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Yeah. I gather that the guy was a doer, not a talker. Because there doesn't seem to be a wealth of information out there about him talking about his innovations.
I'm especially curious about the SB-2 because he clearly wasn't trying to reproduce the typical P/J. He was shooting for something else. I'm curious as to whether he was aiming for the SB-2, or if he just sort of stumbled into it.
Others will disagree but for me, a good Trib is as good as a good USA. You just have to make sure that it's a good one. That means one that has no production or manufacturing issues.
Personally, sound and ease of use is what is important to me. A good Trib can do both those things for me, just like a good USA.
So I don't really differentiate between the two. Except that Tribs are much cheaper.
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I've read that "SB" may have originally stood for "Student Bass", suggesting they were attempting to create entry-level basses having many fundamental attributes (of good quality, of course) but lacking some of the bells and whistles (such as active electronics) that necessitated higher price points.
But there are other theories out there, so don't quote me.
Lucky students!
Would've love to see the look on theses student's faces when they cranked up the beast SB-2 and proceeded to take the heads off of their listeners!
Would've love to see the look on theses student's faces when they cranked up the beast SB-2 and proceeded to take the heads off of their listeners!
let's start a rumor that it stands for "Super Bass"
.Sorry, "Student" was the story I heard too back in the day. They did cost considerably less than the L models. Maybe we both heard wrong
And that would trace back to the first gen SB series with the smaller slab bodies and single coil pickups. Definitely a "budget" model for G&L in the early '80s.
Wow! What are your thoughts on the dual/reverse P set up?
I love 'em. Love 'em love 'em love 'em. My main player right now is my SB-2. This has that same kind of awesome but just a bit different. The bridge pup is totally useable solo when reversed like this (unlike the bridge of the SB-2). If it were mine, I think I would reverse both Ps, but that's just me.
This is totally not helping my GAS for a Matador....
Yeah the Matador looks sweet! I hope they make it a regular model.
What's the story behind the bass pictured? What was it originally?
Double reverse SB pickups sounds like a cool Warmoth project!
Is the Matador reversed though?
No, but since you have to go through the custom shop anyway...
Can't say you are right or wrong, but to me, giving a student an SB would be like a driver school using Ferraris. And there are many of us who see no point in active electronics.
Frankenbass: precision body with an MGbass neck. Stacked V/T V/T plus kill switch. Bridge is a Hipshot Kick@$$, I think. That's about all I know.
Working there and having asked the question of Leo himself.
Student Bass
It started with a single coil mfd, with an option for 2 added . The split idea was floated, he resisted , he'd already done that. Dale and George requested the split to answer the common opinion that the P was a standard.
The bridge pickup is nearly the same as the original SB-1 / SB-2, with the neck pickup switched out to the new split MFD .
83 SB-1
