Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Favorite Gibson bass
- Thread starter Skullheadrac
- Start date
Great video/tip! One of those things that makes you think you should’ve thought of it 15 years ago
Yeah. I remember struggling with a friend’s oddball bass back in the 70s. Some weird import. I think it was Russian. And it neck dived harder and faster than Dracula.
One of my band’s guitarists was buddies with people in Aerosmith. I was moaning about the bass and one of their roadies said “Hey man! Don’t you know about the belt trick?”
It was a life altering lesson.
I was surprised when I stumbled across the YT video. There it was. The Belt Trick.
Yeah. I remember struggling with a friend’s oddball bass back in the 70s. Some weird import. I think it was Russian. And it neck dived harder and faster than Dracula.
One of my band’s guitarists was buddies with people in Aerosmith. I was moaning about the bass and one of their roadies said “Hey man! Don’t you know about the belt trick?”
It was a life altering lesson.
I was surprised when I stumbled across the YT video. There it was. The Belt Trick.
A friend played in Santana in the late 70's-early 80's using an Embassy Deluxe (headstock just as big as a t-bird and using the same tuning machines - and smaller and lighter body than a t-bird) and he did the other old trick of hanging a bag with weights off the rear strap button. I've got both a 60's Embassy and t-bird and the wide leather strap works just fine with no added weight!
+1! Wide leather and sueded straps usually work quite well too. But the belt trick works with just about everything. So if a wide leather or suede strap isn’t your thing (or you couldn't spare the jingle because you were a totally broke undergrad like I was when I learned about it) then it’s always nice to know there’s another alternative.
IIRC the Flying V guitar was designed to be played like a classical guitar; the opening of the V is to be leant on the right thigh (left thigh for a left-handed player). This way the neck is further away from your body, making higher frets more accessible.
On a bass, it will probably make the lower frets out of reach. No wonder they made the first batch short-scale.
Over time I had 3 EB-3's: Gibson short scale and Epi Long scale. The Epi dove like a Stuka, my THUNDERBIRD has never dived at all. Nor has my Les Paul 5er.
Since you asked...
Les Paul Bass (1969-72)
Les Paul Triumph Bass (1972-79)
The Ripper
RD Standard/Artist
Bass IV
Q80
EB 4-string 2013/2014
That was off the top of my head, I'm certain there's more.
Post-67 EB-0/3 are less likely to be neck heavy than the older ones. My '69 has absolutely zero neck dive yet my '63 has a little bit. Then again, the amount of wood used for the neck of the latter is easily twice as much as on the former. Not kidding.
I’ve owned a ‘70 slot head EB-0, a 2009ish SG standard, and currently own a ‘70 EB-3L slot head. Both slot heads neck dive like crazy, but their overall weight is so light that it is easily mitigated with a wide leather strap. Th SG standard bass was the closest to being well balanced, but oddly enough was a distant 3rd overall to the two slot heads.
My SG bass was a diver. Fortunately, a set of Hipshot Ultralites (short stem Y-key tuners, the lightest of the Ultralight options) essentially cleared that up. Still a hair of forward tug, but it’s absolutely fine now. I don’t think about it anymore, so, even despite some associated finish damage during the removal of the original tuners, I’m happy. Really helped as the previous neck dive had bothered me.
Here it is hanging out with a good friend:
Speaking of mods, the Novak EB-BSx neck pickup that’s in there and the SuperTone bridge were even more critical in getting it where I wanted it. It was a bit of a project, but it’s now a very cool bass for me. My current favorite bass, though not necessarily my most all-around applicable one. That neck pickup is subterranean
Here it is hanging out with a good friend:
Speaking of mods, the Novak EB-BSx neck pickup that’s in there and the SuperTone bridge were even more critical in getting it where I wanted it. It was a bit of a project, but it’s now a very cool bass for me. My current favorite bass, though not necessarily my most all-around applicable one. That neck pickup is subterranean
Last edited:
IIRC the Flying V guitar was designed to be played like a classical guitar; the opening of the V is to be leant on the right thigh (left thigh for a left-handed player). This way the neck is further away from your body, making higher frets more accessible.
On a bass, it will probably make the lower frets out of reach. No wonder they made the first batch short-scale.
I always thought one of those leg rests like came on a Steinberger would be very helpful on a Flying V.
The belt trick works, I've done it myself, but the other part of the equation is how a bass balances for seated play, which, if you are like most people, is how you will spend most of your time playing the bass, seated without a strap. Nothing drives me crazier than fighting a diving bass while I'm practicing, it's literally the first thing I check on any new bass I try, and an immediate disqualifier unless it seems like it could be fixed with ultralites. There are plenty of well balanced basses out there that sound great and were designed with basic ergonomics in mind, no need to put up with basses that were designed with aesthetics only, features that don't work, or that require expensive upgrades. That's my primary beef with Gibson, they have been around long enough to know better, and yet continue to use some pretty questionable design elements. If I could find an SG style bass that actually balances right off the shelf, I'd probably buy it, or build my own. I always was a sucker for that reddish mahogany finish.
Well, my SG balances now with the Ultralites. As my issues with it stock went beyond just the neckdive though, I can’t say that all the upgrades involved weren’t expensive. They definitely added up, so I’m really glad I bought the bass used.
Actually, both of those Gibsons in my photo above there involved a number of mods that added up. The Les Paul guitar had frets that were weirdly high, so I had them taken down a bit, I changed the stop tailpiece for an aluminum one, changed the pickups for some sweet aftermarket PAF-style ones, and shielded the cavities and re-did all the electronics.
Finally, both the bass and guitar got bone nuts - don’t know why Gibson uses that dull artificial nut material.
Anyway, both are pretty special now. I’m really happy with these two
Playing seated, even a long-scale slothead is perfectly fine *for me*. I could think of a couple of other basses that I had issues with playing that way, mostly ThunderBird (never bought one for that reason) and Thumb (gave up after my second one).
Light or dark ?
Last edited:
I just started last year playing semi-seated on a stool. My knees seem to be older than the rest of me. Before that, I always stood-since 1967.
Dark.Playing seating, even a long-scale slothead is perfectly fine *for me*. I could think of a couple of other basses that I had issues with playing that way, mostly ThunderBird (never bought one for that reason) and Thumb (gave up after my second one).
Light or dark ?
View attachment 3897558
Dark, Absolutely!Playing seated, even a long-scale slothead is perfectly fine *for me*. I could think of a couple of other basses that I had issues with playing that way, mostly ThunderBird (never bought one for that reason) and Thumb (gave up after my second one).
Light or dark ?
View attachment 3897558
No love for my "reverse-tanned" - a phrase coined by our friend @dmt in another thread - '63? Nevermind, that one's going to my bass-playing-son anyway. The dark one gets buried with me.
Thread derail warning: which pickups did you put in the Les Paul ?
Peter Florence Voodoo ‘59s. Bought ‘em almost 20 years ago now though, and unfortunately, Mr. Florence is no longer with us. Tonally, they’re definitely on the clear and sweet side of the PAF range. Sometimes I wish they were a bit more aggressive, but I’d have to get another guitar for that as these are never coming out.
FWIW, a friend put a pair in a Tele copy and reported that he didn’t feel they were special. Not sure what he was going for with that guitar though. Come to think of it, I’m not sure what the heck humbuckers were doing in a Tele in the first place, but that’s a different topic entirely!
Never heard those in action anywhere. Would love to, given how you describe them.
Come to think of it, I’m not sure what the heck humbuckers were doing in a Tele in the first place, but that’s a different topic entirely!
I can think of at least one amazing guitar player who had a Gibson humbucker in his Tele, may he RIP...
