Incoming hobbit

[Dave W]

IIRC Uwe started using the name because he thought it looked small. This was five or six years ago. It just caught on.

[hieronymous]

So - for me, who knows Fenders better than Gibbys - from whence comes the nickname "hobbit" for the original source of this thread??

I asked the same thing over at Jules's Gibson Basses forum. Scroll down, there's a *tiny* bit more info.

[Dave W]

Okay, small but brave. 

[Aussie Mark]

Looking back at the ebay photos, it looks like the "E" string tuner is broken. I may have one from my '69 Les Paul Bass. The difference would be the logo on the grease cap on the back. If I recall correctly, my bass had (3) "G's" & (1) "S" for Shaller. I changed them to a full set of Shallers. The Triumph bass has "GIBSON" stamped on the grease cap. (Nothing anal retentive about me!) I also may have a couple" Control Plate Stiffeners" left. A .015 thick spring steel plate that mounts under the contol plate to help prevent futher crackage.

That would be great!  I'm happy to pay.  Shoot me an email or PM with your price and Paypal details and I'll send you my address

[Aussie Mark]

Reporting back that the tuner and backing plate from Grog are both now installed, and very much appreciated.  Thanks mate!

[Aussie Mark]

And Uwe's aid package containing Pyramid flats arrived today as well!  To answer your question, I already have some brown shirts in the wardrobe.  And that doesn't mean there are Italians in my closet!

[uwe]

Then all is well: It was about time you played a Les Paul bass again!

On a different note and more for the sake of Italian fashion taste, than for historical accuracy:

The Italian fascists wore fetching black (something the SS would eventually pick up)



while their German counterparts (second guy in the above row, swastika flag conveniently obscured), the SA or Sturmabteilung, initially the mainstay of the Naz party, but relegated to a more minor role (to the benefit of a rising SS) once the Nazis came to power and the SA continued clamoring for a "National Revolution", wore ugly brown. In a night raid by the SS in the summer of 34, the SA leadership on the pretense of being gay (they were, but that had never bothered Hitler as long as they were useful to him) and allegedly wishing to overthrow Hitler was massacered.

[Barklessdog]

I never knew about the black shirt fascist Italians. Then everything made sense,

Observe the black shirt Italy is wearing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AI56OfLgwQ&feature=fvsr

- except why is Germany punching Italy in the stomach, I thought they were friends?

Hetalia is gaining popularity here with people dressing up as the various countries.
http://www.icv2.com/articles/news/18058.html

The near-simultaneous launch of Tokyopop’s Hetalia:  Axis Powers manga (see “Tokyopop Nabs Hetalia:  Axis Powers”) and FUNimation’s Axis Powers Hetalia anime (see “Axis Powers Hetalia to FUNimation”) is gaining momentum behind Tokyopop’s bus tour and Web promotion, Tokyopop Marketing Director Marco Pavia told ICv2 at Comic-Con.  “We thought this was going to be big, but we’re finding with the tour it has a rabid, passionate fan base,” he said.

[Aussie Mark]

Quick update on the Hobbit.

I've finally got the neck dialled in after the journey from Italy and associated climate change, and have fitted Grog's tuner and control panel reinforcing plate.  It's playing very nicely now, although there is still a lingering odour of musty damp despite giving the bass a good clean.  The case is living outside in the sunshine to kill the damp, but fortunately in the meantime my Hiscox cases can do the job admirably.

Took it for an outing last night at Rolling Stoned rehearsal, and the weight surprised me - in a nice way.  We rehearsed for 3 hours, standing up, and the balance of the Triumph is near perfect - it did not feel like a heavy bass at all.  Very comfortable indeed.

And, there is definitely no "weak E string" on a Triumph - huge, well defined bottom end on the E.  Very nice!

[chromium]

Hey if it helps- one of my six-stringers came to me in a brand new gig bag (tags and all) that *reeked* of mildew.  I lightly sprayed it down with some diluted white vinegar and let it air dry outside, and it got rid of all traces of the mildew smell the same day.  The mustyness in the guitar luckily wasn't as bad, and it gradually faded away after I hit it with some cleaner and polish.

I agree about the weight.  Mine's a beefy 4.7kg, but the center of gravity is all in that huge mass of a body.  Being that it hangs on me dead-center, I don't really notice the weight.  The old Ovation Magnum I had was technically lighter at 4.2kg, but I think the distribution of weight (probably because of all the graphite) made it feel a little heavier than it really was.  My old mongrel Stingray is kinda like that too.  

...and yeah the hobbit's sound is huge, tight, and very well balanced across the strings and up the neck.  Its a keeper, that's for sure!

[dadagoboi]

Hey if it helps- one of my six-stringers came to me in a brand new gig bag (tags and all) that *reeked* of mildew.  I lightly sprayed it down with some diluted white vinegar and let it air dry outside, and it got rid of all traces of the mildew smell the same day.  The mustyness in the guitar luckily wasn't as bad, and it gradually faded away after I hit it with some cleaner and polish.

How diluted?  I live in Florida, big mildew problem. I've tried undiluted vinegar in shallow bowl in a case for a few days but it didn't completely get rid of the smell.  I'm concerned the vinegar might bleach the black plush.

[Grog]

Honduras Mahogany Fungus!  Uwe is going to want this bass!

[chromium]

How diluted?  I live in Florida, big mildew problem. I've tried undiluted vinegar in shallow bowl in a case for a few days but it didn't completely get rid of the smell.  I'm concerned the vinegar might bleach the black plush.

Yeah - valid concern.  Be careful if you try it on a vintage case.  Maybe test it in a small area.  I think I did one part vinegar to two parts water for the stinky gigbag.  Also, keep in mind too that I'm in Arizona, and so the arid climate might have worked in my favor.

In the worst case, you guys could just send your moldy cases to Uwe for his new spore collection!  

[dadagoboi]

Thanks!  Right now I have my Phantom case standing open vertically in front of my A/C.  I'll try it on some newer cases first.

[Lightyear]

My Stingray case reeked of smoke when I got it.  I gave it a light dusting of Fabreeze and put in the sun for a day and all was good.