46
Gibson Basses / Re: More Ripper prototypes
« on: April 05, 2018, 10:33:54 AM »
I understand from a legacy perspective that these hold some interest, but man alive, that body-shape is a bit of a dog.
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47
Gibson Basses / Re: Am I missing something?
« on: April 04, 2018, 02:12:16 PM »
I used to love it back in the days where eBay were a little more open about what people had bought and sold.
You'd find idiots buying old Tokai basses and sticking on Gibson truss rod covers or replacing decals and flipping them to unsuspecting punters. We have a guy over here in the UK who sells this sort of junk...the most ridiculous customisation/conversions.
You'd find idiots buying old Tokai basses and sticking on Gibson truss rod covers or replacing decals and flipping them to unsuspecting punters. We have a guy over here in the UK who sells this sort of junk...the most ridiculous customisation/conversions.
48
Gibson Basses / Re: Dire financial situation at Gibson?
« on: March 17, 2018, 04:29:49 AM »These new models will surely turn the company around, and the prices are so reasonable!
Chinese New Year Les Paul
This is all part of the plan. Produce a Les Paul with Chinese-themed graphics to satiate their new overlords.
49
Gibson Basses / Re: Dire financial situation at Gibson?
« on: March 15, 2018, 03:31:11 AM »
Just citing Hamer and the 'Imports, We don't need your freaking imports!' thing, I'd love to be able to instigate some sort of blind testing with US and US-import models to see whether the people making these quotes can really tell the difference.
I'd concur with Dave here that, aside from the three-point bridge, the hardware on US built guitars is generally on point; I own a pair of far-east Epiphones (a Dot and a Phantomatic) and I've swapped out both with Sperzel machines, new bridges and pickups. I think that at their price point it's desirable to be able to do this for your own gain rather that just live with the foibles thrown on you at a something purchased at a higher pricepoint. If Epiphone (for instance) started putting Babicz bridges on their basses or Schaller machines, I swear people would still be unhappy.
I'd concur with Dave here that, aside from the three-point bridge, the hardware on US built guitars is generally on point; I own a pair of far-east Epiphones (a Dot and a Phantomatic) and I've swapped out both with Sperzel machines, new bridges and pickups. I think that at their price point it's desirable to be able to do this for your own gain rather that just live with the foibles thrown on you at a something purchased at a higher pricepoint. If Epiphone (for instance) started putting Babicz bridges on their basses or Schaller machines, I swear people would still be unhappy.
50
Gibson Basses / Re: Dire financial situation at Gibson?
« on: March 14, 2018, 06:59:04 AM »If Yamaha ends up making Gibsons, they better still make them in America or the brand becomes pointless.
I've seen this sort of comment elsewhere, predominantly on Hamer pages. I really don't see why there's this issue with US guitar manufacturing = great, everywhere else (especially the far east, lol) = shit.
The argument with Hamer was always read that the US produced models were head and shoulders over Asian-built models, that's as maybe, but there's also this mindset in place where people treat 'imports' with contempt without even having laid eyes on one. Let's also not forget that one of your great American brands (cough, Fender, cough) were tantamount on shutting down Hamer.
With all due respect, it's too easy for people to bark out a statement that the brand will become pointless if it's made in China, without any meat on the bone to back that up. All you'll have is a secondhand marketplace where guitars will be advertised as pre-Yamaha or whatever, just like the pre-CBS thing with Fender. It's also unlikely that US-made Gibsons will become unavailable to anyone who wants one. There's hundreds of thousands of them out there. Also, you've only got to look very briefly online to see how many people are raving over the new (Indonesian!) Epiphone Thunderbirds...I've seen more positivity about those than any US built Thunderbirds.
I do understand that most of the guys here are American and you're proud to own and play American-made instruments, but come on, it's not 1960, it's a global marketplace. We don't have any major guitar/bass manufacturing here in the UK, it's small number stuff (similar to Lull); Shuker, ACG etc. so for us at least, pretty much every instrument is an import, be it from Indonesia, South Korea, China or the US. I've had as many decent built US guitars as I have poor ones. It's about making music at the end of the day, not about the name on the headstock of the guitar!
51
Gibson Basses / Re: Dire financial situation at Gibson?
« on: March 08, 2018, 03:26:42 AM »
Just on the subject of the Firebird X, I've never actually seen one in the flesh, but the stills of it on the Gibson site certainly didn't do it any favours. I've just watched a a couple of videos online...yes, visually it's a munter, a real ugly duckling, but there is something alluring about it.
From a visual aesthetic, it could have benefitted from a flat finish and a rosewood/ebony/dark wood board...on the Andertons video below:
...the top looks very lumpy. The headstock is ugly as sin, looking at Gibson's conventional headstock designs, surely they could have drawn from something along their legacy, one of the Moderne V-shaped headstock would have looked better. I don't have an issue with the robot tuners really, but yeah, I know traditionalists will shout, 'Robot tuners? We don't need your freaking robot tuners!' but it is kind of neat and I'd never tire of watching it do its thing (especially after being in a band with an exceptionally gifted, albeit pitchless guitarist, who could never keep his guitar in tune).
Ultimately, it's just an experimental instrument and shouldn't have been developed beyond the concept stage (much like the models car manufacturers show at car shows) Too many peripherals, short battery life, over-complicated. It's a toy, really.
At about the 16 minute point on the Andertons video, Rob Chapman sums the guitar up, saying that while it isn't for him, Gibson had a big set o' balls and courage for putting the instrument out. I do wonder how the technology would have been embraced if it had been presented in in a different package; a regular Explorer or even in a '57 Futura reissue.
From a visual aesthetic, it could have benefitted from a flat finish and a rosewood/ebony/dark wood board...on the Andertons video below:
...the top looks very lumpy. The headstock is ugly as sin, looking at Gibson's conventional headstock designs, surely they could have drawn from something along their legacy, one of the Moderne V-shaped headstock would have looked better. I don't have an issue with the robot tuners really, but yeah, I know traditionalists will shout, 'Robot tuners? We don't need your freaking robot tuners!' but it is kind of neat and I'd never tire of watching it do its thing (especially after being in a band with an exceptionally gifted, albeit pitchless guitarist, who could never keep his guitar in tune).
Ultimately, it's just an experimental instrument and shouldn't have been developed beyond the concept stage (much like the models car manufacturers show at car shows) Too many peripherals, short battery life, over-complicated. It's a toy, really.
At about the 16 minute point on the Andertons video, Rob Chapman sums the guitar up, saying that while it isn't for him, Gibson had a big set o' balls and courage for putting the instrument out. I do wonder how the technology would have been embraced if it had been presented in in a different package; a regular Explorer or even in a '57 Futura reissue.
53
Gibson Basses / Re: anyone in need of a Moog board for RD Artist?
« on: January 17, 2018, 02:36:14 AM »If you have an RD you want to restore, then you want the board, even if a modern two-band preamp would do the trick. Or an external preamp pedal, for that matter. it's no different from wanting any other vintage part.
If I even had an RD to restore, I doubt I'd reinstall that (original) monstrosity inside it; if I wanted all the bells and whistles to work, I think I'd speak to John East or something. Thankfully, I've never been hit with the restoration bug.
54
Gibson Basses / Re: anyone in need of a Moog board for RD Artist?
« on: January 16, 2018, 02:32:35 AM »
Excuse my ignorance here but is the Moog circuitry on an RD more about, 'Oh, mine has a Moog circuit!' or what the circuit actually gives?
I've just watched a short RD bass video on You Tube posted by the Chicago Music Exchange (and while I'm really no fan of sunbursts, that sunburst is pretty lush)...look, while the video is pretty brief and there's this comment about Bob Moog being visionary, I don't really know that in a real terms the circuit (in today's terms) provides that much other than a bit of cut and boost (that would be lost once everyone cranks things up) and a frankly hideous backplate on the reverse of the body.
I suppose another observation, look at the size of that circuit-board. Jeepers, you could probably make the same now at the size of a postage stamp.
I've just watched a short RD bass video on You Tube posted by the Chicago Music Exchange (and while I'm really no fan of sunbursts, that sunburst is pretty lush)...look, while the video is pretty brief and there's this comment about Bob Moog being visionary, I don't really know that in a real terms the circuit (in today's terms) provides that much other than a bit of cut and boost (that would be lost once everyone cranks things up) and a frankly hideous backplate on the reverse of the body.
I suppose another observation, look at the size of that circuit-board. Jeepers, you could probably make the same now at the size of a postage stamp.
55
Other Bass Brands / Re: NBD - Mike Lull
« on: January 01, 2018, 06:02:31 AM »I'm finding myself being drawn to satin black more and more.
The only immediate downside with the Lull satin finish is that it feels a little like suede for a while; my old JAX took a month or two of use to kind of knock it back a bit so it was smooth in the right areas (forearm bout, back of body). The upside is that (on the JAXT4) it's been extremely knock resistant. I've had a couple of oh, f*** moments where I'm thinking I'm going to have to get a Sharpie out, but not even a mark on it.
56
Other Bass Brands / NBD - Mike Lull
« on: December 31, 2017, 07:38:33 AM »
New Mike Lull arrived end of last week. Oversized NRT5, satin black. It sounds totally different to the JAXT4 I own. Very happy.
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57
Gibson Basses / Re: Just in time for the Holidays! Gibson 20/20 on eBay......
« on: December 20, 2017, 09:35:12 AM »
I'll wait a couple of years for the reissue. hehehe.
58
Gibson Basses / Re: 2018 Gibson basses. New basses, new topic :)
« on: October 30, 2017, 05:34:50 AM »Backslide potential... never say never...
But I'm buying another Lull. I'm not made of money!
59
Gibson Basses / Re: 2018 Gibson basses. New basses, new topic :)
« on: October 29, 2017, 02:04:51 PM »Thanks for pointing that out. Some new finishes too, and some are already in stock. Noticeably lower prices on the Bird and SG than 2015.
Bright Cherry Thunderbird -- and looks like the return of TB Plus pickups
Walnut SG Bass
Earlier in the year I had some lengthy exchanges with Thomann in Germany about the feasibility of producing limited runs of Thunderbirds in colours other than ebony, ivory or sunburst, much in the same way Gibson did for the Japanese market a few years back (see the Sapphire Blue I borrowed on a couple of dates in Italy last month). Red or blue was discussed, but the numbers Gibson required Thomann to order was prohibitive and discussions ceased.
I'm kind of glad to see a red Thunderbird...it does look pretty.
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60
Gibson Basses / Re: 2018 Gibson basses. New basses, new topic :)
« on: October 20, 2017, 02:34:18 PM »Courtesy of www.gearnews.de, they admit it's a mock-up ...
I thought I'd post it before Rob gets a hold of it and deceives us all once again.
I just did a little bit of sick.