Product Overview
This is the last of G&Ls special limited edition 40th Anniversary instruments. It is brand new, just arrived from G&L, though it has the 2020 serial number.
Weight is 8 Pounds 5 Ounces
When Leo Fender† launched the G&L SB•1™ bass in 1982, he packed his latest innovations in pickup and bridge design into a straightforward, hard-working bass. At that time the SB•1 had an MFD single coil pickup and no pickguard, which was a departure from the classic single-pickup passive bass. By 1985, however, the SB•1 had taken the form it has today, with an MFD split-coil humbucking pickup and pickguard. In some way, the SB•1 set the stage for several G&L models to come: Leo took a a classic design and applied his core improvements, in this case, the MFD pickup and Saddle Lock bridge.
Like its sister model, the the SB•2, this bass starts with a familiar shape, though subtle modifications to its sculpting make it more sleek and balanced. Strap it on and it immediately feels at home, yet somehow more comfortable than you expected. The 1 5/8″ nut-width, C-shaped neck falls immediately to hand, checking in with a comfortable 9 1/2″ radius and 21 Jescar 57110 medium-jumbo nickel-silver frets frets ready to deliver silky playability.
Celebrating 40 years of the G&L brand created in 1980 by Leo Fender and George Fullerton, two special edition instruments will be available to mark this milestone. Made at the historic factory on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California, the collection includes the S-500 guitar and SB-1 bass, each a superb example of Leo Fender’s design philosophy.
Both instruments feature Leo’s famous MFD pickups, okoume bodies showcased by a Clear Ruby Red finish, white pearloid pickguards, and a choice of maple or caribbean rosewood fingerboards.
SPECIFICATIONS
CONSTRUCTION: bolt-on
SCALE: 34"
PICKUPS: Leo Fender†-designed G&L MFD™ split-coil
BODY WOOD: Alder on Standard and all solid finishes, Swamp Ash on all Premier finishes
NECK WOOD: Hard-Rock Maple with choice of Maple or Caribbean Rosewood fingerboard
NECK PROFILE: G&L 1 5/8" Medium C with 9 1/2" radius
FRETS: Medium Jumbo, Jescar 57110 18% nickel silver
TUNING KEYS: Custom G&L "Ultra-Lite" with aluminum tapered string posts
BRIDGE: Leo Fender-designed G&L Saddle-Lock™ with chrome-plated brass saddles
ELECTRONICS: volume, tone
CASE: deluxe Tolex hardshell
Once the SB•1 has nestled into your comfort zone, it’s time to experience just how far Leo evolved the time honored simplicity of a single split-coil pickup. You see, the Magnetic Field Design™ interpretation of the split-coil was created by Leo to give you more gusto without losing detail and finesse. What’s more, the SB•1 features an innovative Leo Fender-designed Saddle-Lock™ bridge to transfer string energy right into the body end-grain for an incredibly resonant instrument.
The bottom line: SB•1 brings the magic of Leo’s own reinterpretation of a classic design, delivering all the tone and feel you'd expect in a “Latter Day Leo” instrument.
Made in Leo Fender’s historic G&L facility on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California, the SB•1 is available with a wide range of custom options including body and neck woods, body and neck finishes, neck profiles and pickguard materials.
