G & L BROADCASTER

Manufactured by G & L

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G & L BROADCASTER Variants

G & L ASAT Special Semi-Hollow

- similar to the ASAT Special, except has twin Voice Chambers on the left and right side of the body, available with or without f-holes and choice of pickguard, mfg. 1997-present.

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G & L BROADCASTER Price & value

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G & L BROADCASTER Description

- single cutaway Tele-style maple body, bolt-on maple neck, maple or ebony fingerboard, matching finish headstock, six-on-one-side tuners, saddle lock bridge, black one ply black pickguard, two G&L MFD single coil pickups, two knobs (v, tone), three-way pickup switch, black hardware, available in Black finish, mfg. 1985-86.

A Certificate of Authenticity was issued with each instrument stating it had been personally inspected and signed by Leo Fender. This model came standard with an ebony or maple fingerboard with dot inlays, and a case upgraded with gold piping. Of the Broadcasters that were produced, 43 of these instruments have double locking Kahler vibratos. Two of the instruments are left handed. These instruments returned as an embellishment to Leo Fender's original Telecaster design. In 1948, Leo Fender designed a guitar, named it the Broadcaster, and put it into production. After shipping a number of instruments, he was notified that another company had the rights to the name. Fender then changed the Broadcaster to the Telecaster, and the rest is solid body guitar history.
While Leo Fender was on a month long vacation in Egypt with wife Phyllis, Dale Hyatt came up with the idea to reinstate the Broadcaster name to boost sales, and registered the Broadcaster name on behalf of Leo Fender. Hyatt wanted the G&L Broadcaster to be more or less a limited edition and had no intention of using the name for more than approximately one year. Gretsch, which registered the name Broadkaster many years prior to this (but let the trademark expire) contacted Dale Hyatt about the name. No legal action was required and a gentleman's agreement was reached between Fender and Gretsch. No G&L Broadcasters were sold on the retail market after May of 1986 per the agreement.
G&L produced this instrument for one year, with all instruments being signed and dated by Leo in the neck pocket of the body. Broadcasters carry their own unique serial number prefix (BC). The total number produced was 869. Of these, 308 have maple fingerboards. In April/May 1986, the Broadcaster was renamed the ASAT.