G&L USA Fullerton Deluxe S-500 Guitar, Blueburst
Player's Perspective
Music Store Live is proud to present this G&L USA Fullerton Deluxe S-500. Perfect for those that don't need all of the options of the a-la-carte USA Custom menu but still want a few upgrades over the Fullerton Standards and the Tributes. If you still need that superior build quality coming out of the G&L shop in California, want a swamp ash body instead of alder, prefer the tinted gloss finish on the neck (which can also easily be given a beautiful satin feel with some steel wool), and prefer a hardshell case instead of a gig bag, then the Fullerton Deluxe is going to be perfect for you without bleeding your wallet dry.
This is made by the exact same people that make the G&L USA Customs but they're able to offer it at a reduced price by not providing so many options. What was already a great bang-for-your-buck instrument just got even better! We can't stress enough how there were no corners cut, no changes to the hardware, no differences in the pickups, and nothing different about the build process on these. They really feel like a high-end, boutique guitar but the price tag is a bit below what you might expect for quality of this level.
This is a smooth, versatile, Leo Fender-designed, American crafted S style guitar, but with enough twists to really set it apart and a price tag way below what it should be. Tonally, this guitar is a testament to the fact that the S-500 has found its own voice in the single-coil, double-cut world. With the characteristic single coil top-end shimmer but a beefier midrange than you might be used to, the S-500 has a unique and fully realized tonal identity that will enhance a whole range of styles. The MFD pickups are going to be a bit more aggressive and they'll hit your pedals and your amp harder than traditional single-coils. The addition of the mini-toggle expander really allows you to get some sounds that a traditional strat or Legacy cannot and makes this guitar a bit more appropriate for some harder rock or more modern applications.
The G&L Fullerton Deluxe guitars give you a truly boutique and high-end feel for a price below what you'd expect to find something like this for. The S-500 is a wonderfully updated take on a traditional design that will feel and sound familiar while also offering some different flavors.
Manufacturer's Description
The Fullerton Deluxe S-500 bundles some of the most time-honored option combinations from the G&L Individual Order menu. All Fullerton Deluxe S-500s feature swamp ash bodies coated in transparent finishes to showcase their beauty, with ideal pickguard pairings to set off the colors just right. That elegance continues up the neck with the G&L polished Vintage Gloss finish that looks fantastic and feels silky, not sticky.
The G&L S-500 debuted in 1982 as Leo’s own evolution of the traditional double-cutaway bolt-on axe, delivering innovations including the Dual-Fulcrum vibrato and Magnetic Field Design single-coil pickups, each designed by Leo Fender himself. 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. What’s more, the S-500 includes a mini-toggle switch to allow neck+bridge or all three pickups together. In a pinch, the neck+bridge combo does a convincing faux ASAT Special. Talk about versatile!
The S-500 features a Leo Fender-designed Dual-Fulcrum vibrato, a work of engineering art which allows bending up or down with unsurpassed stability, while offering a silky feel through its beefy aluminum vibrato arm. Leo’s forward-looking spirit is clearly reflected in the S-500, a guitar he designed for players who share that spirit. If that sounds like you, you owe it to yourself to check out the S-500.
Specifications
BODY
- Model: Fullerton Deluxe S-500
- Color: Blueburst
- Body: Swamp Ash
- Pickguard: White Pearloid
NECK
- Construction: Bolt-On
- Material: Maple
- Neck Finish: Vintage Tint Gloss
- Fretboard: Maple
- Neck Profile: Modern Classic - 1 11/16” nut width with 1 5/8” string spacing allows a generous edge roll for superb comfort without string fall-off. Fairly slim with mild taper from 0.820” at 1st fret to 0.870” at the 12th fret.
- Radius: 9.5"
- Scale: 25.5"
- Frets: 22x Medium Jumbo PLEK Dressed Frets
ELECTRONICS
- Pickups: G&L MFD S-500 Single-Coils
- Controls: 1x Volume, 1x Passive Treble, 1x Passive Bass, 1x Mini-Toggle Expander
- Pickup Selector: 5-Way Blade Switch
HARDWARE
- Color: Chrome
- Bridge: G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato Tremolo
- Tuners: G&L 12:1 Ratio Tuners
MISCELLANEOUS
- Case: G&L Deluxe Gig Bag
- Certificate of Authenticity and Spec Sheet Included
- Made in Fullerton, California
- Serial #: CLF2010083
- Instrument Weight: 9.4 lbs.
Overall Condition
Music Store Live is proud to be an authorized dealer for G&L. This Fullerton Deluxe S-500 is 100% brand new and is being sold with a full manufacturer's warranty. Photos are of the exact guitar you'll receive.
Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.
Music Store Live is 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.
With 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 a-la-carte shop, so it’s easy (and affordable) to get 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. They now also have a full-blown Custom Shop where they can build virtually anything you can imagine.
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! Wait times are surprisingly short and most custom orders have an ETA of only 6-8 weeks from when the order is placed. As a premier G&L dealer, we are able to get expedited build times so we can get you the guitar of your dreams quickly!