FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

Following hot on the heels of the G-200, G&L introduced their third new guitar model in March 1982: the S-500. The S-500 was G&L’s top-of-the-line guitar and it represented Leo’s first attempt at refining his Stratocaster design. The single coil pickups that Leo designed for this model were high output and had very strong response in the upper frequency range.  G&L collector and researcher, Gabe Dellevigne, notes that the S-500's bridge pickup is wider than the middle or neck pickups.  Also, the hot (+) pickup wires for the neck and middle pickups are shielded (co-ax). This particular guitar is a very early example, made during the first month of S-500 production, and has typical early 1982 features including a flat black painted pickguard and maple neck with “skunk stripe.”

Body: Solid; 3-piece mahogany

Finish: White, polyester

Neck: 1-piece maple, bolt-on

Fingerboard: Ebony; pearloid dot markers

Number of Frets: 22

Pickguard: Black powder coated aluminum

Bridge: G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato, chrome

Nut: Plastic

Tuners: G&L/Schaller, sealed, chrome

Pickups: Three, G&L Magnetic Field Design single coil with adjustable pole pieces

Controls: Master volume, treble, and bass, 5-way pickup selector

Scale Length: 25 1/2 inches

Neck Width at Nut: 1 5/8 inches

Body Width at Lower Bout: 12 7/8 inches

Body Depth: 1 5/8 inches

Weight: 9.1 lb.