Gibson's latest release is an update of the '70s classic G-3 bass, like the original the body is maple, (grade A on my 'burst finish example) overall thin with nicely contoured edge, especially nice on the upper 'bout. The neck is also maple, with a baked maple fretboard, the frets are factory plek'ed, has a Corian nut, the headstock is a depature from the original issue, being more of the shape seen on a Flying V guitar. The neck and body are glued or "set" together, a construction method used on many of Gibson's guitars and basses over the years, this along with the maple typically helps a bass produce a brighter tone with focus, chrome Grover clover tuners are used, and have a nice easy movement and vintage look about them. There is a rather substantial volute at just past the nut on the backside of the neck, which at first glance did cuase me some concern - more on that later. The finish on my example was a very neatly applied satin Honey 'Burst, which nicely accentuates the body lines and is a pleasant variation on traditional colors without going too far, the neck is finished in a clear satin which played quite easily and had no "tack" as some gloss finishes can. The bridge is Gibson's Three Point, again finished in chrome, I know this design gets slagged a lot, I've never understood why - with a proper understanding of how it works, low action and perfect intonation can be had. I'm pretty fussy about set ups on my basses, I don't expect any factory bass, or used bass that I may buy the be set up to my preference. At one point or another, all of my basses go to Mike Lull for some tweaking and while my G-3's factory set up was certainly good and easily playable, a trip to Mike's shop would make it perfect. As I understand it, the G-3's new pickups were designed by Jim DeCola, once of the Fender custom shop, they are a large single coil type using Alnico V magnets. The middle pickup is reverse wound, reverse polarity which cancels hum normally associated with single coil pickups. A three position toggle switch allows you to use the middle and neck pickups in the up position, all three in the middle, and the bridge and middle in the down position.
I played the G-3 through my GK 700RBII with a 4x10SBX for the review, all the controls were at noon to start, as I played I found backing the bass off a bit to 10:30 and the lo-mid to 11:00 helped maintain clarity and punch. Working the switch while playing fingerstyle I found I enjoyed the mid position with all three pups on the most with the down position using the bridge and mid pups following closely. The up position yeilds a lot of bass response which was fine in a bedroom tone setting, but got lost when I used the bass at band rehearsal. Going thru the swith postion playing with a pick gave different results, the down position was much too thin to be useful, the mid postion was good with nice balance and a lot of grind and growl coming out - very pleasing tone. Using a pick and the switch in the up position was a bit of surprise, again there is more bass response but with a pick it's not so dominate as to be muddy or undefined, again with a lot of growl, great tone! Fellow LBO're and TBer (PWV) Dave came for a visit and had his RipperII in tow, we sat down and compared the to basses, obviously the ergonomics are similar with the pickups being the big difference. Between the two I felt the G-3 to be the better bass, after a little time with it Dave had decided that he'd be selling his Nash to fund a G-3!
I also gave the G-3 a tryout at band rehearsal as we worked thru a 50 minute set, I'm primarily a pick player and for the most used the bass with the switch in the mid position and occasionally in the up, the G-3 has a lot of very growly tone, the maple neck, body and set neck give it a bit snap and note decay is shorter, more like a Fender, very pleasing overall. Fingerstyle had me pretty much in the mid postion, tho I did try the down position too - In the band context that felt a little on the thin side tho. I really thought the substantial volute would somehow impede comfortable playing, honestly, it turned out to be a big non-issue!
As always there are things that attract or scare potential buyers, overall I felt this to be a very pleasing bass, the paintwork, wood finishing and tone all seem quite nice. I have one complaint tho, and that is that the fret ends could really use a better finishing at the factory, I really noticed as played up and down the neck that there was a bit sharpness there and that it likely was not fret sprout but something that should be addressed at the factory.
I'm sure most DIY guys or good luthier could take care of it quickly, but Gibson should look at this - Other than this, the overall QC was quite nice with no flaws and a very pleasing bass at a nice price, $999.00 shipped for a U.S made instrument makes this a definate winner.
Enjoying a nice September morning with the Subaru
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1347550770.jpg)
Headstock heaven.......and holy volute!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348185192_zps0ef59a14.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348185218_zpsc9e323b2.jpg)
The baked maple fretboard and plek'd nut and frets.
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348185277_zpse6ddc4ad.jpg)
What a Sweet Fat Bottom Girl!
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348185255_zps8ee99942.jpg)
The test rig
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348185110_zps60b208fb.jpg)
Gettin' leggy playing Uwe's bass
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348375059_zpsed9da80c.jpg)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348375074_zps1d7a338f.jpg)
Excellent Mark! Thank you.
To me it looks like Gibson finally has added a winner to the endless line of (reissued) bass models
Nice! Not many basses with a pickup other than their "TB +". How did you like the baked maple fretboard? The last couple I bought still came with rosewood.
Quote from: TBird1958 on September 22, 2012, 11:48:45 PM
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348375074_zps1d7a338f.jpg)
Nice review! The original G-3 was my first "real" bass back in 1977. I may have to check these out when they come to the local GC. (if they ever do) I'm sure Uwe will appreciate the fishnets too! ;)
Gorgeous finish...
Nice review Mark. Btw original G3s were made of Alder not maple.
Sounds great -and that is a very sharp price for this.
It would seem Gibson have done a far better job with this than they have with the Grabber and Ripper reissues. (Not to mention the RD reissue with jazz pups)
I found the Ripper RI lovingly done, the Grabber less so.
Quote from: godofthunder on September 23, 2012, 06:01:46 PM
Nice review Mark. Btw original G3s were made of Alder not maple.
They did both, initially alder, later on maple.
Quote from: uwe on September 24, 2012, 10:40:24 AM
They did both, initially alder, later on maple.
Yes exactly, by original I meant early G3s
When are we gonna talk about my legs and wood ;)
Quote from: HERBIE on September 23, 2012, 04:15:48 PM
Gorgeous finish...
... and fishnets if I may add!
Thanks for giving me fantasies, Mark. :-* And a comprehensive review!
The frets sticking out seems indeed to indicate that this could and should have been rectified at the factory, since when is Seattle a dry climate? ???
Love the look of those pups.
Quote from: uwe on September 24, 2012, 11:51:12 AM
... and fishnets if I may add!
Thanks for giving me fantasies, Mark. :-* And a comprehensive review!
The frets sticking out seems indeed to indicate that this could and should have been rectified at the factory, since when is Seattle a dry climate? ???
Love the look of those pups.
Very dry Summer and now Fall here in Seattle, less than 7/100ths total rain on two days - The Eastern half of the state is under fire watch, forest and range fires currently burning have a smoke plume 40,000 feet high that has drifeted out over Newfoundland and the Atlantic ocean.......With any luck a little bit of Washington State will be visiting you Europeans in the form of reddish sunsets very soon.
That G-3 absolutely killer, those pups are hot and with a pick its a beautiful tone. I'm quite taken with it.
Sorry, Mark... Europe's a smoke-free zone... ;)
(I was going to comment on the visible tats beneath the fishnets but had been behaving myself, most unusually...)
Quote from: HERBIE on September 24, 2012, 04:41:04 PM
(I was going to comment on the visible tats beneath the fishnets but had been behaving myself, most unusually...)
Horny Englander! ;)
Not a tat tho, just a pattern in the stocking. ;D
Quote from: TBird1958 on September 24, 2012, 04:45:45 PM
Horny Scot Eng lander from a sleeper-cell! ;)
:mrgreen:
Would you say it's better than 70's G3's? I liked the ones I tried.
Is there a sound sample anywhere on the web?
Too bad they are using single-ply guards. The 4-ply b/w/b/w laminated guards looked better.
(http://photos.imageevent.com/carsandguitars/ebay/9588a.JPG)
"Would you say it's better than 70's G3's? I liked the ones I tried."
I'm not surprised with a Ricster like you, Ilan! The G-3 is as ricish in sound as any Gibson bass ever got. And you don't need a manual and nerves of steel to adjust the truss rod either! :P
Quote from: uwe on September 25, 2012, 08:26:59 AM
"Would you say it's better than 70's G3's? I liked the ones I tried."
I'm not surprised with a Ricster like you, Ilan! The G-3 is as ricish in sound as any Gibson bass ever got. And you don't need a manual and nerves of steel to adjust the truss rod either! :P
Well.................
I'll always fondly recall and simultainiously kick myself in the ass about my '73 4001.
The new G-3 is far more the beast than a Ricky tho. Those new pups are the sex! And the switching is simple by comparison to some other company's 3 PU basses.
Once again Mark's description/review makes you just want to gout out and get one. I'm on the verge of a Ripper II and now this at a 3rd of the cost. Any one can compare this G-3 w/a Ripper II. I was surprised at the light weight of the Ripper iI.
What's the weight of this one and nut width?
Check Gibson's website on the nut width, I know it's there, it looks like a heavy bass but it's not, I'll put it on the scale tonight, sure it's not even 9lbs. tho. Dave Dickerson (PWV) brought his RipperII over, if I were choosing between the two the G-3 would win every time.
Yes but how does the new G-3 compare to an old G-3?
Changing from bolt-on to set-neck construction must make a difference.
I guess we'll have to wait until the beastie crosses the Pond and meets her new host for the answer to that...
Quote from: HERBIE on September 25, 2012, 02:23:52 PM
I guess we'll have to wait until the beastie crosses the Pond and meets her new host for the answer to that...
I guess the old bolt-ons should be a tad bit snappier still, that is just a trait of bolt-ons. And the old G-3 could get a bit boomy, unfocused in the front pups mode though that sound was fun to play (yet drummers would sometimes complain). Maybe that has been rectified too. Anyway, once Fräulein Rommel is done scattering her divine DNA all over that poor bass, I will test it alongside my two other G-3s, a 77 maple board one and a last run eighties ebony board one.
In Gibson's ouevre, I've always regarded the G-3 as the secret weapon. It came out as an afterthought when the Grabber's novelty aspect sliding pup had worn thin and like the Grabber it was essentially a budget bass and had none of the luthier appeal of a Ripper, but I always thought (and heard) that it sliced the other two to pieces. The meekish look of the three guitar size pups in the original did not instill any great faith in the buying public that these basses would sound bassy, but they did, yeat at the same time were snappy like no Gibson bass before or after.
And compared to iconic looks such a the TBird and the Les Paul shape, the Ripper/Grabber/G-3 shape is of course an acquired taste, but I like it for looking like pretty much no other bass. And the huge body size is actually ergonomic though I accept that there are sexier looking axes out there, inter alia, a Ric 4001/4003.
I'm wondering if your new G-3 will be getting the same "treatment" as my Peavey Fury did! :)
(http://i46.tinypic.com/2uj6pfb.jpg)
Naturlich, good Robert!
It is a rite of "passage" at my humble Hofbrauhouse ;)
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/1348666475.jpg)
is that a 3 point or are you just pleased to see me?
Now the bass has two G-strings, that will take some getting used to.
Quote from: uwe on September 25, 2012, 08:23:19 PM
And the huge body size is actually ergonomic though I accept that there are sexier looking axes out there
Big body basses make you look thinner.
Quote from: uwe on September 26, 2012, 02:43:26 AM
Now the bass has two G-strings, that will take some getting used to.
Whoremonics...?
Ken, you and your adolescent humor, I'm aghast.
Ilan: True observation but not very complimentary for people wishing to play a doubleneck!
Does this bass make my ass look big? ;)
Two fat-bottomed girls on stage and one carrying the other would be a bit much for discerning tastes.
Quote from: uwe on September 27, 2012, 09:10:43 AM
Two fat-bottomed girls on stage and one carrying the other would be a bit much for discerning tastes.
Mmmmm.............Lesbian freak show ;D
Fat...? You...? now thats an oxymoron if there ever was one...
Quote from: jumbodbassman on September 25, 2012, 02:27:18 PM
stockings too
Mark, you need the fishnet bass
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gothic-Princess-custom-jolana-hollow-body-bass-guitar-unique-and-beautiful-/130775910987?pt=Guitar&hash=item1e72da0a4b
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Gothic-Princess-custom-jolana-hollow-body-bass-guitar-unique-and-beautiful-/00/s/MTIwMFgxNjAw/$T2eC16VHJHQE9nzEyl86BQL(vcZuSQ~~60_57.JPG)
I have panties that match that! ;D
Looks more like a "Lace Bass".
Lovelace? Linda?
Deep bass...?
*cue the Ellington.... "Don't Get Around Much Anymore..."
Thanks for letting me sample the bass Uwe and Mark - it was actually Uwe's Grabber II review a couple of years ago that led me to the GRABBER II (not a Ripper II) that is now nearly my number one player. The G3 Tribute and Grabber II are different basses due to the pickups obviously, but the thinner/not-as-deep body of this G3 did get me wonderin' if Gibson is listenin' to their customers from the forums. Lots of great reissues/tributes coming out these past two years. The Non-reverse, the Midtown, the "shrinking" weight of the OSB Les Pauls, (the G3 weighs a good pound less than the Grabber II, but I don't know that that's necessarily a good thing. I like WOOD in my tone). A Gold Top OSB Les Paul will arrive next week that is close to 9.5 lbs. I know these OSB LP's started out close to 12 lbs, so I'm wonderin'
I'm not sure I would say the G3 sounds better than the Grabber II - I liked them both. But I have grown to love the Grabber II. *thanks Uwe!
And thanks for your hospitality Mark - Gibson lovers are few and far between and its great to live so close to the number one TBird Afficionado in the world! This G3 is balls-to-the-wall tone! There's one in my future, but I'm still catching up with that LP OSB. Guess I'm one of those close Gibson bass fans that...just....doesn't.....get....out....enough!
*Side note: I'm in California, for the final week of my daughter's Cancer Proton therapy. Nothing changes your perspective on life like cancer. She's only 9, but she is my hero.
And there is a Sam Ash not far from here, but they won't return my calls - so when I do get a G3 Tribute reissue it won't be from these hosers!
Quote from: PWV on October 02, 2012, 06:52:24 PM
*Side note: I'm in California, for the final week of my daughter's Cancer Proton therapy. Nothing changes your perspective on life like cancer. She's only 9, but she is my hero.
Wow! Nine? cancer?! I could not begin to imagine that reality. Your daughter and family are in my prayers in the biggest way.
Quote from: PWV on October 02, 2012, 06:52:24 PM
*Side note: I'm in California, for the final week of my daughter's Cancer Proton therapy. Nothing changes your perspective on life like cancer. She's only 9, but she is my hero.
Sincere wishes for a GREAT outcome! I can only imagine how you feel at this time.
Sorry to hear this, Dave. Best wishes to her and all your family.
That is tough to hear. All the best wishes for you and yours.
Dave,
As always, great to see you, meet your son ( who BTW seems to be quite a Thunderbird fan too) and play your Grabber II which was very nice. Mr Lull just has a way with Gibsons, a proper set up and dressing of the fret ends really helps.
Really glad to hear Maari is doing better, you're in my prayers.
my prayers and good wishes are sent.
Prayers from here...
I don't know you, but those last lines just kicked me in the teeth. Having two small kids myself, i just can't imagine how you feel.
Best wishes from this side of the pond.
Thanks guys - I didn't mean to derail the thread. *should know not to post after a strong shot of Don Julio! :-[
She is doing well, we've been at a proton treatment center in California for 6 weeks, this is the final week so I'm anxious to get back to terra familiar. My wife and I have rotated each week, and it has gone fairly quickly. I saw Uwe's G3 on the way to pick up my wife from the airport a few (?) weeks ago.
I would say as a "public service" announcement, that Proton Therapy is great. It is used to treat specific regions for cancer that are potentially sensitive to radiation that spreads. For example, my daughter's cancer was behind the eye and the proton beam gets that small specific region without harming the surrounding cells ala traditional radiation. Traditional radiation would have hit the pituitary gland meaning hormones for life, and taken the vision from both eyes. The PSA is that I've discovered the number one proton customer BY FAR is the middle-aged male being treated for prostate cancer. Its VERY effective for this cancer - I think most of these patients spend a couple of months at the proton center, can work via cyber commute or play golf as there are no side effects with proton. There are 10 proton centers in the US, and we're at the oldest one - 30 plus years or so I believe at Loma Linda California. So if any of you or someone you know is going to deal with prostate cancer, I highly recommend you consider proton therapy.
The good news for my daughter is that they've been aiming the beam away from the eye and focusing on the sinus/nasal cavity where the remainder of the tumor is. We were expecting her to lose vision in that eye, as the tumor was wrapped around the optic nerve. But due to the chemo and proton it appears that the vision loss risk is minimal right now and that tumor has shrank considerably (aggressive cancers respond rapidly to aggressive treatment we're told). Even though there are no side effects, that optic orbit is still sensitive. So now we continue with chemo until March at which point we're hoping for cancer free!
I am curious on my Gibson question - does anyone else feel that Gibson may finally be listening to their customers with these new models?
Around here if a thread doesn't get derailed it's dead.
It is a good thing that this therapy exists; I had not heard of it until now. Having gone through radiation therapy a few years ago I know what a hell that is and the collateral damage that can ensue. I have a paralyzed vocal cord which sucks as a musician, but I couldn't fathom the possibility of losing sight in even one eye. My thoughts are with her.
Certianly Gibson is listening to their customers. It'd been a while ago, but you could probably fingd a thread where godofthunder showed a Gibson rep his white NR bird and interst was expressed in producing a reproduction. However I don't think it would have happened without the NR Firebird guitars first.
New one on me (by name here) - positive thoughts from over the Pond...
Uwe ran down all the different model Gibson has done over the past couple years - quite a few.
It's pretty common to deride them for various reasons but they have put a lot of basses out there. I really wish I had a bit more money to spend - I' d love a black Les Paul Oversize and a G-3 like Uwe's, the QC on all the basses has been fine except for the fret ends on the G-3.
I'd ask this: Who else has done as much as Gibson for bass players over the past two years?
Quote from: TBird1958 on October 03, 2012, 12:30:28 PM
I'd ask this: Who else has done as much as Gibson for bass players over the past two years?
Fender? ;D
Quote from: Iome on October 03, 2012, 01:11:32 PM
Fender? ;D
Well they dig around in their parts bins and cobb crap like that reversed Jaguar together - positively brilliant. ;)
Dave, the illness of a child never derails anything here, it takes precedence over any bass subject imaginable. All the best for your little one. Keep us posted please if it's not too much on you. In any thread under any topic.
Uwe
Well said.
I have to say this bass is certainly very enjoyable to play, I'm getting in a bit of time playing along with one of my fave U.S. band The Smithereens.......... I've alway really liked these guys and Mike Mesaros playing especially on some of their ballads like "Blue Period", Too much Passion and "Lonely Place". Tune half a step down the G-3 is loads of fun played fingerstyle - Thanks Uwe!
Here's a bit of them live on Jay Leno.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SRFT6Rfzb4