The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Basvarken on February 09, 2017, 02:31:42 PM

Title: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Basvarken on February 09, 2017, 02:31:42 PM
I remember seeing this bass for the first time years ago. Can it be Dudepit days?
I'm pretty sure I've seen it before sometime.

Looks legit. All the characteristic construction features of a Les Paul Bass / Triumph are there. Bass is in very good shape.
Lots of good photographs.

I'm tempted...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-1973-Gibson-Employee-Built-Vintage-Triumph-Fretless-Bass-1-Of-A-Kind-/152419605213?hash=item237cea9add:g:wvoAAOSwjDZYkjg-



(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee115/cwh1/Jan%2031%202017/DSC00432.jpg)

Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Highlander on February 09, 2017, 03:40:11 PM
Damn... fretless... envy is a terrible thing... go for it Rob, before a certain German does... :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Dave W on February 09, 2017, 04:30:14 PM
We have seen that before, somewhere. Looks like a genuine Gibson body and neck, maybe slipped out of the factory one piece at a time, many years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWHniL8MyMM
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: uwe on February 10, 2017, 04:07:00 AM
Rob is invited to have a go - looks pawn-shoppish to me. Did those Di Marzio pups even exist as early as 1969-73?
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Basvarken on February 10, 2017, 04:16:44 AM
I don't know. But it looks like the pickup cavities were tailor made for these pickups. No signs of re-routed or plugged cavities.
The bass looks period correct.

(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee115/cwh1/Jan%2031%202017/DSC00322.jpg)

(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee115/cwh1/Jan%2031%202017/DSC00320.jpg)
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Chris P. on February 10, 2017, 04:32:03 AM
I dislike the pickups and control plate, but as it isn't 'original' it could be a great base for a new bass. Ad a black control plate, prettier control knobs. other pickups? Mudbucker covers with something underneath?
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: uwe on February 10, 2017, 04:44:29 AM
Neck and body may certainly stem from that era and I don't doubt that a Gibson employee built it, but perhaps later than 1973 from a guitar husk lying around (as a lot of these employee projects start). Pups, bridge and even the fact that it is fretless indicate a couple of years later to me. In '73 Jaco's influence on the popularity of fretless playing had not yet been felt.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Basvarken on February 10, 2017, 05:00:57 AM
I dislike the pickups and control plate, but as it isn't 'original' it could be a great base for a new bass. Ad a black control plate, prettier control knobs. other pickups? Mudbucker covers with something underneath?

Not too fond of that wooden controlplate either. A black one would certainly look better.
I have no problems with those pickups or how they look. Black with chrome/metal details sort of rhymes with the looks of the original lo-z pickups

Neck and body may certainly stem from that era and I don't doubt that a Gibson employee built it, but perhaps later than 1973 from a guitar husk lying around (as a lot of these employee projects start). Pups, bridge and even the fact that it is fretless indicate a couple of years later to me. In '73 Jaco's influence on the popularity of fretless playing had not yet been felt.

That could very well be the case. Not that it matters much.
Not only the body and neck, but also the pots and wiring loom look all period correct.


Having said that, I'm not going to buy it. I really don't need another bass.
But I think Ze Kollektion could do with another odd duck.   8)
It comes from the same factory, has the same wood , same construction, same logo. etc
It was never "upgraded" or "modified". This seems to be in the exact same shape as it was built many years ago.
Go for it Uwe!  :popcorn:








Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Dave W on February 10, 2017, 08:25:26 AM
The bass looks original, whenever it was built. If it was put together in the Kalamazoo factory, could have been built in the early 80s. Even later if someone had parts and had it finished elsewhere, or if it was an employee who went on to work at Heritage. But the Model One does date from the 70s.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Granny Gremlin on February 10, 2017, 08:41:53 AM
BLASPHAMY!




;P
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: gearHed289 on February 10, 2017, 08:46:31 AM
Aren't those Model G style pickups? Looks like a standard humbucker route, so could easily be early 70s. It's pretty cool, but I'd prefer frets on a Hobbit. And yes, knobs and plate need to go!
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Pilgrim on February 10, 2017, 09:02:48 AM
Ignore this.

Please.

It was a mistake.

Honestly.

I humbly beg forgiveness.   :sad:
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: uwe on February 10, 2017, 09:41:37 AM
That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: FrankieTbird on February 10, 2017, 10:03:52 AM
That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!

If u think that's bad then the Badass II must be SMFugly.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Dave W on February 10, 2017, 10:08:07 PM
Aren't those Model G style pickups? Looks like a standard humbucker route, so could easily be early 70s. It's pretty cool, but I'd prefer frets on a Hobbit. And yes, knobs and plate need to go!

You may be right.

That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!

You mean the Hipshot 3 point?  :vader:
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Basvarken on February 11, 2017, 03:30:03 AM
Wouldn't a standard humbucker routing be more rectangular? I've always though those DiMarzio bass pickups are slightly more square than regular humbuckers. But I could be wrong.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Dave W on February 11, 2017, 12:06:24 PM
Model Ones are  3.5 x 2.125 in., so slightly less square than humbuckers. IIRC, humbuckers are about 2.75 x 1.5 in.

Hard to tell which these are from the photo, but a Model One has no mounting tabs on the sides. The cavity is routed for tabs, and pics I've seen of a Model G show that it has standard humbucker tabs.

OTOH, I can't recall seeing a black model G before.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: gearHed289 on February 12, 2017, 09:14:03 AM

OTOH, I can't recall seeing a black model G before.

Schaller made a black version.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: Dave W on February 12, 2017, 11:06:27 AM
Then these are much more likely Model Gs than Models Ones.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: the mojo hobo on February 13, 2017, 07:06:16 PM
I'm pretty sure I have a black Model G.
Title: Re: Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay
Post by: ramone57 on February 15, 2017, 09:28:41 AM
I thought this was a Model G

(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b342/rsteiner/rivoli-1.jpg) (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/rsteiner/media/rivoli-1.jpg.html)