Now here's one I've never seen before...

[Blazer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Epiphone-Custom-bass_W0QQitemZ320298506243QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320298506243&_trkparms=72%3A1205|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Okay this one is unknown to me...

Uwe?

[gweimer]

Yeah, I've been watching that one.  I doubt that it's really a prototype, especially with the pics the guy posted.  Really blurry on the back of the headstock, and nothing in the way of a back shot.  It looks a little like a Tobias body, but I'm not all that familiar with them.  I'd say this is a project bass, probably decently done, and the $250 price isn't outrageous.

[Dave W]

Prototype my arse. Could be an 80s Korean production model or even Japanese.

What percentage of eBay listings claiming to be a prototype actually have any evidence to back that up? 1%? Maybe 1/2%? When I see somebody using the "p" word on a run-of-the-mill production bass it makes me suspicious of the seller's other claims.

Likewise with the misuse of "custom" and "custom shop." Most of the time you see the claim, it's obviously false.

[Nocturnal]

It sort of looks like the mythical "Continental" bass that Gibson was "making" a few years ago. Maybe a test run as an Epi? Whatever it is, the auction has been ended.

[uwe]

I see, no, not dead people, but some Ibanez Musician/Aria Pro II influence. I'm sure Epi does all kinds of prototypes and discards them, they change their product line much more often than Gibson, but this one doesn't really look Epi to me.

[Blazer]

I did some research into this kind of bass and I learned that Epiphone was made by Samick in those days and Samick made similar neck through body basses with a Tobias like body under their own brand.

So it could well be that this bass is indeed a prototype when Gibson decided to have a more contemporary bass in Epiphone's catalogue.

[Freuds_Cat]

I know its not one, but I agree it does have that 80's Ibanez Musician look about it doesn't it?