The Last Bass Outpost

While vacationing in Nashville last Monday, we stopped in at the new, (new to me) Gruhn's Guitar location. They happened to have a '73 L-5S with low impedance pickups. The gold hardware was rather worn, as most of them seem to be. It had also had a refret done. After trying to convince myself I didn't really need it, because it isn't a Les Paul........ I made them an offer & it was accepted. They shipped it yesterday so it should arrive Monday, just after I make it back. That's the last of the low impedance series for me........... Speaking of low impedance guitars, we stopped at the Antique Archeology location on Nashville, they had a Les Paul Professional on the wall for $4,200.00. Mike picked that from somewhere...... Photos to follow after I get back home...

At practice tonight, I played a Gibson EB 2014 5 string. I was quite impressed. I've never really played a 5 string, didn't really want to after all of these years of playing a "normal" bass, but it wasn't bad. I was most impressed by the pickups in the EB bass. All of the other pickups in all the recent models seem to be TB+ pickups, these were really ballsy, well balanced. It had push pull volume knobs to switch the pickups to single coil. The neck was a bit wide, but I didn't fumble around half as much as I would have anticipated I would. Anybody else try one??

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/gibson-eb-2014-5-string-electric-bass-guitar

It sounds like the iconic stack on the Gibson Kalamazoo plant was scheduled to come down today, can't find anything to confirm this.......

http://www.savegibsonstack.com/

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/01/effort_underway_to_demolish_fo.html

Yesterday, I was watching the new episodes of Pawn Stars & noticed a Les Paul Bass in the background.............



A few months ago they featured a Les Paul Professional on the show. Rick was rather puzzled by it, thought it was modified. Even after they called in Jesse from Cowtown Guitars to evaluate it, they didn't have all of the facts straight. At least these low impedance models are getting a bit of exposure on TV after 45 years!

My wife & I are taking a road trip through Arkansas then swinging up through Memphis. I don't know if any basses are built at this factory, but I'm going to check it out. Two years ago, we were in Nashville, only to find out that the factory tour had moved to Memphis after the flood. I hear the Nashville tour wasn't much. We are staying at a hotel just across the street from the Gibson facility off of Beale Street.

Sweetwater just posted photos on the new LPR II................

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPRCNACH/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PPC&utm_campaign=none&utm_term=DSA_-_Product&adpos=1t1&device=c&network=s&gclid=COr7_qaUzrsCFew7MgoddTEAoQ

I'm not seeing anything on Gibson's website..........

I noticed this on Ebay, listed as bass pickups. One is a guitar pickup, but it has multiple wires coming out of it instead of two. Everything else looks like it came off of a Les Paul Bass. I wonder if they were rewound?? Specials from the Kalamazoo factory??

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gibson-Bass-Pickups-Bridge-Les-Paul-Truss-Rod-Cover-/370958584511?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item565edacabf

This bass looks pretty nice for the asking price. The only flag I see is some signs of modification on the plastic back plate. I wish I needed it! Complete with a "Tilt-O-Matic" 2 point bridge! 

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/msg/4058904180.html