Employee build Les Paul Bass on Ebay

[Basvarken]

I remember seeing this bass for the first time years ago. Can it be Dudepit days?
I'm pretty sure I've seen it before sometime.

Looks legit. All the characteristic construction features of a Les Paul Bass / Triumph are there. Bass is in very good shape.
Lots of good photographs.

I'm tempted...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1969-1973-Gibson-Employee-Built-Vintage-Triumph-Fretless-Bass-1-Of-A-Kind-/152419605213?hash=item237cea9add:g:wvoAAOSwjDZYkjg-

[Highlander]

Damn... fretless... envy is a terrible thing... go for it Rob, before a certain German does...

[Dave W]

We have seen that before, somewhere. Looks like a genuine Gibson body and neck, maybe slipped out of the factory one piece at a time, many years ago.

[uwe]

Rob is invited to have a go - looks pawn-shoppish to me. Did those Di Marzio pups even exist as early as 1969-73?

[Basvarken]

I don't know. But it looks like the pickup cavities were tailor made for these pickups. No signs of re-routed or plugged cavities.
The bass looks period correct.

[Chris P.]

I dislike the pickups and control plate, but as it isn't 'original' it could be a great base for a new bass. Ad a black control plate, prettier control knobs. other pickups? Mudbucker covers with something underneath?

[uwe]

Neck and body may certainly stem from that era and I don't doubt that a Gibson employee built it, but perhaps later than 1973 from a guitar husk lying around (as a lot of these employee projects start). Pups, bridge and even the fact that it is fretless indicate a couple of years later to me. In '73 Jaco's influence on the popularity of fretless playing had not yet been felt.

[Basvarken]

I dislike the pickups and control plate, but as it isn't 'original' it could be a great base for a new bass. Ad a black control plate, prettier control knobs. other pickups? Mudbucker covers with something underneath?

Not too fond of that wooden controlplate either. A black one would certainly look better.
I have no problems with those pickups or how they look. Black with chrome/metal details sort of rhymes with the looks of the original lo-z pickups

Neck and body may certainly stem from that era and I don't doubt that a Gibson employee built it, but perhaps later than 1973 from a guitar husk lying around (as a lot of these employee projects start). Pups, bridge and even the fact that it is fretless indicate a couple of years later to me. In '73 Jaco's influence on the popularity of fretless playing had not yet been felt.

That could very well be the case. Not that it matters much.
Not only the body and neck, but also the pots and wiring loom look all period correct.


Having said that, I'm not going to buy it. I really don't need another bass.
But I think Ze Kollektion could do with another odd duck.   
It comes from the same factory, has the same wood , same construction, same logo. etc
It was never "upgraded" or "modified". This seems to be in the exact same shape as it was built many years ago.
Go for it Uwe! 

[Dave W]

The bass looks original, whenever it was built. If it was put together in the Kalamazoo factory, could have been built in the early 80s. Even later if someone had parts and had it finished elsewhere, or if it was an employee who went on to work at Heritage. But the Model One does date from the 70s.

[Granny Gremlin]

BLASPHAMY!




;P

[gearHed289]

Aren't those Model G style pickups? Looks like a standard humbucker route, so could easily be early 70s. It's pretty cool, but I'd prefer frets on a Hobbit. And yes, knobs and plate need to go!

[Pilgrim]

Ignore this.

Please.

It was a mistake.

Honestly.

I humbly beg forgiveness.   

[uwe]

That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!

[FrankieTbird]

That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!

If u think that's bad then the Badass II must be SMFugly.

[Dave W]

Aren't those Model G style pickups? Looks like a standard humbucker route, so could easily be early 70s. It's pretty cool, but I'd prefer frets on a Hobbit. And yes, knobs and plate need to go!

You may be right.

That Badass is fugly. On this and any other bass the world has seen. No match for the Holy Trinity, you heathens!

You mean the Hipshot 3 point?