Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build

[Splods]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

You can have my pine body. I wont need it after I'm done

I don't think the shipping to Australia is worth it! :P

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

Care to reveal some details on that .

I bought 2 Gotohs for the parts a few years back and swapped one for a broken Epi about a year ago, so I'd like to hear some experienced observations and pointers if You'd be so kind.

Sure, briefly ... he didn't want the full on mudbucker tone. He wants something with more top end and grind. So I'm rewinding the pickup with far less wire to get a brighter tone. Mudbuckers are sidewinders, which are a type of humbucker that sounds like a single coil. Only they are wound with a ton of wire to give them a very dark tone. I have a line of Sidewinders as well which sound bright like single coils.

I'm also wiring it up with 4-conductor cable so it can be switched from series to parallel, via a 2 position rotary switch, which will be that third knob.

The Epiphone mudbuckers are unusual because they are wound with heavy 24 gauge wire. So they are actually low impedance, coming in at about 1.5k. So I sometimes get those to rewind to more standard pickup specs of around 7k. That will give more mids, as the stock pickups have lots of lows and highs, but little guts in the mids.

[T-Bird]

Hi.

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

The Epiphone mudbuckers are unusual because they are wound with heavy 24 gauge wire. So they are actually low impedance, coming in at about 1.5k. So I sometimes get those to rewind to more standard pickup specs of around 7k. That will give more mids, as the stock pickups have lots of lows and highs, but little guts in the mids.

Thank You for the tips.

The Gothohs were actually even less as far as the DCR goes but pretty solidly made with a decent chrome cover, so IMHO very good candidates for re-winding exercises.

Have You found any real-world difference between 42ga and 43ga on the sidewinder design?

I have a spool of both gauges coming, and probably will wound one with each, but again, any experience is very much appreciated.

And OP, apologies for the slight thread hi-jack.

Regards
Sam

[bassgod76]

It's cool. This thread had gone in so many directions!

[Ironfingers]

Template looks good man!

Yep you can use pine. It's got quite the following in the Telecaster world. Google Pinecaster. Leo used pine for some of the first Broadcasters.

I've got a pine body sitting in the shop that the neck pocket went bad on that I'm going to try to figure out how to salvage. Ok I went bad with the router, but hey...

[Splods]

Do a set neck.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by T-Bird

The Gothohs were actually even less as far as the DCR goes but pretty solidly made with a decent chrome cover, so IMHO very good candidates for re-winding exercises.

Really? I had a pair of them I bought for the covers, and they both read 31k. I have one here now that's 29.3k.



The real Gibson pickups varied slightly too.

Have You found any real-world difference between 42ga and 43ga on the sidewinder design?

Thinner gauge wire gives you more mids. Heavier wire gives you less mids and a more scooped tone, which is kind of what they did with the Epiphone pickup, but even using something like 40 gauge would give you less mids.

So the 43 gauge wire will have more midrange emphasis.

[Andii Syckz]

It's funny how this build post has had so many different questions and went off topic while still remaining KISS. I've seen other builds in which it was done by the time they got to 17-18 pages, or less depending on who it was and if they've posted enough pictures to show their process. I guess this LoBue build has made every kiss fan, come out and see this build and it's truly a remarkable build since we haven't seen anything like the lobue bass since gene had it. Really can't wait to see how it turns out and post a sound clip when you have the chance. it'd be cool to compare yours to the real thing. Good luck and good job so far.

[Arnie]

Originally Posted by Andii Syckz

It's funny how this build post has had so many different questions and went off topic while still remaining KISS. I've seen other builds in which it was done by the time they got to 17-18 pages, or less depending on who it was and if they've posted enough pictures to show their process. I guess this LoBue build has made every kiss fan, come out and see this build and it's truly a remarkable build since we haven't seen anything like the lobue bass since gene had it. Really can't wait to see how it turns out and post a sound clip when you have the chance. it'd be cool to compare yours to the real thing. Good luck and good job so far.

Good point Andii and now I am going to add to the diversion... Can anyone fill me in on the History of Lobue, I think I know he was a luthier in NY but I don't know much more..

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Arnie

Good point Andii and now I am going to add to the diversion... Can anyone fill me in on the History of Lobue, I think I know he was a luthier in NY but I don't know much more..

There's a website called guitar lab (I think). It has a history of LoBue on there.

This thread is pretty beefy. My Jaco tribute was a pretty long build thread too!

[EpiRipper]

Originally Posted by bassgod76

There's a website called guitar lab (I think). It has a history of LoBue on there.

And here is a link to the site http://lobueguitars.com/

[Arnie]

Originally Posted by EpiRipper

And here is a link to the site http://lobueguitars.com/

Yeah I saw the site and it is a little vague... FAQ's Q how many guitars did Lobue build?
A We really don't know...

Just doesn't seem like a wealth of information.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Arnie

Yeah I saw the site and it is a little vague... FAQ's Q how many guitars did Lobue build?
A We really don't know...

Just doesn't seem like a wealth of information.

Well you see it says:

"About This Site

The collection and posting of all of the information on this site has not been done by a professional writer. It has been done by a guitar enthusiast who loves the guitars made by Charles LoBue and his associates. We are constantly looking for additional information and new pictures to place on this site. Anyone who may have any additional information, clarifications or pictures, please send them to the author by using this email address"

So it's just a person who really had nothing to do with the original LoBue Guitar Lab, and is trying to piece together the history.

I used to play with a guitarist who had an Alex Axe back int he 70s. It was pretty cool.

[Calderone]

another replica popped out

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251235680018



The bass guitar up for auction is fashioned after the bass that gene Simmons used on early in his career with kiss right on up to the peek of their success with their alive 2 tour. The bass up for auction is not an exact replica but stays true to the tone that made such kiss Lp's as destroyer Rock and roll over and love gun kisstorical classics. Both gene's bass and this one are short scale, which gives it that good old kiss sound. The specs are as followed. Dan electronic short scale neck 24 frets adjustible trust rod at bottom of the neck just like genes with gotoh tuning pegs the neck is glued and bolted to the body which is made of alder. Emg active pick up. Fender music man bridge with cover. 45" long 1¾ thick 10½ pounds. Neck is straight. The bridge is lined up and adjustable. All in all its a sturdy bass that stays in tune plays and sounds great and looks really cool too. The paint jobs not the best but I wouldn't mess with it. I will ship the bass in a thick padded gig bag that will be boxed and enforced so it will not bend.
The pictures displayed with gene Simmons playing bass is the bass that the one up for auction is fashioned after not the one for sale.

[NOT]

Originally Posted by Calderone

another replica popped out

http://www.ebay.com/itm/251235680018



The bass guitar up for auction is fashioned after the bass that gene Simmons used on early in his career with kiss right on up to the peek of their success with their alive 2 tour. The bass up for auction is not an exact replica but stays true to the tone that made such kiss Lp's as destroyer Rock and roll over and love gun kisstorical classics. Both gene's bass and this one are short scale, which gives it that good old kiss sound. The specs are as followed. Dan electronic short scale neck 24 frets adjustible trust rod at bottom of the neck just like genes with gotoh tuning pegs the neck is glued and bolted to the body which is made of alder. Emg active pick up. Fender music man bridge with cover. 45" long 1¾ thick 10½ pounds. Neck is straight. The bridge is lined up and adjustable. All in all its a sturdy bass that stays in tune plays and sounds great and looks really cool too. The paint jobs not the best but I wouldn't mess with it. I will ship the bass in a thick padded gig bag that will be boxed and enforced so it will not bend.
The pictures displayed with gene Simmons playing bass is the bass that the one up for auction is fashioned after not the one for sale.

Not in love with the headstock, but it still looks like a killer bass. I doubt it will go for $1,200.

[bassgod76]

The headstock kills it. So glad I'm doing a mudbucker.

[THand]

Headstock is awful..missing a pot...and to me, the body looks too big. It was a good attempt though.

[Ironfingers]

Originally Posted by THand

Headstock is awful..missing a pot...and to me, the body looks too big. It was a good attempt though.

Agreed. No cigar...

Definitely NOT worth what they are asking by a long shot. I find the caveat "not aucoin" odd also...

[bassgod76]

Originally Posted by Ironfingers

Agreed. No cigar...

Definitely NOT worth what they are asking by a long shot. I find the caveat "not aucoin" odd also...

Yeah, that was weird.

[bassgod76]

Looking at the headstock today, I'm wondering if adding a headstock label is a good or bad idea.

I know the guy above took a page from the Spector handbook, by using a Gene face image.

I was thinking about using the LoBue logo
http://lobueguitars.com/bio/gene_simmons.asp

Your thoughts? BE HONEST!