G&L Tribute Series ASAT Deluxe II review

Tonal individual in a familiar form

  • £410
  • €494
  • $672
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With two tappable, vintage-voiced Alnico humbuckers in bridge and neck, there's a lot of tone to be had

MusicRadar Verdict

Those who might have been considering an SG, LP or similar owe it to themselves to try this first.

Pros

  • +

    Plays very nicely. Lush, thick tone. Coil-taps expand tonal options.

Cons

  • -

    Pickup selector is a little clunky.

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The G&L ASAT body shape is over 30 years old and is one of G&L's most-loved, most-recognisable silhouettes.

Its almost boxy profile recalls a Telecaster, but the sculpted bump on the headstock is unmistakably G&L; the ASAT Deluxe II is very much a guitar that's keen to do its own thing, encouraging its owner to do likewise.

"Few guitars at this price can compete tone-wise with the ASAT Deluxe II"

Though the finish is a little austere, with no binding or other aesthetic fripperies, and the three-way pickup selector slightly clunky, the ASAT Deluxe II's build construction is solid.

Parts can be replaced or upgraded on a whim; but you really need a guitar with some backbone, and with a slim C-shaped maple neck, bolted onto a handy slab of mahogany, a hard-as-nails TonePros locking C-TPFP bridge and CT1 tailpiece, the ASAT is one tough cookie.

With two tappable, vintage-voiced Alnico humbuckers in bridge and neck, there's a lot of tone to be had, too.

The ASAT Deluxe II plays quick and sounds lush and thick; its natural voice might best be articulated playing overdriven hard rock, but engaging the coil-tap opens up its throat for subtle blues and jazz tones that are bright but never lacking authority, from a guitar that's truly a stripped-down sophisticate.

It's also something of an individualist, too; few guitars at this price can compete tone-wise with the ASAT Deluxe II.

Jonathan Horsley
Jonathan Horsley

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.