The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: kylierider on February 21, 2008, 08:25:11 AM
-
What is one of these basses worth? Might be the start of my Marshall Grant "tribute bass"
The one I am intrested in is a bolt on neck.
-
Crapola.
You want the ET-288M - the Holy Crap bass. Better yet, go for the Allen Woody Rumblecat, or find yourself a nice old Epiphone.
You know, you might be able to get in on the BaCHbird run.
-
Crapola eh..I like your Holy crap bass. Do you know where I could find one?. What are the problems with the 70's bolt ons. I'm trying to get that Marshall Grant vibe in the tribute band.
-
Once they went to the bolt-on necks, the quality of Epiphone tanked. It's those Japanese bolt-ons that took a respected name like Epiphone and made them a joke.
You just missed a really clean one on Flea Bay yesterday. It went for $535. To me, it looked like a refin. Probably nicer than the original was. They've been popping up more lately.
-
Mike, you ever get to Indianapolis? A friend from the TDPRI has a Cash Bash coming up March 1 and Bill Kirchen will be there this year. Info (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/bad-dog-cafe/98692-our-cash-bash-w-my-boy-mr-bill-kirchen-very-tasteful-gig-notice-i-promise.html).
-
Cool thanks for the link. I'd like to get involved in that one of these days. This weekend we are playing in Merrionette Park, IL this Friday night the 22nd.
-
Well I decided to take the plunge. My new Johnny Cash road bass. I've always had good luck with Japanese stuff...as well as read a couple good review on this style bass. It was cheap enough at 331.00. Probably the closest I'll ever get to the real thing..
-
Well, it looks like it's in good shape. I hope you get what you want from it. I'm pretty surprised at the prices those are getting now. Even the Holy Crap model has been hitting the $500+ mark the past few times I've seen them up on Flea Bay.
Of course, I should talk. I've got a Magnatone Hurricane that I'm semi-restoring. I even found a guy to recreate the headstock decal for me.
-
I'll be pretty excited to finally try it out when it gets here. I'd still like to get a "holy Crap bass" one of these days though. I thought that baby sounded great at the show we did together. Does this have the same pickups as yours?
The guy had it down as a 600.00 BIN, which I thought was too high. Is that the original bridge cover? It looks kind of Fenderish to me. One of the things that attracted me to this bass was the bolt on neck. (which I usually prefer) I may toy around with the idea of making a short scale batwing neck for it and painting the body black to really create that Marshall Grant look. Maybe a blend knob where the pickup selector switch is. Just ideas...
-
The pickups in the Holy Crap bass are Bartolinis. I got them from someone on the old Dudepit (bgotoh?). They are from a Les Paul Bass, and were not commercially available. They fit the cavity and rings perfectly. Uwe has the originals. My Epiphone runs hotter than any active bass you can find.
-
Those Barts on the LP bass were standard guitar humbucker size.
-
I'd like to keep the pickups stock as long as they sound good. I do have some barts I could stick in there if all else fails
-
The Epi pups sound fine if not stellar. Similar to a Grabber pup, lots of midrange, blurry treble (but it is there) and sufficient ooomph. Certainly good enough to get a Marshall Grant sound.
-
Thanks...Thats good to know. I'll just trrow on a set of TI flats and I should be good to go.
-
I've nearly bid on some of those EPi neck-throughs.... anyone tried one of those at all?
-
Herr Gweimer has. IIRC he was quite fond of the ric'ish structure.
Needless to say he had to fidget with the pups ::), but to his defense one of them didn't work.
-
Yes. You have the pickups from mine. The thing that my luthier told me when he looked it over was that the neck was perfectly straight, but that they hadn't allowed for neck relief very well. The action on mine was pretty bad. I ended up routing the body, and dropping the bridge down about 3/32", and then using the TI Rounds for low tension. It's pretty much a paint peeler! Other than that, it's a fun bass. I finally found out the real model name on this from the last Ebay listing I saw. They are the ET-288M, and I guess the M is for Matsumoku, where they were made.
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b170/gweimer/12-23-2006-02.jpg)
(http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b170/gweimer/Kelp079.jpg)
-
And those formerly LP DeLuxe pups in there work passive, i.e. without the dreaded Bart TCT circuit and still don't sound sterile/are loud enough?
-
Passive as passive gets. I just had them dropped into the existing harness. I think the model is the GCB something or other.
-
And they sound fine?
-
They have this very warm midrange rumble to them. I wish the E string was a little more pronounced, but may be the bass itself. The Holy Crap bass runs hotter than any active I've ever heard, and is fatter sounding with rounds on it than most basses with flats. Mike's heard me use this bass, so I'll let him comment on what it sounds like in front. I've never really heard it in a room mix.
btw - Mike, I still think I have that CD we cut that night of The Waste Wheelers.
-
I totally want a Holy Crap bass. They've always struck me as a cross between a 4001 and an Embassy. BTW, Kylierider, nice score!
-
btw - Mike, I still think I have that CD we cut that night of The Waste Wheelers.
I'd like to have a copy of that...
Gary's bass sounded good out front. It's been a while ago, but I remember it having a very round tone. Nice and fat. I do remember it cutting through the mix well also. I remember the guitar player and I both commenting how great it sounded.
I'm pretty impressed with the ET-285. I'm still experimenting around with it. It's got a nice bassy round midrangy tone with both pickups full on. If I play back on the bridge pickup I get a nice clear almost piano like tone. This thing has some old rounds on it right now and I'm so impressed with it, I may just stick with rounds instead of my traditional flats. This bass sounds incredible and may have bumped my 78P to second choice fretted four string. If this is a taste of the gibson sound, I've been missing the boat a long time. I have two issues with the bass so far. The first is that some idiot drilled two holes in the headstock. Why I have no idea. But as this will be a players bass I'll not worry about it too much. The second issue is the truss rod nut is stripped. I got it to adjust to where the neck is correct, but it will need replacement before I do any other adjustments. Has anyone ever replaced one on this type of bass?
I'll post further reviews, as I have not played it in a band situation yet. I'll be using it to play music for a play at the end of the month. I have my first play practice with a drummer, two guitar players and a couple singers on Tuesday. I'm excited to hear how it does.
-
Funny as they are kind of "neither world" basses. Between straight vintage & low budget asian marketing arm.
You don't many come up for sale that often.
I imagine they will continue to become collectable along with older Carvins.