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What Is This One?

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bassilisk:
My 96 doesn't have it.


--- Quote from: uwe on July 19, 2017, 03:20:11 PM ---All Deluxes have the TCT/Bartolini pups electronics combo, which makes for a powerful, but incredibly sterile/hifi sound. Period piece of the early 90ies trying to sound like a bass in the mid-80ies.  :mrgreen:

--- End quote ---

I initially bought mine because it had an excellent flamed top. Though the initial impression of its tone was enjoyable the novelty wore off (see above - spot on Uwe) and I've been on a replacement pickup hunt ever since. Tried real Gibson TB+ (passive) and currently Schaller/DiMarzio (passive).

I'm thinking of going back to the TB+ and using the original Bart pre. I didn't know that was the typical setup.
OR
I have a set of Alumitones that I'm very curious about.

slinkp:
It's funny, I have a hard time imagining keeping an LPB but going on a pickup hunt to make it sound good.  I bought my (passive TB+) LPB1 as a total ebay gamble without ever having played or heard one, motivated entirely by my inability to stop looking at the auction photos.  I didn't know I had a thing for black hardware LP with yellow-black burst, but clearly I do.

But once I had it, I kept it and it became my main bass mostly because I love its sound so much. It is a bit tough to play. The way it hangs makes the neck feel about 2" longer than it really is, it weighs a ton, and I'm not fond of the feel of the slab body edge against my forearm. But that sound just works so well for my band.  If it didn't, I probably would have flipped it long ago rather than looking for pickups.  Even though I still love the look.    I have certainly swapped out pickups in other basses looking for a sound, but I have to love how it feels before I do that.

bassilisk:
Well, there you go. The reason I've kept this one is because I like the neck and it's one of the most even playing basses I have. Very smooth and consistent notes. I also really like the top. I've seen a bunch and not many with such a nice figuring. I can deal with the slab body as well. I wasn't crazy about the black hardware, and at the time I was able to get NOS chrome Gibson replacement tuners. The Schaller bridge was easy.

The current pickup combo can be dealt with using some judicious EQ and output control. They have a wicked hot midrange. I did manage to find the chrome covers from a Kramer dealer moving excess stock.

I'm still trying to "normalize" it a bit more to suit me.
It's great for outdoor gigs going through my Mesa M-Pulse which softens it some.

uwe:
The LP-Saga:

- LPB-1/Special: early version TB Plus soapies and passive, later version TB Plus soapies and active with Bartolini TCT,

- LPB-2/Deluxe: througout its life span Bartolini pups and TCT electronics.

- LPB-3/Standard: early version TB Plus guitar size humbuckers and active Bartolini TCT electronics, later version TB Plus guitar size humbuckers, but passive.

So your Deluxe had original Bart pups and TCT electronics.

Meshell was pictured with the regular Deluxe (and it is what she plays in that Mellencamp vid of that Van the Man song), but actually she had a prototype that was passive and had custom pups emulating - a bit - a more Jazz Bass sound, might have been single coils.

And I now tell you a secret, never revealed before: Rob in his book of books pictures that passive prototype of hers (it reached ze Kölleckshün in convoluted vvvays) and mistakenly claims it to be the regular off-the-rack Deluxe. It is not. I only saw that when it was already printed and rather than break the poor guy's heart, I kept the secret forever hidden in my bosom.



As we shall continue to do here, my brethren,



and not unsettle the sensitive Dutchman.

So get your rare 1st edition Gibson Bass Book now***, only original with that lil' mistake!  :mrgreen:

***This part of this public statement sponsored by Proper Propaganda Media B.V., CEO: Rob van den Broek.

Basvarken:
Haha, I already thought there was something funny about that particular bass in the book.  It didn't match the other pics I found on the Internet.

Luckily I put in the foreword that the book is probably filled with mistakes.
This one goes right up the pile with all the other ones! 😂

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