If you want one...

Psycho Bass Guy · July 27, 2015, 10:29:49 AM

This cemented it for me! After some major positive life changes, I also finally get to indulge my curiosity about Gibson's aborted stab at innovation:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid?src=3TP5DNC&&noPopup=true&src=3TP5DNC

...it's even the color I wanted most!

I finally will get to say that I have an actual Gibson to fight with my Fenders! C'mon people, we forum members have a DUTY to rescue these orphans.

Too late!!! It goes to a Schecter now. The link originally went to a white 2013 EB for $599.

uwe · July 27, 2015, 11:16:13 AM

Aborted stab at innovation? This is something Schecter initially developed for Gibson or what? Je suis confüsed!!!

Dave W · July 27, 2015, 11:53:15 AM

That's quite a deal. The one I bought for Uwe was $999 in 2012.

Quote from: uwe on July 27, 2015, 11:16:13 AM
Aborted stab at innovation? This is something Schecter initially developed for Gibson or what? Je suis confüsed!!!

uwe · July 27, 2015, 12:15:53 PM

But I've never even played, much less owned a Schecter in my life!!!

Confusion mounts.

Psycho Bass Guy · July 27, 2015, 01:22:48 PM

Quote from: uwe on July 27, 2015, 12:15:53 PM
But I've never even played, much less owned a Schecter in my life!!!

You already have a 2015 T-Bird, right? Same thing.

Ahhh Uwe, It must have sold out! The link originally went to a 2013 EB for $599.

uwe · July 28, 2015, 05:41:15 AM

Now I geddit!

For the record, I think on those 2015 SG basses, the bridge overpowers the body of the bass, it's all too much. No issue on the TB, but on those little EBs it looks crowded.

Dave W · July 28, 2015, 08:57:44 PM

Quote from: uwe on July 28, 2015, 05:41:15 AM
Now I geddit!

For the record, I think on those 2015 SG basses, the bridge overpowers the body of the bass, it's all too much. No issue on the TB, but on those little EBs it looks crowded.

You might possibly think otherwise if you saw them side by side. I haven't, but the Babicz isn't ungainly looking and isn't angled. Although its base is slightly larger by the front point than your beloved 3-point, it looks to me like it belongs on the bass.

uwe · July 29, 2015, 04:35:15 AM

I've seen one at my dealer, even had it in my hands and played it unplugged. We both agreed that it looks more like a bridge with a bass than a bass with a bridge! The bridge itself is fine though as regards functionality and looks good on larger basses.

Dave W · July 29, 2015, 12:43:23 PM

Fair enough.

Psycho Bass Guy · July 29, 2015, 01:19:57 PM

I paid the $5 for expedited shipping and my EB arrived today. The fit and finish are flawless, nothing like the new stuff I've seen in Guitar Center. The infamous grain telegraphing through the finish is present, but for what I paid, I don't care. Picking it up, it is also VERY obvious why it is so named: it has the light weight and feel (but not neck) of Gibson's earlier thin slab-bodied basses. The neck is satin-finished and feels very much like the profile of my Epi Les Paul Standard but slightly thinner, probably because of the satin finish vs the Epi's heavy poly. Speaking of heavy, it weighs in at about half what I am used to with ash bodied Fenders and my faux-hogany Epiphone. I had to shim the stripped strap button on the Epi and mahogany doesn't produce the pale whitish dust that came out of the hole when I removed the button. Epi says it's mahogany, but it looks and sounds like maple to me.

Soundwise, puzzlingly, the EB sounds much more like a Thunderbird than the ACTUAL 2015 Thunderbird with the same bridge and pickups. With the pull volume knobs down, it's every other Jazz Bass copy out there, but when you start playing with the taps, it REALLY comes to life with a nasty snarl and a ton of low end. The stock strings are nice: clearly new, but not clanky. The setup is probably too high for Ox fans, but it's perfect for me with plenty of room to dig in.

I'm leaving the plastic on the pickguard for now. The EB reminds me VERY much of a G&L L-2000 but with lighter weight. I don't have an L-2000, but for that price, I could score a used one and have more options with the same basic tone. Even with the Gibson name and great price, I'm going to seriously put it through its paces before I declare it a keeper. Unlike what seems to be the majority of the bass world, I LIKE heavy instruments and the light weight freaks me out a bit. I'm used to more inertia in my playing.

Where was the review thread for this one? Searching "EB bass" here is like looking up "Asian porn" on Google.

Basvarken · July 29, 2015, 03:15:23 PM

I think the Babicz is a lot better than that Hipshot monstrosity.

slinkp · July 29, 2015, 03:32:58 PM

That sounds like quite a good deal. The lowest price I see currently is $799 US at Zzounds... Other places have them at over $1k for some reason.

I did not know they made a lefty:
http://www.amazon.com/Gibson-USA-BAEBLE5CH1-4-String-Electric/dp/B00BFN59T8/ref=sr_1_12

Dave W · July 29, 2015, 09:10:03 PM

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on July 29, 2015, 01:19:57 PM

Where was the review thread for this one? Searching "EB bass" here is like looking up "Asian porn" on Google.

Is this the thread you were looking for? http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=7624

Basvarken · July 30, 2015, 12:42:05 AM

As if that is gonna help any. Try to find it between Deep Purple/Ritchie Blackmore, WWII aircraft, Model trains and anal sex

Highlander · July 30, 2015, 12:43:40 AM