The Last Bass Outpost

Another thing to note on the Blackbirds (mine at least),  is that it has a three ply all mahogany neck. It doesn't have the walnut laminations like the regular Thunderbird IV.

I wasn't thrilled with the 335 either. I liked the feel and construction, but the pickups just sounded way too bright and mid rangey- quite different than they sounded in the OS Les Paul.  I actually like the Midtown much better.  This being a short scale, hollow body, with a neck pickup should sound superb. Does look a little cluttered but could be worse.

Just saw this...  It's not the  EB2 reissue,  but I bet it sounds really nice...

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015-Memphis/ES-Les-Paul-Bass.aspx

I pulled the trigger on one of these and it showed up today. Here it is with it's semi-hollow counterparts, a DeArmond Starfire and the Gibson Midtown. My initial impressions are mixed... I had read that these were a big step up from the Midtown, but IMO I don't think so. They have different tone woods and different build methodologies, but they are equal as far as fit, finish, hardware, and other common traits. One really isn't better than the other - they are just different, although the price was way different. One thing I notice about the 335 compared to the other two is that it feels very light and "delicate".  The bass came with extremely low action and the pickups were raised right up close to the strings, so it's a big clank fest -  and I'll need to make some adjustments before posting my thoughts on the plugged in sound.  The unplugged tone however is very light, woody, and "boxy". Reminds me of a Hofner I played a while ago. More to come...

I have thought of taking my Lull pickup from the Epi Bird, and mounting it with double sided tape in the "mid" position - flat on the surface of the body - and running the wire down into the F hole. It's short enough in height that it should work. That way I don't have to take a chance on messing up the body if I goof with the router.

I have a THOR also. Stock speakers sounded like a Fisher Price radio so I swapped them for some modern Eminence 10's.  Not a big improvement, since it's such a small box and sealed. When I run the head into a ported 15" cab it really opens up- Very nice and clean.

Thought I would try these out - Iron Cross fingerboard inlay decals from Ebay. They are extremely thin, and undectable when playing. From a couple feet away,  you'd never know they weren't true inlays. Best part is I can take them off at any time and go back to the stock look without running the risk of permanently screwing up the fingerboard.

Quote from: Dave W on February 19, 2014, 01:46:00 PM
I may still have a copy of that brochure somewhere. IIRC it was from early '93.

I have two Gibson bass posters that have Nikki Sixx with a Thunderbird on one side, and the reverse shows "The Bass Collection".  Both posters are dated '93- one version shows the EB-650/750 while the other does not.  Both posters list all the LP basses as having the TCT preamp.

My first PF115 had very bad voice coil rub and so I sent it back. The two  cabs I have since that one are just fine with no issues. I ported one of them to give it a little more  low end, and I added side handles and side mounted speakon jacks as a nod to the old B15's. The handles make it easier to lift the top cab when running a stack configuration, and the side jacks do bypass the internal crossover built into the stock jackplate - but my intention of having the side jacks was really just cosmetic.

I like my Ampegs as well, and never had any problems with SLM era gear. The new PF cabs seem to be built well enough and they look and sound nice, but the head is too unreliable for me. I realize new products may need to have the bugs worked out of them, but I've smoked three PF500's just through normal use (not abusing them) and just dont trust it enough to gig with it as my sole amp.

All three pics are of the same bass (the final replacement).  I snapped the middle pic after I switched the stock speed knobs out for some Gibson reflectors.  I also turned  the bridge pickup around so the pole pieces were a little further away from the bridge to see if it would take some bite off it.

Makes you wonder why the pickup isn't just attached to the cover via a set of screws with slightly larger heads in the first place, especially since they are just cosmetic anyway.

When removing the pickup cover, have you noticed that it has "cut" into the finish on any of your basses?  I'm wondering if the first bass I received had the cover tightened down too far, and coupled with the screw holes themselves - is what caused the finish to start flaking off.

Numero Tres has arrived...

I'm surprised how much variation there is among these Midtowns. This one is spot on for fit and finish, and the prettiest of the three since it has a lot more interesting grain pattern in the maple top. It was hard to photograph, but you can sort of make it out. The binding on the fingerboard is by far the best of the three also,  and the edges have all been nicely smoothed and it just feels "right". You can tell by looking that someone took their time and did it by hand. The black paint in the F holes is comparable to the first bass, not perfect, but very acceptable, and the nitro is very nicely done with zero orange peel.  Being a Gibson, it did have to have one flaw:  the neck pickup was literally flopping around under the cover enough to make a "thunk" sound. I removed the cover, added another piece of foam, and it's back in business.  The sound is very good, and it isn't as soft as the first one I received, but it also isn't as P-bass'ish sounding as the second one. This one resides somewhere in between.  Assuming the finish doesn't fall off this one, or something else weird happen - it's a keeper.

Yep - talked to AMS and this is going back.   Hopefully third time's a charm.  He said they only have two left, so I had him check to see if it's a return, or a brand new unit. Supposedly it's factory sealed - so we'll see.  Fingers crossed...

The replacement Midtown showed up today- I have to give AMS credit, they shipped it as soon as I dropped off the defective one at UPS.  However, I have mixed feelings about this one...    

The good:

The neck definitely has a much better feel to it than the first one. It's slightly thinner and more T-birdish, and no where near as chunky. The maple top also has a nicer grain pattern, and is more uniform. Looks nice.  Plugged in, there is a difference in sound also. This one is louder, and sounds more like a P-bass on steroids, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The first one was very soft sounding, and in a band context sometimes got swallowed up by the room when using anything other than just the bridge pickup.

The bad:

Everything you know and love about Gibson QC.  Sloppy black paint on the F holes, the binding edges/borders aren't as crisp and neat like the first unit, the fingerboard and inlays look "cheap" compared to the first one, and the finish around the neck heel has a lot of orange peel. Heck maybe it was even a touch up- that was where the finish peeled off the first one. I would easily give the first Midtown an A for fit and finish (out of the box). This one, maybe a B- or a C+.

Haven't decided what to do with it. I might call and see if they will give me a discount, but considering I got it for the blow out special price, I doubt there is much meat left on the bone to haggle over.