The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Aussie Mark on June 29, 2011, 09:20:16 PM
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http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-Q80-BASS-1982-Custom-Performance-Art-El-Daga-/140570062900?pt=Guitar&hash=item20baa0f034
(http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/2/1/0/5/5/4/webimg/485408983_o.jpg)
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That's some butt-ugly "performance art."
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[discussion] :puke: [/discussion] ;D
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"Performance Art"...what does it do? Complete self immolation would be nice.
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I like it. A lot. :P
But as this forum is devoted to truth and nothing but the scientific, confirmable truth, I felt compelled to be a Smart Alec with the seller again:
From: Hornung, Uwe (Litigation-FRA)
Sent: Donnerstag, 30. Juni 2011 12:59
To: 'margateltd@nc.rr.com'
Subject: Gibson Q-80 El Daga (Ebay Auction 140570062900)
Hello, I assume that the – beautiful – refin has made the serial number illegible in part (you certainly can't see it anymore on the back of the headstock pic beside the Custom Shop stamp where it should be) and that therefore Gibson gave you an answer on the basis of an accidentally misquoted serial number. Yes, if this bass' serial number read 80752607 it would indeed be from 198…2. Problem is: The Q-80 was a Wayne Richard Charvel creation (hence the Jackson'esque look you mention) and Wayne only joined Gibson (for a short-lived tenure) in 1986 designing a few prototypes and this here. There are no Q-80ies earlier or later than 1987 so my assumption is that the serial number actually reads 807527607 which would make it a period-correct 87.
In 1982 Gibson was not (anymore or not yet again, depending on which way you look at it) making mahogany body basses, the Q-80 was actually the first one where they returned to that type of wood after their maple phase spanning much of the late seventies and early eighties. Black hardware wasn't used by Gibson around that time on basses either.
And those pups are from a Grabber not a (although similarly-looking) Ripper.
Gorgeous, artsy fin nonetheless!
Kind Regards
Uwe
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I like the finish as well, it fits the 80's design vibe.
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I like how the body was handled but don't like the headstock paint job. I would have left it black.
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Does a standard "custom shop" version of this bass even hit the $600 range on Ebay? I think he is off quite a bit with his pricing. The finish isn't horrible, just not my thing. It looks better than the pink one that always shows up on Ebay tho.
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$600 is about right for these. IIRC they all had the custom shop designation.
Never heard of El Daga. From the description in the auction, I suspect very few others have either. Seems like an unknown artist that the seller is trying to hype. NTTAWWT, but I think he's dreaming with that BIN.
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Check out the prices on his other auctions too. I think that guy's been snacking on lead paint chips.
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...and if 'El Daga' is an artist EVH is Van Gogh.
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...and if 'El Daga' is an artist EVH is Van Gogh.
:mrgreen:
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Well, they're both Dutch ;D
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Well, they're both Dutch ;D
and mental...I think another Dutchman, Mondrian, might have had more of an influence on Eddie's designs.
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Holy CRAP, the Q80 is downright reasonable compared to some of the other stuff. The Dano Coral is a parts bass, the "Tony Hunt Custom" came from old Mosrite parts, and IMHO Mosrites weren't very good to begin with.
But the pièce de résistance has got to be the "Hagstrom prototype." $7500 BIN for a bass never made by Hagstrom.
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Could always make an offer telling him that it was a nice bass and that you intend restoring it to its original beauty. 8)
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For the record, seller has promptly, professionally and courteously replied to my email. There was a cock-up with the serial number and it has now been rectified. He's a large scale guitar collector himself.
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That's good. No reason to think he wouldn't, since your message to him was courteous. He's not trying to misrepresent anything, he's just overly optimistic in his pricing.
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The Q-80 is an unloved ugly duckling in Gibson's history and no amount of Custom Shop stamps will change that. It was a creature of convenience, and a stop-gap at a time when Gibson had been grappling with survival and not designed any new basses for the longest period since the fifties (between 81 and 87, i.e. between the early eighties Victory and the late eighties Q-80, 20/20 & IV/V no new models were introduced save for the Explorer):
"Hey Wayne, make a new bass for us like you make those guitars!"
"With what?"
"We still have a lot of machines set up for the Victory shape and old Grabber pups, those have a nice "Gibson" embossed on them, why don't you take those? Spare maho too."
"How much time do I have?"
"A week, we don't want a rushed job."
"Who'll bang them together?"
"Guys from the Custom Shop are twiddling thumbs currently ...".
I do like the fin, whether the artist is well-known or not I have no idea, but he seems to be the determining factor in this auction.
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(http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/2/1/0/5/5/4/webimg/485408983_o.jpg)
I do like the fin, whether the artist is well-know or not, I have no idea, but he seems to be the determining factor in this auction.
You do realize color blindness might be considered a slight handicap in determining some parameters of a quality fin? BTW, who dresses you? ;D
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And Edith even hates yellow! :mrgreen:
Must be the Zaire influence in me, that bass does look a bit like an African flag.
(http://mahjongg.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/african-flags.jpg)
Did anybody say TM Stevens? :mrgreen:
(http://doctorbass.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/warwick-tm-stevens-550x289.jpg)
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The Q80's finish is beautiful compared to the finish on that Warwick!!! Thats one of those T.M. Stevens basses, isn't it?
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[swoon] I quite like her... [/swoon] (the Q80, that is...)
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I think the TM Stevens Warwick is kitschy too. Nothing wrong with showing his African ancestry and the man is certainly larger than life, but I would have preferred a more archaic, tribal look and not that lurid car hood airbrush look. Less would have been more and for the avoidance of doubt: I like African art but it looks nothing like this bass.
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Oh dear, this thread is turning into "how to puke your fin" :P ;D
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YESSSSSSS!!!!! ;D
I need to finish what I started so I can tequila something... :vader:
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In 1982 Gibson was not (anymore or not yet again, depending on which way you look at it) making mahogany body basses, the Q-80 was actually the first one where they returned to that type of wood after their maple phase spanning much of the late seventies and early eighties.
Uwe[/i]
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Uwe.....I've done business wiht this seller before. Nice guy, pretty knowledgable and HUGE collection.