point.

[@MarkRigler]

How can you tell?

[@TylerJohnstonGuitar]

@@MarkRigler At first I really couldn’t tell the difference but I looked at them both under a black light. Didn’t really come through clearly until I brought out the microscope.

[@Justin-eu3yd]

this guy gets it

[@Cannibal_Actual]

I think you may be right

[@RalphPacheco2]

Holy Crap, I won the Comanche! What kind of beer do you boys like

[@russellzauner]

Fun Fact: one can purchase G&L parts from electronics to bridges to bodies to necks to fully built B stock guitars and basses...directly from G&L. Name a part on that guitar and you can *just buy it* which if you think about it for a second...nobody else does that, much less down to the screw. Bonus - they're competitive/reasonable in price compared to mainstream aftermarket components or OEM replacements.

[@stephenstarr6388]

Could you provide a web-link to the G&L parts page?

[@coryfeldman-hz2yj]

Thanks! 🌈⭐

[@saxophobe]

I’d really like to buy the little grub screw that holds the tremolo arm in place for my S-500 Tribute. I purchased a floor model and it didn’t come with one.

[@ilovejapanesemusic3858]

😮 thank you so much I did not know

[@Demuirs]

Fun fact, the pickups on the gnl are the same on the American built ones as the tributes built elsewhere. However, some of the other hardware is different such as tone pots, etc. That said, I haven't had any issues with tone pots on my gnl tribute s-500. Had it for a number of years now and it's a brilliant guitar 🙂 as a dealer friend of mine said the difference between the g&l American guitars and the tribute series is that the American one is twice the price but definitely not twice the guitar 🙂

[@JeffMello]

G&Ls in general deserve more love. Even the Fullerton US models are a steal. Such great guitars.

[@citizenchris099]

Completely agree. They make amazing guitars

[@Crabfather]

Dunno if I'd call them a steal at 2k American..

[@GL_Guitars]

Thank you! 🙌

[@60CycleHumcast]

You Bet! if G&L ever wants to collaborate directly hit me up. [e-mail]

[@GL_Guitars]

That would be great! 👍

[@Cavediver762]

Awesome to see @GL_Guitars responding. I just got a Fullerton JB in Himalayan blue and I love it. The neck is incredible and the pickups sound great. Watched a lot of factory tour videos in the last week and I like Dave’s love for the brand.

[@deanvalor7760]

I purchased Two of those babies, the Orange and the clear. Although they sleep in strat hardshell cases. Have had them for a while, love the quack of my G&L Fullerton Deluxe Comanches.

[@charlie-obrien]

I am fortunate to have both a '03 Fullerton-CLF and a '15 Tribute Comanche. I had both at the same time for awhile and found them both to be awesome guitars. They both sounded great and as Ryan showed, you have a greater ability to shape the sound with the PTB tone knob system. The tribute in my opinion was a greater value because the quality/cost ratio was more favorable, but the Fullerton-CLF was absolutely one of the top 3 finest guitars I have ever owned and played. The neck was sublime and the build quality coming out of G&L USA is second to none in my opinion and it is the only guitar that I regret selling to the extent that I contacted the buyer and offered him a premium to get it back. I still have my G&L Doheny (offset) and love it. My advice is that if you have $700 get a tribute and if you can swing it, get yourself a Fullerton. Also don't be afraid of the used market, they are a "secret bargain" to be had because resale is usually lower than other brands.

[@888jimm]

Well said and reflects my experience as well ....hated selling my S-500

[@charlie-obrien]

@@888jimm The S-500 package with 3 MFD p/u's, Dual Fulcrum vibrato, the 25.5 scale and the PTB system, fixed nearly all issues with the Strat design and created the most wonderfully versatile guitar Leo ever made.

[@thorintyr]

Thank you Ryan. Best show ever. But I'm biased because I just love all things G&L!

[@robertsilver5130]

One of the many nice things about G&L is that nobody generally cares about them. As such, you can find deals on them. I recently grabbed a new Fullerton Deluxe Doheny HH for $1299 out the door. A steal. Anyway, Tribute or USA, they’re great guitars. And why other makers don’t offer some similar type of PTB system is a long standing mystery. Thanks, Ryan!

[@perekman3570]

The G&L company is completely ignoring KZbin and it's costing them.

[@sassycat]

​@@perekman3570they're on KZbin.

[@perekman3570]

@@sassycat Yes, I see now that they have a new channel. Since 2 weeks, no less. But what I'm saying is that they have a very low presence on YT and don't seem to cooperate with creators to any significant degree. I believe that Ryan has tried to engage with them before, but without result... (Maybe I'm not remembering that correctly.)

[@hughschick6847]

re: PTB they (Leo) invented it. And Reverend uses it too. They also kinda stole the awful headstock shape from G&L.

[@charlie-obrien]

@@perekman3570 and Sassycat, G&L's marketing is poor. Since the inception of the company they relied on Leo Fender's reputation to carry them, and it did. Since his passing they have continued to make improvements on their craftsmanship and even some new innovations. But of course Leo isn't around anymore to drive sales. Unfortunately, they also seem to now rely on the old fashioned model of allowing the dealers to promote their brand. Dealers like SW and Anderton's do a decent job, but it could be better. I will say this; The folks who work at and run G&L are lovely people, that I have had the pleasure of dealing with and I am always rooting for their continued success.

[@discocrisco]

If you did this style of vid with every US made vs. import, I'd watch them all. I'm not a strat guy, but I'm absolutely captivated.

[@rowbags3017]

Thanks for this thorough close-up comparison on the details that set the two apart. Based on this, I'd be happy with either of them - but I'm sure I'd be even happier with the Fullerton. It's good to know that it offers a superior experience.😉

[@yobaby14]

The Tribute tuners are easily upgraded with GraphTech Ratio tuners. They're a drop in replacement. You don't even need to use any of the adapter plates, since the Tribute tuners and the GraphTech Ratios are both two-pin design. I have them on my MIK S-500 and MIK Legacy, and I know they'll also work on the MII Tributes.

[@howardmaryon]

I have just bought my first G&L ( Tele asat tribute) and I thought about buying the U.S.A. Made one, but. I am not a virtuoso player and the extra expense and subtle difference in tone are not justified.

[@bkmeahan]

My fullerton Deluxe guitars are certainly better than my tribute guitars, but they aren't $1400 dollars better.

[@p.s8950]

I directly compared the G&L Asat Classic Blueboy Tribute to a American Fullerton Bluesboy. I gotta say i liked the Tribute and it was beautiful but after a few minutes of playing and feeling the Fullerton, i put the Tribute back on the wall. The difference is subtle in every aspect but all adds up to a lot.

[@bobby_grout]

The bass roll off knob is super cool. Reverend guitars have it on most of their guitars. They are really easy to do too with a little soldering.

[@mrpaiute9013]

Thank you for this video. I own both tribute and fullerton S500s and Legacy's, they are both giggable guitars, but USA versions offer that extra attention to detail that make them worth it. I'll never sell my G&L's

[@iamanovercomer3253]

Different body wood For the price difference, they have a different sound but the tribute is fine Too bad they don't come with roasted maple necks ‼️

[@retromacman620]

Ryan, this is spectacular, like it's so in depth there really aren't many videos that go into this much detail. Would you consider doing this with like a Fender player and a American pro, or perhaps a Player plus vs American Ultra

[@60CycleHumcast]

If I get the opportunity. This was able to happen because g&l made marketing funds available to seeetwater so it would a similar circumstance.

[@retromacman620]

@@60CycleHumcast smart move by G&L, really informative video, I don't think there is anything this in depth as a comparison on KZbin!

[@smackothy]

THIS

[@shaft9000]

USA G&Ls are among the very best Fenders short of a tip-top custom shop specimen, and have been for decades. A used one is perhaps the best value electric guitar purchase going.

[@chrismuir7093]

My #1 guitar is a roughly 2008 US Comanche. I swapped the bridge pickup for the hotter Will Ray Z-Coil (which I don't think that they make any more). It takes a little while to get used to the PTB tone system, but once you put a little time in, it's super flexible. It came with a hardshell case, and I got it with locking tuners, a Graftech nut and string tree, and matching headstock color. I also have a US Legacy Special, and a Tribute ASAT Special. All mighty fine guitars, but the Comanche gets almost all the play time.

[@jamesburge1983]

Yeah the will ray's are discontinued amd the store finally sold out. I bought an extra, 'just in case'.

[@allanflippin2453]

Ryan, I don't recall if you've looked at any MusicMan guitars before. I bring it up because the price difference between US MusicMan and "Sterling by MusicMan" is more drastic. Would that be another good video idea? Good examples are Cutlass HSS or St. Vincent. The price difference is nearly 4:1. That would be a good video!

[@60CycleHumcast]

I did a comparison between a USA and sterling st Vincent last time I was in Germany but it was pretty silly thanks to jet lag. If I get the opportunity I’ll do it again in this style.

[@Xcorgi]

On even the cheapest Squiers, I’ve never seen such a horrible amount of burrs in the nut. There’s absolutely no excuse for such a horrible lack of quality control on that Tribute model.

[@RalphPacheco2]

Thanks Sweetwater, you definitely know how to help a local San Diego boy great content, we will buy you guys Carne Asada Burritos when you visit us

[@JohnnyBGoode9]

As someone who has played around with wiring for a set of Z coils, I can tell you what the difference is. The Tribute was wired with the individual coils of each pickup in parallel, and the USA G&L was wired with them in series. G&L used to have a model with individual toggles for each side of each pickup called the Comanche Studio VI, and the "both on" setting was in parallel instead of the usual series. Sounded just like that Tribute. I settled on wiring my neck and middle pickups in parallel and the bridge in series. You can also do series/parallel switching with the halves of a P Bass pickup with similar results.

[@Crabfather]

Would that have something to do with the different switching methods? Would it be tricky to rewire in series?

[@louisstokes1898]

Why not stainless steel frets in the high end model?

[@rmaxtpmx]

Because stainless is a dumb fad.

[@davessparetime83]

Both Guitars are overpriced. The lititle differences are because they are built in different countries who buld these different.

[@UnitedEffect]

Great comparison video!!! I traded a new American Standard Fender Tele for a new G&L ASAT in the mid 90's... best trade ever! The ASAT was a keeper and I still enjoy it today. I'd be curious to know if the material of the hardware on the Fullerton and Tribute are different metal alloys. If I had to guess, I'd say yes.The quality of the Fullerton may not be close to 3 times the quality, but if you want the extra (premium) quality that's the price you gotta pay. I'd love to get a Comanche... and although I'd prefer the Fullerton, my wallet says Tribute.

[@allanflippin2453]

About the "jangle" vs. "smooth" sound, is it possible the original pickup height adjustment on the Tribute was correct for the pickups? Just a thought.

[@TheCount0212]

I read a strat setup guide online somewhere that suggested lowering the height of all the pickups.

[@davydegraeve]

if you look back there are different capacitors on both

[@slingwingthing]

I have a Tribute Comanche in Olympic White and I love it! Having large, long fingered hands, I prefer the chunkier Tribute neck to the Fullerton version, but that's a personal preference. Aesthetically, I also. like the push pull better than the little toggle that looks like someone's aftermarket add-on. As for tone, both versions have the same pickups and sound about the same to me, though I did replace the plastic nut on my Tribute with a Zero Glide that's a big help in maintaining tuning stability. All in all, to me the Tribute is a lot more bang for your bucks than the pricey Fullerton version.

[@shaft9000]

I believe the fullerton models can be ordered with at least 5 different neck profiles

[@murph1017]

I have two G&L guitars, a Fullerton Doheny (JM) and a Tribute Legacy (Strat). I ended up setting up the Legacy with Lollar pickups and electronics more similar to a standard strat setup. The Doheny is still stock. I love them both. I'll never part with the Doheny. If you're in the market for any Fender guitar and the label's not important, try a G&L. Tributes are superior than 99% of MIM Fenders I've played. My Fullerton feels better than any standard American JM, closer to Custom Shop quality. TWO PRINCETONS SLO-MO!

[@gobeco]

Thanks for the info!!

[@beepbleepboop]

the offset style vibrato and the rhythm circuit tho :(

[@JeffMello]

Never understood why people looking for the Fender vibe don’t gravitate to the G&Ls. Better quality and value for the money it most cases. Oh well, at least it gives us G&L devotees more choices on the used market

[@GoodmanRecordingsTokyo]

Can't wait to watch this after work. I have Tribute Fallout that I started out making my own recordings on. I recently got a used Fullerton Deluxe Fallout (for the "wiggle stick") and its one of the best made guitars I've ever played. The Tribute is amazing.

[@aplanebagel]

the Passive Treble Bass control is genius , I love my 2 tributes for that one reason ! I just don't wanna play any other configuration now :P

[@artamussumatra6286]

As a Fender Fanatic who is very happy with my Strat, I must admit if I was in the market for an S type today, I’d buy the $700.00 Tribute over Fender’s $850.00 Player easy.

[@rickeybecker3495]

Great video! I’m a bass player but seeing the differences is fascinating and since I’m looking a some G & L basses….. Thanks for your vids!

[@sassycat]

I need to try a Fullerton one soon, so far it has all the sounds that my Strats have. Not offering a PTB circuit was a miss for FMIC.

[@SO-bp2uc]

I haven’t watched the full video yet but had to comment. The switches on the tributes are very cheap. It’s about the only cheap thing on the tributes though so it’s worth it for the price. The metal for the the switch is very thin. It’s worth upgrading if you have the time and money.

[@WillfulThinker]

Not only the 5-way swtich but the string nut is very cheap on the Tributes. I always replace the stock nut with a pre-slotted Graph Tech nut for $12.

[@AndrewAlex92]

31:44 I wonder if the smoother tone (vs the jangle that "editor Ryan" mentioned in the pop up) is coming from the pickup height adjustment. Part of me wonders if they tuned it for the same sound regardless of height and by trying to normalize the two by height it may have given the Tribute a disadvantage for tone.

[@randallcl9925]

Ryan G&L makes a big deal about how their MFD pickups are only made in the US and whatever model of Tribute you buy the pickups are the same. I own an ASAT Special (Jumbo MFDs) and Comanche (Z-Coils) in the Tribute versions and love them. They also say the bridges are the same, US made, but you have shown that some of the hardware is cheaper on the Tribute, the bridge body is the same. BTW the MFD pickups and bridges were both designed by Leo Fender, some of his brilliant last designs. The PTB circuit is special and I wish all my guitars had a low-cut. I did change the knobs on my Comanche to a design that is easier to pull up. Love G&L! I own 5 tributes, G&L does not get the love they deserve.

[@bandierrez]

60% of string vibration occurs at the neck. Maple is brighter, especially unplugged. It’s real

[@deanvalor7760]

I own a two of those Fullertons, the Orange Metallic and a Clear Ash body. The Ash has a maple neck and is brighter. For me those little upgrades are worth it. I also have a older 2019 American Fender Ultra Strat when Fender rereleased them in Plasma Red. All three has newer stock noise canceling single coils. Those G&L’s really shine under stage cans, no hum, and actually hold tuning better than the Ultra Strat. Thanks for the video

[@larryzink8978]

that is one nervous guitar technique. Sounds good tho. He's like an electric fruit fly.

[@60CycleHumcast]

Electric fruit fly is a great band name

[@MajicFreeman]

And yah honestly the paint job/finish and the high polished gloss is one of the reasons it's better. The finish on my fullerton Doheny Lake Placid Blue is freaking beautiful, the nicest LPB polished paintjob i've seen in person. I was very close to getting the American Performer with the satin Lake Placid Blue as that looks beautiful in person, but those paintjobs are way easier to mess up and scuff and crack and all sorts of nonsense. I was honestly not that big a fan of thick gloss/clear coating until I saw how they polish it to look like glass basically. It's completely changed my mind on highly glossed finishes. As another commenter mentioned even their gloss necks on g&l are nice so I actually am interested in trying that even though I swore off of gloss necks years ago. If there's one thing they do right over there it's freaking polishing. everything polished. The neck and fret ends I imagine are slightly better too. G&L does clearances on their website of b-stock or messups and the ones that are just the paint jobs miffed are a good value.

[@orryfishburne5326]

I absolutely love G&L. I have a Tribute S-500 and its my favorite guitar i own. I would love to try an American made G&L

[@phogue1]

I was lucky enough to pick up an NOS G&L SC-2 a few years ago. Apparently, the music store I got it from bought out an older music store that had stuck it back in the warehouse/back room 20 years before. They had a few other models and I should’ve picked those up while I was at it because I got it at a great price. They even ran it through a FLEK machine. Absolutely a fantastic guitar.

[@jameshumphrey2345]

Some players prefer a push-pull switch. Some players prefer a push- push. Philadelphia Eagles players prefer a tush push.

[@bradenmichael32]

Go birds

[@nostro1001]

G&L are that 'rare' out here, I'd struggle to think of any store that stocks both variants. I have no idea what the situation is in the US, but I feel as a brand they are almost an unknown quality these days, whereas once they were quite well known. Bit of a pity as I'm all for diversity of brands and competition for the big players Fine idea here for a comparison Ryan... Clearly you aren't just a pretty face. 😊 Cheers 🎸🎸🎸

[@bajablastoise73]

they are 'rare' because they treat their distributors like crap and send out guitars with warped necks. im a bit biased from working there for years so YMMV

[@bradenmichael32]

@@bajablastoise73you worked for G&l?

[@Vsmit00]

An interesting thing about the Tributes is that occasionally Cort (the overseas manufacturer) will do limited runs of instruments without being prompted by G&L. I picked up a limited edition Tribute Comanche last year for $850 that had a burl cap on the body with a roasted neck and locking tuners. I love it. The only issue I had was with the 5-way switch (as you noted), which was having problems with the contacts inside, so yeah, the controls are generally lesser quality on the Tributes. To your point about the bridge, I think the major difference between the bridges is the mass. The USA bridge (including the hardtail) are fully chrome-plated brass, while the imports are (I think) plated aluminum.

[@uticacrib1664]

I appreciate this review. I recently bought a used Tribute Comanche on reverb for a little over 400 bucks. It's a fantastic player. G&L for life!

[@edwinstovall3334]

Your point about Strat knobs being slippery for pulling up was well taken. I replaced knobs on both my Donner DST-400s for just that reason. I even selected a contrasting color for one guitar, so as to "color code" the knob with the push-pull pot. I tried to find out what the sustain block material is. No joy. Even G&L's own site doesn't tell. It DOES say that the saddles are brass, though, and they are clearly chrome plated, so maybe the block is the same. It seems less than likely to me that the plating would do anything to the tone or sustain, but it would look a trifle better to some. A brass block is usually a good thing, though they can be heavy.

[@mjdbruyn]

What, no baritone? Unsubbed.

[@joelshields8807]

G&L sells those tuner sets for $70 off their site. I love them (I have two Fullerton G&Ls) and just bought a set for partscaster I'm building.

[@noeyesnoproblem98]

Im definitely late to the party, but you playing Green Onions spoke to the Chicagoan in me 😂

[@zementobetonga]

G&L is definetly a Company that should be supported by Friends of quality guitars by an affordable Price. People who buy guitars as an Money Worth Investment may probably Go to the earlier „Leo Fender Developments from Corona California“. But if the pure guitarMusic is the central Goal of your Intentions the G&L is a wonderful Option to get the subject of your musician dreams. Wonderful guitars. I Hope they will stay Long in the competition of the market.

[@iamroberty]

I used to have a 1992 USA ASAT that i got for $575. Best guitar i ever owned 😭

[@alecmullaney7957]

I miss my Tribute ASAT dearly

[@townshendshean]

I have the Fullerton Deluxe Comanche. I absolutely love it. When I got it, it was having some issues staying in tune though. Since I actually live in Fullerton right up the road from G&L, no problem. I called them, drove on down and they dialed it in PERFECTLY! They also swapped out the regular tuners for locking tuners...no charge! It plays like an absolute dream now. I can go nuts on the tremolo bar and it just won't go out of tune no matter how hard I might try. They also swapped out the .10's for .09's and re-setup everything...again at no charge. Anyway, great video and as for G&L, they make GREAT instruments and have wonderful customer service!

[@charlie-obrien]

G&L guys love guitars. It shows all over the ones they make.

[@CorvetteStingRayLane]

Great Video. I have been a customer of Sweetwater since 2014. Great Company to buy from. Have you ever done a comparison on the G&L Fullerton Deluxe S500 & G&L Tribute S500 ?

[@GRBAquatics]

Very Cool, Thankyou. Both awesome Looking and Sounding Guitars. Amazing "Jam Mix" playing near the End. Nice Work. All the Best. Cheers

[@stratolestele7611]

I've got two Fullerton G&Ls. A Legacy and an ASAT Deluxe. I love them more than any Fender I've owned - and I own a lot. The Legacy is superb, but the ASAT is sublime. It's such an amazing guitar that, IMO, kills any Tele made.

[@MichaelSmith-ig8bw]

I bought a Legacy Tribute used on EBay. Turns out it is a 2003 model made in Korea. I love it, just as good as any Strat I've played. G&L Tributes are one of the best bargains out there. Give em a try.

[@joermnyc]

G&L claims they use the same California made pickups on everything (aside from CLF Research models?) and they make the bridges in California (but apparently it’s not the same bridge). Body woods are different. I’m jonesing for a Skyhawk, and it sucks they don’t make a Tribute version. Edit: there should be a set screw for the wiggle stick under the bridge plate.

[@charlie-obrien]

I still own my G&L Skyhawk and it is definitely worth "jonesing" for. There is no Tribute Skyhawk, but there is a Tribute S-500 that has the same P/U configuration and PTB layout. Maybe that could hold you over until the Skyhawk descends into your hands.

[@TheWorstManOnEarth]

Biggest difference is neck radius. US = 9,5" _ import = 12"

[@athanasiusdicia117]

Thank God G&L has sported this "ugly" headstock, so that we can buy guitars equalling any hi-end custom shop strat out there for a tiny fraction. Bought an April 2004 Comanche for 2,650 euros, brand new in June of the same year. It has a solid 5A bird's eye maple neck and resonates like a bell. My Anderson doesn't exceed its sonics, nor some great Suhr, Tyler and PRS (mark I 513 with solid Brazilian rosewood neck) which I had tried extensively post that Comanche acquisition. I believe that the ultimate Comanche should have a solid maple neck with swamp ash body, period...

[@thebrysmith3]

Just tried out a used Tribute Comanche at my local GC and holy moley was that thing heavy! I wouldn't be surprised If it was creeping over 10lbs

[@toneelectronix]

Ryan, it is pretty simple to do that bass cut mod- although to do it exactly like G&L does it you will need a 1Meg anti-log potentiometer. They are "easy" to find in 16mm diameter sizes, but on 24mm size it's a bit harder (not impossible). The rest is pretty easy to do. I do offer this option on all "strat-type" guitars that drop on my workbench for a setup/electronic service/maintenance. And also the toggle switch option. Because, in my humble opinion, the PTB circuit is a (big) step further the usual strat circuit. Leo knew better.

[@60CycleHumcast]

I need to pick a guitar for this mod.

[@toneelectronix]

@@60CycleHumcast Bass cut is awesome on fuzz pedals. Really usefull to tighten the bass response going into the fuzz and overall "mushiness". Works great and gives the fuzz a different, great tonal pallette! I know a thing or two about this ;) Try it!!!

[@RobertFisher1969]

The bass cut seems like it would be particularly well paired with P-90s or humbuckers.

[@jamesburge1983]

Oh yeah! I put a PTB on every project I work on. It is just plain awesome.

[@JamesPitman-z3d]

The tribute has a ground wire soldered to one of the springs where the Fullerton didn't, won't be able to remove the spring without soldering. Just bought the tribute used yesterday and glad I did after watching your video. Good job thanks.

[@joelshields8807]

I've owned two tributes and two USAs (well, technically three but the third was modded to hell by a previous owner and ruined), all of them second-hand and nowhere near two grand. My very first was a Korean Tribute ASAT Special that was solid and reliable and sounded great (those overwound MFDs are real noisy, though). in 2012, I got a 1999 USA ASAT Classic that I still own and love. Last year, I got an itch for an S-style, so I found a used Tribute Legacy, which was just fine but not exceptional. Then I stumbled upon a stupid cheap custom shop S-500 and fell in love. It played beautifully out of the box. My ultimate conclusion was that Tributes are good guitars and one of the best values out there, but I've never really bonded with them. I instantly bonded with both of the USA ones and will never let go of either. That said, in practical terms, I'm pretty handy and could probably spend a little time and money working on a Tribute on things like frets, upgrading tuners (see previous post), and maybe little things like switches and pots that would get the Tribute close if not on the same level. But my love for those guitars isn't really practical. It's just a feeling of holding an instrument that is perfect down to the last screw and solder. And I also feel like pickups and electronics account for at least 90-95% of the guitar's sound (player notwithstanding), but little things like tonewoods and just generally being well put together makes that last 5-10% significant and where the magic happens. Worth $1300 difference? Not to me, but I also know you can get great deals on used USA G&Ls if you have a little patience (just a little patience).

[@RomainG6409]

I have 6 g&ls , two incredible but cheap : fallout tribute, ASAT classic semi hollow. Three great ones : Comanche aqua burst tribute, legacy sss tribute and legacy hss tribute and the oldest and most expensive one from 2008 that costed me 2,2 k euros at the time, the made in usa G&L Legacy fullerton ... If I had to keep one, and if I remove the sentimental aspect on the 2008 , it would be the fallout ... The most versatile and easy to play guitar I have ever had with one P90 (my preferred mic) and one splittable humbucker. That guitar is unbelievable for the price. In second it would be the ASAT classic (what a guitar at this price point !) , third would be the Comanche because of the ptb system and the z coils , 4th the 2008 USA (yep not number one) and the two others the hss and the sss tribute legacy ... All are great guitars none is disappointing but why paying more than a thousand box these days ? There is no playability nor quality or look, justification in my opinion ....

[@JLeppert]

I've playing live in punk bands for 23 years. Listen kids - Buy a guitar with a decent frame, and learn how to do everything else yourself. Drop $900 at warmoth, designing your own body and neck with your route joints and then doing it all yourself, that's the way to go. One, there's way more specialization and two, way more satisfaction. Also, you don't need to be spending three grand on a guitar when you can spend a third of that. Or, buy a Harley Benton, and trick it out. You'll spend $500 as opposed to $2,000 to $3,000.

[@Aneka-gitarama]

Own the tribute for 5 years, the only problem was the switch, it last only for a couple of months, replaced it with a premium one, feels better and last till now

[@charlie-obrien]

G&L has the absolute best color finishes. They have the best Oranges and Blues and even one called Emerald Blue that they feature every now and then, among others. The Fullerton's stand out is Pharaoh Gold Firemist (I know because I have one) and of course the Irish Ale is one of the greatest finishes on any moderately priced guitar line, like the Tribute series. Having owned both The Fullerton CLF and the Tribute, I can say that both options are the best guitars to be had at their respective price points. The Fullerton exceeds most premium guitars made by other brands and the Tributes are just blowing away the midrange guitars like Fender MIM and Epiphone models. PRS SE models are comparable, but they are a different animal for different players. As an extra bonus for new buyers, the used market has not caught on to "Leo's secret guitar", so you may still find excellent Tributes for $3-400 and the Fullertons for under a grand on your favorite used sites.

[@joeyskar]

Neck or pickguard swap is definitely required here. lol Sweetwater would watch this and be mortified if you did that. 🤣

[@rmaxtpmx]

The Tribute is more G-y. You can really hear the L come out more in the Fullerton. I'd like to know which model gives equal amounts of G&L.

[@Crabfather]

I almost pulled the trigger on a tribute then i found this review. Seems ok but its disappointing it sounds so different. It makes me a bis suspicious on why. When they're presumably identical pickups.

[@RobertFisher1969]

I am watching on a big screen TV. It’s funny to me when people don’t consider KZbin “TV” since I watch more KZbin on my TV than anything else.

[@richardsmith5362]

Well, now we know why the one is called a "Tribute." All of the little things DO make a difference. However, at almost three times the cost of the Tribute, the USA can't be justified by many guitarists.

[@matthewkemp7554]

I think it comes down to this. One of the guitars is a G&L guitar, made by G&L employees, at a G&L facility, under G&L's quality control supervision. The other is a guitar made to look like it was. It's akin to a Chibson. Can someone from the far east make as good of a guitar as an American? Of course they can. Are the components going to be as good, probably not. Just my two, I'll take the one made in America, because I can afford it. Would I play the other one if I couldn't? Certainly.

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

Oooh I spy a wangs in the background. I'm kicking myself as I've had several opportunities to grab a few of these for stupidly cheap and now I can't find any.i remember when tributes were £350, double the price now.

[@theokidokis]

Tribute has a beautiful neck and headstock. Fullerton neck and headstock look like cheap crap.

[@Miki42]

I was watching some other youtube channel where they had the same guitar and 3 necks all set up to be the same, and they found that even between a "roasted maple" and a "relic'd maple" there was a difference, the big takeaway I got was that the rosewood's definitely had a smoother, darker tone, and the maple had a snappy, bright, immediate sound. I had lost my thoughts of tone woods in the body from watching another youtuber do blind sound tests about body makeup, so listening to these two back to back I'm saying it's the necks. your millage my vary

[@ericburd]

The fullerton models are basically hand built and the Q&A is more precise...I had a tribute JB bass and I was very very disappointed. Sold it and got a Fullerton and there is soooo much quality difference

[@MayfieldCreations]

The A/B compare is easy to distinguish the difference between the two... until you changed the strings on the Tribute. The Link Wray Jam portion was indistinguishable between the two guitars but you had changed strings by then.

[@musiclover.489]

After watching this video for the second time, I'm starting to think that I liked the Tribute tonality more than the US. Full disclaimer, I own a Tribute Comanche.

[@Xcorgi]

It’s also a shame they don’t offer a rosewood fretboard on the Tribute model and have a maple only. That’s a deal breaker for me.

[@zachjarrett8730]

I would like to have verified pickup and pole piece adjustment. If these pickups seem that dissimilar then there is an explanation beyond esoteric differences in paint, etc. These sound like two completely different guitars. The abundance of low mids in the USA is a strong clue to the possibilities. I wish more time to investigate the concrete differences had had their due diligence. That said the format of the video was great! Would watch a lot more of this style content.

[@sEaNoYeAh]

Generally it's just because of tolerances in making components. No two pickups will produce the exact same signal even under the same circumstances because they're not exactly the same. So it depends on the tolerances in making the pickups. And a big often overlooked factor is the pots. Everyone defaults to CTS potentiometers and the standard CTS line has tolerances of +/- 30% i.e any given 250k pot might actually be anywhere between 175k and 325k, which amounts to wildly different levels of brightness/darkness in output. Even a boutique pickup company like Bare Knuckle, their pots are +/- 10% in tolerance.

[@doormasterjohn]

Just by the fact that the tribute is built in a different country, sourced from different parts . The California built probably has parts from both United States and abroad. They could be exactly the same part Built by a different Vendor with More inexpensive materials.

[@Сунђербобан]

24:27 what is it???

[@brandtanderson930]

I have the tribute, and the luithier who set it up had problems with the trem staying in tune. He ended up blocking the trem, im not a huge trem guy so i ok'd it. Wondering if this is a common problem. I trust the guy to know what he's doing, wonder if anyone has had this issue?

[@Snarkyone1965]

How do we even enter to win? Just comment here? Do we need to write an essay justifying why WE should be the winner? I'm willing to do that, but I have questions. You could just sa to hell with it, Snarky deserves this guitar and send it to me....

[@davidsummerville351]

I picked up a used Tribute Legacy a couple of years ago. Love it. Will eventually put some cool pickups into it.

[@EpictheEpicest]

As far as I've read, the parts used in the USA and tribute models are the same, save for small details here and there, but what makes the price different is that manufacturing in Indonesia costs less in USD than it does in the US.

[@uquw394u8]

Tribute series guitars are made at the guitar factory of Cor-tek(Cort), South Korean company in Indonesia.

[@GratefulBamboo]

Great comparison. They do sound different, but both sound great. If I only owned one guitar Id spring for the Fullerton probably.

[@progpogs]

I wish G&L would tint or do more roasted necks, because that bright white raw maple looks a bit cheap these days, otherwise very underrated guitars.

[@CorbenEdward]

this is better than asmr. I'd go for the $700 one and clean up the nut. Also why the hell not put on a comanche waterslide decal. I like the green blue colour more and the neck looks fatter. To each their own, but I like em chubby.

[@bluwng]

Science input. Energy from the strings that shunted to the body is considered a loss it won’t have any impact on the pickups magnetic field. The ideal situation is a string that vibrates without any loss to the body.

[@alextang117]

Wonderful video, it helped me a lot in making the decision to buy a Comanche. I love how you go into the nitty gritty details and get into the guts too, 10 out of 10

[@DaedStarr]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see an appeal of buying GL at that price point, when I could just buy an actual Fender.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

First time here. I like the tones of the pick ups. I’m typically an SG guy with P-90s. This guitar in either model is very versatile. Well done G&L.

[@LaseckiYT]

Roughness on Tribute and especially the nut is not acceptable in this price point. If I can see roughness, not fully cut bits or some wood dust on 200$ Squier that's fine but not on 700$ G&L. For this price I expect taking the guitar out of the box, tuning it and not having to touch anything else. I got myself a Sterling bass in the same price point as G&L in the video and yeah, it's made with lower quality components but it was still crafted with care and properly quality controlled with routs cleaner than both guitars in the video.

[@ganglestank]

Tbh the $700 strats arent any better.