On eBay. No affiliation. Drool-worthy hi-res pics. Kinda made me regret selling mine...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Vintage-1968-Gibson-EB2-C-EB-2-C-Bass-Guitar-SPRKLING-BURGUNDY-/360444835211?pt=Guitar&hash=item53ec2fb58b#ht_15091wt_1396
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/5808/30347488.jpg)
Woah!
Incredible.
The most beautiful EB2 I have ever seen
wow.lucky it doesnt have 2 pickups because if it did i would be tormented unbearably.must not bid...
I'm watching, but it'll probably go too high for me.
Thankfully I have been down the EB2 road and they are not for me!
Beautiful, can't get much cleaner...NOT the original case for that bass, look closely and you can see the impressions of six strings and different knobs on the interior.
I do think it's the original case. It fits perfectly.
Looks more like the owner of the case used the case to transport another guitar. Long enough to leave the marks of the six strings (and a tremelo type bridge?).
I just saw a band on TV, maybe Cold Play? The bass player was playing one & it sounded great.
Quote from: Basvarken on March 23, 2012, 06:16:37 AM
I do think it's the original case. It fits perfectly.
Looks more like the owner of the case used the case to transport another guitar. Long enough to leave the marks of the six strings (and a tremelo type bridge?).
This seller has made some questionable claims in the past IIRC.
Quote from: dadagoboi on March 23, 2012, 07:41:11 AM
This seller has made some questionable claims in the past IIRC.
I wouldn't deal with him under any circumstances.
However he does have a 100% positive feedback with more than 3200 buyers...
That seller is well known for extremely high prices. However, he does come up with some really unusual instruments.
Quote from: Basvarken on March 23, 2012, 08:45:48 AM
However he does have a 100% positive feedback with more than 3200 buyers...
Actually more of his feedback is from his purchases, not his sales. Still, it's impressive. But that's only because those buyers really believe they are getting what was advertised, and don't want to look too deeply.
This bass may have all period-correct parts. But if his past is any indication, I doubt it's 100% original. That's just not the way he operates.
Here's a quote from a thread elsewhere (several years ago) that pretty much describes his operation:
Quotewhen he was dealing strictly on ebay. You could see him purchase multiple guitars (under various ids) that would then miraculously appear for sale as one 100% original unmolested guitar under his main id complete with case candy and hang tags. These creations were time capsules. It was as if they were just pulled out from 'unda da bed' where they had been safely tucked for 20 or 30 years.
His spiel just gets tired after while. If you watch what he has for sale on his site and on ebay you'll see that week in and week out he has all these pristine guitars. Where are they all coming from?
If he was upfront about what he was doing, he wouldn't be able to command those prices. But he isn't, and his buyers are paying the price for not knowing. If you question him on it, you'll be subject to a stream of abuse.
Nope, I'll avoid him like the plague.
What's the "C" stand for? I thought that meant cherry?
It does, but it may be legit for this one. Sparkling Burgundy was a repair color. It is the same cherry finish, but sprayed over a silver base coat, which was to cover up defects in the ply body. Gibson saved quite a few EB-2s and ES-335 guitars using this finish.
I think the case is correct for this bass, but probably not original. Loads of EB-2s were raided for ES cases back in the good old days. So sure, some guitar was in it, but it is long enough for the EB-2, which means bass case.
Lord knows the back story. Maybe he bought it off some widow for $100. Maybe some kid had it appraised for $500 back in the 90s, and he thinks he cashed in for $600. Whatever. Vintage guitars and basses are a sick and corrupt world. I still dig em, but I think the instruments and dealers are like the money they want - soiled with feces somewhere along the way.
My '68 Sparkling Burgundy also had EB2C stamped on the sticker.
When I sold it (for $1,000) I didn't know it was a custom color. Not being a Gibson man (although still owning two Gibson guitars), I just assumed this is what Cherry looked like.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll127/ilanlukatch/withGibsonEB2C.jpg)
Unless you keep it in the dark, it will turn into a nice deep Montezuma brown over the next few years - I can see that on mine and it practically only gets office light in the last 8 years.
Mine did the same - the top started to turn maroon. Red dyes are very susceptible to fading. I sold that bass long ago.
I agree with Dave, I would stay away from this one.
1. A 68 should have the bridge with nylon saddles, no? Serial # does indicate 68.
2. If the "original" case was carting around a guitar long enough to get the lines, where was the bass and how did it stay so pristine?
3. What is that logo thing on the pickguard? It matches the hang tag but I don't recall seeing that on an EB-2.
4. The description says 7 lb., 5 oz. , the scale in the photo says 9.25.
5. What's the little line above the "A" tuner?
Quote from: fur85 on March 26, 2012, 08:25:49 PM
I agree with Dave, I would stay away from this one.
1. A 68 should have the bridge with nylon saddles, no? Serial # does indicate 68.
2. If the "original" case was carting around a guitar long enough to get the lines, where was the bass and how did it stay so pristine?
3. What is that logo thing on the pickguard? It matches the hang tag but I don't recall seeing that on an EB-2.
4. The description says 7 lb., 5 oz. , the scale in the photo says 9.25.
5. What's the little line above the "A" tuner?
Good points, Mark. I've seen a few with bar bridges and serial numbers that indicated 68, and I've seen a few 68s with that pickguard logo and nylon saddle bridge. But I've never seen the 68 guard with that logo and the bar bridge on the same bass. My assumption is that the serial number books are wrong, they aren't foolproof; IMO the bar bridge ones are likely from a couple of years earlier.
In the past it's been alleged that the seller has a supply of hang tags. No idea if it's true, but it's remarkable how many instruments he comes up with that have them.
My old EB2C was also a '68 Sparkling Burgundy but had nylon saddles and no logo on the pickguard.
Same with mine. I never regarded it as an EB2C though, but just as a burgundy sparkle which wasn't that rare a color for later EB 2s that already had the evertilt bridge (which on this bass works better than on others). The orange sticker inside just says EB-2 too (at least what is still faintly legible of it).
That C inside the label doesn't even look like a C...
(http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/9637/77433289.jpg)
Oh, if that is supposed to be a "c", then mine has a "c" too. I read that as an "e", seems to be added by hand. But it probably means something. "e" as in burgundee. 8)
Can somebody point me to a definitive answer to this question:
Did Gibson ever designate a color as part of a model description?
I've seen it on the handwritten factory tags of some models.
Quote from: uwe on March 28, 2012, 12:28:49 AM
I've seen it on the handwritten factory tags of some models.
Thanks!
This is my opinion of the vintage market. There is an incredible amount of money to be made by creating a forgery. Investing in a few thousand dollars worth of equipment, and having some talent, would make things like "authentic" stamped parts, pickguard logos, and even hang tags and provenance very easy to manufacture. I would guess that it's easier to pass off a well done forgery of a bass/guitar than it is to get away with a forgery of fine art. The skill set is the same, but the market is far easier to work. I would venture that these same discussions and scams exist with classical stringed instruments like violins, too.
My take: Entirely legit.
The sparkling burgundy was only a custom color in that it was a rare color overall, but it had nothing to do with some special run of stuff you could order and wait patiently for. It covered up a mistake. Sparkling Burgundy = F#CK UP. Gibson had problems with the ES bodies in that a significant % were suffering top ply cracking from the glue either not holding up or being weakened during the finishing. I would also venture a guess that as basses were the pre-school level for Gibson workmanship, then more than a few were sanded through. Theres plenty of those running around, as we have seen.
Now also consider how many weird EB-0s and EB-3s we have come across where the neck and body did not match up for features. I believe it was common for Gibson to have a morgue where bodies sat partially or incorrectly finished, and then they were salvaged with a neck that was made several years after. There have been old contol routes with later necks, Evertilts with the hood ornament at the pickguard, Schaller tuner necks with earlier featured bodies, etc.
My take is this one had a screw up body from say 66 or 67,factory refinned to avoid the 2nd stamp and be sold full price, and neck slapped on by the bass crew. They avoid the Second stamp, and make more money. All cool in Kalamazoo.
And this is still a Gibson bass. Not worth the effort in the vintage market. Even for this guy.
This seller doesn't do forgeries. I'm sure this is a real Gibson and reasonably sure that all the parts on it are Gibson parts or parts made for Gibson.
What I doubt is that this is 100% original, i.e. that all the parts on this bass are the same ones on it when it left the factory.
Quote from: Dave W on March 28, 2012, 09:31:44 AM
This seller doesn't do forgeries. I'm sure this is a real Gibson and reasonably sure that all the parts on it are Gibson parts or parts made for Gibson.
What I doubt is that this is 100% original, i.e. that all the parts on this bass are the same ones on it when it left the factory.
I wasn't implying that this was a forgery. Just making an observation in general. And, yes, this seller's name is all too familiar. My only point was that you can piece a bass together with existing parts, and call it "100% original", and if you want to be serious, you can manufacture the parts yourself easily enough without doing all the searching for authentic components. There are enough uninformed buyers that wouldn't know either, if they saw it.
And there are some buyers who really want to believe that what they bought is 100% original so they don't want to look into it.
I wouldn't have a problem with buying bass guitar that had some of the damaged or worn parts replaced by original parts from a contemporary model. As long as they're genuine parts, what's the difference?
Suppose you'd have a chrome bridge with heavy pitting and you can find one from the same age and model that looks pristine, would you not replace it? I would.
I believe most of us here wouldn't, Rob. A pitted bridge is still functional, just worn and reliced. Nothing wrong with that if it happened naturally. I have a "Jewish Cemetery" approach. You don't topple the gravestones yourself or tolerate vandalism, but if they fall by themselves, you don't reerect them and let them lie..
Quote from: Basvarken on March 29, 2012, 01:45:07 AM
I wouldn't have a problem with buying bass guitar that had some of the damaged or worn parts replaced by original parts from a contemporary model. As long as they're genuine parts, what's the difference?
Suppose you'd have a chrome bridge with heavy pitting and you can find one from the same age and model that looks pristine, would you not replace it? I would.
It wouldn't be a problem to me at all, whether they are replaced by new or period-correct parts makes no difference to me.
What bothers me is someone who gets a premium price by advertising pieces with replaced parts as 100% original.
Quote from: Dave W on March 29, 2012, 07:47:46 AM
It wouldn't be a problem to me at all, whether they are replaced by new or period-correct parts makes no difference to me.
What bothers me is someone who gets a premium price by advertising pieces with replaced parts as 100% original.
Yep.
Here's my collection. All factory original colours.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/audiorep2/best-3.jpg)
Ya big showoff!
Typically with that Norlin goofball pickguard, I would say no way for the close enough bridge, and the witchhats. But with the "oops" paintjob, then that makes sense to me. In 2012 the only way you can say for sure is if you find it at a garage sale for $100 or less. Even then, who can say that some guy didn't buy the knobs in 1972 to make it look newer? There were guys who did stuff like that too. I just can't get my radar going on this one, although nothing surprises me anymore.
OP - sold for $4050.00
$4,050? That must be a new record for a late 60's EB2. Right?
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Original-Vintage-1968-Gibson-EB2-C-EB-2-C-Bass-Guitar-SPRKLING-BURGUNDY-/00/s/NjMyWDEyMDA=/$(KGrHqR,!rYE88g6W7ESBP,-!Spb1!~~60_1.JPG)
Probably. And the buyer sucker who bought it will probably be satisfied that it's exactly as it came from the factory.
Ouch! Outrageous! Wish I had 10 of them to sell. 8)
Being the owner of 9 of them, I'm pleased to see this.
Quote from: audiorep2 on March 30, 2012, 07:25:08 AM
Here's my collection. All factory original colours.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/audiorep2/best-3.jpg)
Stunning, simply beautiful basses.
It's baaaack...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/360453180551?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
...with a 5850.00 BIN ??? >:( :bored:
I thought it got sold for 4050?
And now Tune-o-matic is the seller again.
So I guess the deal bounced?
I wonder if it was legitimately bought and then returned.
Somebody make him an offer. :P
Catching up on this post, there was a lot of talk on the case having a guitar in it. My '68 EB-2DC & ES-335 12 have pretty much the same identical case. They are different brands but I could switch them & no one would be the wiser. Also, my '67 EB-2C came in a cheap cardboard case. After a few years, I bought a hardshell case for it. The logo on the pickguard is so clean, it looks like a NOS pickguard. I have an extremely clean '68 EB2-DC & the logo is somewhat faded.