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Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build

#262
Yes you could do that, and there would be nothing wrong with it, but then you wouldn't have a replica. It would something "like" the LoBue. And you certainly wouldn't have a Mark VI like BG is going for. If you were to inset the neck, it would intrude on the binding below the truss rod access or what I think of as the "moustache" for lack of a better term. IMHO you can build a long scale, but you would have to build the body proportionately bigger to keep it looking correct. IF you don't care about that, then it's just another bass... :)

I know there has always been some back and forth about whether the original was a long or a short scale, so I did a comparison drawing of the two scales side by side with all other things being equal. My conclusion is that it was definitely a short scale bass. YMMV
 
#264
Point taken. The original is lost in the mists of time, so in that respect anything that is done is going to be "like" the original. Perhaps it was a poor choice of words on my part. It happens. My meaning is that the point of this build, if I have it right, is to make as faithful a replica of the original Mark VI version as possible. I'm not against making a long scale, it just wouldn't be a replica.
 
#265
Ironfingers said:
Point taken. The original is lost in the mists of time...
Click to expand...

Back in the early days of KISS, gene had lent the bass to a bass player who i dont recall the name or band he was in, but ever since then, gene never got the bass back. So it is, like you say, lost in the mists of time. But at least people like yourself, aspire to building a replica which holds the beauty and iconic image from the early days of KISS. I have an Ibanez gaxB which is more or less shaped like the LoBue. it is short scale, but obvs lacks the Mudbucker and 3 knobs. But hey, i exchanged my first pbass for it cause i thought of gene simmons!!
 
#266
Andii Syckz said:
Back in the early days of KISS, gene had lent the bass to a bass player who i dont recall the name or band he was in, but ever since then, gene never got the bass back. So it is, like you say, lost in the mists of time. But at least people like yourself, aspire to building a replica which holds the beauty and iconic image from the early days of KISS. I have an Ibanez gaxB which is more or less shaped like the LoBue. it is short scale, but obvs lacks the Mudbucker and 3 knobs. But hey, i exchanged my first pbass for it cause i thought of gene simmons!!
Click to expand...

You should really read the thread in full before you reply. :D

Because this was not only brought up. But also that it wasn't in the early days of Kiss that the bass vanished but actually quite late, in 1978. But by then Gene started playing his Spector Basses more and more and the Lobue was used as a back up.

Read more about that here.

http://axeology.com/LoBue.html#LoBue1973
 
#269
While I do aspire to build a replica of this bass, Bassgod76 is the builder. I just drew the plans.

I do urge you to read the whole thread if you are interested in the LoBue. It got seriously derailed for awhile.

There are 3 stories Gene has told over the years about the fate of the LoBue.
1. He tossed it off stage to his tech one night and he dropped it, snapping the neck in half.

2. He lent it to Micki Free, and never saw it again.

3. It was stolen at some point.

I'm not sure even Gene knows what the true story is anymore... ;)
 
#277
I've been trying to find out what that mysterious third knob is for. I contacted Barry from the LoBue guitars site but he couldn't give me an answer. He suggested I contact Larry DiMarzio as it was quite probable that he wired the LoBue bass. I sent an email off to DiMarzio and got this response: "We are sorry, but we have no information on the wiring of the original bass. Possibly the third control was wired to the choke that Gibson employed on the original EB series basses, but this is only a reasonable guess".
Sorry I couldn't shed anymore light on the subject.
 
#278
Andii Syckz said:
Back in the early days of KISS, gene had lent the bass to a bass player who i dont recall the name or band he was in, but ever since then, gene never got the bass back. So it is, like you say, lost in the mists of time. But at least people like yourself, aspire to building a replica which holds the beauty and iconic image from the early days of KISS. I have an Ibanez gaxB which is more or less shaped like the LoBue. it is short scale, but obvs lacks the Mudbucker and 3 knobs. But hey, i exchanged my first pbass for it cause i thought of gene simmons!!
Click to expand...

See post #78 of this thread. I posted the best info I have found.
 
#279
EpiRipper said:
I've been trying to find out what that mysterious third knob is for. I contacted Barry from the LoBue guitars site but he couldn't give me an answer. He suggested I contact Larry DiMarzio as it was quite probable that he wired the LoBue bass. I sent an email off to DiMarzio and got this response: "We are sorry, but we have no information on the wiring of the original bass. Possibly the third control was wired to the choke that Gibson employed on the original EB series basses, but this is only a reasonable guess".
Sorry I couldn't shed anymore light on the subject.
Click to expand...

The third knob for this build will be a two-position rotary switch for series/parallel. That's how Dave is wiring it for me. I thought about using the 2nd and 3rd knob for a two band preamp sort of thing, but I think the tone/rotary switch is more true to what Gene-O would have used.
 

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