Buyer Beware

[Ken Baker]

WARNING!

I have it on good authority from G&L that this bass:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MakeTrack=true

was built from parts stolen from the factory in Fullerton.

This is the same auction style used previously by a seller in Anaheim trying to off an SB-2 with a serial number that did not exist in the system.

This bass should be avoided.

Ken...

[strummin]

This guy had this one posted recently as well. Was only up for a few days before he closed it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...:X:RTQ:US:1123

[Youngspanion]

Sorry but that SB2 is smoking.

[realdeal]

WOW

What is the story behind that instrument??

Someone PLEASE investigate and find out the specs, etc.

I hope that was the real thing, because that looked like one incredible bass...

If it were the real thing, built by & at G&L..

SOn of a gun, that's nice.

*** Edit-
OK sorry I got so excited looking at the pix-

Well, he gives the specs and says it was built for Nikki Sixx, sounds plausible to me-
And at a buy it now of $1299 with Best Offer- I can't understand why, if real, this would not have been absolutely grabbed up-
I mean, G&L build in a one-off?? They just don't do that to my knowledge- I've seen EB/MM post a good number of basses with special finish/features for "rockstars", prominent players, etc as well as the Casey Ball auctions, but have not heard of G&L doing this, at least not on the bass end- Which of course is all that really matters...

Maybe the seller had seller's remorse- 'Cause if that was as stated-
Pretty cool.

[Ken Baker]

Read carefully. This is NOT a thread about a cool looking bass for sale. It is about STOLEN BASSES.

The basses have been built using parts stolen from the G&L factory.

In the case of that SB-2, the guy is so brazen that he used a neck from a BABP LE bass - an L-2000 to be specific. Also in the case of the SB-2, the serial number does not exist in G&L's manufacturing system.

This thread is informational only, warning you to STAY AWAY!

Ken...

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by Youngspanion

Sorry but that SB2 is smoking.

And stolen.

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by realdeal

WOW

What is the story behind that instrument??

It's stolen is the story.

There is NO NEED to be excited at all. Unless....

[realdeal]

Hey relax.
Nobody's condoning stealing basses, or buying /selling stolen basses.

I hope that was the real thing, because that looked like one incredible bass...

If it were the real thing, built by & at G&L..

SOn of a gun, that's nice.

Try a re-read, huh?



The comments were on a very distinctive looking instrument that was presented as an authentic factory G&L, in the case of the SB-2, one supposedly custom-built for Nikki Sixx.

Without your enlightenment, there would be no reason to think otherwise, so the comments were justified and appropriate.
No need for YOU to get excited.

So thanks for the public service in saving the bass community from supporting these stolen- parts instruments...

Good job.

Oh, yeah-

Unless WHAT?

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by realdeal

Hey relax.
Nobody's condoning stealing basses, or buying /selling stolen basses.

The excitement was noticeable.

Try a re-read, huh?

I did, actually. Hence my post. I was trying to defuze a potential feeding frenzy. I'm sure you understand how things can take off in a place like this.

The comments were on a very distinctive looking instrument that was presented as an authentic factory G&L, in the case of the SB-2, one supposedly custom-built for Nikki Sixx.

Were they cool looking basses? Yup - cool as Hell. Particularly the SB-2 with the BABP neck, with all the legit ones accounted for and living on L-2000's. Lot's of people might take notice of the Nikki Sixx reference, but he's not a G&L endorser (Gibson, perhaps?), so I doubt that the name would be lent to the instrument line.

Without your enlightenment, there would be no reason to think otherwise, so the comments were justified and appropriate.
No need for YOU to get excited.

My enlightenment, as much as it might be, was in my OP.

Oh, yeah-

Unless WHAT?

Unless you were actually going to try to get the bass. I suppose that is possible and I could see how someone might get a little wound up about that. If that actually is the case, we'd sure like to get some contact info on the seller. We know he's in Anaheim from the SB-2 auction, but that's about it.

Ken...

[realdeal]

Again, I think my "excitement" and youngspanions term of the bass being "smokin'" were based on the obviously incorrect assumption that the bass was as described in the post.

A one-off built at G&L for Nikki Sixx.

I'm not even close to being a Nikki Sixx fan; my tastes run more to the Eddie Gomez, Reginal Veal, Cecil McBee, Chuck Rainey, etc etc approach to the bass, but I did think the body shape with binding et al was pretty cool-

Especially if for real, 'cause I never heard of G&L doing this for a player.
EB/MM, yeah, at the drop of a hat so it seems, but not G&L.
They kinda take it easy and build a static line of bass guitars that's it.

Maybe that shoulda been enough to alert the consumer that this was a fraud.

SO the E-Bay seller took a BABP neck, etc, and also franken-bassed an L2K?? Then removed them before the jig was up??

Well, what can I say, what an Idiot.

Nobody trying to condone bogus basses and selling practices as far as I can tell, and if the bass don't fit, then we must acquit.....

[Youngspanion]

Yes Ken this is a post about a stolen bass. The integrity of the G&L name and the BABP logo is being compromised in a very deliberate way.

Smoking or not, This seller is to be cast in the light of criminal.

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by realdeal

A one-off built at G&L for Nikki Sixx.

Kind of goofy, huh? Not only is Mr. Sixx not a G&L endorser, but G&L doesn't do one-off instruments. Maybe little spiffed up things for extra special players, but not a whole new instrument from the ground up.

Especially if for real, 'cause I never heard of G&L doing this for a player. EB/MM, yeah, at the drop of a hat so it seems, but not G&L. They kinda take it easy and build a static line of bass guitars that's it.

Yup - Sterling goes to great lengths to feed his endorsers.

Maybe that shoulda been enough to alert the consumer that this was a fraud.

And therein lies the rub. Joe Consumer hawking eBay would have no clue unless he/she knew where to look, and even then would be lucky to find this sort of info. If he thought it was legit and tried to have warranty work done, he'd be justifiably upset. The L-2000 is sold, so it is now a moot point. The SB-2 may or may not have sold.

SO the E-Bay seller took a BABP neck, etc, and also franken-bassed an L2K?? Then removed them before the jig was up??

It is surmised that the parts were stolen over time and the instruments were actually assembled offsite. So far, we only know of two basses. It is likely that there are parts in someone's house just waiting to be built.

Ken...

[flash99]

There was a guitar as well - the electronics were from a limited edition Comanche VI but it was in a color they didn't do it in and it had the wrong neck specs. Different seller but a parts guitar.

[Ken Baker]

Originally Posted by flash99

There was a guitar as well - the electronics were from a limited edition Comanche VI but it was in a color they didn't do it in and it had the wrong neck specs. Different seller but a parts guitar.

Is Dave aware of this one?

I've seen a couple G&Ls pop up on CL here locally with the seller in Los Alamitos. An ASAT bass and a Comanche. Neither were advertised as new and the ads looked legit. Still makes me wonder.

Ken...

[flash99]

I didn't talk to Dave directly but G&L is aware of it.