New Member L-1000 Series E question

[Long-Distance-Call]

Hello,

This is my first post to the forum and I hope I have the protocol right.

I am looking for information about a 1980 L-1000 that I got back in the 1990's. There's some possibility that I may be the second owner, but that could also be my memory playing tricks on me.

I have the original warranty card which lists the model No. as L 1000 Series E and 12/27/80 as the date purchased. Serial No. is B002150. Everything about it seems to be a nice original early bass with passive pickups.

So far, I have not been able to find any information or even a mention about any L-1000 Series E.

Thank you in advance for any information that might help solve the puzzle.

L-D-C

[Ken Baker]

Back in the early days (80s) Series E usually referred to an instrument that has active Electronics. The L-2000 Series E and the El Toro Series E are examples. After a year or so the only way to get the basses was active, so the "Series E" was dropped.

Conjecture is all it leaves us. Maybe they were considering an active L-1000 and stopped after a few necks were built?

I dunno.

There are collectors over at GuitarsByLeo. They may have info that I just don't have available.

Ken...

[Long-Distance-Call]

Thanks for getting back to me -- I would like to try guitarsbyleo but there doesn't seem to be any way to create a username and password.

This might be one mystery that doesn't get solved.

L-D-C

[Ken Baker]

4:30 PM PST and Craig has the forum locked. Kind of an odd time. I'll check back later.

8/21, still down. Emailed Craig. Their host seems to be having configuration issues. Again.

Ken...

[Ken Baker]

GuitarsByLeo is back up and running. You can now register here: http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/ucp.php?mode=register

His board is set up differently than here. His Announcement forum and Board Index report as locked under normal conditions. If you click on the G&LDP forum link everything opens up.

Ken...

[derick]

Everything about it seems to be a nice original early bass with passive pickups.

So, you are saying that this bass has more than one pickup? That certainly adds a curveball to the question. Very interesting bass!

I would expect that any bass designated as "series E" would have active electronics.

Regards,

-Don

[Long-Distance-Call]

Sorry about that, "pickups" is a typo as it only has one pickup. I contacted Memo Romero at G&L and even sent him a photo of the head stock. This is what he told me:

Our records indicate that this is a made in Fullerton California USA L1000. The description is just L1000 there is no “E” in the records, the completion date is October 7, 1980, color is black, body wood was not specified so it can be either ash, mahogany or poplar, maple neck, 1-5/8” nut width, 7.5” radius

So, it continues to be a mystery -- I've never seen another one and even G&L says it doesn't exist, but it does. Any G&L bass I have ever seen or even know about with an "E" designation has active pickups and none of them Are L1000's.

All the best,

L-D-C

[derick]

Thanks for getting back on that. Yet another candidate for the G&L head-scratcher file.

Just to point out, there were very rarely L-1000s from that period that had maple bodies. These were not shown on the price list.