The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: gearHed289 on March 12, 2015, 08:51:59 AM
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Well, now I've done it. This is the first "my wife is gonna kill me" purchase I've made in a while. So it's shipping to my office. ;) I have a list of stuff to sell, so once I get that out of the way, I can bring this thing home. Looks pretty great in the pictures. I've been dying for a korina one, but they just haven't been coming up at a reasonable price. This one comes with a case and I got it for $315 shipped. Couldn't resist! Someone painted the pickguard gold. Looks decent in general, but they did a poor job. I'm thinking of cleaning the edges and painting the top black. I also want to put gold covered TB+ on it. If anyone has a pair of those covers, I'll take em. I need to check eBay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Epiphone-Explorer-Bass-gloss-black-Bass-w-case-NO-RESERVE-/331500339134?nma=true&si=39E63w39WUIvMS4ntHFY2SsNsm4%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NTgwWDE2MDA=/z/cLsAAOSwPhdU~PDA/$_57.JPG)
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Time to find your old Entwhistle striped pants!
Looks cool, BTW.... 8)
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I've been wanting one of those for a while. I like the price on that one.
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Nice score!
That's one of the few explorer shapes "done right" on bass, in my not so humble opinion. Gibson didn't even get it right - and it's their design! :o
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Now you have to work this track into your next project :mrgreen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFpemqhLa4s
(similar pickup placement on that Standard... hadn't seen that before)
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Long bass goes boom, quite.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZES-KC1wUz0
Yo, pimp the mofo, bro!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/IMG00218-20100708-1806.jpg)
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Time to wake up Gary with these: ;D
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y247/lowend1/DAngel2_zpsxssmctaq.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lowend1/media/DAngel2_zpsxssmctaq.jpg.html)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y247/lowend1/DAngel3_zps9uhmsdbz.jpg) (http://s6.photobucket.com/user/lowend1/media/DAngel3_zps9uhmsdbz.jpg.html)
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Nice score. I have always wanted an Explorer, but haven't had the nerve to actually buy one. I'd probably look pretty goofy with it! :P
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Nice score. I have always wanted an Explorer, but haven't had the nerve to actually buy one. I'd probably look pretty goofy with it! :P
If you can play it well, it's very doubtful you'd look goofy.
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Nice score!
That's one of the few explorer shapes "done right" on bass, in my not so humble opinion. Gibson didn't even get it right - and it's their design! :o
I had the most recent Gibson, and something just didn't sit right with me. I like the Ric-like pickup positioning on the Epis. I'm hoping a peeled and metal covered TB+ will fit without routing.
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I'm hoping a peeled and metal covered TB+ will fit without routing.
Nice score, especially with the case.
The Ebay TBird covers are slightly shorter (3 1/2" inches) and slightly wider (1 5/8") than the Epi pickups. Fairly minor routing necessary. You can easily do it with a dremel drum sanding bit in a few minutes.
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For me, the Explorer shape is one of the most comfortable around, sitting or standing. A man's bass. I make a point of playing one at auditions with bands who do not have a hard rock background. A lawyer in a suit with an Explorer playing lead bass - that baffles them alright! 8)
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A lawyer in a suit with an Explorer playing lead bass - that baffles them alright! 8)
That sounds like a great look!
And thanks Carlo.
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Congrats on the bass Tom! An Explorer always looks big and heavy to me when it is in a picture or on a stand, but I find my Blitz feels very comfortable when wearing it on a strap. Not too big or heavy at all IMO. If a lawyer in a suit and tie can play one, then Doc should be able to play one too :)
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Even though a Epi this is probably one of the better variations! Certainly better than Gibson's 80's offering. I love my Explorer shaped basses! I have a Ibanez Destroyer and two Hamer Blitzs. :)
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The Explorer has landed! Man, this thing is practically untouched. No typical dings on the points or anything. Case is in great shape too, and seems a good bit smaller than the Gibson monstrosity. She's a featherweight, but wow, what a fat neck! Mark has mentioned these necks being chunky, and he is absolutely correct. First step is to fix the pickguard situation, then I'll decide if I'm doing anything else to it. Gotta hear it plugged in, but she's not going home for a while. Got a bunch of stuff to sell first. ;)
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Body size is same as on the 80ies Gibsons, but the neck is longer (those were medium scale) and the headstock smaller. The Gibsons had gigantic headstocks.
Sticking TB Plus pups into these will work wonders.
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The Explorer has landed! Man, this thing is practically untouched. No typical dings on the points or anything. Case is in great shape too, and seems a good bit smaller than the Gibson monstrosity. She's a featherweight, but wow, what a fat neck! Mark has mentioned these necks being chunky, and he is absolutely correct. First step is to fix the pickguard situation, then I'll decide if I'm doing anything else to it. Gotta hear it plugged in, but she's not going home for a while. Got a bunch of stuff to sell first. ;)
I like the shape - just couldn't get on with the neck. Maybe one of those Ibanez thingies ;)
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You and your girlie hands.
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You and your girlie hands.
Just two of my many gifts ;D
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Uwe, when you got the fungus top applied, did you have the neck shaved, or leave it stock? There sure seems like a lot of excess material along the edges. Very hard D shape.
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One man's excess wood is another man's hard-on! I believe that neck - along with the curious, non-descript soft-spongy wood which sounds great - is part of the bass' secret of success which is why it never even occured to me to slim it down. The Gibson Exis of the 80ies had same size and thickness bodies, but the maple necks - as was en vogue at the time - were thinner (being maple they could be and still be stable) and, of course, medium scale. They have, however, even when played unplugged none of the authority of the Epi. I believe the bass will lose in sound if you mess with the neck. Be a man for Chrissssakes and get a hold of yourself!
(http://oneroomwithaview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SGT-Hartman-4.jpg)
Girls shave! :mrgreen:
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It's never a bad thing to keep the Poodle trimmed!
Sometimes I get a hold of myself left handed - feels like someone else ;)
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You, young lady, stay out of this! You gave him ideas in the first place.
I'm surrounded by people either sawing innocent TBirds or shaving necks ...
(http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/34500000/Message-from-hell-hellraiser-34568631-1500-1005.jpg)
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I'm assuming the neck is maple, but with that nice thick coat of shiny black paint, who knows?
And for those keeping score - Alpha 500K pots, Epiphone toggle switch, and no name output jack.
I got the pickguard cleaned up and ready for a top coat of black (leaving the w/b/w edges intact).
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... I'm surrounded by people either sawing innocent TBirds or shaving necks ...
Ah, the lawyer speaks with spalted tongue... gets others to do his Devilry... :mrgreen:
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I'm assuming the neck is maple, but with that nice thick coat of shiny black paint, who knows?
Not on mine (with Epi, there can always be product alterations over time), my luthier finished neck and back of body with a translucent grey-brownish fin (these days you would probably call it a nude tone), you see the grain well, it is exactly the same on both neck and body. Same type of wonderwood (my luthier said it was some kind of limba, dent-prone as hell, but with acoustic qualities even he found commendable). So maybe there is a reason why they made the neck so phat. The way the neck reacts too, it can't be maple, not stiff enough. Given its thickness, if this was a maple neck you could apply for the Yankees or Dodgers with it.
The 80ies Gibsons had maple necks. The combo with the maho bodies (early models had alder) was less than charming.
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Same type of wonderwood (my luthier said it was some kind of limba, dent-prone as hell, but with acoustic qualities even he found commendable). So maybe there is a reason why they made the neck so phat. The way the neck reacts too, it can't be maple, not stiff enough. Given its thickness, if this was a maple neck you could apply for the Yankees or Dodgers with it.
Interesting. So with this thick poly finish, it's sort of boutique, like the original Parker Fly. Hard coating over soft wood. ;D
Yankees... Dodgers... I was thinking of putting a Blackhawks decal on the dorsal fin to go with the hockey stick headstock. :P
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I have a Parker Fly Bass (always loved the shape of these) with the "carbon stocking" over the wood content on the neck. It's not a bad idea, giving the bass the uncanny tone eveness of a graphite neck (every note, no matter where played, has the same character, like a keyboard almost) with some wood warmth. That bass is totally assertive but not quite as brutal as my Status Stealth II. In comparison, the Epi Explorer is a cuddly bear oozing warmth.
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Better with black...
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All set for your Metallica cover band then?
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That does look really nice!
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Not to mention the spacious case which is also good for a specimen of about 99.9% of all existing solid body basses on earth - or even two of them!
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or half-a-dozen 20/20's...
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or half-a-dozen 20/20's...
Sounds about right!
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AND since we're in the playoffs...
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Nice...
UK team I used to follow (gave up sport f0llowing in '89) use a crossed-hammers as their logo, but a certain Steve Harris has that covered... ;)
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AND since we're in the playoffs...
I approve :thumbsup: Go Blackhawks!!!
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I have a Parker Fly Bass (always loved the shape of these) with the "carbon stocking" over the wood content on the neck. It's not a bad idea, giving the bass the uncanny tone eveness of a graphite neck (every note, no matter where played, has the same character, like a keyboard almost) with some wood warmth. That bass is totally assertive but not quite as brutal as my Status Stealth II. In comparison, the Epi Explorer is a cuddly bear oozing warmth.
Congrats on the Epi Explorer. I was never a fan of the shape until I player one. SO much more comfortable than it looks. Total opposite of a Flying V, which looks cool but IMO feels totally foreign and is fairly impractical.
Speaking of the Parker Bass, I actually played the original prototype bass back when Ken Parker had the first half dozen prototypes over at Korg USA/Marshall. The original bass was very close to the original guitar body size and shape and neck heavy....probably why they waited years to unveil a bass version. In hindsight, I should have bought the damn original prototype though when I had the chance.
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Congrats on the Epi Explorer. I was never a fan of the shape until I player one. SO much more comfortable than it looks. Total opposite of a Flying V, which looks cool but IMO feels totally foreign and is fairly impractical.
Thanks. I never liked wearing a Flying V either.