How Good Is The OSB Les Paul Bass

veebass · February 20, 2016, 11:19:50 PM

As the the title says.
Views please?
I am shopping at present.
I have an ES 335 Bass and absolutely love it (much more so than a Gibson TBird with "supposedly" the same pickups, so I don't need description of the guitar style TB Plus pickups. Do they sound much the same in a LP OSB as an ES 335, or so close it doesn't matter? If so, that is great. Were the LP OSBs pleked as well? Is the neck similar to the ES 335?
I have an opportunity to pick up a gold top LP OSB, depending on the final figure which we haven't got to yet, and I seriously thinking about it.(I haven't played the LP OSB yet as it is a couple of hours drive away and want to get some info before I look at it)
I would welcome the views of you guys, who know lots about Gibson basses, rather than the general swill who will tell me to buy a Jazz or a PBass and be done with it ( I have plenty of them and so, they are the last thing I want to buy).
There is an EB13 also available at the moment for less $$$ of course. Views?

Grog · February 21, 2016, 08:27:47 AM

I bought one the first year they came out. 400 supposingly were produced in three color options the first year. The pickups are the TP+ units that were in most of the other bass models at the time. I really like the sound & the feel of the neck, but it is one of the heaviest basses I have. It's still a keeper in my opinion but other members of this forum have bought one & traded it off. A friend of mine bought a 5 string EB bass & I was quite impressed with it. It was light & the pickups were some of the best sounding pickups I'd heard on a Gibson bass lately. And it was nicely balance & light. I think I would lean toward the four string if I were to consider one................

veebass · February 25, 2016, 06:33:26 PM

Quote from: Grog on February 21, 2016, 08:27:47 AM
I bought one the first year they came out. 400 supposingly were produced in three color options the first year. The pickups are the TP+ units that were in most of the other bass models at the time. I really like the sound & the feel of the neck, but it is one of the heaviest basses I have. It's still a keeper in my opinion but other members of this forum have bought one & traded it off. A friend of mine bought a 5 string EB bass & I was quite impressed with it. It was light & the pickups were some of the best sounding pickups I'd heard on a Gibson bass lately. And it was nicely balance & light. I think I would lean toward the four string if I were to consider one................

Thanks, mate.
The seller of the EB decided to keep it. A G3 reissue has come up unexpectedly and I will go that way with my cash by the looks.
The LP is still under negotiation for a trade.

What do you lads think of the G3 reissue or tribute or whatever? I have heard good things.

Aussie Mark · February 25, 2016, 08:28:31 PM

Quote from: veebass on February 25, 2016, 06:33:26 PM
What do you lads think of the G3 reissue or tribute or whatever? I have heard good things.

You can tell us in a few days, yes?

veebass · February 25, 2016, 11:18:46 PM

Quote from: Aussie Mark on February 25, 2016, 08:28:31 PM
You can tell us in a few days, yes?

Hopefully.

uwe · February 26, 2016, 08:01:42 AM

I think OSB LPs are neither better nor worse than standard body size LPs, I can't detect a substantial difference in the sound of the pups either. Gibson long scale LP basses were always in the forefront of their best-sounding products - very assertive, more so than a Thunderbird.

For some reason, I think the smaller, traditional body looks cooler, but many bassists would probably beg to differ. You make a Les Paul body larger and it loses something IMHO.

Only the nut of the OSB is a PLEK design, the frets weren't pleked. To my knowledge, the (now already deleted again?) Thunderbird 2015 was the first and so far only Gibson bass with pleked frets (and you noticed that immediately) though the Memphis basses might be pleked too considering their pricing.

The G-3 Tribute is the best Ripper-shaped bass ever built by Gibson fullstop, be it in the 70ies and 80ies or more recently. It's a real secret weapon. Those Jim DeCola pups sound nowhere better than in this bass.

veebass · February 26, 2016, 11:46:06 AM

Quote from: uwe on February 26, 2016, 08:01:42 AM
I think OSB LPs are neither better nor worse than standard body size LPs, I can't detect a substantial difference in the sound of the pups either. Gibson long scale LP basses were always in the forefront of their best-sounding products - very assertive, more so than a Thunderbird.

For some reason, I think the smaller, traditional body looks cooler, but many bassists would probably beg to differ. You make a Les Paul body larger and it loses something IMHO.

Only the nut of the OSB is a PLEK design, the frets weren't pleked. To my knowledge, the (now already deleted again?) Thunderbird 2015 was the first and so far only Gibson bass with pleked frets (and you noticed that immediately) though the Memphis basses might be pleked too considering their pricing.

The G-3 Tribute is the best Ripper-shaped bass ever built by Gibson fullstop, be it in the 70ies and 80ies or more recently. It's a real secret weapon. Those Jim DeCola pups sound nowhere better than in this bass.

Thanks for that.
I think I read that the Memphis ES 335 had pleked frets, but not sure where now. The information about them seems to have disappeared from the Gibson website. The one I have certainly plays beautifully.
I am looking forward to the G3 Tribute.

veebass · March 12, 2016, 08:59:17 PM

Well, glad I ended up with the G3 Tribute.
Used with the band twice- Mighty, solid sounding bass- reminds me a bit of a Ric in an unexpected way, although clearly a bass with it's own voice,
Plenty of growl too.
Swapped bridges between it and my TBird- to complete the blinging of the TBird and the stealthing of the G3. Sets up very nicely- pleasure to play.

Here's Blingbird.

Dave W · March 12, 2016, 11:58:07 PM

Good move on the bridge swap.

veebass · March 13, 2016, 12:39:48 AM

Quote from: Dave W on March 12, 2016, 11:58:07 PM
Good move on the bridge swap.

Thanks, yes, I think so.
I bought a Chinese chrome three pointer for the TBird but the D saddle was way too low and bottomed out. so I was running the TBird with the black Gibson saddles so I could set it up. The chrome Gibson three pointer from the G3 went straight on and set up beautifully.

Basvarken · March 13, 2016, 03:29:56 AM

Quote from: veebass on March 13, 2016, 12:39:48 AM
Thanks, yes, I think so.
I bought a Chinese chrome three pointer for the TBird but the D saddle was way too low and bottomed out. so I was running the TBird with the black Gibson saddles so I could set it up. The chrome Gibson three pointer from the G3 went straight on and set up beautifully.

I often buy the Chinese three pointer for the BaCH semi acoustic bass (BaCH sends them to me without bridge).
And the Chinese three pointer standard has the saddles installed in the wrong follow order. They are numbered. 4 should be 1, 3 should be 2, 2 should be 3 and 1 should be 4. Easy fix. Just swap them.
That would explain why your D saddle is an ill fit maybe?

veebass · March 13, 2016, 03:40:37 AM

Quote from: Basvarken on March 13, 2016, 03:29:56 AM
I often buy the Chinese three pointer for the BaCH semi acoustic bass (BaCH sends them to me without bridge).
And the Chinese three pointer standard has the saddles installed in the wrong follow order. They are numbered. 4 should be 1, 3 should be 2, 2 should be 3 and 1 should be 4. Easy fix. Just swap them.
That would explain why your D saddle is an ill fit maybe?

Yes I noticed they were all mixed up and I thought I got them in the right order but maybe not. Thanks.

uwe · March 14, 2016, 06:49:46 AM

The Ric comparison is not inapt at all - that snappiness coupled with a forceful bass department ...

Looks great, "stealthy" as it is.

veebass · March 14, 2016, 01:38:58 PM

Quote from: uwe on March 14, 2016, 06:49:46 AM
The Ric comparison is not inapt at all - that snappiness coupled with a forceful bass department ...

Looks great, "stealthy" as it is.

Thanks.
I wonder if the pickup positions contribute some.
Out of interest, I took a few measurements of the distances in the G3 and a 4003 from nut to centre of pickup along the E string and then divided by the distance from nut to E string saddle to compensate for the scale length. Then multiplied by 100 to give a % for easy comparison.
1998 Ric 4003 Neck pickup- 74.3% Bridge- 86.5%
G3 Tribute- Neck pickup- 73.7% Middle- 82.3.% Bridge- 90.3%