The G&L ASAT Special just might be the quintessential G&L guitar, viewed by many as Leo’s ultimate single-cutaway. Back in 1985, Leo Fender launched this model under the G&L Broadcaster name, which prompted a response from Fred Gretsch of Gretsch Guitars over the name just as it had thirty-five years earlier. History buffs will recall that the Broadkaster® name is owned by Gretsch, and once again, a Broadcaster from Leo was required to have its name changed. This time around, the name became "ASAT" which is US military shorthand for an "Anti-Satellite" missile.
The ASAT Special, as the model became known, features jumbo single-coil Magnetic Field Design pickups, each with a narrow bobbin aperture for a coil which is shallow yet wide. In this regard, an MFD jumbo single coil is similar to a P-90 or Jazzmaster pickup, yet the MFD principle provides a punchier bottom end and brighter top end sparkling with harmonics. Leo further departed with the past with the addition of his innovative Saddle-Lock bridge which transfers string energy right into the body end-grain for an incredibly resonant instrument. The result is one of the most versatile guitars ever, serving up ballsy twang to searing blues to smooth jazz tones.
Music Store Live is proud to be one of the top authorized G&L dealers on the planet. We do our best to stock inventory of what our team of experts feels is the best combination of specs, specifically so you don't have to wait for a custom order from G&L.
That said, if you haven't found what you're looking for, we would be happy to custom order a G&L for you. G&L’s factory works like a big custom shop, so it’s easy (and cheap) to get exactly what you want. Finish, body wood, fingerboard, pickguard, bridge, neck profile, neck finish, nut type, frets, tuners, binding – there are nearly 1 million possible combinations of specs on a G&L. We love helping our customers make their dream guitar, so don't hesitate to reach out to us if you want to make your custom G&L a reality!
