Posted 14 years ago
CaptainRon
(1 item)
I got this a while back and have not been able to find any info on it. It is a Gibson 5 string bass, Made in USA. Looks like someone might have changed one pick up to a Bartolini. It has active electronics on that on. All mahogony, set neck. Looks nice, plays great, nice tone with the active.
Any clue on what this is, year, model, production run?
Thanks
This is a very short run bass made in nashville in 1987. The origional was totally passive so the active pre and the bart is aftermarket as is the 4th knob at the bottom of the bass. I have one that plays extremely well that I have kept in very good condition. I have been told that they were only made in early '87 and then the idea scrapped after only a few made. I understand then several were lost in the May '09 flood in Nashville making the remainingvery few quite rare in origional form.
I have owned one of these since the late 80's. I bought it new from my local Gibson dealer and it has been my primary bass since the early 90's. Nice deep clear tones, not very bright (like most Gibson basses I have played) but I compensate for that with my preamp tone controls. Much fatter bottom end compared to my 3 Fender basses. I have only seen one other besides mine and yours, mine is off white (original finish) the other I saw on E-Bay that was red(3 years ago), so yours is the only natural wood model and only the 3rd I have seen since the late 80's including mine. I will NEVER part with it as long as I can play it.
My all-time favorite bass! I got one while touring with Natalie Cole in the 1980s, did a lot of TV and live work with it, used it while on tour with Three Dog Night in the 1990s and with Dave Mason. Great pop-slap action and a great rock-pick bass on the neck pickup. The neck was always super stable through weather and temp changes. It's passive and never needed more. The Gibson rep told me this was their attempt to compete with all the boutique bass makers of the 1980s, but sales were weak, so they discontinued. I still have mine, which has aged from white to a great yellowish patina.
Here it is on a TV show with Three Dog Night: https://youtu.be/ttKOS8CtI0g