Favorite Gibson bass

[BklynKen]

I'd love an SG bass if they were 34" scale. I'm not interested in short or medium scales.

 

[Mastermold]

The circuitry takes out most of the bottom (at least with mine) with the button engaged (I believe it's the series cap that does that) and takes out a lot of the mids and highs when out (I believe the choke does that), if you unhook the choke the bottom stays but you get back the mids and highs which makes the bottom less pronounced because both are taken out of the circuit, I still cut the bass on the amp though when playing it but it sounds a lot more balanced between high and low notes, I think it's more like an EB-0, those don't have chokes, the top diagram is the EB-2 and the bottom is the EB-0. Someone that reads schematics better than me can probably explain it better.


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Thanks for this. I'm not prepared to try messing with the circuits on my own but experimenting with what I can do with the amp to roll off some low end sounds like a good idea to try.

 

[Gemtone]

I was a "Fender" guy for decades. I still have 5. Since my vacation to Nashville 5 years ago included a trip to Gruen Guitars...well... I picked up a Les Paul Standard Bass.... wow. Im blown away that they are not more popular, Gibson has never really pushed their basses. The Thunderbird is a great bass too. I live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area and no other working bass player plays a LP bass. It is FAR superior in tone, sustain, and definition of pitch... A low F on my fenders is well a F. A low F on the LP bass slaps you in the face and tells you F!!!!!! The only thing it is not good at (IMHO) is slapping. Using fingers, the bridge pickup sounds very JazzBass like....

 

[Cut the middle]

The tbird was my personal fave in this video that also included fender

 

[Vinny_G]

I'd love an SG bass if they were 34" scale. I'm not interested in short or medium scales.

There was one in the Epiphone catalog a few years ago, maybe they will put it back some day.

 

[BklynKen]

There was one in the Epiphone catalog a few years ago, maybe they will put it back some day.

Not left-handed, though. Only Gibson seems to offer their basses left-handed.

 

[braud357]

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I bought one of these brand-new in Dec. 1973 ! Kept seeing hanging in the showcase at my local music store and finally had to have it. I traded it for a new black Jazz Bass about 2 years later. It did have a wide variety of sound options, but I never could get used to the light string tension and the weight !

 

[bobyoung53]

Thanks for this. I'm not prepared to try messing with the circuits on my own but experimenting with what I can do with the amp to roll off some low end sounds like a good idea to try.

It's actually really easy to do, take off the bridge and there's some wax underneath on top of the choke, and the wire is on top also in the wax, dig a little with a pin or something and you'll find the wire, just clip it, done.

 

[Gibson Victory]

If anyone out there is interested in a Gibson Victory, this is the one you want. The “Custom”. While all are good, these for some reason are a bit hard to find. You get all the perks of the “Artist” less the circuit board, and 9 volt thing. This is a passive system. This was a two to make one thing this last year. Bought one Bass with a great neck, body stuff was well.......... Along comes a fully loaded body for sale that had a twisted neck or something. Done deal. The last really nice custom I have seen was in another country, price was not bad, shipping was off the charts. I passed, it was a mistake. Just too many other “deals” going on at the time. Just my luck. Quite common to see case handles like this. When you figure you are packing around 13 pounds of Bass, then adding the case weight, no wonder the rivets give out. You can see what these and some other vintage Gibson Basses look like “under the hood” at www.flyguitars.com. Hope the pictures come out ok, yes I know I am off topic, but I specialize in it.

 

[P Cheen]

Sorry, a what now?

 

[MCF]

^^^^Agree with @bobyoung53 that it is like anything, acquired taste. The ones I've played were generally well made and the T-Birds are super cool, they have a great rock'n'roll rumble. They are large and not super light but who cares. They fit into a niche and have a cult following. I owned a Ripper and it played really nice. Never owned a Thunderbird but I have played many on loan and would buy the right one because they are cool.

What are you waiting for? No affiliation. But a stellar deal.
For Sale - Gibson Thunderbird

 

[awakefie]

G3 Grabber. Regret I ever sold it. 1977? I think. Loved that bass. Sold it and got a boat anchor (Peavey T40).

 

[40Hz]

If anyone out there is interested in a Gibson Victory, this is the one you want. The “Custom”. While all are good, these for some reason are a bit hard to find. You get all the perks of the “Artist” less the circuit board, and 9 volt thing. This is a passive system. This was a two to make one thing this last year. Bought one Bass with a great neck, body stuff was well.......... Along comes a fully loaded body for sale that had a twisted neck or something. Done deal. The last really nice custom I have seen was in another country, price was not bad, shipping was off the charts. I passed, it was a mistake. Just too many other “deals” going on at the time. Just my luck. Quite common to see case handles like this. When you figure you are packing around 13 pounds of Bass, then adding the case weight, no wonder the rivets give out. You can see what these and some other vintage Gibson Basses look like “under the hood” at www.flyguitars.com. Hope the pictures come out ok, yes I know I am off topic, but I specialize in it. View attachment 3895463View attachment 3895464 View attachment 3895465

You got that right. The Victory Custom in metallic red has been on my bucket list for decades.

And yes, that model is rarer than hen’s teeth. I’ve yet to see one in the wild that was still original. Still kicking myself for not buying one back in the 80s when I had my chance. But I was in my Alembic phase back then. And buying one of those left my discretionary gear fund sadly depleted for a few years afterwards.

 

[Hawaii Islander]

1974 Gibson Grabber

 

[40Hz]

He hasn't searched at all. Oh, and they all sound like mud too.

And the heads always snap off and the 3-point bridge is impossible to set the action or intonation on.

Might as well get all the “everybody knows” regurgitated bs together in one page.

 

[Thegrandwazoo]

I've never played either, but the Gibson Midtown Signature seems like it could potentially be worth a damn, as does the 'Money Bass'. I've always been somewhat intrigued by both, and kinda-sorta want one of each (the black metalflake Midtown and the natural Money), but I'm sure I wouldn't like them (I'm a bolt-on, 1 1/2" nut, maple neck kinda guy), so I doubt I ever take the plunge.

 

[40Hz]

I don't understand the comment about Gibson bass owners wanting their basses to sound like Fenders. Mine doesn't sound like any Fender I've heard, and I like it that way

I never wanted a Gibson or any other bass I owned to sound like a Fender unless it was one. What would be the point?

Fenders are easy to find and less expensive than Gibsons - or at least they were until recently. So why would you want to go through crazy hassles or feel envy when you could just join the herd and buy yourself a Fender? Or save serious money and get yourself a MIC CV with no sacrifice in terms of tone or quality?

 

[Thegrandwazoo]

Oh! And the Krist Novoselic signature RD was an absolute MONSTER! I genuinely liked the one I played, and I very well might actually buy one of them someday.

 

[WillyW]

Some is a little bit Gibson, and a little bit Fender...

Fretted

Fretless

 

[Pings Bass]

They haven't made it yet.