Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build

[THand]

Originally Posted by Blazer

Also because during the first three years they were broke as **** I really doubt that Gene used Ampegs. The pictures of his days in Wicked Lester and indeed the studio picture show him using Sunn SOLID STATE amps, because that was probably the only thing he could afford.

Actually "Gene" was never a broke a**...the Band was, Ace and Peter were...Paul was doing ok...but Gene had money. Not by today's standards, but comparing him to other musicians and bands. He had a decent job, and saved money every way he could...including not eating out, not partying, and not having his own place. He also was buying and re-selling comics for profit way before anyone even thought of that.

In his book, Gene said he originally bought used 100 watt tube Marshall amps, and he would make money by renting them to other bands. Gene and Paul were introduced because Gene had better gear than most people at the time, and because Paul wrote his own songs too. Since then, he has owned pretty much everything, and came to the decision that he didn't really care...He would make what ever his tech wanted to use work.

The last I heard, he had gone Geddy, and was just using a Sansamp. But he's been on the road along time, and you can find someone to argue different setups...but that is because he has used different amp setups for different tours...including no amp. I read an interview once where he said he had a building full of amps, and he didn't really care which amps the tech pulled out to tour with..it didn't matter at all to him.

[THand]

Originally Posted by Blazer

Hey you guys, check this out: Cort is releasing a Relic version of the Punisher.


Which is actually based on Gene's old Spector basses.

That's pretty cool! Nice combination of the Spector and the Punisher.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Blazer

Okay I've looked at the studio picture again, and I was wrong: the Sunn he's using there is not a solid state head.

Well this amp would explain it. Listen to Felix Pappalardi. That's the head he used. Sunns were very popular at the time.

The solid state Sunns didn't break up, but they did have a distortion control.

Also, Jack's tone is mostly from the neck pickup. Originally he had an EB-1, which didn't have a bridge pickup.

As an unrelated side note, I met Ace when I was 15. He lived across the street from my aunt in the Bronx NY, and my cousin Tommy was friends with him. My cousin, who played in David Peel's band (Evil), was bringing me around to meet his musician friends.

[bassgod76]

Gene is also set to release a lucite body Punisher.

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Blazer

Wait a minute, Gibson offered the EB-3 (And the EB-0 too) with the option of a built in Fuzz. Gene's sound from the Lobue was very thick and buzzy and he doesn't use pedals. (I mean, with those heels?)

So that Mysterious third knob, could it be that that LoBue has a Built-in fuzz unit?

Look at the back of the bass in the far right picture: that backplate looks way bigger than needed if it just houses a Volume and tone controls.

I think I figured it out, the reason why it has three knobs and why the lower two are so close together. It has a built in fuzz unit with the two knobs being for gain and range.

That HAS to be it!

I've read somewhere that the third knob was for series/parallel switch?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Gene is also set to release a lucite body Punisher.

Oh I'm buying that!

Probably no chance of a 5 string.

[EpiRipper]

Originally Posted by THand

I wasn't gong to mention that..but how do we KNOW this is THE Kiss album session?

Gene and Paul did do studio work too, ya know?

I believe it came from the same source as this pic. That's Ace playing an Ovation electric and Peter in the background.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Gene is also set to release a lucite body Punisher.

And a Chrome version of the Axe. Now THAT one looks cool.

[THand]

Originally Posted by EpiRipper

I believe it came from the same source as this pic. That's Ace playing an Ovation electric and Peter in the background.

That's a good pic...I'm trying to attach 2 pics from 1973, notice Ace is wearing that same shirt in one, and playing the Ovation in the other...

Based on Ace, who is easier to date at this time, I'm gonna concede and say that I agree that it is more likely than not that those pics are from the recording of KISS...or no later than Hotter Than Hell, anyway.

[THand]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

I've read somewhere that the third knob was for series/parallel switch?

I read that too

[THand]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

And a Chrome version of the Axe. Now THAT one looks cool.

Agreed...I like the Spunisher better, but that Chrome Axe is awesome.

[bassgod76]

Clear?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Clear?

The clear one reminds me of this guitar I made in 1980:

[bassgod76]

I called EMG today. The EXB and EXB tone knobs are the same. The guitar (EXG) is split shaft. The bass (EXB) is solid shaft. One less thing to mod to fit! A generous TB'er had also sent me his Artek pickup for me to decapitate! Rock and roll!

[bassgod76]

Getting back on track here. A super cool TB'er has taken on the task of helping me CAD the LoBue with it being scaled shorter.
This may help with the narrowness of the original scan. He also sent it to me in several formats that make scaling and printing a tad easier. Emailing it to the printer now.
This is the initial "rough" sketch"


Below is the pdf version of what I'm submitting to the printer.

[bassgod76]

Well, I think I found my template! This one is shorter, and has more rounded horns. I'm so glad I'm done with this part. The template also includes the pocket walls, so my neck will fit snugly in place. The pocket is so pronounced that doing this as set neck is a real possibility.

[Growly Lytes]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

Oh I'm buying that!

Probably no chance of a 5 string.

My God,
Gene is going all out with Cort.
AXE Bass
Punisher Bass
AXE Guitar
Spector Bass
Lucite Punisher.
Im guessing it wont be long till the Lobue comes out via Cort.
This is all good to me.
Il buy every one they release.
The Cort Punisher isnt top notch quality but it aint that bad either.Swapping the hardware will give it a better sound.Cort wrote to me & said that if i was to change out the pickups to EMG same as Genes the Cort would sound very close to the real Punisher & it would be hard to pick blind folded which is the more expensive one.

[Growly Lytes]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

Clear?

Watch Out for these !
2013 i hope.

[Ironfingers]

I'm glad I could help. It was a fun project and something that was on my list already believe it or not. I'm really looking forward to seeing the build!

I intentionally drew the neck pocket wall a tad thicker than what I think the original was specifically so you could do a set neck if you wanted to. The original was, and I think you would be better off doing so. In some pics it looks really thin and others it looks about where it's drawn. Between the multiple light sources and the blurry, grainy, 40 year old pictures it's hard to tell anything sometimes.

[bassgod76]

I hope to be cutting a body by tomorrow or some time this week