The ultimate expression of the Leo tradition.

Its basswood body with maple top, maple neck, rosewood fretboard is shaped and finished by hand by expert craftsmen. Each is then fitted with the refined hardware that makes every G&L play like a dream: jumbo frets, Magnetic Field Design G&L single-coil pickups, G&L dual-fulcrum tremolo bridge, and Schaller locking tuners. Special S-500 electronics include 3-band EQ and volume with a push/pull pot for pickup expansion. Includes hardshell case.

The patented Magnetic Field Design® pickups use a ceramic bar magnet installed underneath each coil, with soft iron adjustable pole pieces to transfer the magnetic field to the surface of the pickup. By contrast, traditional Alnico type pickups, such as used in the Legacy and George Fullerton models, use nonadjustable Alnico pole pieces leaving the only adjustment being pickup height. The Magnetic Field Design has this adjustment, but further offers individual adjustment of each pole piece, letting the player effectively adjust the output of each string on each pickup. Magnetic Field Design yield about twice the output per wind, making the pickup quieter while allowing a greater overall output. The sound of Magnetic Field pickups is slightly warmer with a broader frequency response. One major Nashville session guitarist remarked that the G&L S-500 with Magnetic Field single coil pickups sounded as balanced and "sweet" as his favorite old vintage Alnico equipped axe. The difference is that the S-500 sounds that good right into his amp without all the EQ tweaking of his mixing console that made his other guitar sound so good. When he ran his S-500 though his studio rig, he was truly amazed at the rich and warm, yet clear and sparkly sound.

G&L S-500 Deluxe Electric Guitar Features:

• Basswood body with maple top
• Maple neck
• Rosewood fretboard
• Jumbo frets
• Magnetic Field Design G&L single-coil pickups
• G&L dual-fulcrum tremolo bridge
• Schaller locking tuners
• Volume with a push/pull pot for pickup expansion
• Treble and bass
• 25-1/2" scale

G&L S-500 Deluxe Electric Guitar Includes:

• hardshell case

Order it today. Play it for the rest of your life.

G&L S-500 Deluxe Electric Guitar

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Average of 10 User Ratings

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Customer Reviews

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Outstanding Axe

Posted by BluesMan53 from California on Jul 3, 2009

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Amateur, active musician

Reviewer's Play Style: 60.s/Christian/Blues/Jazz/Rock

I'm a die-hard Fender fanatic. I've hard verbal wars over Fender vs G&L, which is better. I've got to tell you, I bought a USA G&L S-500 quilt maple tobacco burst and was utterly shocks by the Quality and sound and overall feel of this guitar. G&L is such a sleeper company that Leo wanted to maintain as a quality guitar maker, and not a high production company, thus potentially loosing the quality. He would be very proud of the company he created with George. I can go on and on, but do yourself a favorite, look up where G&L's are sold in your area, play all of them. The Tribute's are also super guitars, easier on the pocket book, but a far superior guitar for the asking prices. You'll look this brand period.

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Great All Around Axe

Posted by GoodBuddy from South Carolina on Oct 1, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Active Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Grunge

I sold my Fender Am. Deluxe Tele (dual hb's) because I couldn't switch between it and my Strat without having to tweaking my amp. I picked up my S-500 from a friend and now I play nothing else. I can still switch back to my Strat without having to EQ my amp. It's like having a Strat with nitro.

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Great versatile guitar

Posted by killsing from Washington,D.C. on Apr 21, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Recording Artist

Reviewer's Play Style: Rock/Metal

An amazing guitar for sure. It allows you to play many different styles effortlessly. I will not go nearly as far as some other reviewers on this page and say it blows Gibson away because it does not, but if you like Fender Strats then you will be very happy indeed with this guitar. Very similar in quality to the vintage strats.

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Ravishing; both visually and sonically

Posted by RyeSky from Michigan on Feb 28, 2008

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist

Reviewer's Play Style: My music is moslty influenced by SonicYouth and VU

This is BY FAR the best guitar I've owned (that out of Gibson Les Paul Studio, Gibson SG Standard, American Tele, American Strat, G&L ASAT Classic, 62 Jazzmaster Reissue and 62 Jaguar reissue, plus many other cheaper guitars: I also don't own any of these mentioned guitars anymore except the Strat). It looks AND sounds better than any of the mentioned guitars. The MFD pickups are a little bit warmer than the Fender Strats I've played, and much more vibrant and dynamic. The PTB control system plus the mini toggle switch make it a very versatile guitar.

Some things to point out though... The description and picture of the guitar on this website is outdated by a few years. This guitar was revamped around 2005 and now has some different features; Mahogany body with maple top, mini-toggle switch instead of push/pull knob, the jack is on the side instead of the top (similar to a Les Paul or Tele), it's still Cherryburst but the outside of the "burst" isn't as dark as pictured, and the pickup covers are now white. Also, you can't really tell in the picture, but there's a beautiful wood binding on the body. It's pretty heavy because of the mahogany which I think is its only flaw (the flaw being the weight, not the mahogany).

It's definitely worth the money, as is almost every G&L guitar. I've been a Fender fanatic for years, mostly due to my musical style, but after playing G&L instruments, I began to realize that you pay a lot of money for the "Fender" name on the headstock and not the actual quality.

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George & Leo 2 The Rescue!!

Posted by Hennessy from Idaho on Oct 20, 2007

Experience w/product: I own it

Reviewer's Background: Music Store Owner / Sound Man / Musician

Reviewer's Play Style: Floyd , Pantera, Vaughan, Rhoads

I bought this Guitar and brought it home due to the long lasting love affair I have had ongoing since I originally purchaced my G&L F-100 years ago. This guitar hangs next to my G&L F-100 right between my Les Paul Studio and my Natural wood American Fender Stratocaster (five position switch , Large headstock) I love and play all four. This one is amazing. It is much different than easily finding sounds on the 5 position switch on my Strat or the straightforward favorite settings on my Les Paul but it really has a voice of it's own several in fact. I never want to change the pickups and never feel I need something more from it. I love the neck the adjustments are micro fine dial this one in and go on the tour with confidence!! I will NEVER record without packing my G&L along. It isn'r a Les Paul, it isn't a Stratocaster but it definately IS everything it claims to be A M A Z I N G !!

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G&L S-500 Deluxe Electric Guitar

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