GIBSON Club. Part II

[ajkula66]

In some circles that bridge is affectionately referred to as the "Ever-Tilt".

Or Tilt-O-Matic...

No offense, but was the Melody Maker a low cost entry level EB-0 or EB-3 variant? Don't know anything about them.

Sort of, kind of...they were essentially front-routed EB-0s. Came in some nice colours which could've (I've never seen one stripped so this is a sheer presumption on my end) been hiding some less-than-spectacular pieces of Mahagony looks-wise...

Finding one in good shape nowadays is quite difficult, though. I'd love to lay my old paws on a nicely aged Pelham Blue example, for instance. And that one belonging to @bassmike2010 is just outright delicious.

Never heard that but refers to the slight tilt towards the neck angle some have.

It can be a lot more than just "slight" and a fairly high percentage of the basses equipped with these bridges develop it, especially if the mute had been removed or wasn't there to begin with.

 

[Nocturnal]

Or Tilt-O-Matic

That is a fitting name as well!

 

[B-Mac]

None taken. It was a transition model. Fewer made. Same quality, set neck and pickup. Like saying the 60's Gibson Melody Maker or Jr. was
low cost entry level into Gibson Les Paul's. EB-0's and EB-3's can be
found in 80% of the pawn shops, Craigslist's and GC's in the country.
Let alone Epiphone "entry level" models. Locate and price a mint '60's
Melody Maker.

So they are a bit on the rare side?

 

[bassmike2010]

So they are a bit on the rare side?

Not as rare as vintage EB1's, 2's or TB's, but if one were into the SG style bodies, I'd think it would represent a valid starting point. Like I'm more into
Music Man and Fender basses. I own an original '76 Stingray, '66 Jazz
and '78 Precision. I respect "where it all started". This was a gift from
my Dad and the only Gibson I own (at this point).

 

[PennyroyalWe]

@B-Mac the Kalamazoo branded basses were the budget basses, more so than the melody makers anyway. I missed my chance at a melody maker for $800 locally :/ doubt I’ll ever see one again.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

You talking about this bridge? Saw this on GC’s used page, wouldn’t have thought twice about the bridge though
if yinz hadn’t mentioned it.

 

[ajkula66]

You talking about this bridge? Saw this on GC’s used page, wouldn’t have thought twice about the bridge thoughif yinz hadn’t mentioned it.

Yep, that's a Tilt-O-Matic on a mislabeled (what else is new with GC) bass...

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Yep, that's a Tilt-O-Matic on a mislabeled (what else is new with GC) bass...

What is that particular model? That switch has me curious.

 

[ajkula66]

What is that particular model? That switch has me curious.

That's an EB-4L. The pickup - which is not a Sidewinder/Mudbucker (look at the poles) although it's the same size - and the switch are dead giveaways.

 

[B-Mac]

So cool
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Learn so much from TB!
Love it!

 

[Axstar]

@B-Mac the Kalamazoo branded basses were the budget basses, more so than the melody makers anyway. I missed my chance at a melody maker for $800 locally :/ doubt I’ll ever see one again.

I saw a Kalamazoo bass on Denmark Street for an extortionate sum of money. Some people seem to think they are worth a chunk!

This was like an EB-0 but was white and had the big plastic pickguard.

 

[B-Mac]

I saw a Kalamazoo bass on Denmark Street for an extortionate sum of money. Some people seem to think they are worth a chunk!

This was like an EB-0 but was white and had the big plastic pickguard.

Kalamazoo KB Bass Guitar >> Vintage Guitar and Bass

 

[bassmike2010]

I saw a Kalamazoo bass on Denmark Street for an extortionate sum of money. Some people seem to think they are worth a chunk!

This was like an EB-0 but was white and had the big plastic pickguard.

I remember vividly in High School, that someone (there were only three of us
bass players in the town) had a white Kalamazoo like the one depicted. But I
swear it had the fender body shape, but with the soft (no beak) headstock. At
that time there were a couple of guitar players that had SG and Paul Japanese
knock- offs so this odd ball gained interest as someone mentioned that Kalamazoo
was where Gibson's were made and there might be some connection. Without
internet and many old timers available all we had was speculation. At the same time
there was a red Cameo bass making the rounds that was much coveted as it had
the most bodacious growl any of us had ever heard from a bass. One of my earlier
one night stands was a red 60's Hagstrom I bass I for some reason sold off.
Don't remember anything noteworthy about it except the back plastic backing.
But that Cameo- if someone laid THAT particular bass in my hands,
I'd drop four figures cash to- day.

 

[Nocturnal]

This one has the Fender-y shape to it:

 

[BassHappy]

This one has the Fender-y shape to it:

View attachment 3146918

Hey Nocturnal

I discovered a short scale Kalamazoo bass that my guitarist at the time, owned. The body material was not specified in Kalamazoo literature, but was a wood-laminate produced by a toilet-seat manufacturer in Wisconsin. Mine was "Glacier White" which sure enough looked to be the same color and material as my toilet seat. Don't ever remove the body screws - even the pick guard screws - as you will never get them back in again. The body wood chips away. Maybe this was their "natural". The resemblance to the Fender Mustang was pretty uncanny - although Kalamazoo did a small run of a similar model with a very different SG type body shape too. Both were short scale - with a rosewood fingerboard - and featured the EB-0 style humbucker. They also had bolt-on maple necks - something that Gibson up until this point didn't do.

That's me playing it in the photo below at the ripe age of 14.

I loved mine and still can't believe I sold it.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I loved mine and still can't believe I sold it.

Sigh... <deja-ju mode>

 

[Nocturnal]

Hey Nocturnal

I discovered a short scale Kalamazoo bass that my guitarist at the time, owned. The body material was not specified in Kalamazoo literature, but was a wood-laminate produced by a toilet-seat manufacturer in Wisconsin. Mine was "Glacier White" which sure enough looked to be the same color and material as my toilet seat. Don't ever remove the body screws - even the pick guard screws - as you will never get them back in again. The body wood chips away. Maybe this was their "natural". The resemblance to the Fender Mustang was pretty uncanny - although Kalamazoo did a small run of a similar model with a very different SG type body shape too. Both were short scale - with a rosewood fingerboard - and featured the EB-0 style humbucker. They also had bolt-on maple necks - something that Gibson up until this point didn't do.

That's me playing it in the photo below at the ripe age of 14.

View attachment 3147000

I loved mine and still can't believe I sold it.

I had heard the body was almost like particle board and it sounds like it was from your experience. That is cool that you still have pics of you playing it.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

I had heard the body was almost like particle board and it sounds like it was from your experience. That is cool that you still have pics of you playing it.

Had to dig for one... this was obviously taken before I made the brown tortoise pickguard for it.

The original was really thin, cheap plastic. It had shrunk, and the screw holes had broken out. Also the handrest was gone, leaving another set of holes. I think it looked better with the 4-ply Stew-Mac gaurd anyway. I really wish I'd kept that bass...

 

[HighD]

Missing my baby... This isn't really her but it's close enough. She has a Badass Bridge on her and some speed knobs. She's getting new frets.

 

[Tom Anderson]