The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Basvarken on January 11, 2019, 03:29:41 AM
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I saw a pic on Facebook with a few guitars that will be featured at the upcoming NAMM.
If you look closely you can see two Thunderbirds with chrome tuners. And what looks like two shorter bass guitars (SG maybe?)
Are the Tbirds with chrome tuners really Gibson bass guitars or are they Epi Tbirds?
(https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/49676380_10155890596020718_3032444732874686464_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-ams3-1.xx&oh=fefed7ef1d80342ee9c67d684a846a34&oe=5CD2C022)
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I'd be surprised if they in the Gibson factory stocked up two Ebi birds heading to NAMM together with freshly built Gibson guitars.
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If I'm right the only official basses are the Thunderbird, the SG Bass and the EB in 4 and 5 string. We'll know in two weeks!
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I saw a pic on Facebook with a few guitars that will be featured at the upcoming NAMM.
If you look closely you can see two Thunderbirds with chrome tuners. And what looks like two shorter bass guitars (SG maybe?)
Are the Tbirds with chrome tuners really Gibson bass guitars or are they Epi Tbirds?
Perhaps a reissue of the coveted Thunderbird Studio? ;D ;D ;D
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I'd be glad to see chrome hardware make a comeback on The T-bird. Will be interesting to see what else may change. Pickups? Bridge?
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The two years I went to Summer NAMM in Austin (2006-2007) the only basses in the Gibson booth were Epis.
Considering that new management just took over at Gibson on November 1st, I'll be very surprised if there are any new basses shown besides the ones already in the 2019 lineup.
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Perhaps a reissue of the coveted Thunderbird Studio? ;D ;D ;D
Are these very sought after? There's one up for sale here locally.
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Are these very sought after? There's one up for sale here locally.
Not that I'm aware of. Maybe the 5 string ones? I was just making a joke. Not that there's anything wrong with the Studios, I just don't think they're "traditional" enough for hard core Gibson fans.
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Couldn't be Studios - these have a raised center section. Small tuners, though, so if anybody was hoping for a Gibson version of the Vintage Pro...
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Chris tells me that Gibson announces a Les Paul Junior Tribute Double Cut Bass!
Available in Worn Cherry, Worn Brown, Worn Ebony and Blue Stain.
No pics yet. *EDIT* except for the glimpse on the left of the pic in the opening post of this thread.
I (or Chris ) will keep you posted.
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That's excellent news! I hope it's priced no more than $100 more than the guitar version.
The Jr Tribute DC guitar seems to be a big hit. The annual fundraising giveaway at MLP was one of these, and the guy who won it is really impressed.
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I hope it's priced no more than $100 more than the guitar version.
Close. They say it will be $999 (MAP). But most of the time street prices are substantially lower
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Close. They say it will be $999 (MAP). But most of the time street prices are substantially lower
:o Oh boy.... ;D
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A price point in that range for a new model will definitely give Gibson a boost.
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Close. They say it will be $999 (MAP). But most of the time street prices are substantially lower
Gibson's MAP is street price here. It's possible to get it for less sometimes through Musicians Friend or Sam Ash, or if you have a good relationship with a local store.
$999 is still a good price. I wonder if we'll see a new pickup and/or bridge. We'll know soon enough.
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Chris tells me that Gibson announces a Les Paul Junior Tribute Double Cut Bass!
Available in Worn Cherry, Worn Brown, Worn Ebony and Blue Stain.
I'm shocked!
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(https://static.gibson.com/product-images/USA/USACYC512/Worn%20Cherry/front-banner.png)\
(https://static.gibson.com/product-images/USA/USACYC512/Worn%20Cherry/back-banner.png)
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I think we have a winner.
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Agreed!
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That bass looks fine! A little Muscle Bass. The design seems a little familiar. Shades od Rock 'n' Roll Relics' 'Thunders' bass.
I saw on Facebook that Gibson have announced some '50s and '60s Les Paul Standards. Top comment:
"Finally the gear we want.. how about the prices we need??"
Other comments are barely in English. It seems that guitarists really are illiterate half the time, and their grasp of supply vs demand doesn't extend beyond "I demand a $500 Les Paul Standard, so Gibson have to supply it".
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I dig it. My only quibble is it looks like somebody accidentally chopped off the tail end of the pickguard.
But I like the shape, the finish ... and is that a single TB-Plus? You know I love those :)
Curious how that sounds in a short scale.
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Nice! Looks like Hipshot Ultralight tuners...…….
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https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/USACYC512/les-paul-junior-tribute-dc-bass-coming-soon#SKU-BAJDT00B2CH1
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"single expanded range LP BassBucker" ... that's a new thing right? Did I miss something?
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That pickguard, and a lack of a neck pickup pretty much extinguishes my excitement. :-\ At least they got the body right this time.
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That pickguard, and a lack of a neck pickup pretty much extinguishes my excitement. :-\ At least they got the body right this time.
Could make more an interesting modding platform though, as I gather these are sub $1000? You could carve one for a mudbucker at the neck, delete the stock pickup, get a custom 5-ply pickguard cut in a more appealing shape...
I would change those knobs!
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Yeah an easy platform for modifications.
And in twenty years the all-original ones will be highly sought after :mrgreen:
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I dig it. My only quibble is it looks like somebody accidentally chopped off the tail end of the pickguard.
But I like the shape, the finish ... and is that a single TB-Plus? You know I love those :)
Curious how that sounds in a short scale.
Like the DC Junior Tribute guitar that's already been out since last fall, the electronics will be pickguard mounted, which keeps the cost down. I'm guessing it will have the modular plug-in board. I'm pretty sure having the shape blunt like that at the bottom was done to prevent having the end of the pickguard chip off like you see sometimes on Precision basses.
"single expanded range LP BassBucker" ... that's a new thing right? Did I miss something?
Hard to tell yet. Could it be an EMG35-size soapbar? Plenty of replacement options if it is. Or it could be a TB+ size pickup with different innards.
That bass looks fine! A little Muscle Bass. The design seems a little familiar. Shades od Rock 'n' Roll Relics' 'Thunders' bass.
lol. As if the R&R Relics Thunders was the original rather than what it really is, a wildly overpriced shitty looking copy of a Gibson.
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Anyway, I think it will be a winner for Gibson. The maple neck is a plus. No, it's not a copy of a '59, but it's not supposed to be. That's why they're called Tributes.
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do well, I'm sure. I'm even a little curious myself - will have to check one out when they get them in up here.
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I like it.
Hopefully a one of 6-7 GCs in my area will have it in stock sometime soon for me to try it out...
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Nice looking bass, and the pickup is in about the right place. I think that one is a winner just as it is.
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Hard to tell yet. Could it be an EMG35-size soapbar? Plenty of replacement options if it is. Or it could be a TB+ size pickup with different innards.
Or even the same innards with an arbitrarily different name, who knows :)
It does say there's a coil tap pull switch, so at the very least it's got 4-conductor wiring on the output, which I don't think the TB+ ever had.
From zooming in on the picture, the corners look more rounded to me like the TB+ than like the EMG 35, which are nearly square. But that's not a lot to go on.
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Yes the casing looks like Thunderbird but that does'nt tell what's underneath.
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To me it looks a lot like the EB pickups without pole pieces. Those had coil taps...……..
(https://i.imgur.com/lUBrPMc.jpg)
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To me it looks a lot like the EB pickups without pole pieces. Those had coil taps...……..
I hope that you're right, loved the sound of my 2013 EB...
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Three bass line?
No les Paul basses?
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Three bass line?
No les Paul basses?
There are already three basses in the 2019 line: SG, Thunderbird and EB4/EB5. This will be the fourth. The most recent LP basses were the Gibson Memphis ES-LP basses from 2016 and 2017.
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It's really nice! I will resist the urge to comment on the bridge, but it's great to see it back.
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Looks like Gibson took down the page. Here's a cached version:
https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:QdjVfOZPCgkJ:https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/USACYC512/les-paul-junior-tribute-dc-bass-coming-soon+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
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Probably complete panick caused by all the positive reactions. Even on Talkbass. :mrgreen:
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I wonder if the pickup as shown is just a mockup on a prototype. The whole thing could be a photoshop job based on the DC Junior guitar.
Let's hope someone at Gibson is watching the positive reactions.
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I wonder if the pickup as shown is just a mockup on a prototype. The whole thing could be a photoshop job based on the DC Junior guitar.
Let's hope someone at Gibson is watching the positive reactions.
The pic in the opening post shows three of them ready to leave for NAMM. I don't think they'd make three mockups just to have them hanging on a wall...
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The pic in the opening post shows three of them ready to leave for NAMM. I don't think they'd make three mockups just to have them hanging on a wall...
I must be missing something b/c I don't see what you're talking about. The three at the lower left corner? Those could be the DC Junior guitars.
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Yes that's the ones I meant. I think the visible E string on the brown one is too thick to be a guitar string. But I could be wrong
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By the way; the shape of the pickguard is not exactly the same as the guitar companion.
It wouldn't make sense to photoshop the shape different from the guitar.
(https://static.gibson.com/product-images/USA/USACYC512/Worn%20Cherry/front-banner.png)
(https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2019/USA/LPJR-Tribute-DC-2019/LPJDT19WCCH1_MAIN_HERO_01.jpg)
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One way or another, we'll know soon...I hope!
The website will catch up. For the minute, it's a mess. Day before yesterday, the Thunderbird was the only bass shown in the regular model pages. Yesterday and today, the EB4 and 5 are the only ones shown. Tomorrow?
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Think it's a pity Gibson ruined that beautiful bass with that ugly looking pickguard.
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Think it's a pity Gibson ruined that beautiful bass with that ugly looking pickguard.
I like it.
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At least the back of the body is very clean and uncluttered. It will be interesting to see what you can get in the future for a little more money. I'm guessing there will be a few more new bass introductions in time and probably some cool stuff for the higher tier markets that don't have pick guard mounted electronics.
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I like it.
Yup, me too. Otherwise too plain-Jane. ;D
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Yup, me too. Otherwise too plain-Jane. ;D
Pickguards are fine with me. I wouldn't even mind if they brought back handrests. Of course on many basses that would be awkward. Not on all, though.
http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/parts/bridge/GibsonHandrest.php
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I'm going to run right out and see what they'll give me for a trade in.
(https://i.imgur.com/b0ra6NG.jpg)
Just kidding. Imagine what the reaction would be if Gisbon did similar to a '59 Les Paul. That's mine.
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Whether or not you like the pickguard is just personal preference, but without it, you wouldn't have the bass at the announced price. Simplified routing takes less CNC time, modular pickguard mounted electronics are probably entirely machine assembled, etc.
Consider that the $799 DC Junior guitar is $300 less than the least expensive US-made Fender. It's being sold to dealers at about half that amount. Gibson has to pay American labor and operational costs. Every dollar counts. I think it's a pretty remarkable achievement. You can get a gloss finished Junior with all the traditional appointments but it costs quite a bit more.
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I get your point, Dave, and I understand that some things are necessary, to bring a price down. Only pity it doesn't make that pickguard a winner, in my eyes.
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I agree that they could have done a better job with the outline. I think the pickguard on the guitar version looks better. Better tension in the curved lines.
But it's nitpicking. Still think they have a potential winner with the LP Jr DC Bass.
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Whether or not you like the pickguard is just personal preference, but without it, you wouldn't have the bass at the announced price. Simplified routing takes less CNC time, modular pickguard mounted electronics are probably entirely machine assembled, etc.
Consider that the $799 DC Junior guitar is $300 less than the least expensive US-made Fender. It's being sold to dealers at about half that amount. Gibson has to pay American labor and operational costs. Every dollar counts. I think it's a pretty remarkable achievement. You can get a gloss finished Junior with all the traditional appointments but it costs quite a bit more.
CNC vs hand labor has nothing to do with the poor design of that pickguard. Looks like they ran out of material at the jack, and that's the least of it. Yes, it's subjective. As Robert Forster says in 'What They Had': "I'm 75, F@ck the Camry."
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I like it. A lot.
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It don't think the pickguard looks that great but I don't hate it. IMO, it would probably look a lot better if they extended it along the treble side of the neck and up into the horn. Subjective though, as noted. If I got one, I'd probably just swap in an EY 'bucker, possibly try to design a new PG if I felt energetic. Probably not.
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I'm going to run right out and see what they'll give me for a trade in.
(https://i.imgur.com/b0ra6NG.jpg)
Just kidding. Imagine what the reaction would be if Gisbon did similar to a '59 Les Paul. That's mine.
Hey look everyone - Cataldo's got that Tele pup slanted the correct way.
Sorry inside joke from another thread; carry on.
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CNC vs hand labor has nothing to do with the poor design of that pickguard. Looks like they ran out of material at the jack, and that's the least of it. Yes, it's subjective. As Robert Forster says in 'What They Had': "I'm 75, F@ck the Camry."
The marketplace will decide whether or not it's a poor design. When the guitar version came out last fall, I saw quite a few negative comments about the pickguard design. But from what I've heard, they've been selling like hotcakes, so it seems the people who don't like it are outnumbered. I expect the same thing will happen with the bass.
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I dont think you can rule out that some of the complainers werent buyers. That pricepoint is hard to resist even if you dont like the guard. The only more affordable option of decent quality is the newish Hamer model ( closer in look to a vintage one though they try to be subtle about the extra cutaway depth), but i bet people are will to pay 1 to 200 more just for the name on the headstock to be ‘Gibson.’
If thats one big ole route under there ( theres precident for that woth Gibsons budget models like my Sonex) then it also makes a sweet mod platform that requires no further routing ( and therefore ability return to stock and hold value for resale if it comes to it).
Its an ugly guard , Dave, you know its true, but its ok to get a gross out boner every now and then, and you cant tell me thats not what at least half of the sales volume is ( also speculators, after the Bonamassa sig firebird they came out of the woodwork and think theyre players now).
The other half are are younger people giddy at the thought thay can afford a real Gibson.
Sales volume , like chart success, are no indicator of a quality product.
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Hamer? The company doesn't exist any more, it's just a name that was sold off, and unless something just changed, they're all made in Korea or China. Last time I looked, they only had a guitar line with about 5 models, no basses.
Yes, I would rather have a DC Junior Bass that looked like the 59/60 EB-0. But it's not going to happen at that price point, and the guard on this one doesn't bother me.
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(https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/e1730592-839d-4ee9-8fda-8e474ce8dc79-jpeg.3294168/)
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So Chicago Music Exchange takes the credit for this model happening? That might actually be true considering the new Gibson management claiming they'd had a listen to what ideas for new models are out there:
"We did a listening tour visiting with dealers, artists and guitar enthusiasts and took the best ideas into the new Modern offerings"
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Hamer? The company doesn't exist any more, it's just a name that was sold off, and unless something just changed, they're all made in Korea or China. Last time I looked, they only had a guitar line with about 5 models, no basses
Yes, well i did say not quite as good quality didnt I. Have been poking about and apparently up until a few years ago Greco was making one. I had no idea that brand was at all still active or if the quality is still any good. Most of what they got now in the linup is in the fender and pointier spectrum ( including a few bass models).
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Yes, well i did say not quite as good quality didnt I. Have been poking about and apparently up until a few years ago Greco was making one. I had no idea that brand was at all still active or if the quality is still any good. Most of what they got now in the linup is in the fender and pointier spectrum ( including a few bass models).
Are you talking about Hamer or Greco? I don't see any basses on Hamer's website.
Fender got Hamer when they bought KMC Music in 2007. KMC Music had been a drain on Kaman Corp. for years and Fender wanted C. Bruno, the big wholesale distributor, at the time. Brands like Hamer were part of KMC but not the reason Fender bought KMC, and they eventually shut down production. Then Fender sold KMC Music to JAM Industries of Montreal, who own the Hamer name now.
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So Chicago Music Exchange takes the credit for this model happening? That might actually be true considering the new Gibson management claiming they'd had a listen to what ideas for new models are out there:
"We did a listening tour visiting with dealers, artists and guitar enthusiasts and took the best ideas into the new Modern offerings"
Apparently so. CME has moved a ton of Gibsons for years, plus they bought all that excess stock in the two years before the bankruptcy filing, the stuff they sold way below retail as "floor models." I'm n ot surprised that Gibson management would listen to them.
I don't see that post on Instagram any more but here's the latest as of now, with a little closer look.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtAEsAAH7w1/
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pio3oiPT_uM
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I'm assuming the case isn't included, although that would be nice if it was.
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I'm assuming the case isn't included, although that would be nice if it was.
I believe it will come with a gig bag like the guitar version does.
More from Guitar World. I'm impressed with what they're already doing. In Part 4, the Chief Merchant Officer (never heard of that position before) says there will be no more model years, they're not selling cars.
https://youtu.be/iofocs1-q_I
https://youtu.be/zxv18-tWR90
https://youtu.be/h6_4Ic269sE
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Are you talking about Hamer or Greco? I don't see any basses on Hamer's website.
Fender got Hamer when they bought KMC Music in 2007. KMC Music had been a drain on Kaman Corp. for years and Fender wanted C. Bruno, the big wholesale distributor, at the time. Brands like Hamer were part of KMC but not the reason Fender bought KMC, and they eventually shut down production. Then Fender sold KMC Music to JAM Industries of Montreal, who own the Hamer name now.
Greco re basses. Both re 6 banger DC Jr.
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I don't see that post on Instagram any more but here's the latest as of now, with a little closer look.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BtAEsAAH7w1/
This finish looks terrible. What do they call that - Rhino bed liner? ???
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This finish looks terrible. What do they call that - Rhino bed liner? ???
That's just the spotlight and angle. It's the same finish Gibson has been using on the Tribute guitars for some years now. For example, look at the DC Junior Tribute guitars (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPJDT19WBCH--gibson-les-paul-junior-tribute-doublecut-2019-worn-brown) at Sweetwater.
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With this lighting it looks like a dog hair finish. I actually like that. Maybe I'll try that too one day.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/4e/c0/bb/4ec0bb7719705215c54e3c14119a3490.jpg)
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I've done it. Prefer it when it's a bit more subtle than that ES Rob posted, that one looks cool, but I think I would get tired of it.
I think from what I have seen (in store with the geetar DC Tribute and others), that Gibson may be doing just that (subtle version of doghair) - no real extra cost just requires a bit of a tint in the grain filler. What sets it apart from a proper dog hair is using black or dark tint vs white like that ES.
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As you know Chris is at the NAMM at the moment.
Today he spoke to the new Gibson CEO James Curleigh.
He told Chris that Gibson will introduce a new American made Epiphone series. There's already one prototype guitar at the NAMM. There will be two bass guitars from this American series: a Rivoli and a solid body (not determined yet). They'll most likely be announced at summer NAMM 2019.
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RIVOLI!
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Wow, this is amazing. When you talk about Gibson EB-2/Epi Rivoli, you're talking about some of my favorite bass tones ever. This is the kind of stuff that truly interests me. I wish things like this could have happened long ago. But better late than never.
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I wonder why it's necessary to have an American made Epiphone? Why not continue to brand these models Gibson? It can't possibly be for the same reason it was done in the sixties so why start doing it again?
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As you know Chris is at the NAMM at the moment.
Today he spoke to the new Gibson CEO James Curleigh.
He told Chris that Gibson will introduce a new American made Epiphone series. There's already one prototype guitar at the NAMM. There will be two bass guitars from this American series: a Rivoli and a solid body (not determined yet). They'll most likely be announced at summer NAMM 2019.
That's great news and it's in line with what he said in one of the videos about Gibson and Epi being one company now.
I wonder why it's necessary to have an American made Epiphone? Why not continue to brand these models Gibson? It can't possibly be for the same reason it was done in the sixties so why start doing it again?
The only reason it was done back then was to put Kalamazoo-made guitars in non-Gibson dealerships without stepping on the territories of Gibson dealers. Could be a similar reason now, since there are local dealers who carry Epi but not Gibson. Besides, who needs a reason?
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I wonder why it's necessary to have an American made Epiphone? Why not continue to brand these models Gibson? It can't possibly be for the same reason it was done in the sixties so why start doing it again?
Because a Gibson EB2 would have to cost twice to trice as much to maintain brand image and therefore probably wouldn't sell very well. Yes there's the Tributes, but a hollowbody costs more to make. They can make it work with volume easier than with high price but little sales.
E.G. (CA$) a Gibson ES-335 is 3k and an Epi Dot is <600. They can see they're selling a shit tonne of Dots. The proper Gibby ES is profitable to, but this way they can diversify their strategy and use the Epi line to get production economies of scale to benefit the Gibson line.
Also, there is a case to be made that there is a bigger nosatalgia factor with the Rivoli than the EB2 (British invasion - those fans are Gibson/Epiphone's main customer base; then the post punk era with the reissues were popular).
Anyway, gotta start saving up.
Who knows - the new management seems to be more reasonable and customer/market feedback oriented than I-know-best Henry J; if the Rivoli does well I bet they will do an EB2 (but it will cost 5k). Probably an EB2D to help differentiate it, though lord knows what pups they'd use.
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If the instruments are made in the states, it will negate the biggest factor for why Epiphones can be made for less money. I'd think quality might be compromised if they tried to cut costs some other way in order to achieve that same Epi price advantage.
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Yeah, those are fair points and concerns. But let's just imagine for a second that actual Gibsons don't cost that much more to make (some, mostly the labour vs Asia), and the price difference is not proportional to that but rather all about marketing and positioning (hype as well as promotional costs - Gibson has a high marketting budget, Epiphone doesn't, but don't need to, they feed off Gibson that way).
Like I expect cheaper wood and hardware, but I'm not worried.
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The birds are Gibson and sport a chrome three point and chrome tuners. Could they do any less? With a MAP of nearly $2,300 I expect more. Any new birds I buy will be Epiphone Vintage Pros. My apologies for being so negative but I have pretty much washed my hands of Gibson.
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https://youtu.be/ZpXnb5IwKQQ?t=19m23s
So, a bass for guitar players?! Come on Gibson, don't screw up already.
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How much does the new Management have to do with the models at NAMM anyway? It's only been what, three months?
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The birds are Gibson and sport a chrome three point and chrome tuners. Could they do any less? With a MAP of nearly $2,300 I expect more. Any new birds I buy will be Epiphone Vintage Pros. My apologies for being so negative but I have pretty much washed my hands of Gibson.
The Thunderbirds have it, but I was surprised that the Firebird doesn't have the headstock edge routing.
What would you be looking for feature-wise? It's gonna be hard to beat the Vintage Pro - the Gibson one will have to be the modern one cuz they ain't doing 2 model variants for bass players. Nuff flavours of LP though, holy.
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https://youtu.be/ZpXnb5IwKQQ?t=19m23s
So, a bass for guitar players?! Come on Gibson, don't screw up already.
It's just my impression, but both online and in real life guitarists who want to play some bass for whatever reason do seem to gravitate toward short scale. Whereas many bassists are probably going to feel equally at ease with short scale or long scale. Once again, those are just my personal observations. If you're a company selling basses, you might be just as glad to get money from a guitarist dabbling in bass as from an actual bassist buying a bass. This doesn't mean, of course, that input from bassists shouldn't be taken seriously. Otherwise, things will never be the way they really should be.
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The birds are Gibson and sport a chrome three point and chrome tuners. Could they do any less? With a MAP of nearly $2,300 I expect more. Any new birds I buy will be Epiphone Vintage Pros. My apologies for being so negative but I have pretty much washed my hands of Gibson.
That's your privilege, of course. Keep in mind that Rickenbacker is the only place you can get a neck through bass for less, and that's been the whole company's bread and butter model for almost 60 years, not even counting the 600 series guitars. They're set up for it, while it's still an odd item for Gibson. I'm not making excuses for the price, since I don't know all the cost factors, but it's not out of line for a US-made neck through.
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https://youtu.be/ZpXnb5IwKQQ?t=19m23s
So, a bass for guitar players?! Come on Gibson, don't screw up already.
Gibson will sell to whoever will buy. Selling a short scale bass to guitarists is a plus for Gibson. It's too bad that Jim DeCola emphasized it like that, but he's no dummy. The target market for that video is guitarists. I'm surprised that the basses were mentioned at all. When was the last time anyone at Gibson did that? However the new bass does in the marketplace, I'm still impressed that new management is getting one out there so soon.
I noticed what he said about the pickup. Whatever's under there, it's not a standard TB-Plus.
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How much does the new Management have to do with the models at NAMM anyway? It's only been what, three months?
Plenty, I think. They have decided to have a core line of classic guitar models that will not change from year to year. That's already a walk back from the 2019 models that were introduced last August. They're discontinuing model years, which was a Henry marketing gimmick. Changes are happening much quicker than I thought.
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Yeah, but those are nomenclature changes, no?
Surely the new Jr models have been in the works longer than that.
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Yeah, but those are nomenclature changes, no?
Surely the new Jr models have been in the works longer than that.
The new core Classic line just announced at NAMM is not a nomenclature change. It's a return to 50s and 60s specs. It's not the same as the 2019 line introduced last August. Those were probably in the works even before the Chapter 11 filing.
To put it another way, the 2019 LP Standard in stores right now, which has been criticized for having gimmicks not on the originals (internal dip switches, coil taps, high pass filter, etc,) will be replaced by the new line sometime soon.
From what I can gather, the newest stuff at NAMM was not already in the works. New management is moving fast.
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The new LP Jr Tribute DC bass is clearly a companion to the LP Jr Tribute DC guitar. The guitar was introduced at Summer NAMM 2018. The new management was not installed yet in the summer of 2018.
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The new LP Jr Tribute DC bass is clearly a companion to the LP Jr Tribute DC guitar. The guitar was introduced at Summer NAMM 2018. The new management was not installed yet in the summer of 2018.
True, but I'm not sure what you're getting at. Gibson had plenty of existing models at NAMM in addition to the brand new models they just introduced. From what's been said, it's pretty clear that the bass is brand new since new management took over.
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I think the LP Jr Tribute DC bass was already in the making when the new management came into sight.
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I don't see how you can call it a odd item for Gibson, they have been tooled up for this version since 1989.
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I think the LP Jr Tribute DC bass was already in the making when the new management came into sight.
It's always possible, but anything beyond the fall 2019 lineup that was already in the works before the Chapter 11 filing would have had to be specifically approved by the bankruptcy judge. Very unlikely, especially since this was something requested by CME.
I don't see how you can call it a odd item for Gibson, they have been tooled up for this version since 1989.
I would be surprised if Firebird and TBird production accounts for more than 2% of Gibson's business. Compared to Ric, where more than 50% of their production is in neck through models. Even so, Gibson pricing is still at the low end of US-made neck through guitars and basses.
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It's just my impression, but both online and in real life guitarists who want to play some bass for whatever reason do seem to gravitate toward short scale.
Just yesterday, a young guitarist who works over at one of our sister companies next door asked me for advice on a short scale. I suggested an SG, but he ended up getting a Mustang at CME.
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Just yesterday, a young guitarist who works over at one of our sister companies next door asked me for advice on a short scale. I suggested an SG, but he ended up getting a Mustang at CME.
I'm not surprised. If someone goes to ask for advice in certain places, the suggestion to get a Mustang often comes up. Of course I'd get the SG instead.
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Just yesterday, a young guitarist who works over at one of our sister companies next door asked me for advice on a short scale. I suggested an SG, but he ended up getting a Mustang at CME.
I'd go the other way, myself. I've had a couple of Epi SGs and I have a Squier Bronco with a replacement pickup. The Squier is my pick of the two for feel and playability, and the Mustangs have been building a good reputation. If it's a current Mustang, the PJ setup adds versatility. But that's why all three models have succeeded, right? Tastes differ.
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Of course the Casino is more populair than the ES330 because of some guys from Liverpool. I guess that's why they will make that one in the US. Same with some solid body Epiphones used by guys like Weller and Marriott. Cool they make some basses too.
Darryl Jones liked the DC JR so much, they ship one for him after the NAMM. As you might know, Darryl started his career on Mustangs and he still plays competition Mustangs with the Stones, like Bill Wyman. So the big guy loves short basses.
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Darryl Jones learned bass on a violin bass, though, a Hofner copy.
https://www.dispatch.com/entertainmentlife/20180316/rolling-stones-bassist-darryl-jones-relishes-25-years-with-band
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Of course the Casino is more populair than the ES330 because of some guys from Liverpool. I guess that's why they will make that one in the US. Same with some solid body Epiphones used by guys like Weller and Marriott. Cool they make some basses too.
Darryl Jones liked the DC JR so much, they ship one for him after the NAMM. As you might know, Darryl started his career on Mustangs and he still plays competition Mustangs with the Stones, like Bill Wyman. So the big guy loves short basses.
If Darryl Jones is that impressed and it becomes known, that should really give the bass a boost. If Gibson were to have him endorse it, that would be even better. The bass will sell regardless, but bringing attention to a Gibson bass might convince the new management to pay more attention to basses.
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How uncharacteristically optimistic of you, Dave ;)
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How uncharacteristically optimistic of you, Dave ;)
I really am optimistic! I don't expect to see a vintage correct 50s EB-1 or anything like that, but we're seeing a major turnaround at Gibson. In the immortal words of Martha Stewart, it's a good thing.
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:mrgreen:
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I can't believe Herr Curleigh is from Halifax of all places ... Jake must be behind all this ...
Taking care of business indeed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4sI5DG5sjc
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PS: As the older ones among you will still remember with the right medication, I was never/am not now a fan of the LP Junior shape, but this new Tribute model is cute.
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PS: As the older ones among you will still remember with the right medication, I was never/am not now a fan of the LP Junior shape, but this new Tribute model is cute.
You'll buy one.
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It's too late to stop now.
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It could be very good indeed.Maple neck! i like that Maho/Maple combo,yes I do.New pickup design? We Want to know what it sounds like!
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It could be very good indeed.Maple neck! i like that Maho/Maple combo,yes I do.New pickup design? We Want to know what it sounds like!
In one of the videos someone (Jim DeCola, IIRC) said that the maple neck helps keep cost down. That's what they have used on most of the various Tribute guitar series in the past few years.
Not clear on the pickup yet. Could be a reworked TB-Plus with coil splitting or a different design. It sure would be nice if they used standard EMG 35 dimensions since that would open up many replacement options.
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It figures that the company under its new CEO would switch to maple ...
(https://www.almanac.com/sites/default/files/styles/primary_image_in_article/public/image_nodes/canadian-flag-muskokastockphotosss.jpg?itok=k4f6DMKi)
I know a Canspiracy when I see one, darn royalists.
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Haha. It's good to have you back Uwe. :toast:
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no it's not >:(
JK missed ya bud.