The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: morrow on December 12, 2022, 01:52:33 PM
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It’s still on the website but apparently those that have recently tried to order one have been told it’s no longer in production.
I’ve been half expecting it for a while , but I’m sad to see it go.
They’re great little basses.
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That's too bad. People really seem to like them. Have you seen what the 2023 production run looks like? Still hoping for another left-handed Thunderbird run.
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I was also hoping that wouldn't happen. I had even been thinking about getting a second one. Now if you really want one you can buy a used one for as much or more than they were new. There's always that. :-\(http://)
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Rats. I like those, glad I got one when I did!
I had a wacky idea to have mine hot-rodded with a bridge pickup. That's the one thing I occasionally miss from playing my LPB-1... I am mostly a neck pickup guy, but maybe about 25% of the time it just works better for me to have that different midrange tone that two pickups give you.
I have a terrible completion rate on project ideas though. Forget I said anything ;D
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Mine became a favourite bass to play. I normally put flats on most basses , but I loved the factory strings and I’ve continued putting BriteWires on it. I have a couple of sets tucked away for future use.
I simply loved the light weight , even balance, great sound , and comfortable feel. It hit a lot of my buttons.
They’re great little basses.
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Sad to see it go, it had a nuanced sound and recorded well. But TBird and SG Bass just continue to be the mainstays of Gibson bass production - anything else no matter how good or different doesn't survive because the market reception and demand isn't there. If people want to play a Gibson bass, they want to play a TBird or an SG shape bass, the two most popular iconic bass forms of Gibson not relegated to a genres (like Flying V and Explorer which are forever identified with harder music) or burdened with a popular guitar image (like the Les Paul shape).
But OTOH Fender live with/from two bass models as well and Rickenbacker with/from just one. Does anybody buy EBMM Bongos anymore?
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The Bongo is still produced , and has been going since 03.
I am a little miffed they discontinued the Big Al though.
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I loved the look of that bass, but it had "niche product" written all over it from day one.
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I really disliked the one I tried, but just about everyone else seemed to like or love theirs. Sad to see it go, but it's Gibson. Can't expect it to stay. Hopefully they have something else in the pipeline.
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You can't blame Gibson for fading out production of a model that doesn't sell in meaningful quantities over a period of what was it again, five years or so? That's not throwing things against the wall to see what sticks.
Gibson is a vintage brand and anybody buying a Gibson product doesn't primarily want the newest groundbreaking, hot shot model of a bass, but a piece of history. And that history is for better or worse defined by the TBird and the SG type basses which overshadow anything else, the two models covering qite a bit of differentiated ground between them, a long scale and a short scale, a neck-thru and a set neck. There might be a room for another model, but for some reason Les Paul shape basses (whether single or double cut, short or long scale) have never proved to be consistent sellers.
But is there really a short scale bass anywhere that sells better than the SG shape basses by Gibson and Epiphone? And likewise a bass with a "strange" (angular and non-symmetric) shape like the TBird that has sold better during the last 35 years?
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It”s been a great bass for me & was a good platform to modify, (affordable). I still play it slightly more than my Hobbit. Sad to see it go…….
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He mentions the growl that the bass can get under the right conditions. I agree. That's one of the most appealing things to me about the DC Jr.
https://youtu.be/kTR5x10SCBU
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But is there really a short scale bass anywhere that sells better than the SG shape basses by Gibson and Epiphone?
If Reverb's best seller list of 2022 is at all representative, then yes, Mustangs sell very well.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/11/10/reverb-releases-list-of-best-selling-basses-of-2022/
The $800 USD mustang model tied for #3, pretty impressive.
No Gibsons or Epiphones made the top 20 at all. I guess we really are a cult of weirdos on this forum!
I don't know all these instruments and didn't bother to google them, but the other shorties I noticed on the list were mostly low budget models, some at the lowest entry level - not surprising, a $200 shortie is a good starter for a kid with small hands just starting out. For example the Squier Bronco and Ibanez Gio Mikro.
The Gretsch Junior Jet that tied for #3 isn't bottom of the barrel at $299 but it definitely qualifies as inexpensive.
I was surprised to see it that high up the list.
Also noticed the Hofner Ignition Pro Violin Bass ... all these decades later, the "Beatle bass" still has appeal I guess!
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Those little Gretsch basses have quite the following. The Nordstrand Acinonyx has one too. As do the G&L Fallout these days.
There’s more short scale offerings than ever before.
I’m a big Dano fan , I’m not quite sure just how that came about , but I’m ok with it,
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If Reverb's best seller list of 2022 is at all representative, then yes, Mustangs sell very well.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/11/10/reverb-releases-list-of-best-selling-basses-of-2022/
The $800 USD mustang model tied for #3, pretty impressive.
No Gibsons or Epiphones made the top 20 at all. I guess we really are a cult of weirdos on this forum!
I don't know all these instruments and didn't bother to google them, but the other shorties I noticed on the list were mostly low budget models, some at the lowest entry level - not surprising, a $200 shortie is a good starter for a kid with small hands just starting out. For example the Squier Bronco and Ibanez Gio Mikro.
The Gretsch Junior Jet that tied for #3 isn't bottom of the barrel at $299 but it definitely qualifies as inexpensive.
I was surprised to see it that high up the list.
Also noticed the Hofner Ignition Pro Violin Bass ... all these decades later, the "Beatle bass" still has appeal I guess!
Only three American made basses on that list. If there were a list of American made bass sales, the DC Junior might well appear.
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Those little Gretsch basses have quite the following. The Nordstrand Acinonyx has one too. As do the G&L Fallout these days.
There’s more short scale offerings than ever before.
I’m a big Dano fan , I’m not quite sure just how that came about , but I’m ok with it,
I noticed how popular the G&L Fallout basses were getting, but with my neck problems I usually avoid basses that heavy. But it looks like they probably do have something to offer for some people out there, especially for those tired of all the cheap short scale entry level basses that are out there. I never played a Fallout, but seriously doubt if I would like it as much as my DC Jr. BTW, I like Danos, too, but rarely play them and only have that latest version of the Hodad which came out several years ago and then was discontinued.
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He mentions the growl that the bass can get under the right conditions. I agree. That's one of the most appealing things to me about the DC Jr.
https://youtu.be/kTR5x10SCBU
Does it really have a maple neck? He says so (nice, unpretentious guy btw). I was under the impression mine had a maho one, but it's in the rehearsal room right now, so I can't check.
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I think the neck is maple. The body is mahogany.
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If Reverb's best seller list of 2022 is at all representative, then yes, Mustangs sell very well.
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2022/11/10/reverb-releases-list-of-best-selling-basses-of-2022/
The $800 USD mustang model tied for #3, pretty impressive.
No Gibsons or Epiphones made the top 20 at all. I guess we really are a cult of weirdos on this forum!
I don't know all these instruments and didn't bother to google them, but the other shorties I noticed on the list were mostly low budget models, some at the lowest entry level - not surprising, a $200 shortie is a good starter for a kid with small hands just starting out. For example the Squier Bronco and Ibanez Gio Mikro.
The Gretsch Junior Jet that tied for #3 isn't bottom of the barrel at $299 but it definitely qualifies as inexpensive.
I was surprised to see it that high up the list.
Also noticed the Hofner Ignition Pro Violin Bass ... all these decades later, the "Beatle bass" still has appeal I guess!
The Mustangs and Broncos are quite pleasant to play. Decent balance, lighter weight than the longer scale basses, with good sound. The inexpensive Bronco is a favorite platform for pickup mods, me included. I have a Gretsch 2202 pickup in a Bronco and it's an inexpensive but very gig-worthy combination.
The Gretsch Junior Jet surprises me too, but it's a great value and is very much like the Broncos and Mustangs in terms of scale and balance with good sound.
I have a sneaking hunch that as many of us Boomers age we're moving to short scales, which boots sales figures for those models.
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I think the neck is maple. The body is mahogany.
Correct. I guess that it was a bass nod to Tribute series which all sport maple necks.
I returned mine due to a major QC flaw and wasn't at all smitten by it otherwise, but I'm sad to see the model discontinued nevertheless. Quite a few people loved theirs, and I've got just about enough Gibson basses to play anyway...
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I never gave whether the neck is maple or not a thought. I simply assumed it was maho. But the maple explains a lot why the bass sounds IMHO better/different than both the original EB-0 double cut and the two-pup Doublecut reissue some 10 year ago. It has really added something.
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I usually carry both the Les Paul and a Mustang to a gig. I love them both.
I did replace the Les Paul pickup with a passive EMG T-Bird pickup. It seems more assertive now (in the mix).
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I never gave whether the neck is maple or not a thought. I simply assumed it was maho. But the maple explains a lot why the bass sounds IMHO better/different than both the original EB-0 double cut and the two-pup Doublecut reissue some 10 year ago. It has really added something.
It also explains why, to be honest, the LP Jr. Tribute probably sounds a little better than the SG Standard. Yet it is almost a 2K bass now, once you pay all the taxes. The LP Jr. was a lot less, obviously. People were getting a good deal on that bass, IMO. There may be an incongruity in that I have an SG as an avatar. But if I'm ever in public (and I'm not sure if I ever will be again) I usually have to have an SG.
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I never gave whether the neck is maple or not a thought. I simply assumed it was maho. But the maple explains a lot why the bass sounds IMHO better/different than both the original EB-0 double cut and the two-pup Doublecut reissue some 10 year ago. It has really added something.
The different (DeCola) pickup might also explain a lot of the difference in tone.
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The different (DeCola) pickup might also explain a lot of the difference in tone.
I guess it could be a combination of things. That's interesting to me.
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I think it’s mostly the placement. I’ve read how some have replaced the pickup and found an improvement.
I think anybody’s ears expect an improvement after replacing the pickup. Whether it’s there or not.
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Of course, it's all those things you guys have mentioned.
I did some recording with it straight into the board without any tinkering and was surprised how good and vibrant it sounded.
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It was the cheapest thing they offered, now many are put off at the price tag of most Gibsons. And even at that price point some feel it was overpriced. The “Made in America” mystique has been taking a beating with the arrival of offshore imports that are well built and a fraction of the price. When I put all that baggage aside and just played the Jr it simply hit a lot of buttons for me. It felt really good and I really enjoyed playing it , and it sounded good. Real good. In many ways is responded like a mini Pbass. And I liked the weight and size. To this day it is one of my favourite things to pick up and play. I love the simplicity of a single pickup , and only two knobs to fiddle with.Perfect!
Heck , I’d even pay a bit more for a better finish.
I hope Gibson will realize that the Jr had a nice little niche. I’d love to see it as a high end Epiphone (please do not put a bolt on neck on that) or even return with a better finish. I’d love to see it remain in the line.
I do know it’s not bloody likely.
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It was the cheapest thing they offered, now many are put off at the price tag of most Gibsons. And even at that price point some feel it was overpriced. The “Made in America” mystique has been taking a beating with the arrival of offshore imports that are well built and a fraction of the price. When I put all that baggage aside and just played the Jr it simply hit a lot of buttons for me. It felt really good and I really enjoyed playing it , and it sounded good. Real good. In many ways is responded like a mini Pbass. And I liked the weight and size. To this day it is one of my favourite things to pick up and play. I love the simplicity of a single pickup , and only two knobs to fiddle with.Perfect!
Heck , I’d even pay a bit more for a better finish.
I hope Gibson will realize that the Jr had a nice little niche. I’d love to see it as a high end Epiphone (please do not put a bolt on neck on that) or even return with a better finish. I’d love to see it remain in the line.
I do know it’s not bloody likely.
This is a very good description of the bass. Only someone who has spent some quality time with the LP DC Jr. would be able to make these observations. And anyone who hasn't may not see exactly what is being said when you praise such things as simplicity and a bass having only one pickup. The minimalism is a plus and the fact that the bass delivers a punch is even more of a plus. I wouldn't look at ''made in America" as a mystique, though. Through the years some American companies really have established a reputation for making good guitars and basses. As a typical American, I've spent much of my life buying various goods made in other countries. If something I buy is very good, and it's made here, too, that's more lagniappe than mystique for me.
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Frankly, I don't give a rat's ass where something is made as long as it is well-made. I don't mind paying more for better quality and if that means production in a higher-income market then I'm fine with that, but the two are not always connected.
Japanese and Indian Whiskeys taste great. And I've never held an Ibanez bass in my hands that wasn't made well, even when they were still copying. Even though it's currently falling out of fashion, I'm still a globalist in the sense that I don't attach quality automatically to nationality. I've never bought a German car in my life, my cars were Swedish and are now Chinese (Volvo) and if you want to know something: Ever since they went Chinese, their quality rose.
The Junior will return in some shape or form, don't worry. Gibson works in cycles. They even had the knack of producing a long scale model that wasn't neck-heavy (!), but for whatever reason that remained in the vaults as a prototype (I have one) and they went for single cut in the 90ies Les Paul series (which never did so great though they were fine basses).
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This is a very good description of the bass. Only someone who has spent some quality time with the LP DC Jr. would be able to make these observations. And anyone who hasn't may not see exactly what is being said when you praise such things as simplicity and a bass having only one pickup. The minimalism is a plus and the fact that the bass delivers a punch is even more of a plus. I wouldn't look at ''made in America" as a mystique, though. Through the years some American companies really have established a reputation for making good guitars and basses. As a typical American, I've spent much of my life buying various goods made in other countries. If something I buy is very good, and it's made here, too, that's more lagniappe than mystique for me.
Yeah, it's quite aggressive in the mids, but also has depth and snap if you want it. And something about that pickup puts a lot of pop in the attack if you play with a pick or a percussive fingerstyle. And it's easy to fit into a mix.
The neck suits me - it's round and chunky in a way I like but feels easy.
I know the matte finish is partly for economic reasons, but I love how it feels on the neck and I like that grainy look. And I'm a sucker for blue.
My only aesthetic gripe? That weirdly squared-off end of the pickguard is a strange and I think slightly ugly choice. Oh well, it's a minor blemish.
Would I have bought one if it was priced like a T-bird or SG? Probably not, but I was eyeing them at $999, and when they were on sale I couldn't resist. Mine was $650 US with tax, and Chicago Music Exchange did an excellent setup. Now it's my main bass.
Add me to the "maybe getting too old for long scale" club - I don't know how long I'll still be able to play a full set on the old LPB-1.
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Yeah, it's quite aggressive in the mids, but also has depth and snap if you want it. And something about that pickup puts a lot of pop in the attack if you play with a pick or a percussive fingerstyle. And it's easy to fit into a mix.
The neck suits me - it's round and chunky in a way I like but feels easy.
I know the matte finish is partly for economic reasons, but I love how it feels on the neck and I like that grainy look. And I'm a sucker for blue.
My only aesthetic gripe? That weirdly squared-off end of the pickguard is a strange and I think slightly ugly choice. Oh well, it's a minor blemish.
Would I have bought one if it was priced like a T-bird or SG? Probably not, but I was eyeing them at $999, and when they were on sale I couldn't resist. Mine was $650 US with tax, and Chicago Music Exchange did an excellent setup. Now it's my main bass.
Add me to the "maybe getting too old for long scale" club - I don't know how long I'll still be able to play a full set on the old LPB-1.
The bass seems especially suitable for this kind of stuff, even though the original versions weren't played on Gibsons. I did see the Sword bassist playing a Thunderbird in one of their videos, but most of the time he doesn't play one as far as I know. My knowledge of The Sword is somewhat limited. And I think Mel Schacher's choice in basses is well-known.
https://youtu.be/yrnGXsktqFo
https://youtu.be/MliJEZHfwiE
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GFR's Sin's A Good Man's Brother was the second song I learned on bass, back in 1975, and my introduction to appoggiatura. My teacher, a classical violinist who fled Communist Romania, actually wrote down the guitar riff in bass clef, not the real bass part. I used to admire his ability to listen to a song and immediately transcribe any part with a pencil and staff paper, no instrument in hand.
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GFR's Sin's A Good Man's Brother was the second song I learned on bass, back in 1975, and my introduction to appoggiatura. My teacher, a classical violinist who fled Communist Romania, actually wrote the guitar riff in bass clef, not the real bass part. I used to admire his ability to listen to a song and immediately transcribe any part with a pencil and staff paper.
GFR's songs were an essential part of my first band. Grand Funk was the guitarist's favorite band. He would bring in their songs for us to learn. We did and when we played them there was always a good response from the crowd. So some of my first songs on bass were also GFR. That and songs from Hendrix's first album. That was pretty much how I learned to play bass. I had originally been inspired by Paul McCartney, but we only did a few Beatles songs. However, we could play Hendrix, GFR and a few others for much of the night. If anyone had suggested trying to write original songs, the response would have been blank stares. I did dabble in that in later bands, but not extensively.
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Ooh, I first thought he was playing a Nite City cover - now that would have been rare, but Night City is another band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emPdI-Oo3pw
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I've never heard of Nite City. Wikipedia said they had poor sales and no following. Also, their second album was only released in West Germany. I have no idea what their connection to Germany was. They broke up after that second album. But this may explain why someone from Germany may have heard of them, but someone from the U.S. may not have. Wikipedia goes on to say that it was Ray Manzarek's band. And Nigel Harrison would end up playing in Blondie. I can never get Ray Manzarek's name right. That's probably spelled wrong.
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The Doors have always had a strong following in Germany.
The Nite City debut album had a rave review in one of the German music magazines when it came out in 1977 - that is how I heard of it. Initially, Iggy Pop was originally supposed to have been the singer for Nite City, but he moved with Bowie to Berlin. Ray Manzarek (you spelled it right) just couldn't get enough of working with vocalists that weren't per se the greatest singers it seems! 8)
The second album (with the lead vocalist gone and the other guys in the band now singing) was a bit bland and had nothing dark to it. But the debut is a nice eclectic mix of hard rock, AOR, glam rock, West Coast influences plus Manzarek's idiosyncratic organ and electric piano playing high up in the mix (echoing Supertramp a little) - and even a bit of Disco thrown in for good measure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-a-QoIIY9w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-9lor_8NGc
Nigel Harrison was in all these interesting bands (often with his buddy Michael Des Barres) that never quite made it: Silverhead, Nite City, Chequered Past - his success with Blondie being the exception.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MACVaU-2whQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCpE7S8XCMk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEQixJCpVfM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS-lbCFFZk4
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I once jammed in a very informal jam session which had a keyboardist who spoke very highly of Manzarek. I had no idea he died in 2013. I was traveling some that year and somehow missed that news. When I think of 2013, I usually think of it as the year I finally got to see Golden Earring. Of course, as it turned out, it was my one and only chance.
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I feel bad for guys like Ray Manzarek and Mitch Mitchell. They are in one lucky, lightning-strikes-once band that defines the zeitgeist of an era. Then... tumbleweeds. The '70s is one long also-ran lost weekend of musical nothing.
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I feel bad for guys like Ray Manzarek and Mitch Mitchell. They are in one lucky, lightning-strikes-once band that defines the zeitgeist of an era. Then... tumbleweeds. The '70s is one long also-ran lost weekend of musical nothing.
Uhum!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: Almost all of my desert island albums were recorded in that era, Sgt. Pepper being the only exception I think. I actually believe it was a very productive and creative era, rock and pop music diversified greatly, a multitude of genres and sub-genres formed. It's the age of Deep Purple, Led Zep, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Alice Cooper Group, Queen, the Eagles - stadium rock in all its variations, of Glam Rock but also of King Crimson, Mike Oldfield, Roxy Music, the Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Police, Talking Heads and The Cars. Soul, Funk and Disco gained widespread market acceptance, even Rap - in the next decade hugely influential - made its entrance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te7FLFK3o7A
A decade full of musical milestones and longlasting influences more like!
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I meant for Ray and Mitch, not as a whole. 90% of my CD collection is from the '70s!
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Oh, ok, you're right then. The Doors were too iconic for Manzarek, Densmore and Krieger to really ever have a chance at anything else. Continuing the Doors didn't work in the absence of their charismatic frontman and house poet, the two post-Morrison Doors albums are not essential purchases to put it mildly. And they never had or did not take the offer to play in another established name band.
Actually, not such a rare thing: Unless you are the perceived leader and chief writer, having similar success in two name bands as a musician is seldom. I guess Frampton did it coming out of Humble Pie (as did Sting departing Police), but even the guys in a mega-band like Purple couldn't continue on a similar scale. Jon Lord almost had an offer from Bad Company after Purple split, but was vetoed by Paul Rodgers who didn't think a dominant Hammond sound was the right thing for the nearing 80ies and Ian Paice auditioned with The Who and was favored by JAE, but Townshend preferred Kenny Jones as someone he knew from the 60ies (IMHO and not as a DP-fanboy: a mistake from a purely musical view, Jones was wrong in so many ways for The Who). None of the Purple split-off bands ever had the artistic stature or commercial impact of Purple, not even Rainbow (which had the benefit of featuring Purple's main musical driver). With latter day Whitesnake being the exception, but it took Coverdale more than 10 years of hard work from the ground up (Whitesnake's beginnings were commercially humble to say the least) to re-crack the US in a comparable way to heyday Purple.
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Ian Paice auditioned with The Who
Wow, that could have been great. Never heard about that. I think Pete had probably had enough of the chaos that Moon brought, and was ready for someone more tame, like Mr. Jones.
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"Tame" is a key phrase here, I think Townshend wanted to tame down the whole rhythm section in The Who full stop because his songwriting was developing that way, less riff-oriented, there was less for the rhythm section to do, he wanted a more conventional approach. Who's Next had really been the band's last hard rocking output (eight years BEFORE Moonie's death in 1978). Townshend never replaced John Entwistle with a player of similar flamboyance either.
Paice was magnanimous about Pete's decision. He said in an interview with a drummer magazine that though he would have very much liked to have joined The Who, he respected and understood that the preference for Kenny Jones was strictly based on a common 60ies Swinging London bond between The Small Faces and The Who (Purple in contrast were a beast of the 70ies and Paice was from Nottingham, having spent much of the 60ies touring Continental Europe, he was never part of the then London scene). Plus he was friendly with Kenny Jones himself back from the days when Purple broke America as an opening act for The Faces (and The Faces treated Purple - to the latter's eternal gratitude - extremely well on that very long tour).
Kenny Jones, of course, would later go on record to say that "The Who didn't have a bassist actually, but it had two lead guitarists! The only bassist was my bass drum. We never had a real rhythm section." :mrgreen: So maybe not the most understanding musical companion for Entwistle's playing. 8) Listening to what Ian Paice did on Burn, him pairing up with JAE sure would have been nothing short of explosive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PBDf-VuTks&t=125s