George Fullerton and Leo Fender founded G&L in 1979 to further expand Leo's innovations in the electric guitar. Many view G&L as the pinnacle of Leo's designs. Constructed in Fullerton, California, the G&L line offers Leo's brilliant designs, made with modern-day attention to detail and precision.
The G&L ASAT goes all the way back to 1950 when Leo unveiled the Broadcaster and the Esquire. Renamed the "Telecaster" in 1951 (after a dispute with Gretsch's Broadkaster drum set), Leo's single-cutaway solid body template has become one of the most sought-after—and copied—guitar designs. In 1985, G&L attempted to re-launch this design under the "Broadcaster" name, but Gretsch objected once again, so a new name was needed. This time around, the name became “ASAT” which is US military shorthand for an “Anti-Satellite” missile.
This G&L ASAT Classic was made in Fullerton, California in 1997. It features Leo's iconic single-cutaway body made of Alder and a bolt-on Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard. True to the G&L concept, this ASAT Classic improves off the original design by adding a six-saddle bridge, jumbo frets, and Magnetic Field Design single coil pickups. The bridge allows you to get the intonation 100% dialed, and the 22-fret neck feels fast and touch sensitive. The MFD pickups deliver bright and sparkly top end balanced by robust bottom end. There's still plenty of mid-range punch, too, and they're hotter with a wider dynamic range.
This 1997 G&L ASAT Classic shows some general play wear, and the bridge saddles are slightly tarnished/rusted with age. The input jack looks like it has been a little monkeyed over the years, but everything functions 100% as it should. There are some minor dings around the edges, but fortunately there are no cosmetic damages or issues. Just a great used guitar with a fantastic, low setup! This ASAT Classic includes its original case, which smells a little musty. The handle has been replaced with a camera strap, and all of the latches are rusted. The case looks like it spent some time in a high-humidity environment, but the guitar doesn't show any issues. Inside the case, it includes all of its original hex keys and paperwork, including a Certificate of Authenticity signed by Phyllis Fender.