Gem guitar from the 90s: G&L ASAT III

It's not the Strat-style pickup configuration and electronics that really make this great but rather the bridge.

What you're looking at here is a G&L ASAT III from the late 1990s. It does not load strings from the rear but is rather a top loader, and things get better from there.

What G&L calls this is the saddle lock bridge, which is more than just a big ol' hunk of metal. Much more. That bridge makes for the most ridiculously easy palm muting and never feels uncomfortable to rest the palm on for regular picking.

Also, what makes this thing ring out like a beast is a hex screw adjustment that literally presses the bridge saddles together so everything connects and therefore vibrates as if it were a single piece.

And because this is a top loader, string bending is super easy even at full string tension.

Nice.

Is the switch a 5-way? Yes it is. Looks like a Tele but switches like a Strat does. Those G&L pickups aren't weak, either. You can see just by looking at it that it has the MFD (Magnetic Field Design) G&L pickups in it.

When it comes to '90s guitars that really tried to genuinely advance into the modern era, ASAT III was definitely one of them.

Published 2024 May 30

Best ZOOM R8 tutorial book
highly rated, get recording quick!