New Guitar Day Unboxing: G&L Tribute ASAT Special Review and Comparison to Fender USA Tele Pickups

Welcome to my #newguitarday unboxing video of this wonderful G&L Tribute Series ASAT Special with an Irish Ale finish. This is a tremendous guitar, especially for such a low price. I also demonstrate how the G&L Magnetic Field Design pickups sound in comparison to Fender V-Mod II USA made pickups simply to show how an ASAT Special has a different tone from a traditional-style Telecaster. The guitars and other equipment used in this video were privately purchased and not provided by any retailer or manufacturer.

Time Stamps
Sound samples: 13:13
Comparison with a Fender American V-Mod II pickups in a Telecaster: 28:23
Final thoughts: 32:44

I wanted to share some of the videos from some of my favorite channels over the last few years that really made me want an ASAT Special.

[iamanovercomer]

I'm a Fender guy BUT the G&L Fullerton ASAT CLASSIC is a much better built guitar than Fender professional 2 telecaster. The G&L is on steroids ‼️ Definitely a must. Like the color of your guitar, I like the string though body instead

[anthonygonzalez]

Picked one up. It's a master craft. Only issue i had was 3 Selection Pickup Switch wire came loose. Their definitely very precise and superiorly fitted together.

[robphillips]

Good information much appreciated 👍.. looking at this guitar as well..

[SamPosteraro]

Absolutely fantastic comprehensive review. I can’t wait to own one! Same color! Thanks Jon for such a great review.

[barnaclerusty]

Awesome guitars!! . this model will be my third G&L. tribute

[mikeaustin]

Very thorough! I have a mid-90s ASAT Special and a 2018 ASAT Classic S with alnico pickups. IMO, the saddle-lock bridge and MFD pickups are two of the best innovations that Leo Fender developed. The alnico pickups don't sound exactly like a Fender Tele, but to me that's a good thing. If I had wanted an exact Tele sound, I would have bought a Tele.

[southfork]

Thanks for the video. I’m looking at these and have seen both color pick guards and had no idea the body wood was different. FWIW, the ones with the black pick guards are advertised as mahogany, on Reverb at least. Great info.

[sometimesdimneverthin]

Possibly the best review there is of this guitar. Very likely to be my fourth Tribute.

[davidgerlach]

For the black Special with Irish Aile pickguard, the body material is Poplar. The basic wood differences here. While Poplar is a lighter weight wood, so it will be more comfortable to play, easier to carry around with you. Mahogany is a bit harder and heavier, so it will be more durable and last longer. Both woods are good for different genres of music. Poplar is better for brighter, cleaner tones while mahogany is better for warmer, richer greasy tones.

Whichever you choose, I absolutely love this G&L Tele!

[CyrilViXP]

I like that this is mahogany but I don’t like this color