Nice EB 650 on ebay

[TBird1958]

 Its certainly a beauty to my eye!
I'm afraid my stage clothing wouldn't treat it so well 

http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-EB-650-Hollow-Body-Bass-NOS-VERY-RARE_W0QQitemZ140315614598QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar?hash=item140315614598&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A2%7C294%3A50

[Freuds_Cat]

I have trouble with the Diamond holes. Must be a purist, I prefer F holes. Nice bass apart from that.

[uwe]

They look nice, no doubt, and are well-made. Plus have become rarer over the years, you hardly see them anymore on ebay. But they sound about as much as a Rivoli as a Ric 4003 does. To which they are closer in sound actually. An angry piano sound Gibson, not a mud replicator.

[Dave W]

US $5495 starting bid.    Does anyone have evidence of one ever actually selling for over $2500?

Probably early last year, Good Guys was trying to unload one, auction ended at under $1700 with reserve not met, high bidder posted at Jules' place asking about value, he said he had contacted the seller and asked if they would sell at the closing bid. KeBo wrote him back and said this was a $5000 bass "any day of the week" but he'd sell for something like $4300. Yeah, right. When Good Guys liquidated, I'll bet they got a small fraction of that. Must have been a different week. 

Anyone who would pay more than half the starting bid for this has more money than sense.

[Barklessdog]

I'll bet they got a small fraction of that. Must have been a different week.

Priceless!

[uwe]

The offer was revised re the bid price. Initially it was something around 3.500 bucks I think. That was already expensive, but the new price is hilarious. EB-750ies (of which only about 70 were made) have gone for less.

Uwe

[eb2]

Well, how much would Gibson probe you for if you had them make you a bass in their world's most famousest custom shop?  A stock ES-175 body with Trini Lopez F holes is hardly a tough order.  For 5 G's I would hope you could get them to use better knobs and dump that bridge tailpiece.  Maybe you could spec out real Gibson-ish pickups.

I like the color though.

[uwe]

The pups are fine on that: TB plus chrome humbucker quality! Possibly even a little sharp and rough for a semi-hollow.

[Chris P.]

I don't like those basses but I do love the looks of the Trini Lopez (or for the younger guys: Dave Grohl) guitars.

A friend of mine could buy a Trini Lopez with the trapeze holes and the Firebird headstock, but the chose a nornmal 335. I hate him for that!

[drbassman]

I still like mine.  Mean and growly, even with flats on it!   I think it's worth $2500, but I'm biased !

[uwe]

They are definitely worth that type of money as regards quality and general rarity, you see them less and less and they are obviously "keepers" with the people who own one, always well-cared for, I've never seen a worn one. I paid 1.550 EURO for mine in Germany in August 2003 and considered that a very good price at the time. Since then almost six years have passed, so I don't consider 2.500 USD outrageous. But  5.500 USD certainly is. This isn't even a rare fin, but the most prevalent one.

[drbassman]

I agree with Uwe.  I'd pay a little more for a natural one, they were less common.

[uwe]

Or blue!

[Dave W]

I agree that $2500 wouldn't be unheard of, but even Trini himself would probably say that a $5500 starting bid is crazy.

[doombass]

I like the transclusent amber finish on those. The price was 5500$ from the beginning, then down to 3500$ and now back up again.