Controversial Opinion: Gibson Basses Questionable Design Choices

[peteygrizz]

So I was thinking about why Gibson Basses are so rarely used and why I have never felt a connection to any Gibson bass I have ever played and it hit me:

Gibson's approach to basses is to simply make a larger guitar. There is no consideration of it being its own instrument with its own needs. They simply make a larger version of their guitars, take two strings off, and call it a bass.

Now I understand there are many guys who like their Thunderbirds, and I'm not trying to poopie in anyone's cereal, I'm just pointing out that while Fender designed the P and Jazz basses from the ground up as unique instruments, Gibson simply made a Les Paul bass, an SG bass, a Firebird bass... Why couldn't they have a designer work with some working bassists and design a bass that wasn't just an upscaled guitar. They build some of the finest guitars ever made, why can't they make great basses as well?

 

[Craig4003]

This is like saying a double bass is lame because it's just an upscaled violin. Why didn't they design a completely different instrument? Maybe because there was no need to.

Anyway, your sense of history is somewhat limited. The original EB bass in the '50s was not a bass version of an existing Gibson guitar. Nor were the Grabber/Ripper/Victory models of the '70s, nor the new EB model (completely unrelated to the original) that they made in recent years.

I feel like I'm responding to a troll post, but what the heck...

 

[Camaro69]

:deadhorseemoji:

 

[bolophonic]

Posting in a troll thread.

 

[peteygrizz]

I'm not intending to troll or upset anyone. First of all the example of an upright bass and violin is invalid since they are members of the same musical family. The electric bass, while having elements in common with a guitar, wasn't originally designed as a deep version of a guitar, but an easier to amplify version of the upright bass. This distinct purpose separates it from the guitar somewhat.

Furthermore I believe you're referencing the new Double Cut Tribute bass. However this bass is a double cut Les Paul Junior, so it is still just an upscaled guitar.

I am not aware of every single bass design Gibson released, although the seventies era, including their guitars, largely seemed to be a time of throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks.

I apologize for the title of the thread, I really don't mean to insult anyone who uses Gibson, my original title was going to be "Why do they suck" but I tried to rephrase to a less abrasive format.

I simply don't understand why they haven't tried some actual different bass designs considering their basses don't have a very large portion of the market that they could potentially have. It seems to me that their basses are more collectors' wall hangers than actual instruments that are widely used. Maybe I'm wrong, which is why I attempted to start a discussion on the topic. I have no problem being wrong, as long as I learn something in the process.

I can count on one hand the professional bassists who are linked to Gibson Basses and nearly all are Tbird players. That is what sparked my interest. That and checking out a Les Paul bass that was forbsale in my area and coming to the conclusion that it is not my style. The seller purchased it new from Gibson and hated it immediately and has been trying to sell it for several months at a fair price and nobody seems interested.

 

[Naviiin]

Eb4 though, the old and the newer one. When they try something else than 'oversized guitar', people call them ugly and don't buy em. Can't blame Gibson for discontinuing basses like the Ripper and grabbing that traditionalist cash.

 

[sleddogn]

my EB-11 one of the best basses i've ever played...

 

[Nohrellas]

This is like saying a double bass is lame because it's just an upscaled violin. Why didn't they design a completely different instrument? Maybe because there was no need to.

That's funny because even the most violin shaped upright basses are very different from a typical violin shape, not to mention other body shapes, the fact that it's a mixture of design features from both the gamba and the violin family, it's tuned differently, it has machine heads, etc.
The upright bass is a very poor example in that case because they did design a new instrument instead of just making the violin larger.

 

[SteveCS]

I think even a blind man would see the pumped-up Stratocaster in the Mk2 Precision, or the pumped-up Jazzmaster in the Jazz Bass.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Ooooh... So edgy...

 

[BassmanM]

I'm not into Gibson basses much, but I really dig basses modelled after guitars.

 

[mdogs]

So I was thinking about why Gibson Basses are so rarely used and why I have never felt a connection to any Gibson bass I have ever played and it hit me:

Gibson's approach to basses is to simply make a larger guitar. There is no consideration of it being its own instrument with its own needs. They simply make a larger version of their guitars, take two strings off, and call it a bass.

Now I understand there are many guys who like their Thunderbirds, and I'm not trying to poopie in anyone's cereal, I'm just pointing out that while Fender designed the P and Jazz basses from the ground up as unique instruments, Gibson simply made a Les Paul bass, an SG bass, a Firebird bass... Why couldn't they have a designer work with some working bassists and design a bass that wasn't just an upscaled guitar. They build some of the finest guitars ever made, why can't they make great basses as well?

Not to feed an obvious troll, but you really need to get your facts straight.

 

[oldfclefer]

I've owned an EB-0 and a Thunderbird. Great basses, but I let them go. I still have this Q80 for those big hair days

 

[Bisounourse]

This is like saying a double bass is lame because it's just an upscaled violin. Why didn't they design a completely different instrument? Maybe because there was no need to.

The design of a DB lies somewhere between a violone (violin family) and a viol (viol family); its design is more that of a viol, the inners are more that of a violone. So there was some designing done.

 

[primusfan1989]

I'm just pointing out that while Fender designed the P and Jazz basses from the ground up as unique instruments

Well thats not really true at all, you could make the argument that the P bass in many ways was a large Telecaster(similar neck, pickup, and bridge design) and the Jazz bass is IMO almost completely a large Jazzmaster. To say any of the fender bass designs were "from the ground up" is not accurate

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Personally I love some of Gibson's basses. Most of their classics aren't anywhere near as versatile as Fenders but for the right song/genre they ROCK. I love old mudbucker EBs. In the right song they can be pure gold. T-birds aren't quite my thing but I still own two and like them for the occasional recording when it's right for the song. Rippers... that's the ONE classic Gibson I've never managed to find a 100% original in good shape. I absolutely love how they sound and it's my holy grail. I get instant GAS just thinking about them! And my favourite Gibson bass of all times, my 2018 SG bass. I didn't expect to like it at all but I was actually shocked by how versatile it is. It may LOOK like an old EB but although it has a touch of that vibe it's FAR more versatile and a really, really good instrument. Highly underrated IMO.

I think it's also worth mentioning that while Fender designed their early basses as alternatives to the upright bass the early Gibson basses where designed to emulate (sort of) the pedals on an organ, definitely not "a larger guitar". It was a completely different approach and some of that vibe can be found in many later Gibson basses too. They need to be used accordingly IMO. Don't expect a Gibson to sound or feel like a Fender or even work with the same amp settings or the same technique/style. Fenders are a bit like the Neumann U87: They always give a good, solid result but they're not necessarily the most interesting choice. A Gibson may not always work but when it does it's magic! This makes a Gibson more of a "band" bass rather than a "session player" bass IMO. In the right BAND a Gibson bass can pretty much define the band's sound.

I also get the impression that Gibson is currently moving in the right direction (jury still out though) while Fender seems to be "doing a Gibson" with shockingly poor quality control at the moment. At least that's my personal experience with the current MIA series.

 

[Bass V]

I like the topic and don't like this troll BS, where's a mod to bop some heads?

 

[MtManiac]

I'm not intending to troll or upset anyone. First of all the example of an upright bass and violin is invalid since they are members of the same musical family. The electric bass, while having elements in common with a guitar, wasn't originally designed as a deep version of a guitar, but an easier to amplify version of the upright bass. This distinct purpose separates it from the guitar somewhat.

Furthermore I believe you're referencing the new Double Cut Tribute bass. However this bass is a double cut Les Paul Junior, so it is still just an upscaled guitar.

I am not aware of every single bass design Gibson released, although the seventies era, including their guitars, largely seemed to be a time of throwing stuff at a wall and seeing what sticks.

I apologize for the title of the thread, I really don't mean to insult anyone who uses Gibson, my original title was going to be "Why do they suck" but I tried to rephrase to a less abrasive format.

I simply don't understand why they haven't tried some actual different bass designs considering their basses don't have a very large portion of the market that they could potentially have. It seems to me that their basses are more collectors' wall hangers than actual instruments that are widely used. Maybe I'm wrong, which is why I attempted to start a discussion on the topic. I have no problem being wrong, as long as I learn something in the process.

I can count on one hand the professional bassists who are linked to Gibson Basses and nearly all are Tbird players. That is what sparked my interest. That and checking out a Les Paul bass that was forbsale in my area and coming to the conclusion that it is not my style. The seller purchased it new from Gibson and hated it immediately and has been trying to sell it for several months at a fair price and nobody seems interested.

First, let me say that all of my basses are and have been Fenders or Squiers, except one Peavey that I played from 1985-2007 and a Sears Harmony that I played from 1983-1985.

I too, like you, used to dislike Gibson basses just by prejudice. Then I played a few.

Every single one of them has had a neck that just felt natural in my hand. There’s a wide variety of pickups that are available depending on the model too, but the chrome covered vintage humbuckers sound amazing. Near the neck - dark and warm. Near the bridge - also warm, but with some treble burp as you’d expect.

As far as body shapes go - check out the original Embassy and the Epiphone Embassy pro. Also, as mentioned above, the Grabber and Ripper.

I’m not offended by the body shapes matching Gibson guitar models - I’ve *always* been a big fan of the Explorer body shape (not having played one of course), I love a TBird, which is arguably much more prolific and copied for a bass shape than Firebirds are as a guitar shape, and the newer Tribute is both bad ass to play and sounds great.

I’m still not a big fan of the SG bass shape or the Les Paul as a bass shape, but I’m coming around on that too, and would love a semi-hollow body Les Paul shaped bass with dual humbuckers or the ES-335 style body shape.

Not that the Fender sounds are boring (I love my P basses!), but I did get to a point where I’d like some variety in my tones and will likely be spending money on a Gibson or Epiphone sometime this year. They don’t sound like P’s or J’s, but they definitely sound just as good and just as usable in a mix. And those necks play *so* fast.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

First, let me say that all of my basses are and have been Fenders or Squiers, except one Peavey that I played from 1985-2007 and a Sears Harmony that I played from 1983-1985.

I too, like you, used to dislike Gibson basses just by prejudice. Then I played a few.

Every single one of them has had a neck that just felt natural in my hand. There’s a wide variety of pickups that are available depending on the model too, but the chrome covered vintage humbuckers sound amazing. Near the neck - dark and warm. Near the bridge - also warm, but with some treble burp as you’d expect.

As far as body shapes go - check out the original Embassy and the Epiphone Embassy pro. Also, as mentioned above, the Grabber and Ripper.

I’m not offended by the body shapes matching Gibson guitar models - I’ve *always* been a big fan of the Explorer body shape (not having played one of course), I love a TBird, which is arguably much more prolific and copied for a bass shape than Firebirds are as a guitar shape, and the newer Tribute is both bad ass to play and sounds great.

I’m still not a big fan of the SG bass shape or the Les Paul as a bass shape, but I’m coming around on that too, and would love a semi-hollow body Les Paul shaped bass with dual humbuckers or the ES-335 style body shape.

Not that the Fender sounds are boring (I love my P basses!), but I did get to a point where I’d like some variety in my tones and will likely be spending money on a Gibson or Epiphone sometime this year. They don’t sound like P’s or J’s, but they definitely sound just as good and just as usable in a mix. And those necks play *so* fast.

I've never played an original Embassy but the Epi Embassy Pro is a really cool instrument and amazingly cheap. The pickups in that thing are INSANE! Too bad they messed up an entire batch by installing the bridge in the wrong spot, making it impossible to intonate. But if you find a good one they're amazing basses with tons of character.

 

[two fingers]

I have rarely played a Gibson bass I liked. But your premise simply isn't true. Some of their basses are/were the Grabber, Ripper, Victory (Standard with one pickup and Artist with two), and more recently the two versions of modern EB.

Also, how about the Telecaster bass? Then there's this. Stratocaster bass anyone?