Okay, okay… I admit that I put about as much effort in “quality” as G&L did for this guitar. Yes, the ring light shouldn’t have been on, let alone reflective. Also, while I fought with it in editing, it somehow reverted the text to “bridge” vs “bridge & neck” in the clean demo. …I was doing this until 5AM. I’ll do better, just as I have faith G&L will do as well. ;-)
Thanks so much for the critical, truthful, no kiss ass, review. I've had Tribute bluesboy s that weren't bad but my Fullerton bluesboy deluxe is the BEST. 👍
Thanks for watching! I was truly very excited to get this, thinking it’d be as amazing as their Tribute and Fullerton lines. Obviously, as I’m sure you gathered, I was a bit disappointed with Placentia. But oh well. I might have just had a lemon in the bunch, or maybe they’re all just overpriced Glarry guitars. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I've had 9 G&Ls over the years, including a Tribute Bluesboy that i regret selling and a Tribute Ascari GT-90. I still own an ASAT Classic S with alnico pickups and an ASAT Special. The quality of my USA G&Ls rivals any Fender I've ever played. Amazing that they would try to move into the "super-budget" market and fail so badly.
I couldn’t show how giddy I was leading up to the unboxing. I was genuinely excited with high expectations because, I - like you, also have multiple G&L’s. You definitely outweigh me on that front with how many you’ve owned but each G&L from Tribute to Fullerton has been nothing short of amazing. That’s why I was so puzzled with this one. It felt like something I’d get from DHGate, AliExpress, or from the dark corners of Amazon or eBay. I sometimes think back and wonder if I was too harsh. Then I remember how terrible the frets were and realize how most of the guitar was about as bad as those frets. Anyway, thanks for watching and commenting!
Ok, at this price point, it makes sense to by 2 guitars and pick the best one. I just bought one late December 2022. Yes I had to file fret ends and probably polish frets. I sent an email to G&L because my saddle screws were sharp and ask for new screws or saddle plus screws. The Popular body was nice and finish looked great. So far my neck looks good and sounds good. Pickups are okay for this price. I have a 2000 Carvin neck pickup I might put in and a fender 64 bridge pickup.
Idk what everyone’s bitching about, I just bought one 30 mins ago, played the hel out of it and it’s a great working mans guitar. I have owned fender ultras and American 2s and Gibson les Paul’s. I’d rather rip this thing in half for 500 dollars and work the shit out of it then pay out of my mind.
All I can talk about is the one I received, to which I gave a genuine reaction around the unboxing. The one I received paled in comparison to just about anything else in its respective price range that I've played. Sounds like you yourself may have landed a good one that had more time under a tech. But, as for the one I got, it was truly terrible. Fret sprout all up and down the neck, frets themselves that were more course than my set of fret files, a practically untouched bridge with skewed saddles. I mean, I presume you watched the video enough to see why I bitched as I gave very detailed examples. But again, if you got a good one, I congratulate you. I love G&L and own many. But what I got in this video was not near G&L quality.
Thanks for the video I have been curious about these guitars since I first saw them. I own two Tribute ASTSs a Special and a Bluesboy. I did trade out the neck pickup in Bluesboy it was dark and muddy. After this it is a great guitar. Both guitars were set up well with no fret sprout. Its disappointing to hear about all the issues with this guitar after my good experiences with their guitars.
I’m still sad about the Placentia Bluesboy. Hopefully they’ll either fix the issues or ditch the line. All I can hope is that they’re already better. …Crap. Maybe I need to order another for a part 2?
I’m considering getting a Tribute series ASAT deluxe since it’s essentially a Fender special edition custom tele. Is the Tribute series any better than the Placentia? Edit: just saw 3:40 thanks
The Tribute Series is so so so much better. In fact, I always say G&L pretty much sets the benchmark for how all import guitars should be. Sadly, they avoided that unwritten rule with (at least) the guitar I demo’d.
@@11thFret Yeah I hear Yamaha has unmatched quality on it's imports. I have a Pacifica 612 that's one of my favorite guitars and I hope to add a Revstar Standard at some point...
Yamaha isn’t messing around. They’re amazing stuff. I’m right there with you on the Revstar line. I want one as well. Plus, their neck profile is probably one of the most comfortable I’ve ever gripped.
Disappointed they let this out there, G&L makes awesome stuff. I have a 2016 ASAT blues boy tribute, awesome guitar- came with American bridge and American pickups. Can still pick up used tributes for 300-400.
Agreed. I think their Tribute Series is one of the best import variant lines out there, which most other brands should ‘aspire’ to be. But, at least for this one guitar I received, the Placentia Series lacks an awful lot. I was genuinely heartbroken after seeing and playing it. My reactions in this video were 100% genuine, clearly as I rushed to film this with me accidentally leaving on my ring light meant for another camera angle and turning on the wrong set lights. 😂
The $100 difference between the POS Placentia and the Tribute is not worth the so-called savings. It's really sad that G&L would stoop so low. My Indonesian Tribute Bluesboy from several years ago is great. It has USA pups, but I swapped out a Duncan Seth Lover (like in the orig USA model) in the neck anyway. So it's about 95% as good as a Fullerton model. I also own a Tribute ASAT Special and Legacy. Both excellent build and hardware.
💯% agree! I personally think the world of both the Tribute and Fullerton lines. I often tell people that G&L set the benchmark for how all imported guitars ‘should be’ with the Tribute Series. But sadly, at least with the one I reviewed, it set the standard for what companies ‘should not do’ with imports. I’d rather see someone purchase a Donner, Glarry, Indio, Harley Benton, or whatever over this because it’d both be a better build and would save them considerable money. The Placentia Series is just embarrassing.
Just got the strat version of this series from G and L on Stupid deal from MF and honestly the only issue I have is the frets need some 1000grit steel wool and a polishing. Fret ends are fine, fit and finish fine. Pickups ok. I always change the tuners to Hipshot locking tuners. Graph tech bridge saddles and nut. At $269.00 it's not bad, $449.00 not a deal at all. I been working on guitars for 50 years and had some real turds for sure. This is not a turd. Neck is straight and no high frets so I got a good neck at least.
Yeah, I think some are leaving the factory in better condition than others. Mine was from the first wave, likely fresh off the boat and no time to do the bare minimum of setups. I’d outline all my issues, but they’re in the video. I know I could have made it a player in the end with some work, but didn’t see the value of throwing about as much time and money into it to then make it a $449 total investment. That’s not a deal from my end. Plus, I really didn’t like the pickups. They weren’t clicking with me. How’s the G&L Placentia Legacy though, sound-wise? I have a G&L Fullerton Legacy which I love to pieces.
@@11thFret I play through a Podfarm 2 interface so I can really adjust the pickups sound to whatever I want. I'll plug it in my Line 6 75 watt amp someday, but just prefer going into laptop and headphones. I got a upper level Donner strat 2 months ago that was a total abomination. All fret ends razor sharp, tuners had the cheap chrome finish coming off while tuning, saddles cheap crap, nut garbage plastic. But great HSS pickups with push/pull split. Replaced all the crap, added orange drop cap and a treble bleed circuit and now love the thing! Lots of elbow grease for sure. That was $289.00 and out of the box was not as good as the G and L honestly.
@@joweerocks That’ll be interesting if and when Donner sends me something. I connected with them at NAMM and exchanged information. They seemed to be on board in sending me a product to review. But I don’t know if it’d be a doctored up, ready-to-go guitar or if it’ll be one from the regular pile. Good to hear your experiences with one.
Man, super upset that G&L would release something like this. Usually from what I’ve seen they have very quality guitars. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers on a guitar I’m thinking abt buying. I’ve been saving up for a while and I have my eyes on the Tim Henson signature thbb10, is this a smart buy or is there a better (similar style) guitar for that price?
The Tim Henson THBB10 is a killer guitar. I’m really into Ibanez in general (with an Ibanez video in planning). If you can get a good buy on one, definitely go for it. If the one you’re eyeballing is used, try and bond with it first to see if you really meld with it. Because, if you don’t and want to sell it later, there’s a considerable chance of you taking a substantial loss. The reason why is that this signature guitar caters to a very niche audience who might only come looking for one by necessity, and rarely if ever. Otherwise, you’d have the make the price “too good for anyone to pass up,” thus eating your investment.
@@11thFret great point I didn’t think about it that way, I’ll definitely try and see if a guitar center near me has it in stock to sets it out (and maybe buy it) to make sure it’s the right fit. Thank you so much!
I more need to know if its worth 240 cuz its on stupid deal of the day but idk I guess probably better off with a squire judging by this video ....lol now that I look at the one in the ad the saddles are all angled and it make me feel like the hole bridge is crooked witch would mean using the same holes a replacement bridge would also likely be crooked so I guess I'm not getting one of these :b such a shame the pickups sound pretty good but the build quality seems like a donner guitar level
To answer your first question based on my experience with this guitar from the first run: No. Absolutely not. It’s branded G&L, but nothing on that guitar other than the logo and headstock shape are G&L parts or quality. Their Tribute and Fullerton lines are amazing. I never have a single bad thing to say about either of those two lines. I often credit G&L for setting the benchmark for what an imported guitar should be like, referencing their Tribute line. But the Placentia I experienced was on par with new $80 guitars found on eBay or Amazon, which I’d likely have returned as well. It was just …bad. I’d honestly buy a Squier Affinity first. Or even something different like a Slick or Xavierre (Guitar Fetish), Michael Kelly, Eart, etc.
I sure hope G&L aren't in the habit of not being able to take criticism. You'll be the 3dr enemy they've made with this line (by my count at least) based on my last hour of youtubing.
I know, right? And here I was super excited about starting this channel to possibly build a relationship with them …to then get this pile of firewood as my first G&L review. But in my mind, G&L fired the first shot by letting this one slip through the cracks. Hopefully they’ll fix these issues soon enough and get back to making amazing stuff. Honestly, I’m just a tad nervous to show my face at their NAMM booth this year.
It is just plain sad. Thanks for the review. I was bopping around net, went to GC "outlet store".... maybe 15 or 20 of this model there. So sad, both for G&L for making them and for already struggling GC for ordering this junk. Not gonna help either business I would guess. I also feel bad for any newbie who might be suckered into buying one: they lack the skills, knowledge etc to at least bring it to playable level. And imagine they would develop a visceral dislike for G&L. Once you lose your rep, nearly impossible to get it back. FWIW I've got a tribute Comanche that is as well built as anything....
Wow. That’s sad. I wonder if the one I reviewed is one of those 20 at the GC outlet store. Which, by the way, where is that? Never heard of it. I agree about the difficulties of losing your rep as a manufacturer. Stuff like this can be the tipping point towards the direction Hamer, Fernandes, etc moved towards. I love G&L too, and their Tributes are some of the best import versions of flagship instruments.
@@11thFret to get to outlet you have to go to GC on line.. upper left corner has word "shop" & 3 horizontal lines above. tap on that and at bottom of menu should be outlet. I worry at tad, as it seems if I buy a guitar from a small company, they go out of business: Tacoma jumbo: gone. Parker P36: adios. I had a 59 Gretsch I got when I was 16... didn't they go under for some time? Got a US Guild Starfire & they went into black hole for years... Ah... they have 23 Pacentias in outlet, split between Bluesboys and Legacies $360 a pop for either model.
I own a 70s Squier CV made in Indonesia and it is KILLER! The action was low, plays like butter and it was $549. $449 for this is trash and a huge carbon foot print. The END! I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I"m actually upset for you and all the energy and money spent.
I got all my money back, so it wasn’t a super huge ordeal. I was just sad that, as a long time fan of G&L, this is a product they decided to slap their name on. The Squier CV’s are killer guitars right out of the box. I’ll even take it a step further: Squier’s Affinity Series are great out of the box. I’ve rarely experienced an issues with Squiers, outside of their economical wiring harnesses (which is an easy fix). But this G&L has little to no excuse outside of maybe me getting the first batch …which they still placed a G&L signed inspection sticker on.
So tired of the G&L trying to be relevent with that old/dead faux association with Leo Fender. Let the dead rest and make a good guitar you can have your own story.
I sat on this guitar for way too long and realized it was dud weeks after I could return it. really disappointed with how it turned out; its not even worth its sale price imo. If my $100 epiphone feels and sounds better, then asking for over $400 for this is criminal. Shame bc I always wanted a G&L and thought this would be great
I’m sorry to hear you’re stuck with it. I thought about keeping mine too just to make it something worthwhile, but realized the costs associated wouldn’t be worth it. I truly love G&L from the Tribute line up. That said, these Placentia guitars need to disappear. They’re doing the brand a massive disservice.
I have a Shijie I’m about ready to do a 2-year ownership review of. Not to spoil it, but these Chinese owned and manufactured guitars are nothing short of incredible. In addition to the Shijie, I own many Chinese made guitars with every single one of them being better than this. Fender’s Modern Player series were all made in China and are actually very impressive. So, in essence, for a brand that represents the last breaths of the man himself, I’d absolutely expect more …A lot more.
For what it’s worth, I did feel bad about this review. I’m a huge fan of G&L, and believe their Tribute line helped define how an import should arrive to a player. I own many G&L’s and love them all, where I even questioned if I should even publish this review. But I arrived to the realization that if I didn’t publish this, I’d be acting dishonest to myself and to my audience. I didn’t want my channel to risk earning any kind of reputation over me applying some kind of fan-bias.
My view on Chinese or Asian build quality is: they build it to the quality level management/owners want. You want crap, they can do that. You want good, they can do that too. My Yamaha AC3R acoustic is totally lovely. My Fender modern player thinline telecaster deluxe etc etc, tho not perfect, is a heck of alot of fun. Now selling used for about $300 more than I paid for it.
Yep...I bought a G&L Placentia Series ASAT Bluesboy in Espresso as a stupid deal of the day and I immediately sent it back to M.F. I also emailed G&L and I told them that I love my ASAT Tribute (a previous stupid deal at $299) but that they should be embarrassed for selling such a poor quality guitar as the Placentia. I got no response.
Some really cheap overseas crap that G&L made the worst decision to partner with Guitar Center and release this. I am sure G&L regrets it now. I have a USA G&L that is perfect in every way
Fullerton Series fans rejoice! I love my USA/Fullerton G&L, and usually hold them in the highest regard. Even the Tribute line is a force to be reckoned with as they’re some of the best imports I’ve played. I have no idea who the brainchild was behind this line of dung, but I was looking over my shoulder at NAMM after this review. 😂
Ha! My actual bench is sheer chaos, horrible for filming. I’m actually working on constructing a bench for the set at the moment. For this video, I just had to film what was happening in the moment.
It’s been awhile since I unboxed this, but I’m still haunted by the experience. These were and maybe still are an absolute train wreck. Fullertons and Tributes are rock solid and amazing. These Placenta’s are poised to destroy Leo’s final contributions to the guitar world for those who’ve never owned a G&L before. Thanks for watching!
I ordered 2 of these pieces of firewood. I thought the first one was just some kind of fluke it was so bad. Until i got the second one which was worse than the first one if you can believe that !......... So i said F%#K it and swore to never buy a sub-priced sub-quality guitar ever again. So i went all the way and ordered a G&L Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Classic and never looked back. The one i recieved like my other 3 fullertons was close to perfection in tone and craftsmanship! I'll never buy another chinese piece of crap as long as i live.
Yeah, the Placentia Series is almost like G&L wasn’t a part of this lineup outside of lending their branding. Tributes are excellent. Fullertons are all kinds of amazing. Placentias are, well, hot garbage.
I thought it sounded *ok*! This line in general just seems to be a huge mistake. I think it's G&L trying to increase their presence in the budget space. They can do better than this.
Totally. It wasn’t awful sounding. But for the price point, even at the deal I bought it for, there’s comparable quality for way way way less (Indio, Donner, even Glarry, etc). If there ever was a case for the “you’re paying for the brand name” argument, this is a great example.
The Placentia Series is, yes. That’s not always a bad thing. However, compared to their Tribute Series made in Indonesia, this particular guitar I reviewed pales in comparison to G&L’s other imports - which I believe is a company that helped set the benchmark for what import guitars should be like. But this guitar contradicts that statement massively. I don’t necessarily believe it’s their factory in China to blame as much as its the Q.C. team’s in Fullerton, CA.
@@11thFret Yes. Picked up a ASAT Tribute Rosewood Neck t-style made in Indonesia. Very Precise. Excellent quality. My Epiphones inspired by Gibson 50s LP & 335 Tradional Pro Handcrafted in China are Amazing. Except for the Wires inside the Pods are Good. So is the Tone. Every bit as good as a real Standard Gibson. Thanks. Great Demo. Greatly appreciated.
@@11thFret I bought mine on a Musicians Friend SDOTD about 4 months ago! I emailed them about it being junk and got no reply! I own other G&L’s Tributes and they are fine! I think G&L could do themselves great service by discontinuing the Placentia series! All this line is doing is devaluing the G&L great name! I recently bought a M Musi Capricorn Strat and it’s unbelievable! Great pickups, fantastic body contours, roasted maple neck, locking tuners, stainless steel frets with rounded ends and many other added features on a budget guitar! I will never purchase a Placentia guitar again!
That’s where I got mine. I was thinking about ordering another just to see if my experience was a fluke. But I think I’m content with not. The Tributes are and have always been excellent. The Placentia line is just …well… nasty garbage hurting their good name.
Okay, okay… I admit that I put about as much effort in “quality” as G&L did for this guitar. Yes, the ring light shouldn’t have been on, let alone reflective. Also, while I fought with it in editing, it somehow reverted the text to “bridge” vs “bridge & neck” in the clean demo. …I was doing this until 5AM. I’ll do better, just as I have faith G&L will do as well. ;-)
Thanks so much for the critical, truthful, no kiss ass, review. I've had Tribute bluesboy s that weren't bad but my Fullerton bluesboy deluxe is the BEST. 👍
Thanks for watching! I was truly very excited to get this, thinking it’d be as amazing as their Tribute and Fullerton lines. Obviously, as I’m sure you gathered, I was a bit disappointed with Placentia. But oh well. I might have just had a lemon in the bunch, or maybe they’re all just overpriced Glarry guitars.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Excellent playing. Enjoyed the review. Now I have two guitars to buy today
I've had 9 G&Ls over the years, including a Tribute Bluesboy that i regret selling and a Tribute Ascari GT-90. I still own an ASAT Classic S with alnico pickups and an ASAT Special. The quality of my USA G&Ls rivals any Fender I've ever played. Amazing that they would try to move into the "super-budget" market and fail so badly.
I couldn’t show how giddy I was leading up to the unboxing. I was genuinely excited with high expectations because, I - like you, also have multiple G&L’s. You definitely outweigh me on that front with how many you’ve owned but each G&L from Tribute to Fullerton has been nothing short of amazing. That’s why I was so puzzled with this one. It felt like something I’d get from DHGate, AliExpress, or from the dark corners of Amazon or eBay. I sometimes think back and wonder if I was too harsh. Then I remember how terrible the frets were and realize how most of the guitar was about as bad as those frets.
Anyway, thanks for watching and commenting!
Ok, at this price point, it makes sense to by 2 guitars and pick the best one. I just bought one late December 2022. Yes I had to file fret ends and probably polish frets. I sent an email to G&L because my saddle screws were sharp and ask for new screws or saddle plus screws. The Popular body was nice and finish looked great. So far my neck looks good and sounds good. Pickups are okay for this price. I have a 2000 Carvin neck pickup I might put in and a fender 64 bridge pickup.
Idk what everyone’s bitching about, I just bought one 30 mins ago, played the hel out of it and it’s a great working mans guitar. I have owned fender ultras and American 2s and Gibson les Paul’s. I’d rather rip this thing in half for 500 dollars and work the shit out of it then pay out of my mind.
All I can talk about is the one I received, to which I gave a genuine reaction around the unboxing. The one I received paled in comparison to just about anything else in its respective price range that I've played. Sounds like you yourself may have landed a good one that had more time under a tech. But, as for the one I got, it was truly terrible. Fret sprout all up and down the neck, frets themselves that were more course than my set of fret files, a practically untouched bridge with skewed saddles. I mean, I presume you watched the video enough to see why I bitched as I gave very detailed examples. But again, if you got a good one, I congratulate you. I love G&L and own many. But what I got in this video was not near G&L quality.
Mine has none of the issues described here - feels on par with my CV Tele
I tried a used one at my local Guitar Center. High action and bad frets. I liked the color, but I was disappointed all in all.
I really hope for a Placentia redemption at some point since I love G&L so much. Sucks you had a similar experience in playing one.
Thanks for the video I have been curious about these guitars since I first saw them. I own two Tribute ASTSs a Special and a Bluesboy. I did trade out the neck pickup in Bluesboy it was dark and muddy. After this it is a great guitar. Both guitars were set up well with no fret sprout. Its disappointing to hear about all the issues with this guitar after my good experiences with their guitars.
I’m still sad about the Placentia Bluesboy. Hopefully they’ll either fix the issues or ditch the line. All I can hope is that they’re already better. …Crap. Maybe I need to order another for a part 2?
I’m considering getting a Tribute series ASAT deluxe since it’s essentially a Fender special edition custom tele. Is the Tribute series any better than the Placentia?
Edit: just saw 3:40 thanks
The Tribute Series is so so so much better. In fact, I always say G&L pretty much sets the benchmark for how all import guitars should be. Sadly, they avoided that unwritten rule with (at least) the guitar I demo’d.
@@11thFret Yeah I hear Yamaha has unmatched quality on it's imports. I have a Pacifica 612 that's one of my favorite guitars and I hope to add a Revstar Standard at some point...
Yamaha isn’t messing around. They’re amazing stuff. I’m right there with you on the Revstar line. I want one as well. Plus, their neck profile is probably one of the most comfortable I’ve ever gripped.
Disappointed they let this out there, G&L makes awesome stuff.
I have a 2016 ASAT blues boy tribute, awesome guitar- came with American bridge and American pickups.
Can still pick up used tributes for 300-400.
Agreed. I think their Tribute Series is one of the best import variant lines out there, which most other brands should ‘aspire’ to be. But, at least for this one guitar I received, the Placentia Series lacks an awful lot. I was genuinely heartbroken after seeing and playing it.
My reactions in this video were 100% genuine, clearly as I rushed to film this with me accidentally leaving on my ring light meant for another camera angle and turning on the wrong set lights. 😂
@@11thFret hopefully this video helps people stay from this series guitar and stay with tributes and USA
The $100 difference between the POS Placentia and the Tribute is not worth the so-called savings. It's really sad that G&L would stoop so low. My Indonesian Tribute Bluesboy from several years ago is great. It has USA pups, but I swapped out a Duncan Seth Lover (like in the orig USA model) in the neck anyway. So it's about 95% as good as a Fullerton model. I also own a Tribute ASAT Special and Legacy. Both excellent build and hardware.
💯% agree! I personally think the world of both the Tribute and Fullerton lines. I often tell people that G&L set the benchmark for how all imported guitars ‘should be’ with the Tribute Series. But sadly, at least with the one I reviewed, it set the standard for what companies ‘should not do’ with imports. I’d rather see someone purchase a Donner, Glarry, Indio, Harley Benton, or whatever over this because it’d both be a better build and would save them considerable money. The Placentia Series is just embarrassing.
Just got the strat version of this series from G and L on Stupid deal from MF and honestly the only issue I have is the frets need some 1000grit steel wool and a polishing. Fret ends are fine, fit and finish fine. Pickups ok. I always change the tuners to Hipshot locking tuners. Graph tech bridge saddles and nut. At $269.00 it's not bad, $449.00 not a deal at all. I been working on guitars for 50 years and had some real turds for sure. This is not a turd. Neck is straight and no high frets so I got a good neck at least.
Yeah, I think some are leaving the factory in better condition than others. Mine was from the first wave, likely fresh off the boat and no time to do the bare minimum of setups. I’d outline all my issues, but they’re in the video. I know I could have made it a player in the end with some work, but didn’t see the value of throwing about as much time and money into it to then make it a $449 total investment. That’s not a deal from my end. Plus, I really didn’t like the pickups. They weren’t clicking with me.
How’s the G&L Placentia Legacy though, sound-wise? I have a G&L Fullerton Legacy which I love to pieces.
@@11thFret I play through a Podfarm 2 interface so I can really adjust the pickups sound to whatever I want. I'll plug it in my Line 6 75 watt amp someday, but just prefer going into laptop and headphones. I got a upper level Donner strat 2 months ago that was a total abomination. All fret ends razor sharp, tuners had the cheap chrome finish coming off while tuning, saddles cheap crap, nut garbage plastic. But great HSS pickups with push/pull split. Replaced all the crap, added orange drop cap and a treble bleed circuit and now love the thing! Lots of elbow grease for sure. That was $289.00 and out of the box was not as good as the G and L honestly.
@@joweerocks That’ll be interesting if and when Donner sends me something. I connected with them at NAMM and exchanged information. They seemed to be on board in sending me a product to review. But I don’t know if it’d be a doctored up, ready-to-go guitar or if it’ll be one from the regular pile. Good to hear your experiences with one.
I keep reading this as placenta
Haha. You’re not the only one. But Placentia is the town next to Fullerton where G&L is HQ’d.
Man, super upset that G&L would release something like this. Usually from what I’ve seen they have very quality guitars. I was wondering if you could give me some pointers on a guitar I’m thinking abt buying. I’ve been saving up for a while and I have my eyes on the Tim Henson signature thbb10, is this a smart buy or is there a better (similar style) guitar for that price?
The Tim Henson THBB10 is a killer guitar. I’m really into Ibanez in general (with an Ibanez video in planning). If you can get a good buy on one, definitely go for it. If the one you’re eyeballing is used, try and bond with it first to see if you really meld with it. Because, if you don’t and want to sell it later, there’s a considerable chance of you taking a substantial loss. The reason why is that this signature guitar caters to a very niche audience who might only come looking for one by necessity, and rarely if ever. Otherwise, you’d have the make the price “too good for anyone to pass up,” thus eating your investment.
@@11thFret great point I didn’t think about it that way, I’ll definitely try and see if a guitar center near me has it in stock to sets it out (and maybe buy it) to make sure it’s the right fit. Thank you so much!
I more need to know if its worth 240 cuz its on stupid deal of the day but idk I guess probably better off with a squire judging by this video ....lol now that I look at the one in the ad the saddles are all angled and it make me feel like the hole bridge is crooked witch would mean using the same holes a replacement bridge would also likely be crooked so I guess I'm not getting one of these :b such a shame the pickups sound pretty good but the build quality seems like a donner guitar level
To answer your first question based on my experience with this guitar from the first run: No. Absolutely not. It’s branded G&L, but nothing on that guitar other than the logo and headstock shape are G&L parts or quality. Their Tribute and Fullerton lines are amazing. I never have a single bad thing to say about either of those two lines. I often credit G&L for setting the benchmark for what an imported guitar should be like, referencing their Tribute line. But the Placentia I experienced was on par with new $80 guitars found on eBay or Amazon, which I’d likely have returned as well. It was just …bad.
I’d honestly buy a Squier Affinity first. Or even something different like a Slick or Xavierre (Guitar Fetish), Michael Kelly, Eart, etc.
I sure hope G&L aren't in the habit of not being able to take criticism. You'll be the 3dr enemy they've made with this line (by my count at least) based on my last hour of youtubing.
I know, right? And here I was super excited about starting this channel to possibly build a relationship with them …to then get this pile of firewood as my first G&L review. But in my mind, G&L fired the first shot by letting this one slip through the cracks. Hopefully they’ll fix these issues soon enough and get back to making amazing stuff.
Honestly, I’m just a tad nervous to show my face at their NAMM booth this year.
It is just plain sad. Thanks for the review. I was bopping around net, went to GC "outlet store".... maybe 15 or 20 of this model there. So sad, both for G&L for making them and for already struggling GC for ordering this junk. Not gonna help either business I would guess. I also feel bad for any newbie who might be suckered into buying one: they lack the skills, knowledge etc to at least bring it to playable level. And imagine they would develop a visceral dislike for G&L. Once you lose your rep, nearly impossible to get it back. FWIW I've got a tribute Comanche that is as well built as anything....
Wow. That’s sad. I wonder if the one I reviewed is one of those 20 at the GC outlet store. Which, by the way, where is that? Never heard of it.
I agree about the difficulties of losing your rep as a manufacturer. Stuff like this can be the tipping point towards the direction Hamer, Fernandes, etc moved towards. I love G&L too, and their Tributes are some of the best import versions of flagship instruments.
@@11thFret to get to outlet you have to go to GC on line.. upper left corner has word "shop" & 3 horizontal lines above. tap on that and at bottom of menu should be outlet. I worry at tad, as it seems if I buy a guitar from a small company, they go out of business: Tacoma jumbo: gone. Parker P36: adios. I had a 59 Gretsch I got when I was 16... didn't they go under for some time? Got a US Guild Starfire & they went into black hole for years... Ah... they have 23 Pacentias in outlet, split between Bluesboys and Legacies $360 a pop for either model.
I own a 70s Squier CV made in Indonesia and it is KILLER! The action was low, plays like butter and it was $549. $449 for this is trash and a huge carbon foot print. The END! I'm sorry you had to go through all that. I"m actually upset for you and all the energy and money spent.
I got all my money back, so it wasn’t a super huge ordeal. I was just sad that, as a long time fan of G&L, this is a product they decided to slap their name on. The Squier CV’s are killer guitars right out of the box. I’ll even take it a step further: Squier’s Affinity Series are great out of the box. I’ve rarely experienced an issues with Squiers, outside of their economical wiring harnesses (which is an easy fix). But this G&L has little to no excuse outside of maybe me getting the first batch …which they still placed a G&L signed inspection sticker on.
"carbon foot print"🤣🤣🤣
So tired of the G&L trying to be relevent with that old/dead faux association with Leo Fender. Let the dead rest and make a good guitar you can have your own story.
I sat on this guitar for way too long and realized it was dud weeks after I could return it. really disappointed with how it turned out; its not even worth its sale price imo. If my $100 epiphone feels and sounds better, then asking for over $400 for this is criminal. Shame bc I always wanted a G&L and thought this would be great
I’m sorry to hear you’re stuck with it. I thought about keeping mine too just to make it something worthwhile, but realized the costs associated wouldn’t be worth it. I truly love G&L from the Tribute line up. That said, these Placentia guitars need to disappear. They’re doing the brand a massive disservice.
Honestly, what did you expect from a guitar out of China? I prefer the Indonesia made guitars.
I have a Shijie I’m about ready to do a 2-year ownership review of. Not to spoil it, but these Chinese owned and manufactured guitars are nothing short of incredible. In addition to the Shijie, I own many Chinese made guitars with every single one of them being better than this. Fender’s Modern Player series were all made in China and are actually very impressive.
So, in essence, for a brand that represents the last breaths of the man himself, I’d absolutely expect more …A lot more.
@@11thFret Yeah, for sure. Well articulated. Leo would certainly be upset at the quality of that G&L.
For what it’s worth, I did feel bad about this review. I’m a huge fan of G&L, and believe their Tribute line helped define how an import should arrive to a player. I own many G&L’s and love them all, where I even questioned if I should even publish this review. But I arrived to the realization that if I didn’t publish this, I’d be acting dishonest to myself and to my audience. I didn’t want my channel to risk earning any kind of reputation over me applying some kind of fan-bias.
My view on Chinese or Asian build quality is: they build it to the quality level management/owners want. You want crap, they can do that. You want good, they can do that too. My Yamaha AC3R acoustic is totally lovely. My Fender modern player thinline telecaster deluxe etc etc, tho not perfect, is a heck of alot of fun. Now selling used for about $300 more than I paid for it.
Yep...I bought a G&L Placentia Series ASAT Bluesboy in Espresso as a stupid deal of the day and I immediately sent it back to M.F.
I also emailed G&L and I told them that I love my ASAT Tribute (a previous stupid deal at $299) but that they should be embarrassed for selling such a poor quality guitar as the Placentia.
I got no response.
That sucks! I’m sorry to hear that it happened to you too. The Tribute line is still amazing though.
Some really cheap overseas crap that G&L made the worst decision to partner with Guitar Center and release this. I am sure G&L regrets it now. I have a USA G&L that is perfect in every way
Fullerton Series fans rejoice! I love my USA/Fullerton G&L, and usually hold them in the highest regard. Even the Tribute line is a force to be reckoned with as they’re some of the best imports I’ve played. I have no idea who the brainchild was behind this line of dung, but I was looking over my shoulder at NAMM after this review. 😂
Oh, it's spelled P-l-a-c-e-n-t-*i*-a. Phew!
Coming at NAMM 2023: Overy & Vulvah Series. 😂
where's your bench
Ha! My actual bench is sheer chaos, horrible for filming. I’m actually working on constructing a bench for the set at the moment. For this video, I just had to film what was happening in the moment.
As a G&L Fullerton ASAR Classic Bluesboy lovers, run and hide from these things. What is G&L thinking licensing these. ❌
It’s been awhile since I unboxed this, but I’m still haunted by the experience. These were and maybe still are an absolute train wreck. Fullertons and Tributes are rock solid and amazing. These Placenta’s are poised to destroy Leo’s final contributions to the guitar world for those who’ve never owned a G&L before. Thanks for watching!
I ordered 2 of these pieces of firewood. I thought the first one was just some kind of fluke it was so bad. Until i got the second one which was worse than the first one if you can believe that !......... So i said F%#K it and swore to never buy a sub-priced sub-quality guitar ever again. So i went all the way and ordered a G&L Fullerton Deluxe ASAT Classic and never looked back. The one i recieved like my other 3 fullertons was close to perfection in tone and craftsmanship! I'll never buy another chinese piece of crap as long as i live.
Yeah, the Placentia Series is almost like G&L wasn’t a part of this lineup outside of lending their branding. Tributes are excellent. Fullertons are all kinds of amazing. Placentias are, well, hot garbage.
I thought it sounded *ok*! This line in general just seems to be a huge mistake. I think it's G&L trying to increase their presence in the budget space. They can do better than this.
Totally. It wasn’t awful sounding. But for the price point, even at the deal I bought it for, there’s comparable quality for way way way less (Indio, Donner, even Glarry, etc). If there ever was a case for the “you’re paying for the brand name” argument, this is a great example.
How much you pay for this? $450. Hmm, you get what you pay for. Buy an American one.
$270 as a Musician’s Friend “Stupid Deal of the Day”. And yeah, gotta go with a Fullerton or at least a Tribute (which are outstanding, IMHO).
China?
The Placentia Series is, yes. That’s not always a bad thing. However, compared to their Tribute Series made in Indonesia, this particular guitar I reviewed pales in comparison to G&L’s other imports - which I believe is a company that helped set the benchmark for what import guitars should be like. But this guitar contradicts that statement massively. I don’t necessarily believe it’s their factory in China to blame as much as its the Q.C. team’s in Fullerton, CA.
@@11thFret Yes. Picked up a ASAT Tribute Rosewood Neck t-style made in Indonesia. Very Precise. Excellent quality. My Epiphones inspired by Gibson 50s LP & 335 Tradional Pro Handcrafted in China are Amazing. Except for the Wires inside the Pods are Good. So is the Tone. Every bit as good as a real Standard Gibson. Thanks. Great Demo. Greatly appreciated.
This is the worst guitar I’ve ever purchased! I have Firefly’s that are so much better quality guitars!
Yup. Right there with you. When did you buy yours? Was it the first wave or just recently?
@@11thFret I bought mine on a Musicians Friend SDOTD about 4 months ago! I emailed them about it being junk and got no reply! I own other G&L’s Tributes and they are fine! I think G&L could do themselves great service by discontinuing the Placentia series! All this line is doing is devaluing the G&L great name! I recently bought a M Musi Capricorn Strat and it’s unbelievable! Great pickups, fantastic body contours, roasted maple neck, locking tuners, stainless steel frets with rounded ends and many other added features on a budget guitar! I will never purchase a Placentia guitar again!
That’s where I got mine. I was thinking about ordering another just to see if my experience was a fluke. But I think I’m content with not. The Tributes are and have always been excellent. The Placentia line is just …well… nasty garbage hurting their good name.
By all accounts, the worst expensive garbage guitar on the net.
This guitar still haunts my dreams. It’s so bad.
I got mine, I'm sending it back. Worst guitar I've ever played.
Amen. At least I'm not alone in this. I should probably go check out the other reviews now just to see if anyone else snagged a good one.
Sounds…..not good.
Yeah. It was awful. I’m still haunted by my memory if it.