In 1991, Dale Hyatt came up with the idea of a guitar
to honor Leo Fender: the Commemorative model. According to Mr. Hyatt,
the reason for using the ASAT Classic as the basis was because this was the
last model Leo actually devised prior to his passing as well as the obvious
linkage to the Telecaster. Like the Signature Series, the Commemorative model
has a decal of Leo Fender’s signature on the upper
bout, but underneath the signature are the dates 1909-1991 and a
white rose with black stem. The original design specified a natural finish
lacewood/mahogany/lacewood body, but only seven were made as the body’s
“sandwich” design proved to be too expensive for the proposed production
run of 1000 guitars. A cherry sunburst swamp ash body was chosen instead.
The body is bound front and back, and the fingerboard is also bound.
Gold hardware and even gold-plated strings are fitted.
The Commem’s neck
plate is engraved with “XX of 1000,” but the 1000 limit was never realized
due to the lawsuit by FMIC. A letter from G&L dated February 11, 1993
explained that the settlement reduced the production run from 1000 to
500 units. However, the new owners of G&L also had plans to build a
Commemorative Bass and the only way they could accomplish this was by earmarking
some of the 500 units as basses and some as guitars. In the end, 150 Commemorative
Basses and 350 Commemorative guitars were officially made by the end production
in May 1993.
G&L COMMEMORATIVE (October 1991)
Body: Solid; 2-piece ash
Finish: Cherry Sunburst, bound top and back,
polyurethane
Neck: 2-piece birdseye maple, bound, bolt-on
Fingerboard: Birdseye maple, bound; pearloid
dot markers
Number of Frets: 22
Pickguard: One ply mirror gold, plastic
Bridge: G&L ASAT Classic, steel, gold
Nut: Plastic
Tuners: G&L/Schaller, sealed, gold
Pickups: Two, G&L Magnetic Field Design
single coil with adjustable pole pieces
Controls: Master volume, master tone, 3-way
pickup selector switch
Scale Length: 25 1/2 inches
Neck Width at Nut: 1 5/8 inches
Body Width at Lower Bout: 12 5/8 inches
Body Depth: 1 5/8 inches
Weight: 7.2 lb.
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