G&L updates the Tribute Series S-500 guitar, featuring a big change – the Strat shaped body is now made of mahogany.
G&L Tribute Series S-500 Tobacco Sunburst
The G&L S-500 is Leo Fender’s updated version of the familiar double-cutaway Stratocaster, and now the design is being upgraded yet again.
Back in 1983, the G&L S-500 introduced innovations that Leo Fender himself designed – the Dual-Fulcrum vibrato and Magnetic Field Design or MFD single-coil pickups. And now, the new Tribute Series S-500 goes through another change, this time using mahogany for its body.
The use of mahogany for the body is outside of the usual alder and swamp ash wood used in traditional Stratocasters. According to G&L, the porosity of the mahogany body will slightly mellow down the power of the MFD pickups, resulting in a sweeter and mellow single coil tone. But of course, some will disagree that wood will ever change the tone.
The official G&L description of the MFD pickups is as follows: “These MFD pickups deliver a bright and sparkly top end and robust bottom end, all without losing midrange focus. You’ll find plenty of punch in the MFD pickups, but what’s surprising is how glassy and detailed they become as you roll back the volume and bass controls, the latter a part of the S-500’s PTB (Passive Treble and Bass) system which functions on all three pickups”. For even more tone control, the Tribute Series S-500 comes with a push-pull expander switch on the treble pot to allow neck+bridge or all three pickup combinations.
Other specifications are maintained – a 25.5″ scale maple neck with rosewood fretboard, 22 medium jumbo frets and sealed-back 18:1 ratio tuning keys.
G&L Tribute Series S-500 Vintage White
The new Tribute Series S-500 is available in tobacco sunburst finish with a 3-ply black pickguard or a great looking vintage white finish paired with a 3-ply white pickguard.
G&L is currently selling this guitar for $787. More information about the new S-500 is available from G&L Guitars.
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