1979 Hobbit in Silverburst on Reverb.

[Grog]

I just came across this bass on Reverb. It was special ordered supposedly in silverburst. The control plate is also odd. It doesn't have the three position tone preset switch & an extra control where the output jack would be. Also no phase switch. There are only two photos so you can't see the jack on the bout. The guitar versions of these years had two output jacks on the body of the guitar but I've never seen a bass this way. EBay has a Polaris  White Hobbit that it claims to be one of the very last ones ever made, it still has the output jack in the control plate. What do you guys think? Original or modified?

https://reverb.com/item/10528392-gibson-les-paul-recording-bass-1979-silverburst

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1982-GIBSON-LES-PAUL-TRIUMPH-BASS-the-very-last-example-made-by-Gibson/162678573667?hash=item25e0660a63:g:8PEAAOSwnHZYRbOz

[Dave W]

Don't be afraid to ask them for more photos, including close ups. I bought my EB-0 from them. There was only1 photo in the listing. I asked them for photos in specific areas (e.g back of headstock, neck/body joint) and they were quick to respond.

[Grog]

They had two photos on Reverb but only one on their web page............ I'm not in the market for anymore Hobbits & would hate to ask them for photos when I have no intention of buying it. I just find it sort of odd............. Witch hat knobs aren't original. It looks like it might have two volumes & two tones like my 2013 Les Paul Recording II.

[doombass]

I think it's too bad they did'nt pump out some more info from the previous owner since he/she also was the original and only owner. My guess is it has been modified after purchase simply because the control plate material looks considerably thicker (the white layer) than what Gibson usually used for their two ply. Maybe the original very thin and fragile plate was a victim of the usual output jack accident, and when making a new control plate, the owner opted for a sturdier material, got rid of the optional functions not used, while adding what the owner thought was missing (maybe individual vol controls?). Furthermore to prevent any new accident they put the input jack on the side.

Also I wonder what's with the label tape on the case. "1979 GIBSON LES PAUL "TRIUMPH". THE INSULT RECORDING BASS"

[Grog]

It likely is an after market plate. Gibson quit engraving the lettering & numbers on the plates, opting to heat stamp them well before this bass was made. The neck heel looks sort of odd, different from my '73. Also more of a "Goldburst" than a Silverburst, lacquer yellowed? We need more info, it might have an interesting story with the store based in Nashville.

[doombass]

The Silverburst finishes often turn to gold because the clearcoat turns yellow.

[clankenstein]

Steel bridge saddles not nylon.Because it's a 1979?

[doombass]

It has a three point bridge because it's a post 1972 one. They did'nt come with nylon saddles as far as I know of.

[FrankieTbird]

The Silverburst finishes often turn to gold because the clearcoat turns yellow.

My old Silverburst looked more green than gold, as do many others I've seen.  However, when I photographed it at the time I was selling, the flash made it look as silver as the day it came off the line.

[slinkp]

The Silverburst finishes often turn to gold because the clearcoat turns yellow.

Wow that looks good. Almost looks like a deliberate yellowburst. Which not surprising I like a lot.