The sound is perfect for our style of music. We are playing some kind of Northern Soul, mostly original tracks and some 60ies covers.
Imho the blendpoti made the bass much more usable to me. I tend to have it just a tad towards the neck pickup.
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Gibson Midtown Club.
- Thread starter loendmaestro
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The sound is perfect for our style of music. We are playing some kind of Northern Soul, mostly original tracks and some 60ies covers.
Imho the blendpoti made the bass much more usable to me. I tend to have it just a tad towards the neck pickup.
My Midtown arrived today. I'm extremely pleased with the fit and finish.
While I do not yet own a Bass amp, I plugged it into my 79' JMP 50 (Think of it as an old Fender Bassman 50) and took it on a stroll. Wonderful instrument. The only thing I've noticed so far is that there's a huge output difference between the two pickups. I'm sure I'll have that resolved in short order.
Do I get a number now?
Edit: Solved the majority of the volume mismatch issue. Treble pickup solder joint was derp'ed. Quick reheat and flow fixed that. Touched up the pickup height and angle for a better blend. All is well.
So far for my first day, I'm really having a blast with the instrument. Even with the cost-cutting compromises (flat top, 2 POT), it still feels like a fine instrument.
While I do not yet own a Bass amp, I plugged it into my 79' JMP 50 (Think of it as an old Fender Bassman 50) and took it on a stroll. Wonderful instrument. The only thing I've noticed so far is that there's a huge output difference between the two pickups. I'm sure I'll have that resolved in short order.
Do I get a number now?
Edit: Solved the majority of the volume mismatch issue. Treble pickup solder joint was derp'ed. Quick reheat and flow fixed that. Touched up the pickup height and angle for a better blend. All is well.
So far for my first day, I'm really having a blast with the instrument. Even with the cost-cutting compromises (flat top, 2 POT), it still feels like a fine instrument.
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Since cellkirk's post, I started thinking more about how to improve cooperation between the two pickups.
I have been using either pickup but not both. But in some playing on a guitar which has a neck humbucker and bridge single-coil, I found I really like mixing the two. So why not on the bass?!?!
There was a previous post to this thread that suggested cranking up the bridge pickup height, so I decided to try that to get the two pickups to work better together. I didn't measure, but the clearance is now roughly the width of two US quarters on average. This will depend on your strings, anyway (I have GHS flats).
Working by ear at living room level through my amp, I adjusted until I ended up with a really nice tone. (Also, I switched often between center and bridge-only modes to make sure the tone was still reasonable both ways.) The 'G' distance is now closer to the strings than the 'E', as the larger mass saturates its tone a bit farther from the string.
The tone knob now works somewhat like a "blend". Quite well, actually.
This works for my playing style, but obviously YMMV...
Still, I am considering installing a Bourns blend knob (PDB182-GTRB ) in place of the P/U selector. But, I'll give this recent mod some workout before I decide.
Cheers!
Ais I wrote earlier on, the blend does make sense to me.
I also exchanged the neck pickup for a Curtis Novak Bisonic, which is great. I dropped the stock pickup in an old EB-0 project bass and it does well there, but I believe an EB-replacement by Curtis would make it sound a lot better.
The stock pickup is not a real sidewinder anymore for some years. Thats sad because the original design was really good if used the right way.
I also exchanged the neck pickup for a Curtis Novak Bisonic, which is great. I dropped the stock pickup in an old EB-0 project bass and it does well there, but I believe an EB-replacement by Curtis would make it sound a lot better.
The stock pickup is not a real sidewinder anymore for some years. Thats sad because the original design was really good if used the right way.
Just bought my Midtown today! First Gibson I've owned and am very excited! Can't wait to plug in! Here's a pic though it's not the best one I have. 
Thinking of playing the lotto with that as one of the numbers. Our anniversary date is nov. 24 so lots of significance! Can't stop playing this bass!
For those on fb here is a link to me noodeling a bit on my modified midtown:
https://video-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/h...=bffe7572fa823ebdf2f72c74c35d5cd9&oe=557EF78F
https://video-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/h...=bffe7572fa823ebdf2f72c74c35d5cd9&oe=557EF78F
I feel left out. ;-)
I figure I might as well post an audio sample as well. I picked up the bass so I could record my own loops to practice drumming to. I'll probably take some lessons starting in the February/March timeframe.
I'm sorry KamaK, did I miss giving you a number? I've been traveling a lot lately....haven't checked in too much.
#25 is all yours!
#25 is all yours!
negative!
mine came with roundwounds
and the bag of goodies said
cleartone. not sure if that is what the strings really are, but if they say so. I just found that to be odd. I am not sure who makes cleartone strings but I'm sure Gibson gets a very nice discount.
But your bass may have something different. I thought I read the early ones were shipped with D'addario but not sure on that one either!!
are ya getting the signature or the standard? it seems like the pelham blue standard might be the rarest.
mine came with roundwounds
and the bag of goodies said
cleartone. not sure if that is what the strings really are, but if they say so. I just found that to be odd. I am not sure who makes cleartone strings but I'm sure Gibson gets a very nice discount.
But your bass may have something different. I thought I read the early ones were shipped with D'addario but not sure on that one either!!
are ya getting the signature or the standard? it seems like the pelham blue standard might be the rarest.
As a guitarist that primarily plays a Les Paul, the neck binding-over-fretwire on the Midtown Standard is what I find most appealing about the bass. I am to understand that binding a neck in this manner is fairly labor intensive, as the binding needs to be cut after installation. I would think that bound necks would be considered much more desirable than the unbound variety.
I'm curious to hear other bassists thoughts on the matter.
I'm curious to hear other bassists thoughts on the matter.
BTW: it's supposed to be a Standard. Sorry I missed your question the first time.
Not much opinion out there on this one. Since you're curious, I'll throw in a couple of pennies....
I have basses and guitars with and without fingerboard binding. I can't say I really notice the difference in playability, certainly not tone.
Since tone and playability are by far my greatest concerns, I've never sought out fingerboard binding on a specific instrument.
I've never had an instrument refretted. Not sure if the binding would make such a bit more difficult.
Seems like a cosmetic thing to me. For my own tastes, I can't say it adds much (nor detracts, for that matter).
But, if you like it, I say great that the Midtown has it!
Cheers!
