Thomann will have some 2014 SGs in stock. Cheaper ones with gigbag and satin finish and the normal ones with case.
Normally I don't like SG Basses in sunburst, but I kinda like this!!
http://www.thomann.de/nl/gibson_sg_special_bass_fbs.htm
I like them too!
the burst looks great!
Yeah, I've been digging that tobacco burst. Funny, I like that finish on anything but a T-bird.
I never liked SG's other than in solid colours, but I guess they guy from Wolfmother changed it a bit. If you see something more often, sometimes you fall in love.
(http://cdn.zmemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/lolla12_wolfmother.jpg)
Yeah, not bad at all. I like how the back is solid dark.
So the satin trend continues then :(
Quote from: neepheid on January 10, 2014, 10:32:29 AM
So the satin trend continues then :(
Keeps the cost down. :-\ I don't have anything against satin finishes done well, but most Gibsons I've seen aren't done well.
Another cost cutting move from Gibson on certain models: mounting the jack and pots to a circuit board, pickups and switch connected to it with molex connectors. Because it's just too damned much work to do point-to-point soldering on a passive guitar. How much does that save? A dollar or two labor per guitar? Unless -- and this is only a guess -- theose boards are being assembled in China.
Quote from: Dave W on January 10, 2014, 11:02:14 AM
Another cost cutting move from Gibson on certain models: mounting the jack and pots to a circuit board, pickups and switch connected to it with molex connectors. Because it's just too damned much work to do point-to-point soldering on a passive guitar. How much does that save? A dollar or two labor per guitar? Unless -- and this is only a guess -- theose boards are being assembled in China.
Only a matter of time...
Here's what your new tone caps will look like. Try getting that as a paper-in-oil :P ;D
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/SMD_capacitor.jpg/220px-SMD_capacitor.jpg)
I wouldn't necessarily mind all that much if they also started using PCB-mount Bourns (or similar) conductive plastic pots .... but that's not likely.
I like the burst shown on the Thomann site. Gibson are showing the bass SG Special as only being available in Cherry on their website. Price is $699.00 which includes a deluxe Gibson hard shell case.
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2014/SG-Special-Bass.aspx
TD
If you scroll down on the Gibson page you can select 3 different colors - I like the chocolate!
Quote from: neepheid on January 10, 2014, 10:32:29 AM
So the satin trend continues then :(
I had a satin-walnut SG special for a while. It's no substitute for a proper finish (pore filling, etc.), but I had stripped mine of its parts and buffed it out with Butchers Bowling Alley Wax. Gave it a bit more lustre compared to the dull, stock finish.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/sg-special/polished3.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/0chromium0/media/forums/sg-special/polished3.jpg.html)
It was a nice guitar. Miss it at times...
Hmmmn - I wonder if I will be able to get just the case (got my 65 EB3 in an Ibanez ATK bass case right now). Last time I checked (with an older Gibson SG bass model - black more generic case) I could get it but I don't think the price was so great.
I tried getting a case for my '66 EB3 a while back from GC and another independent dealer. GC wasnt really any help at all (promised to call Gibson and never got back to me) and the smaller dealer referred me to the Epiphone version. About that time one popped up on Ebay for $150 and I just went for it. A little pricey but on the plus side it's a perfect fit.
If you have an active preamp on a PCB, it makes sense to mount the pots and jack on the board as part of the manufacturing process, although it complicates replacing them. There's no reason or excuse for it on simple passive guitar or bass. That's why I suspect these are being imported as a complete assembly.
Yeah - I don't disagree; mostly joking about how cruddy most guitar pots are.
Quote from: Dave W on January 10, 2014, 02:14:00 PM
That's why I suspect these are being imported as a complete assembly.
I'd bet that's a safe assumption.
Even in a simple passive setup, a pick-and-place robot could stuff and solder a PC board in a fraction of the time it would take a worker to manually fly wires and build up the harness...
Most of the board manufacture and automated assembly is happening in east Asia. Anyone can order it online now from board houses like PCBCart.com, and get complete, assembled circuit boards back in the mail.
I heard from several sources that fretboards are made in the right size and cut in Asia. I din't know if frets are mounted in the US. They just have to put on the boards on the neck. Wasn't that where the raid was about? A fretboard not being wood but a semi finished product or something?
I also heard all the wiring harnesses of at least the cheaper instruments are wired in Asia.
Quote from: hieronymous on January 10, 2014, 12:39:00 PM
If you scroll down on the Gibson page you can select 3 different colors - I like the chocolate!
Cool. Didn't see those there.
Thx,
TD
I am very happy with my new Chocolate Satin SG Special.
I like my SG Special that I got a few weeks ago. Nice little bass for the money.
Quote from: Chris P. on January 11, 2014, 06:41:55 AM
I heard from several sources that fretboards are made in the right size and cut in Asia. I din't know if frets are mounted in the US. They just have to put on the boards on the neck. Wasn't that where the raid was about? A fretboard not being wood but a semi finished product or something?
I also heard all the wiring harnesses of at least the cheaper instruments are wired in Asia.
It wouldn't surprise me about the wiring harnesses, but if they were caught importing cut and sized fretboards, then the guitars would no longer qualify for the Made In USA label. The body and neck have to be completely manufactured here in order to qualify.
Of course it wouldn't surprise me to find out they were trying to get away with something like this, but I don't think so in this case. They have said that they are importing sheets of veneer and laminating the fretboards here.
They did get caught by the Federal Trade Commission some years ago for importing partially manufactured necks from Japan for their Montana acoustics and labeling those guitars as Made In USA; they were told to stop or relabel.
Quote from: Dave W on January 10, 2014, 11:02:14 AM
Keeps the cost down. :-\ I don't have anything against satin finishes done well, but most Gibsons I've seen aren't done well.
FWIW - the satin tobacco finish on the Explorer I had for a while was really good. Some of the sanding around the neck/body joint could have been better though.
I like the new fireburst satin SG. Nicely priced at $700 too. The new walnut/gloss model is really beautiful and my favorite of the finishes but twice the price.
(http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn3/saltymonkey/140015696-body-large_zps425989c3.jpg)
(http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn3/saltymonkey/140015696-front-large_zps01d6fb2c.jpg)
Quote from: gearHed289 on January 13, 2014, 08:58:37 AM
FWIW - the satin tobacco finish on the Explorer I had for a while was really good. Some of the sanding around the neck/body joint could have been better though.
Bad sanding would change it from 'good' to 'not good' for me. There's no excuse. My cheapo Melody Maker is smooth. No reason the more expensive ones shouldn't be.
If anyone knows what one of these SG Special basses weighs, I'd really love to know. I got some whiplash injuries years ago and try to stay with light basses now. It's my guess it's pretty light, but I just don't know for sure.
Mine comes in at 7 lbs. I got mine on one of those sales last month. It has a small finish flaw where the nitro sunk into the grain a little on the back. Finish flaw? I thought Gibson made them all like that!!! Anyway, for a few bucks over $800 for a new SG, I couldn't resist. The tuners are heavy and it has a slight neck dive, but nothing my padded neoprene strap couldn't counteract. Putting lite tuners on it could make it even lighter.
I played it at a gig last month and it did a nice job. As usual, an easy bass to play and wear long term.
Sweetwater lists the weight for each one on their site (others may too, IDK), it's kind of interesting to compare the different serial numbers and see how much the weight varies on the same model.
Thanks. I was thinking it was probably about 7 lbs, but wasn't sure. I wish weight didn't have to be such of an issue for me, but it is, unfortunately. But 7 lbs is not bad.
To me, it's all in the balance. A 7 lb. neck diver would cause my shoulder and neck to hurt. I'd rather have a well balanced bass even if it were 2-3 lbs. heavier.
Yes, that's a good point. In my case, I have to do all kinds of things I never thought I'd be doing, though. Like sometimes switching over to fingerstyle because it puts such less strain on my screwed up neck. Of course, I can never be as good at that as I've been playing pickstyle, unless maybe I practice nonstop at it.
Quote from: westen44 on January 15, 2014, 10:39:59 AM
Thanks. I was thinking it was probably about 7 lbs, but wasn't sure. I wish weight didn't have to be such of an issue for me, but it is, unfortunately. But 7 lbs is not bad.
I've been having shoulder and neck issues, so I can sympathize with you. Weight and scale length have been an issue for me over the last year. Ugh!
Quote from: drbassman on January 15, 2014, 12:42:43 PM
I've been having shoulder and neck issues, so I can sympathize with you. Weight and scale length have been an issue for me over the last year. Ugh!
It's why Danelectro and Hofner have become more appealing to me now than they were before. Nevertheless, something like this SG Special may work out. I hope so.
Took the neck pup cover off yesterday, saw the pup was crooked and low in the cavity. added 1/2" of foam under it. Again, the e-string sounds much stronger.
Quote from: chromium on January 10, 2014, 11:55:14 AM
Only a matter of time...
Here's what your new tone caps will look like. Try getting that as a paper-in-oil :P ;D
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/49/SMD_capacitor.jpg/220px-SMD_capacitor.jpg)
Yep. I would also like to point out that the cap (and any other passive SMT part) is roughly the size of a couple of sesame seeds. That's about the same size as the kidney stones I have and sometimes much more painful to deal with. I would not be surprised in the least if Gibson USA is using pre-fab tone boards from overseas. It's getting to the point that a Gibson is only worth the wood in the body and neck, the hardware, and the pickups. Lazy finishes, shit electronics outside the pickups themselves, and THEN there are the serious numbers of QC issues, like the workers in Nashville are putting love into the product at a ratio of what Gibson does into their pockets, and I don't blame them one bit.
Does anyone know if the QC on the Gibson acoustic instruments is holding up? There's a lot of evidence here that they're not consistent on their electronic instruments.
Quote from: Pilgrim on January 19, 2014, 01:58:15 PM
Does anyone know if the QC on the Gibson acoustic instruments is holding up? There's a lot of evidence here that they're not consistent on their electronic instruments.
There is someone on the reranch forum who seems to know about that kind of thing. I can't remember his name, though. I haven't been there in years. Too much about guitar and not enough about bass for me.
I've seen the circuit boards that are in certain Gibson guitars. They do have the Gibson logo printed on them. That certainly doesn't mean they were made in USA; considering Gibson's Chinese investments, I seriously doubt it.
This apparently has been going on since 2008, and isn't just on the cheapest models.
I have a worn finish SG that I really love, I like the worn finish quite a bit. Hmmmmmmmmm that reminds me I have a 60's muddy for it. I have today of I think I'll break out the soldering iron. ;D
I need to play my '64 EB-0 more. With the Model One in it, the sound is more versatile than a straight mudbucker would allow - and it's so darn light and easy to play! when I got it I regretted having the Model One in there, but over time I've come to realize that it adds versatility to a bass that wasn't collector grade anyway.
Yes, It has Labella Deep Talkin' flats and the original bridge. It intonates fine, thanks.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Gibson%20EB-0%201964/PB070017.jpg)
In better shape than the typical mid-60s EB-0, too. I'd personally rather have everything original, too. But you're right, this isn't anything near as important to collectors (or players) as an EB-3 anyway. But light as a feather, and a pleasure to play (with no neck dive at all.)
That's a fine looking EB-0! Very cool.
Quote from: westen44 on January 20, 2014, 10:27:47 AM
In better shape than the typical mid-60s EB-0, too. I'd personally rather have everything original, too. But you're right, this isn't anything near as important to collectors (or players) as an EB-3 anyway. But light as a feather, and a pleasure to play (with no neck dive at all.)
It has its share of finish checking and a repaired headstock crack that didn't QUITE turn into a broken-off headstock. Between the break and the extra pickup (installed in it when I got it, but only a hole where the mudbucker went) it's no collector.
But you're right - beautifully light, nicely balanced and fun to play.
Quote from: Pilgrim on January 21, 2014, 09:14:22 AM
It has its share of finish checking and a repaired headstock crack that didn't QUITE turn into a broken-off headstock. Between the break and the extra pickup (installed in it when I got it, but only a hole where the mudbucker went) it's no collector.
But you're right - beautifully light, nicely balanced and fun to play.
I have an old EB -0 too that is great to play, just a little muddy though!
Left Handed Only at this price. Just noticed that Sweetwater has the SG Faded worn brown for $525. You have to special order it, though. I never thought I'd see a Gibson bass for five hundred.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BASFLWBCH/
These must be last year's models (keeping Gibson's annual model policy in mind) at that price.
The 2014 right handed SG Special Bass (http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2014/SG-Special-Bass.aspx) is only $699 with hard case.
Quote from: Dave W on January 28, 2014, 08:13:08 AM
These must be last year's models (keeping Gibson's annual model policy in mind) at that price.
The 2014 right handed SG Special Bass (http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2014/SG-Special-Bass.aspx) is only $699 with hard case.
That had the same model right handed around Christmas for $599. I was about to get one, but they sold out. Not just at Sweetwater, but at American Musical, etc. I'm talking about the one with the worn brown finish.
Quote from: westen44 on January 28, 2014, 11:01:38 AM
That had the same model right handed around Christmas for $599. I was about to get one, but they sold out. Not just at Sweetwater, but at American Musical, etc. I'm talking about the one with the worn brown finish.
Right. They were reduced along with many other 2013 Gibsons. Gibson must have more of the brown 2013 lefties still in the warehouse.
Quote from: Dave W on January 28, 2014, 09:34:11 PM
Right. They were reduced along with many other 2013 Gibsons. Gibson must have more of the brown 2013 lefties still in the warehouse.
I think so. Since it included the case, that seemed like a pretty good deal to me. I wish I had taken advantage of it.