This is why Gibson sucks at making basses...

[JW56789]

Of course in this Covid climate, hot on the heels of Gibson's sale to new owners, I don't look for much innovation or broad moves, it's just not the time for that.

To me, several of their basses that did sell well (and here I'm talking about regular long-scale axes, like the majority of the bass market prefers, not shorties like EB's or the LP Jr.-shaped axe they're selling) could be updated / improved without a whole lot of work.

A Ripper could easily be re-issued with the original Bill Lawrence pickups and control system (Seymour Duncan makes a wonderful replacement), or could easily be changed over to soapbars or even the EMG active humbuckers from the Steinbergers with modern tone circuits. Using Nordys, EMG's, Seymours, can buy you some cred and attract new people. Imagine a Ripper-style bass with a single big humbucker like a StingRay.

The Victory basses I'd keep in that angled 2-pickup version with updated aftermarket pickups as above, and the body could be thinner and lighter woods put in place, as they could be as heavy as RD's were, not good in the current market. Also, scale down that '2 sizes too big' peghead and use Ultralights.

Get away from 'brown' natural finish Thunderbirds, go back to the customs like Pelham Blue, offer other pickup / electronic combinations, and go to Ultralights and a smaller peghead to tame the neck dive combined with a slightly bigger shoulder on the bass side. You could apply some of the same thinking to an RD re-issue as I just don't think anyone would stand in line for the old Moog-based electronics.

To me, they have some classic basses that with careful and smart updates that wouldn't cost them a ton to make, and the market for the endless regurgitation of 'classic' and 'reissue vintage' Fender basses tells me loud and clear there's a market for Gibson basses . . . . . that just hasn't been addressed in a serious fashion.

 

[Mastermold]

When I learned bass and was in my 1st band, Grabber was my 1st bass, and my roomate/singer had a Ripper. My dtr now has that bass. I really liked its neck.

My first bass was also a Gibson Grabber. I never bonded with it, later got a used Ric 4001 that I still have.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Why are the basics of economics such a mystery to people?

No company is going to keep making something, no matter how cool it is or how much a few people like it, if they can't make money doing so.

The basic concepts of economics disappeared from school curriculums in the 70s leaving 3 generations that don’t understand the reason to have a business is to make a profit.

Businesses are not started for the greater good of society, they are in it to make money, AND there is nothing wrong or evil about that.

 

[GIBrat51]

Right now Fender has the American Professional Leftie in Jazz Bass-3 colours, P-Bass-1 colour, Player-P-Bass-4 colours-Player Jazz Bass-4 colours.

That's not 12 basses. That's 2 basses, at 2 price points, in different colours. However... it is an improvement over the way it always was, until a couple years ago - when those lefty basses were only available in black, or 3 tone burst. So, while a Pink Paisley P-Bass may qualify as completely different from a Black P-Bass - to some people? Sorry; a P-Bass is a P-Bass, is a P-Bass... Now, if it was, say... a lefty Jaguar Bass? That would, indeed, be a different lefty bass. Don't see any of those, though...

 

[Ed S]

My first bass was also a Gibson Grabber. I never bonded with it, later got a used Ric 4001 that I still have.

Funny - I was a huge fan of Geddy Lee, and a bassist in a local band I loved also played Rick. I really wanted to buy one, but didn't like their necks - thought them too wide.

Joke's on me - I now play upright!

 

[OldPlucker]

Off topic but on topic...... I've wondered this about PRS. They make outstanding guitars and are no strangers to exotic woods and details, they have plenty of dealers, they have plenty of good artists.... and most importantly they have probably the best build consistency of any large producer of instruments that I've seen.
Yet they can't seem to make a bass that plays and sounds well.
It's a shame since their main shape would lend itself very well to a modern styled bass. Think along the lines of how the jackson futura body was a cool warp of the jazz bass.

I have to disagree with your statement about PRS. I have a Grainger 10 Top 4 string and sold my Fender Deluxe P Bass because I preferred the feel and sound. There is a negligible volume drop if I have to go from active to passive mid performance. I had also owned a Kestrel and a Kingfisher (both SE Basses). I liked them both better than several MIM Fenders.

 

[Super Bass]

My almost new (new in October) is the most beautiful bass I own. Pictures taken before I set the intonation! And it's a LEFTY!

 

[40Hz]

Because they weren't making money on them. No conspiracy here. They are in business to make money, not to make cool instruments.

And that attitude (if true) will eventually sink them once and for all.

And FWIW you can make a lot of money making cool products. Apple built an entire empire on building cool stuff for all the cool kids. That and copping an attitude about it that would put Gibson (and their legal team) to shame

 

[corndog]

They don't suck at making basses. Every Gibson bass I played was nice, especially the EB's from a few years ago.

What they do suck at is managing the bass side of the business. They've pulled models before they could get a following.

 

[Thundertips]

That's not 12 basses. That's 2 basses, at 2 price points, in different colours. However... it is an improvement over the way it always was, until a couple years ago - when those lefty basses were only available in black, or 3 tone burst. So, while a Pink Paisley P-Bass may qualify as completely different from a Black P-Bass - to some people? Sorry; a P-Bass is a P-Bass, is a P-Bass... Now, if it was, say... a lefty Jaguar Bass? That would, indeed, be a different lefty bass. Don't see any of those, though...

Yeah, they make more now, but sill not enough. Just do what Hendrix did on guitar, flip the bass over and put a lefty nut on it. Hendrix played a mean Bass. He just flipped them over and played with the low E on the bottom.
Anyone ever see pics of Jimi jamming with Edgar Winter? He borrowed Tommy Shannon's Jazz and flipped it over and went for it! Haha!

 

[john_g]

No business kills off a product that sells well

 

[Pazelaya93]

I like my gibson eb4 2018 model. 599? lol pickups arent the best but build quality its very nice.

 

[bcbassman]

Gibson does really well with basses if you give them a chance and understand where their designs are coming from. They don't keep making basses that don't get reordered and you can't blame Gibson for that.
I bought a 2014 EB5 at GC used last Fall so I have it to play during the stay at home situation. It is a very nice passive bass with a very useful coil switching control set that give a lot of variation for a passive bass.

The bass looks unusual to say the least. Traditional head stock and almost a Firebird style body but it balances perfectly. and I really like the natural Ash finish. It was not long in the stores though.

What I think is really sad is that they stopped making the original Steinberger
bass even though I guess hey didn't sell well enough. That is a very cool design.

 

[OldPlucker]

And that attitude (if true) will eventually sink them once and for all.

And FWIW you can make a lot of money making cool products. Apple built an entire empire on building cool stuff for all the cool kids. That and copping an attitude about it that would put Gibson (and their legal team) to shame

Gibson follow some of Apple’s plan. Their Epiphone line is made either in Indonesia or in Quingdao China; whereas, Apple products are mostly if not all made in China. So, if I understand you correctly, you would buy a cool Gibson that is Chinese made.

The fact is that the vast majority of bass players have not embraced the Gibson Basses irrespective of the cool factor. I liked the EB; but, I bought mine 2nd hand. Too many people are like me. The end result was Gibson did not sell enough new ones; which, ironically has kept the used ones maintain value. The other problem is there are die hard Gibson players who want the Classic Gibson Basses not something trying to be another bass.

 

[clickclack]

Just to add a note about Toby basses, you mentioned you're thinking of getting a 5er of those. Get it while they're around because they'll be gone for good. New Gibson boss likes to make changes for changes sake it seems. Tobies are probably out of production by now.

They're decent players. Needs a better nut like Tusk XL, a better bridge, if you can't do without a top-loading bridge like me and some shielding job. The pickups on the 5 string versions aren't terrible unlike the ones in the 4 string versions. I have both. 5ers are dual-rail mini humbuckers. They really are hum-bucking and using rails instead of pole pieces. Tested with magnet movement.

I love the narrow spacing on those. I thought it was 17mm but turned out to be more like 16mm after changing the bridge with a 16.5 one, had to shift it a bit to the B side to give more space to the G side. So comfy!

The con, to provide one, after getting used to how easily they play, you don't feel at home with a regular Fender style neck. You want to get back to it. Asymmetric shape really does work.

Having said all that, if Gibson/Epiphone had paid just a little bit more attention to what they could do, they could make Toby basses go for twice or more easily for the fraction of the cost of basic upgrades.

On the other hand, good for us that know what makes a bass feel good, they didn't! I'm personally thankful for such a great offer to be honest. Great light weighted upgrade platform.

 

[2F/2F]

Every bass listed in the OP is aesthetically hideous IMO.

 

[10cc]

This is why I dont buy used Gibsons online, I just simply cant afford them
View attachment 3796674

Well you don’t want that one, those suck.

 

[clickclack]

Every bass listed in the OP is aesthetically hideous IMO.

Are you seriously calling original Tobias hideous? Are we on the same planet?

 

[40Hz]

Gibson follow some of Apple’s plan. Their Epiphone line is made either in Indonesia or in Quingdao China; whereas, Apple products are mostly if not all made in China. So, if I understand you correctly, you would buy a cool Gibson that is Chinese made.

The fact is that the vast majority of bass players have not embraced the Gibson Basses irrespective of the cool factor. I liked the EB; but, I bought mine 2nd hand. Too many people are like me. The end result was Gibson did not sell enough new ones; which, ironically has kept the used ones maintain value. The other problem is there are die hard Gibson players who want the Classic Gibson Basses not something trying to be another bass.

Dunno. I’ve been a Gibson owner/player since 1974 and I personally thought the innovation displayed during the Norlin years was Gibson’s finest moment for their basses. And as far as trying to be different basses goes, every main Gibson model was very different from the other Gibson models in looks and sound. Which is something I’ve found many of my fellow Gibson players very much enjoy. You do have the diehard TBird crewe. But they’re about the only hardcore traditionalists I’ve ever met in the Gibson crowd.

So, if I understand you correctly, you would buy a cool Gibson that is Chinese made.

You don’t. I own four Gibson basses. All made in the USA only because that’s where they were made. I also own two Epiphones which are not made in the USA. So I think that might go to show the country of origin doesn’t mean anything to me. I wouldn’t buy anything just because of where it’s made. But that said I’ve been very impressed by the build quality of the Chinese made instruments (Squier PB and JB) which I do own.

 

[GIBrat51]

Yeah, they make more now, but sill not enough. Just do what Hendrix did on guitar, flip the bass over and put a lefty nut on it. Hendrix played a mean Bass. He just flipped them over and played with the low E on the bottom.
Anyone ever see pics of Jimi jamming with Edgar Winter? He borrowed Tommy Shannon's Jazz and flipped it over and went for it! Haha!

Sorry...ain't gonna happen. Jimi did it because, at the time he started playing, he didn't have a choice. I'll play this one upside down, 'cause it was a gift; it's old; and I don't want to screw it up by converting it. But I'm not about to empower a bunch of wankers by buying a wrong handed bass from them, and inconveniencing the bejeezus out of myself - just for their name on the headstock. I'll spend the money on basses like this Alembic, instead;
everything they make is available as a lefty...