37 year old bass, dusted off

[Nuage420]

I've been looking into getting a 1985 birth year bass and had decided on a Rickenbacker. This complicates my choices.

 

[JRA]

sounds good @ahbradot --- congrats for even having the ax for so long! it looks like a 'loyal companion'.

 

[ahbradot]

sounds good @ahbradot --- congrats for even having the ax for so long! it looks like a 'loyal companion'.

Here is what the Gibson Explorer looked like when I first bought it new in 1985. I had it painted all black in the 1990s so it didn't look too dated like the 80s anymore;

 

[Nuage420]

Here is what the Gibson Explorer looked like when I first bought it new in 1985. I had it painted all black in the 1990s so it didn't look too dated like the 80s anymore;View attachment 4576463

OMG!!! THAT'S SICK!!!

 

[ahbradot]

I've been looking into getting a 1985 birth year bass and had decided on a Rickenbacker. This complicates my choices.

My first real bass was a new 1978 Rickenbacker 4001. It complemented my broken leg LOL:

 

[mrjim123]

Cool! Can't believe the strings still sound that fresh.

My first two basses were Gibsons - and EB-something (short scale - can't remember, maybe an EB-O?, I'm 70) and then a Ripper. I resisted the Fender bandwagon until only a few years ago.

Make a statement on your next gig and show up in the bathrobe. They'll peg you as a mad genius. Oh, nice playing!

 

[el jeffe bass]

Bonus points for filming in your robe

Yes, thank you for wearing a robe.

 

[SleepyShark]

Not a huge Gibson guy, but the story behind this and the mojo make it kick ass!

 

[ahbradot]

Cool! Can't believe the strings still sound that fresh.

My first two basses were Gibsons - and EB-something (short scale - can't remember, maybe an EB-O?, I'm 70) and then a Ripper. I resisted the Fender bandwagon until only a few years ago.

Make a statement on your next gig and show up in the bathrobe. They'll peg you as a mad genius. Oh, nice playing!

I think the reason why the strings still sounded good was because I put them on probably towards one of my last gigs back in the 90s and then I literally never touched that Gibson Explorer again until today.
Strangely enough I also avoided Fender Basses until I joined talkbass couple years ago.

 

[oranje]

Killer! And about the same vintage as that Lance Collin's Wave Tools in the backgroud!

 

[Yaralag]

Very cool. I can honestly say that no unplayed instrument would ever have made it that long in my house. Congrats to you and your discipline.

 

[ahbradot]

Killer! And about the same vintage as that Lance Collin's Wave Tools in the backgroud!

Exactly! Thank you!

 

[Element Zero]

Hella tight

 

[TK1820]

I'll give you $75. Right now.

 

[DRBP]

Here is what the Gibson Explorer looked like when I first bought it new in 1985. I had it painted all black in the 1990s so it didn't look too dated like the 80s anymore;View attachment 4576463

and rockin' the peavey 1810BW no less! neat bass, great story, thanks!

 

[TK1820]

For the bass, I mean.

 

[ahbradot]

and rockin' the peavey 1810BW no less! neat bass, great story, thanks!

Yes it was very awesome! I had two of those peavey 1810BW cabinets and two Peavey CS 400 power amps and a Trace Elliot head running bi-amp crossover to those four 10 inch speakers and the two 18 inch speakers.

 

[Camaro69]

Sounds great!

Is that robe available as a signature series? Asking for a friend

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I had a 1982 identical to it & foolishly traded it off. I think Gibson tried harder on the Explorer than most any other bass they made in the same era. It had good tuners, excellent bridge, & better than average pickups. The 32" scale was also very playable. I have a '92 Thunderbird now that's not half the bass as the Explorer I had.

 

[perfektspace6]

Sounds great! I like that you said you woke up and decided to play and your robe suggests you DID just wake up and decide to play it.