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Are gibson basses really that trendy?

#82
The main issuse of Gibson basses is the lack of upper horn. In a guitar where the body is quite big compared to the neck, it's not a big issue (except some SGs), but in a bass a lack of upper horn can totally screw up the balance.

If they could at least put a small horn above the 15th fret and make a compact 2x2 headstock with lightweight turners...
 
#84
Read through the whole thread, and still chuckling about the "cult of the old and crappy" line. Good one!

Nothing wrong with Gibson basses. I've owned a few. But they're just not a shoe-in to fill the sonic space that Fender carved out of fifty years of modern music.

Have no idea how to answer the "trendy?" query, though. Huh?
 
#86
Yeah, they're trendy. It doesn't mean they're not a good bass. The Thunderbird is a great sounding bass, it's sonic resonance characteristics are unique, they can sound huge. They're a bitch though in almost every other way. Some people like the sound so much they don't mind the weight, neck problems, and the dive bombing. Some people buy them because they want to be cool.
 
#91
Human Bass said:
The main issuse of Gibson basses is the lack of upper horn.
Click to expand...

Some Gibson basses have an upper horn.

Here is one:

image-16.jpg


Note the upper horn goes to the 12th fret just like a Fender? The Victory is another gibson with an upper horn. There are several others.

The '87 Gibson IV in the picture is lightweight, well balanced, and sounds like a Thunderbird. It has yellowed quite a bit since that picture was taken.
 
#93
JoshuaTSP said:
I've been waiting for a Victory Custom to pop up for the right price lately.....:o
Plus, I've got mega GAS for a Ripper in anything but natural. :love:

So trendy means, a whole bunch of people in a couple specific genres are snapping up Gibson basses (or just RDs and grabbers?) and playing them at the amatuer to semi-pro level?
I can't really think of any bass players in decent bands that play Gibson basses.....minus that guy from the Young Widows, Gene Simmons (not sure if he does anymore), and the guy from the Band in the Last Waltz.........but I think the last two don't count. Gene may have contributed a lot of the Gibson bass love today. :)

Are all genres self regulating when it comes to image (look, stage presence, instruments, etc....)?
As in, a certain style starts to appear from an amalgamation of similar influences, within a scene?
Click to expand...

There are tons of bands that used thunderbird basses. The Who, Allman Bros, The Cure, System of a Down, Bob Weir's bass player. The Thunderbird is a sonically unique bass and sounds huge. I have all kinds of basses and acquired an Epi Thunderbird from a huge lot of musical stuff I bought. I'm not a big fan of the way they look, and I don't play hard rock or metal. I liked the sound so much I bought a Japanese elitist Thunderbird. They are my main basses.
 
#94
I like Fenders and I like Gibsons. I don't like anything I have to put a battery in, not anymore anyway. The reason why Thunderbird's aren't as popular as Fenders is because they're expensive, chunky, to many people they're ugly, not to mention neck diving, and heavy. It in no way has anything to do with the sound of a Thunderbird and those who say they are thin sounding, trebly, and only good for rock and metal have never really played a Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is a huge sounding bass with great sustain. I play Jaco style funk to jazz and reggae using a Thunderbird. I play in an Alternative country/rockabilly band and the Thunderbird with the treble almost all the way off is the one of the best basses for that style, it mimics the sound of an upright better than any I've tried due to it's sonic characteristics. I get compliments constantly on my sound from other bass players. I played a show a couple weeks ago and the sound man who is a bassist said "Dude you're bass sounds fantastic, it's huge"
 
#96
Had an EB-3 for several years(its the one in my avatar)-had a lot of fun with it, but always thought of it as a 'rock' bass. Got a P-bass and never looked back- I think the longer scale, the brighter, richer sound, and the general comfort of playing the instrument made it a better choice for me.
 
#97
madurolover said:
Gibson is trendy for a guitar, Fender is the trendy bass. Of course most of us buck the trend. Nikki Sixx of Motley plays a Gibson Thunderbird. Yet he says they suck unless he modifies it. He has his signiture Thunderbird that fits his liking. (that would be the new ones)
Click to expand...

Nikki Sixx isn't famous for being a bass player. He's famous for being in Motley crew. He plays guitar on bass.
 
#100
Shrug.. I rock the buggery out of my Les paul bass.. tone is far from clanky, fat and thumpy more like it.. definitely not a heavy bass either seeing it has a chambered body.. I gig it and aside from some defective pickups have not had an ounce of issue with it.. love it, feels like a nice solid chunk o' wood in your hands.

As for trendy.. meh, I got it cos it was cheap, brand new for the price of a HWY 1 Fender.. and it came with a hardcase.
 

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