The Last Bass Outpost

Isn't that just the underside of the top? According to Gibson, it's a semi-hollow with a center block. Or at least it's supposed to be.

Look at it again. There is a block, maybe 3/4" thick on the underside of the top. If you pause the video at 11 sec. you will see one end of it and at 13 the other end.

Rickenbacker can build a good guitar or (neck through) bass with a proper glossy finish in California that sells for less than $2000. Why can't Gibson do that in Tennessee?

edit: I looked at Sweetwater and they have a 2018 Thunderbird that has an MSRP of $3669 for sale at $2199. Using a little math here a $3999 MSRP translates to a $2399 street price. But still would I buy a Thunderbird for $2199 or a 4003s at $1499 or a Fender American Professional Jazz for $1599? Damn, I just saw an Antique Olive Precision for $1499 and I don't have a P with rosewood.

I built a 2008 P bass with parts from there.

Thanks for that link! What I found most useful is: "what does it mean independent volume controls? In simple terms, you have a series resistor, (aka rheostat ) limiting the current out of each pickup, instead of a potentiometer voltage divider." and "I truly love the independent volume controls, but I definitely lost some "Tone" or "bandwidth" as stated above. It lost "SOME"warmth and "les Paul" tone that I loved."

So, no, I am not going to change anything. They must wire it that way for a reason, I just thought it odd that of all the Rickenbacker basses that have passed through my hands I never experienced this. After looking up the Rickenbacker wiring diagram, it is completely different than a Les Paul. The pickups go to the pickup selector switch first then to the volume pot. The Les Paul is wired like the first picture in the linked post and the Rickenbacker is wired like the second picture.

Even at that price, it's a lot of bass for the money. Problem is, they don't fetch that kind of price.

If it hasn't sold at that price in 7 months, then he doesn't really want to sell...yet.

I had to look it up. I sold that bass on ebay in 2005 for $480 and $22.65 shipping. I sold a different Bass IV (maybe a red one) in 2000 for $265.

It could have gone the other way instead. Often when shopping with my wife she will like something but not buy it saying "I'll wait until it goes on sale", but when we go back it's already been sold.

This IV bass that used to be mine is not selling on reverb.com https://reverb.com/item/5593050-vintage-1987-gibson-iv-electric-bass-guitar-w-original-case-rare-model I found the listing about six months ago.

Ironically Honduran Mahogany is plantation grown in the Philippines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swietenia_macrophylla