2024 G&L Custom Shop S-500 RMC

“Goldie”

I didn’t realize until some time after getting my hands on this wonderful instrument — checking so many boxes I was learning to prefer — that it’s essentially my Modern Eagle with true single-coils and a way more exciting finish!

I also didn’t realize when I first received it how much history and connection I’d be able to find along with it. Let me tell you the story.

How It Found Me

This story actually begins with books! In the fall of 2025 I’d decided that I’d spent long enough as an electric guitar play that I ought to learn the proper history. So I read three or four books all about the history, development, construction, and timeline of electric guitars. And, being an engineer, I came to sense what great accomplishments and technical breakthroughs Leo Fender had accomplished in his life. While I was aware of G&L before this season, Leo’s own history and timeline lead me back to G&L’s door! Unfortunately, right around this same time, G&L failed to sustain their business and closed.

The contrast between excitement around G&L’s technologies and concepts with the reality that they were no longer going to be made might’ve fueled a little bit of, “the last ones are available… better snatch them up”. Thus, this S-500, the (last!) Espada, and the ASAT, were all acquired around the same season.

I bought this S-500 from Eddie’s Guitars in October 2025. I called and worked out a deal with their team (who are great) to buy it direct and had it shipped, in its original G&L Custom Shop case, to its new home. It was sold as a used guitar, but Eddie’s mentioned that it was being sold by a collector that frequents their store and that he hadn’t played it hardly at all. I’d agree. When it arrived it looked like it’d never been touched. I was pretty sure the strings were still the factory set!

What Makes This One Different

Well, I call it a ‘Strat’, in the general sense of “that shape + 3 single coils”, but it’s got quite a few differences from an actual Strat. Yes, it’s a true Strat-shape. Yes, it’s from a (Leo-) Fender-based company. Yes, it has three single coils… but differences start after that, all in a direction I love:

• It’s a hardtail. I’ve never been much of a tremolo user. I prefer hardtails for their tuning stability and lack of futz! But Strats traditionally have tremolos. Nice!
• It has no pickguard. RMC means rear-mounted controls. The electronics are accessed through the back, and the pickups mount directly into the body… meaning nothing covers up that beautiful gold sparkle. Let it shine!
• Its jack is on the side. G&L’s RMC config doesn’t default to a side-jack — they’ve made many where they simply mount the jack on the face of the guitar rather than a pickguard. But here again, this is the same preference I would have — both to keep the finish uncovered, but also side-jacks have simply become my preference over the years.
• It’s a bound, ebony fretboard. I don’t prefer maple boards — I like darker woods! The white binding around it only adds to the high-end feel.
• Its headstock matches. I know matching headstocks can be a polarizing feature, but I love it on this one. This guitar screams in gold sparkle, and the matching headstock seals the concept. If you’re going to play gold sparkle, own it. Put it everywhere! I also love the no-model, simple, G&L logo… which happens to be in its own shade of gold, so it blends right in.
• Its gold hardware, to match. The hardware was custom gold-plated through the Custom Shop. Even with everything else going on, the bridge, tuners, neck plate, and knobs feel like part of the same design.

The other major thing that makes this build different is its history. Actually, this guitar is what started me down the path of seeking out each guitar’s individual history and journey. Like most G&L Custom Shop models, G&L posted about this one on Facebook back when it was originally built, on their standard photo background — Leo’s old papers and designs on his own desk in Fullerton:

But what really makes it special is that the head of G&L’s Custom Shop, the guy that put this particular guitar together, was around on various social media sites after G&L closed, and I was able to chat with him about this guitar! It’s neat to know the person whose hands actually made the instrument you’re playing.

The build, on paper

Since G&L sent their builds out with beautiful spec sheets, I’ll simply show that:

What It Does Best

This guitar is what I pick up when I want pure single coils and a Strat feel. Those single-coils are G&L’s (Leo’s) MFD design and they punch hard, but they still have the perfect in-between position tones and loads of touch. Of course, as true single coils, they remain susceptible to 60hz hum, but that’s location-dependent! The ‘expander’ switch that allows the guitar to play in neck+bridge pickups also nails the Tele sound if you ask me. Maybe the hard-tail nature of it helps.

One other notable feature on this particular example is something I look for in all of my guitars anymore: a volume knob reachable by my pinky and very easy to turn. When I play worship music and play swells, I prefer to do that by hand (literally) with my pinky. I get wonderful levels of control through the volume range and tact on the swells that can’t be mimicked with a volume pedal. So a smooth (low-friction) potentiometer under a near-to-the-strings volume knob is a must-have for me. This S-500 nails it!

Where It’s Been With Me

To many churches and events! As is the story with most of my guitars. My time owning this particular example is still short, but I’m excited to keep it for many years to come and use it to bring glory to God. While I only wear black t-shirts, I love playing bright and fun guitars. This one checks that box 😆.

On the more practical side, this is also the gold S-500 in my G&L guitar case guide. I like keeping the original Custom Shop case in storage, and eventually landed on the brown Gator GW-ELEC-VIN as its working case. The fit works, and the vintage brown and gold combination certainly doesn’t hurt.