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Gear you lusted for but could never find

#221
matti777 said:
Just wondering what basses or other bass related gear you gassed for over the years but could never find at least at an affordable price.
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Very early in my musical career, probably in the mid-1960s, I remember being in a music store (Carnagie Music, Indianapolis IN) and seeing a Gibson EB-? (body style of an ES-335 6-string) hanging on the wall. It had a brilliant glossy white finish with gold hardware, and *2* pickups.

That bass has stuck in my mind for the past 55+ years, and I have *never* seen one like it... which makes me wonder if I just dreamed it up!

Likewise, in the '70s I had a Rickenbacker 4001 with a deep walnut finish, one of the most beautiful basses I've ever owned. And likewise, I've only seen *1* since letting it slip away a few years after getting it. I've seen a couple of walnut versions that have a lighter stripe down the center (i.e. neck-thru body), but mine didn't have that -- it was all walnut (at least it *appeared* to be the same 'color' across the entire body). And that one I *know* I didn't dream up, because I had it for a few years. ;-)
 
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#223
rholler said:
Very early in my musical career, probably in the mid-1960s, I remember being in a music store (Carnagie Music, Indianapolis IN) and seeing a Gibson EB-? (body style of an ES-335 6-string) hanging on the wall. It had a brilliant glossy white finish with gold hardware, and *2* pickups.

That bass has stuck in my mind for the past 55+ years, and I have *never* seen one like it... which makes me wonder if I just dreamed it up!

Likewise, in the '70s I had a Rickenbacker 4001 with a deep walnut finish, one of the most beautiful basses I've ever owned. And likewise, I've only seen *1* since letting it slip away a few years after getting it. I've seen a couple of walnut versions that have a lighter stripe down the center (i.e. neck-thru body), but mine didn't have that -- it was all walnut (at least it *appeared* to be the same 'color' across the entire body). And that one I *know* I didn't dream up, because I had it for a few years. ;-)
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Gibson EB-2D = two pickup version.

A pimped out White/Gold was likely some "CUSTOM" Level offering with very few made.

Likely '63 - '66 timeframe.
 
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#226
I always wanted a Fretless Godin Acoustibass but the ones that came across were either in too bad condition, or I didn't have the money at the time and I never ended up having one. They should make a reissue of that bass.
 
#227
DirtDog said:
I really wanted a GK 700RB III 210 combo
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I've also always wanted one of those, but I don't really care about the 700RB III head part. My plan would be to take the original electronics out, and slip my spare GK 800RB head into the space. As such, I've always been on the look-out for a 'non-working' one that someone might let go of cheaply.

However, I've never actually seen one of those combo amps in person, so I don't know whether it would be an easy-peasy head swap, or something that would require a bunch of modification work to make the 800RB fit solidly in the space in the cabinet. So I've never been overly active in my pursuit. ;-)
 
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#228
avi said:
Duncan Active EQ pickups with the dip switches. Had them in my Warwick Thumb.
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I've got a set of those in my '72 P-Bass! Had them installed back in the mid-1980s, and I've *never* thought about changing them out for anything else. Love them!!

(I wish I could figure out the model number of them without having to take them out and look at the underside -- I'd love to take a pic of the bass and send it to the folks at Seymour-Duncan as an example of how their legacy products hold up!)
 
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#229
Miles_ONeal said:
I wanted a Gibson Thunderbird (preferably an early one)
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Early in my music career, I played an *original* reverse-body Thunderbird that I 'borrowed' from a friend who wasn't using it. Then later, I picked up one of the '76 re-issue TBirds, and kept it for a few years. I *absolutely loved* the way it played (and looked!), with that long, slender neck and gorgeous finish! But another guy in the band had an old P-Bass he would bring in from time to time (he also played bass, and would often play on 'request' songs that I didn't know), and I fell in love with that Fender sound, which I obviously couldn't get from the Gibson. At one point, I even seriously wondered if a luthier could feasibly install P-Bass electronics in the TBird, but I was usually broke back then so I never bothered looking into whether it was possible or what it might cost.

I eventually ended up trading the Thunderbird in for a used '72 P-Bass, which I still have to this day and consider it my #1 bass! But I still miss the way that TBird felt!!
 
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#232
rholler said:
Yup, that's probably correct, and the timeframe seems right... and the "custom" concept is probably why I've never seen another one. Thanks!
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The "CUSTOM" reference was to Standard, Deluxe and Custom like the Les Paul. The SG/Les Paul was in '63, available in a three pickup White/Gold color and binding on the neck and headstock with the "Custom" split diamond peghead inlay.
 
#233
I've long wanted a 5 string fretted Sukop (had a fantastic fretless). I could get one, but don't really have a need (have my avatar Dingwall and a Custom Roscoe SKB 3005). Probably an expensive itch that will never get scratched.
 
#234
#235
I only play 21" to 24" scale bass ukes/mini bass guitars, so my lust for that size hollow or semi hollow arch-top went unrequited for a long time, until I saw a 17" scale tenor carved arch-top ukulele designed by the luthier Bruce Wei Arts I've used out of Vietnam that just knocked me out. I emailed if he could make that design in a 23" scale as a bass uke. He said yes, $825 including expedited shipping. It arrived last week, but he doesn't do electronics and I already had a preamp/pickup and gold tuning machines, so it's at my local luthier, Eric's Guitar in Van Nuys, CA being finished. This is the mockup I sent Bruce.

BWA Custom carved frt-bck.jpg
 
#236
avi said:
Duncan Active EQ pickups with the dip switches. Had them in my Warwick Thumb.
Click to expand...

rholler said:
I've got a set of those in my '72 P-Bass! Had them installed back in the mid-1980s, and I've *never* thought about changing them out for anything else. Love them!!

(I wish I could figure out the model number of them without having to take them out and look at the underside -- I'd love to take a pic of the bass and send it to the folks at Seymour-Duncan as an example of how their legacy products hold up!)
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Yep, in the mid 80's I had a set of these installed in a '64 Jazz Bass that I bought out of the Recycler just for this purpose. The bass was my main player but life had other plans for it a few years later:
BC Bass front 1.jpg
 
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#237
rholler said:
I've got a set of those in my '72 P-Bass! Had them installed back in the mid-1980s, and I've *never* thought about changing them out for anything else. Love them!!

(I wish I could figure out the model number of them without having to take them out and look at the underside -- I'd love to take a pic of the bass and send it to the folks at Seymour-Duncan as an example of how their legacy products hold up!)
Click to expand...
I don't think they had a model # on them. Just called Active EQ pickups. Then they put out the Pro Active's That are the same thing without the Dip switches. I was digging around a bit.
 
#239
russellh86 said:
There's two for me. . .

Kubicki Factor. They come up on the classifieds every once in a while, but the stars have never aligned for me.

The other is an AVRI '62 P in Fiesta Red.
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I had a Gumby Green Factor. Great bass! Traded it for my Warwick Thumb which then eventually turned into my flat screen when I bought a new house, had twins, and hung up my basses (and chords). Ironically my main bass now is a Yamaha bb404 that I first played the day I traded for my Thumb. Couldn't believe how good they sounded acoustically and they were super cheap! So years later I found one and that's where another part of the Thumb money went to.
 
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