The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Freuds_Cat on May 05, 2012, 05:59:35 PM

Title: 1974-1975 LP BASS longscale
Post by: Freuds_Cat on May 05, 2012, 05:59:35 PM
https://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/71/lot/27611/from/find-lots/ (https://www.julienslive.com/view-auctions/catalog/id/71/lot/27611/from/find-lots/)Serial number 628360 - 1974 - 1975

Gibson Les Paul Recording model bass, brown, two low impedance pickups, in original case with paperwork.
 Together with handwritten note reading in full,

 "This is a Les Paul Bass -/ Lo Impedance -/ Against my wishes Gibson Pres. / would not make it lighter - with long scale / length - I really believe this could have / been a winner - / Les." 9.5

(https://www.julienslive.com/images/lot/98223/0/lot98223.jpg)

(https://www.julienslive.com/images/lot/99387/0/lot99387.jpg)
Title: Re: 1974-1975 LP BASS longscale
Post by: uwe on May 07, 2012, 12:39:44 AM
It's not a long scale (a look at the spare room in the case tells all) and the deceased is not saying that in his notes either. What he is saying is "against my wishes the Gibson President refused to make the bass body lighter and give it a long scale neck instead, then I believe that bass would have been very successful."

Lester has stated as much in interviews: That he thought the short scale was a mistake and that the LP Signature's - to all intents and purposes his second try for Gibson in having major input on a bass design - great advantage over the Triumph was its long scale (not that that helped shift a lot of them either).

Commercially, the Triumph was already doomed with its elaborate passive electronics - as the success of P Basses, Ric 4001s, Jazz Basses etc tells us, our bass brethren like things simple.

Still, a nice piece of memmorabilia!
Title: Re: 1974-1975 LP BASS longscale
Post by: Freuds_Cat on May 07, 2012, 07:35:54 AM
I agree with you about the length, it sure looks short to me too.
Title: Re: 1974-1975 LP BASS longscale
Post by: Dave W on May 07, 2012, 07:45:02 AM
Les was very much into the electronics and making things sound as good as they could be, in his opinion. Beyond putting his name on the models, he didn't seem to be that interested in whether or not it would sell well.

The guitar version of the Triumph didn't sell well either. Guitarists don't care much for complexity either. Now, if he had put all that flexibility into pedals with bright colors, guitarists would have bought them in droves.  :)
Title: Re: 1974-1975 LP BASS longscale
Post by: Basvarken on May 07, 2012, 07:46:49 AM
I agree with you about the length, it sure looks short to me too.


It's just a normal Triumph. And they're all short scale.

The price isn't too outrageous aimed between 1000 and 1500 dollar.

It puzzles me why the other one (on pag 221) should bring up more, between 1500 - 2500