The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: eb2 on July 04, 2009, 09:35:49 AM
-
This is kind of like a vintage Bach bird. Who wants it?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170353076155
-
Nice one. I still expect the reserve will be $2K or more.
-
Unusual looking bass - first one I've seen. Cool vibe.
-
If you don't know or haven't seen/played or heard one...these Epiphone Embassy basses are amazing!
Fun to play and the tone is to die for!! All mahogany construction and the same pickups/bridge/tail-piece/electronics as a T-Bird from the 60's. I think they started making these in 1963 and went until 1967 or 68...and ultimately they cost way less than a T-bird. I became aware of the Embassy bass in 1970 and still have that bass...would never sell it. One of my main go to basses. Records superbly and still plays beautifully to this day...good wood! Most of the Embassy's I've played have a slightly different shape neck from a T-Bird...extremely comfortable.
The biggest downside is they can feel a tiny tad top heavy...you have to learn how to adjust to that but once you do it's no problem and away ya go.
-
If you don't know or haven't seen/played or heard one...these Epiphone Embassy basses are amazing!
Fun to play and the tone is to die for!! All mahogany construction and the same pickups/bridge/tail-piece/electronics as a T-Bird from the 60's. I think they started making these in 1963 and went until 1967 or 68...and ultimately they cost way less than a T-bird. I became aware of the Embassy bass in 1970 and still have that bass...would never sell it. One of my main go to basses. Records superbly and still plays beautifully to this day...good wood! Most of the Embassy's I've played have a slightly different shape neck from a T-Bird...extremely comfortable.
The biggest downside is they can feel a tiny tad top heavy...you have to learn how to adjust to that but once you do it's no problem and away ya go.
Word.
-
Word...TO YOUR MUTHA!
-
Am I missing something here...you got a problem with my comments about Embassy Basses?
If so...speak up!
-
I think Embassy basses look and feel kind of gawky. Other than that no issues. They sure sound good, a TBird might have a bit more ooomph due to its construction. OTOH, with an Embassy nobody is going to pigeon hole you as a hard rocker.
-
Well, maybe not a HARD rocker, but it was my rock bass for about 20 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzYyHuHjL0U
-
You can play hard rock with it, but it looks more like surf!
-
Am I missing something here...you got a problem with my comments about Embassy Basses?
If so...speak up!
I think they agree with your comments. Unless I'm missing something.
-
I think they agree with your comments. Unless I'm missing something.
Nope. You got it right. We were in full agreement.
-
Word up.
-
I remember Mike's Music having two, each for $1500. George bought one of them. I should have bought the other.
-
Thanks guys...just checking ;-)
-
Word up!
Speaking of checking, I was severley out-bid but the thing didn't meet the reserve. I thought a bit more than $3Gs would have happened, but welcome to the new economy. Prices are dowwwwwn.
-
Word up!
Speaking of checking, I was severley out-bid but the thing didn't meet the reserve. I thought a bit more than $3Gs would have happened, but welcome to the new economy. Prices are dowwwwwn.
The one that went for $3900 last month was an anomaly, and I think people are assuming that the market is up on these. I'm still of the opinion that $2500-3000 is the cap for these. The mention of one priced at $7000 (taking bets that it's Chicago Music Exchange on that one) is outrageously out of line. The seller of this Embassy should have taken the $3050.
-
Agreed. I figured his reserve was probably 3.5-4K and that it wouldn't be reached. But if he really wants to sell, the market will teach him what it's really worth.
-
Scott Silver owns Chicago Music Exchange and his prices are generally top of the top of the top. maybe it's a place to start negotiating. Since prices are shifting so much and so quickly some high end/volume dealers of vintage gear are resorting to super high asking prices so they don't get caught below a price surge. That being said...'Yeah Right...$7K for an Embassy...you are dreamin' ;-))
Maverick Music has had what they call a 1962 Epiphone Rivoli (actually it is a 1964) for $5995 for months & months. Too much money plain and simple...then again he almost sold it for that. Key word being 'almost...didn't happen. The again, I have not seen a solid clean 1964 or earlier Rivoli for sale publicly for quite a while.
I think really highly of 60's Embassy basses and so I think they are worth between $3-4K. I think they sound better than Thunderbirds and are clearly somewhere in the vicinity of half the price. They have TONE! But I'm prejudiced having discovered them when I was 18 years old...had one since 1970...they are great basses & I am old!
-
I would think an original and un-cracked Embassy is so rare, and kool, that they should be in the $5g range. T-birds are relatively common in comparison and Gibson bass fans being as peculiar as they are, the name on the headstock shouldn't matter a bit. But that is me, and vintage dealers are different and name means more. I am old enough, and passed on my first Embassy around the tail end of the Carter administration. I have passed on at least 5 times as many Tbirds - I never learn - but always felt the Embassy was a better balanced bass, with a lighter, if not more fragile, feel. And real nice tone.
Chicago Music used to have a very early natural Ravioli with banjo pegs as I recall, back when they were on Clark. Back then maybe they were asking a few grand. Way too much then, but only time I saw one that old. The had an EB0 for years with some freaky owner-modified banjo pegs for a few grand more than everyone else. That being said they were always more reasonable than the Mandolin Brothers out on Fantasy Island, and Gruhn on everything but Gibson basses.