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'82 Washburn SB-40 EQ Bass

U

Uber Soldat

Apr 16, 2008
5
6
South Africa
#1
New here.

Some pics of my 1982 Washburn SB-40 EQ bass. I have had it for about 9 years now. When i first bought it i knew absolutely nothing about it. Searching on the net at that time yielded no results. 9 years later i thought i might as well try find a little more info about it and to my surprise (from what some people tell me) it is quite rare. :confused:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Was hoping that some of you might have some more info on this particular bass. :)
 
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#3
Bakhithi Khumalo the bass player from Paul Simon's album 'Graceland' plays this same model except that its a fretless, without fretmarkers. Its the same bass you hear on all the tracks he did on the 'Graceland' album, which includes 'You can call me Al'. There is also a live video from this period which shows him playing this bass. Not sure whether you can still get a copy of it....on DVD?
 
#4
checkeverything said:
Bakhithi Khumalo the bass player from Paul Simon's album 'Graceland' plays this same model except that its a fretless, without fretmarkers. Its the same bass you hear on all the tracks he did on the 'Graceland' album, which includes 'You can call me Al'. There is also a live video from this period which shows him playing this bass. Not sure whether you can still get a copy of it....on DVD?
Click to expand...

+1

I was just about to point that out!

Although Bakithi's bass is in sunburst. And yeah, you can get the Graceland concert on DVD (I have it). His tone on Graceland was just amazing. Best fretless tone ever imo, and the second best record ever (after Rush's "Hold Your Fire").
 
#5
Chris2112 said:
+1

I was just about to point that out!

Although Bakithi's bass is in sunburst. And yeah, you can get the Graceland concert on DVD (I have it). His tone on Graceland was just amazing. Best fretless tone ever imo, and the second best record ever (after Rush's "Hold Your Fire").
Click to expand...
yes, what a sound! I remember hearing it and thinking that it was some bass sarod...singin! And it was a diffferent sound from Jaco's ...refreshing. Must have been attributed to the position of that extreme back Jazz pickup. Don't think he plays them anymore- think he uses Warwicks now.
 
#6
checkeverything said:
yes, what a sound! I remember hearing it and thinking that it was some bass sarod...singin! And it was a diffferent sound from Jaco's ...refreshing. Must have been attributed to the position of that extreme back Jazz pickup. Don't think he plays them anymore- think he uses Warwicks now.
Click to expand...

Well, Jaco was a big influence on him, he named a track on one of his solo albums after him IIRC! But he definitely had his own sound coming from the whole mqabanga style.

But yeah, he doesn't play the Washburn these days. I've seen him with Lakland basses and I know there was a guy on here who had a Lakland fretless 5 string that used to be his. I don't think he plays Warwicks, he has been playing a custom 6 string fretted of some sorts for a good few years now, among other things, but I don't recall there being a Warwick.
 
#7
Having owned quite a few Electra's over the years, I must say the Mat Factory P pups are awesome. I have one in an Aria P bass right now that I would NEVER part with. I have a second one that I'm considering installing in a Peavey Fury. I also have a double P Pup Electra that I'm refinishing. It has two of the pickups, plus the 18v preamp. The thing is a tone monster. I'm suprised more pros don't seek them out.
 
#10
Uber Soldat said:
New here.

Some pics of my 1982 Washburn SB-40 EQ bass. I have had it for about 9 years now. When i first bought it i knew absolutely nothing about it. Searching on the net at that time yielded no results. 9 years later i thought i might as well try find a little more info about it and to my surprise (from what some people tell me) it is quite rare. :confused:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Was hoping that some of you might have some more info on this particular bass. :)
Click to expand...

Welcome, UberSoldat! Go join the Washburn Club in the basses forum!! Whats the serial number on that beauty? Did you get any original paperwork with that when you found it?
 
#11
lebowski11 said:
I have an original 1981 SB40eq I had to change the pick ups from DiMarzio to EMG IN ORDER TO gig but the bass gigged well. What is it worth?
Click to expand...

Another SB'er!! Great. Whats the serial number on yours? Any original documents that came with it? Are you already in the Washburn Club? ANYONE with an SB just HAS to join us!!!!
As to value, way too many people just do not appreciate an early '80's Washburn so I have seen prices from roughly $350 to $650 depending on condition.
 
#12
checkeverything said:
Bakhithi Khumalo the bass player from Paul Simon's album 'Graceland' plays this same model except that its a fretless, without fretmarkers. Its the same bass you hear on all the tracks he did on the 'Graceland' album, which includes 'You can call me Al'. There is also a live video from this period which shows him playing this bass. Not sure whether you can still get a copy of it....on DVD?
Click to expand...

What is really odd about Bakhithi's fretless Washburn is that it has the B-40 electronics package and actually IS a B-40. Yet I have seen two now that actually have an SB-40 truss rod cover on them. B-40's appear to have come out in 1979. The SB-40 was initially produced in 1979 for release as a new 1980 model. I bought mine (SB-40) as soon as it hit the store in late 1979. SB's ALWAYS come with 3 knobs/1 toggle/1 mini-switch. B-40's came out with 4 knobs and 1 toggle. B-40's electronics were dropped for the B-40 by 1982 and replaced with the SB's electronic package of 3/1/1 and then renamed the B-40EQ.
Once again, Washburn made a mystery for everyone by putting an SB truss rod cover on a B-40. The question that will probably be unanswered forever is: WHY?
 
#13
hello! i also have an sb40 eq. I believe mine is an 81 tho.

some differences -

i cannot tell, is that a missing cap for a knob ..or is it another toggle selector?

my sb40 eq has 4 knobs and 1 selector toggle

the brass nuts are a cool feature, also the string thru body bridge and neck thru bridge.

one more question! :)
the pole pieces on my p pups have almost a hallowed center, where the jazz ones have a full flat pole. I am thinking these may be after market p pups? does yours have these?

great bass!!
 
#15
i am sorry, but what does OEM stand for? I have heard of dimarzio pickups before.

but after looking at some other pictures of these basses, i notice the same thing in each one.

also another guy describing a similiar problem with them, where the P pups have a way higher output than the Js.

that being the case, do you think it'd be worth possibly upgrading the bridge J pickup? or leaving this old beauty as she is
 
#16
It means Dimarzio had a manufacturing deal with the Japanese, and supplied them with U.S. standard stock(usually) pickups. I crack up laughing every time I hear about somebody switching out the stock MIJ Ibanez pickups for "real" Dimarzio's.
 
#18
yeah i'd never change out the p pups, they sound fantastic. more often than not, i will have it only on the P setting. but for different songs, the J sounds nice..but it just looses its girth...

which made me wonder in the first place if there was a mis match with pickups, and if i should think about replacing the J BRIDGE pickup, not the P

recently ive just been dialing down the J pickup volume when i have the toggle on middle, but as soon as it gets below 7-8 ... , to me, it sounds like the P has already dominated the mix
 

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