The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Grog on October 15, 2017, 06:36:14 AM
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This has been for sale for 2 years. If it was a factory fretless, it could be interesting. No binding on the fret board, which I find odd if it were factory. Other features bastardized & a refin..........
https://reverb.com/item/1066464-gibson-les-paul-triumph-bass-1973-very-rare-fretless
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Pretty sure that thing is a refin/mod but nonetheless its a cool bass. The thing that threw me about it was if you look at the cover plate it has been reshaped at the point near the output jack an it appears the old screw hole for the missing section has been filled a cleared over during a refin. Same with the bridge cover screw holes. The sculpted heel is an interesting mod, whoever built it put some time into it.
edit- i guess he admits all that in the ad. What do I know, Ha!
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Nice. But I don't think this was originally a fretless.
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Floats my boat but not my pocket...
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Interesting but stupid expensive.
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It's been there for two years at that price & is destined to be there for many more.............
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Definately heavily modded. The neck joint has been ergonomically redesigned, which proves it's a refin (or at least a very pro touchup ... nope - there is no Triumph model name decal on the rear of the headstock - def refin).
Also non-original case; non-original knobs; non -original control plate screws (one missing - looks stripped). Missing the bridge cover (holes filled - def refin) and replacement nut are par for the course.
Doubt that's the original fretboard (looks like ebony , those were rosewood and not bound).
It's not worth half that, which would be a reasonable price for an original one in not-rare fin. With that one on that auction site where the 6 string RD bass is listed at 900, it's no wonder this thing has been up for 2 years without sale.
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Two sets of side dots and he thinks it's factory? Yeah, right.
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The (rather confusing) double row of side dots. The absence of a binding at the fretboard. The non original black top nut.
As far as I'm concerned they are tell tale signs for a non original fretless finger board.
And yes, the refin is obvious. But the seller already admits it in the ad.
@ Jake: About the Triumph decal at the back of the head stock. It is normal that it isn't there. Mine didn't have that too.
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Wouldn't the decal only be from 1975 to early 1977?
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That is possible yes. Maybe Jules knows this exactly
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Wouldn't the decal only be from 1975 to early 1977?
Yes. 1975 with 99-prefix, 1976 00-prefix and 1977 06-prefix.
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Huh, didn't know that. I do see a 1980 Triumph on ebay now, but it's a second so maybe they never [put a decal on for that reason. I guess that explains the confusion over that model's name - half of them don't say Triumph anywhere on the thing (TRC says Les Paul Bass).
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Yep, just those years with the decal serial number got the name, same case for the grabbers and TBs although I've seen Grabbers from that era that got stamped serials for some reason..those may well have been seconds.
My Hobbit is a 78
(http://i.imgur.com/GbUR1EF.jpg)
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And a beauty pee pee yellow (formerly white) it is too ;P Just like mine (75; with decal).
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Indeed :toast: Mines getting so yellow its almost turning Oompa Loompa orange :o
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Dumb question: Why's it called a "Hobbit"?
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Dumb question: Why's it called a "Hobbit"?
Uwe started calling it that, years ago; he thinks it's hobbit-sized.
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They are so small that they make Grabbers and Rippers look like Balrogs :)
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Somehow I recall Uwe first used the name Hobbit for the Epiphone Genesis. Which is a long scale bass, but roughly the same size as the short scale Les Paul Basses.
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And a beauty pee pee yellow (formerly white) it is too ;P Just like mine (75; with decal).
Urine a class of your own.
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Another butchered Gibson fretless... :o
Was an SG once... (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gibson-1968-EB-O-EB0-Bass-Guitar-Custom-Fret-less/112586337650?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D705b13d86bf54da091fa39e7d4e637b1%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D322809273538&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850)
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That action is high enough to do some limbo dancing underneath!
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:mrgreen:
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Somehow I recall Uwe first used the name Hobbit for the Epiphone Genesis. Which is a long scale bass, but roughly the same size as the short scale Les Paul Basses.
(https://i.imgur.com/YvJB6ot.gif)
Another outright Dutch lie just like the one about the bicycles - cheap propaganda!!!
At all material times I referred to original LP Bass and Triumph short scale basses as Hobbits. And if you feel most comfortable with Orc-size basses such as TBirds and Explorers like me, they indeed are, necks on Triumph and orignal LP Bass feel puny. But size doesn't always matter, they are valiant little basses, hence Hobbitses!
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Another butchered Gibson fretless... :o
Was an SG once... (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gibson-1968-EB-O-EB0-Bass-Guitar-Custom-Fret-less/112586337650?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D41375%26meid%3D705b13d86bf54da091fa39e7d4e637b1%26pid%3D100011%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D322809273538&_trksid=p2047675.c100011.m1850)
That's not a '68. It's a '70 or '71 EB-0L -- you can tell it's long scale by the position of the bridge.
It's not butchered. It's missing the pickup ring that all the slotheads had. The one missing fret is repairable. The rest of the defret looks good.
That action is high enough to do some limbo dancing underneath!
Or as I used to say, you could slide Calista Flockhart in there. ;D
If the action is as bad as it looks, I'd pass unless the seller is willing to take it to a tech. If it can be adjusted to normal, $700 or offer is reasonable.