FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Cavalier was introduced in May 1983 and was unlike any other guitar Leo Fender had designed to that point. With it’s small humbucker pickups set in a slant configuration and vibrato tailpiece, it bears some resemblence to the Mustang, but the Cavalier was an all-new design. Using the S-500 body and neck as a platform, Leo installed his latest humbucking pickups into the Cavalier. The pickups are brighter sounding than most traditional humbuckers which give the Cavalier a unique sound. Sadly, it also spelled disaster in the marketplace since buyers were either looking for traditional and vintage guitars or the superstrats of the heavy metal craze. However, it remained in the G&L catalog for four years and, according to Paul Bechtoldt, around 700 units were produced. The 80s rock group "Quarterflash" were a G&L endorser and the lead guitarist was often seen using a Cavalier. The Cavalier shown here is from the first year of production and is finished in Clear Red which was first offered as a standard G&L finish in 1983.

 Body: Solid; 2-piece ash

 Finish: Clear Red, nitrocellulose lacquer

 Neck: 2-piece maple, bolt-on

 Fingerboard: Ebony; pearloid dot markers

 Number of Frets: 22

 Pickguard: Black-white-black plastic laminate with black crinkle powder coated aluminum control plate

 Bridge: G&L Dual Fulcrum Vibrato, chrome

 Nut: Plastic

 Tuners: Schaller Mini, chrome

 Pickups: Two, G&L Magnetic Field Design Offset Humbucking with adjustable pole pieces

 Controls: Master volume, treble, and bass, 3-way pickup selector

 Scale Length: 25 1/2 inches

 Neck Width at Nut: 1 5/8 inches

 Body Width at Lower Bout: 12 7/8 inches

 Body Depth: 1 5/8 inches

 Weight: 8.7 lb