It looks like an SG bass, but the pickguard is wrong and it has a string-through bridge. Knock-off? Real deal?
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Can anyone identify this Gibson bass?
- Thread starter Rob MacGuffie
- Start date
Too many mods. Not sure it's actually a Gibson.
I think it's a late 60's Gibson that's extremely modded. Headstock looks right, horns look right, Bridge pup added. Controls in right place, obviously repainted. The only thing that gives me pause is the smooth transition from the neck to body but they could have sanded/sculpted it that way when they painted it.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,059
- 38,423
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
Much modded 60s EB0. Looks like a Fender wide range in the neck position, mini bucker in the center , if those are vintage pickups they are worth at least $300 apiece. Hipshot bridge with added string through body. Sculpted heal. Kind of intriguing. For $499 I'd hit it.
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Yeah, the price is right, and I've always wanted a frankenbass. I think I'll bite.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,059
- 38,423
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
I was thinking Fender but did they ever have mounting screws like that? Also, all the one's I've seen have "Fender" scrolled on them.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,059
- 38,423
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
Correct it should say Fender that's why I said "if they are vintage"
The neck pickup *could* be the one from EB-4L.
I agree that this is most likely a heavily modded late '60s EB-0.
Seems like a fun project for $499. Good luck.
I agree that this is most likely a heavily modded late '60s EB-0.
Seems like a fun project for $499. Good luck.
I think this bass looks rough and has had a hard life.
What scares me the most are the through-body holes for the strings! I'm not a Gibson bass expert, but I don't recall them ever doing this.
What scares me the most are the through-body holes for the strings! I'm not a Gibson bass expert, but I don't recall them ever doing this.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,059
- 38,423
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
Yes of course ! Quite possibly a EB4 pickup. Still it looks a little off. Maybe it's from a Electra MPC Outlaw bass, they had a similar looking neck pickup.
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Ooh, that does look like possible trouble. Hard to tell from the pic, though.
It looks like the crack is coming from a tuner screw that they didn't pre drill for.
Also look around that tuner in the area of the crack. There is a round outline, as if those big tuners are trying to cover up some additional horror show of a previous mod attempt. Also the high tuners are not aligned. more messy mod coverups???
When someone doesn't know to pre drill holes in hardwood, or can't even align the tuners, who knows what else they did wrong? or what else the paint job is covering up?
Everything else about the bass looks super cool to me, but the back of that headstock, and the messy lazy choices that may have already caused serious damage scare me.
Also the pictures include a display case with equipment, and walls with guitar hangers.
So this is an instrument shop or a pawn shop. Certainly this seller would know if it were worth more than $500
Also look around that tuner in the area of the crack. There is a round outline, as if those big tuners are trying to cover up some additional horror show of a previous mod attempt. Also the high tuners are not aligned. more messy mod coverups???
When someone doesn't know to pre drill holes in hardwood, or can't even align the tuners, who knows what else they did wrong? or what else the paint job is covering up?
Everything else about the bass looks super cool to me, but the back of that headstock, and the messy lazy choices that may have already caused serious damage scare me.
Also the pictures include a display case with equipment, and walls with guitar hangers.
So this is an instrument shop or a pawn shop. Certainly this seller would know if it were worth more than $500
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I thought I was looking at a crack there, that certainly could be a problem, before that I was going to say as most have modded EB0 re-painted and you know the rest, I was going to say everything else looks right for a 60's Gibson and that price was a no brainer now I have my doubts... you can of course glue the neck, but you would have to be careful putting it under tension to get the crack filled.
The string-thu is definitly aftermarket. Now that I see a cracked headstock, I can positivily identify it as a real Gibson! 
