Questions about conklin GT-4

[sgtdemeo]

Hey all, I am new to the Boards, and Fairly new to Bass Playing in general, (around 1 year) but i hope someone can answer my question. I recently purchased a Conklin GT-4 used at a local shop. i noticed that the new ones have 5 knobs, and a switch. Mine has 4 knobs, and no switch. does anyone know around what year they switched this? i an just trying to get a rough estimate of the age of the bass. btw.. this thing plays soooooo much better than my 1st bass (Epiphone Les Paul standard bass). Thanks!

 

[saxofunk]

Don't know about the knob change, but the serial number may be a clue. Some companies use the first few digits of the serial as the year, e.g. my Korean made Tobias is 01xxxxxxxxx, my Seagul is 99xxxxxxx.

 

[Rusty Chainsaw]

I used to have a GT-5 - great bass.

There were some electronics changes over the life of the Groove Tools series - Conklin switched from Conklin-branded Mighty Mite pickups with a generic 2-band EQ to Bartolini Mk1's, and a Bartolini 3-band EQ. Can't remember what the switch did - it was either an active/passive toggle, or (more likely) a slap/mid-cut switch. I think they changed this around 2003/2004, a year or two before they stopped making them. I think only the GT-4 and GT-5 got this electronics upgrade though - I think the GT-7 missed out on it.

I've been thinking of tracking down another GT-5, as it goes - would be an excellent bass for some modding.

 

[CraigG]

You could try emailing Conklin - Bill Conklin is very nice about responding to email.

As for the pickups, whether the Conklin branded or Bartolini branded, they're all likely coming out of the same factory. Bartolini themselves have no information about the MK1's other than they're made outside of the USA and the name is licensed (they confirmed this for me via email). You can't even buy MK1's from Bart.