What Is This One?

Started by veebass, July 19, 2017, 03:12:51 PM

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veebass

I don't seem to recall a Gibson Les Paul Bass quite like this one which is currently or sale on Reverb.
Is it a genuine Gibson?






https://reverb.com/item/4927390-gibson-les-paul-bass-limited-edition-1992-made-in-usa

Basvarken

Oh yes it's ligit. LPB-2 deluxe. Not as rare as the seller claims. Although the color may be rare.
www.brooksbassguitars.com
www.thegibsonbassbook.com

veebass

Quote from: Basvarken on July 19, 2017, 03:30:05 PM
Oh yes it's ligit. LPB-2 deluxe. Not as rare as the seller claims. Although the color may be rare.

Thanks, I knew you guys would know.
Lots of things looked legit to me, but the colour didn't ring a bell (except a similarity to the Money Bass) and I think I had seen the headstock decal or whatever it is used on some knock offs in the past.

uwe

The color is custom, but you could request colors on that particular model, quite a few people did, I have inter alia a fretless one in a brownish sepia tinge which the preowner hoped would turn out translucent black when he ordered it - suffice to say it didn't! :mrgreen:

All Deluxes have the TCT/Bartolini pups electronics combo, which makes for a powerful, but incredibly sterile/hifi sound. Period piece of the early 90ies trying to sound like a bass in the mid-80ies.  :mrgreen:
We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

slinkp

Is that the version that Me'shell played when she first burst onto the scene?
Looks like it though the camera won't hold still long enough to get a clear look at the pickups.
Look around 2:25


Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

slinkp

Yup, check this from around the same time period.  Starting at 7:20 they talk about the bass and she jams on it a little unaccompanied:
Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

Dave W

Pretty. Too expensive for an LPB-2 even with the price reduction.

amptech

Quote from: slinkp on July 19, 2017, 05:14:39 PM
Yup, check this from around the same time period.  Starting at 7:20 they talk about the bass and she jams on it a little unaccompanied:

They talked about her being bi-sexual, but how out of place was that fender strap?? It should be illegal and probably is!
You just cant have both at the same time when it comes down to Gibson/Fender...

Basvarken



It doesn't have the flowerpot inlay though
www.brooksbassguitars.com
www.thegibsonbassbook.com

doombass

Quote from: veebass on July 19, 2017, 03:42:45 PM
.. I think I had seen the headstock decal or whatever it is used on some knock offs in the past.

The flowerpot inlay was only used the first couple of years on the whole range (LPB1-3). I don't think I've seen it on any model past 1992.

bassilisk

My 96 doesn't have it.

Quote from: uwe on July 19, 2017, 04:20:11 PM
All Deluxes have the TCT/Bartolini pups electronics combo, which makes for a powerful, but incredibly sterile/hifi sound. Period piece of the early 90ies trying to sound like a bass in the mid-80ies.  :mrgreen:

I initially bought mine because it had an excellent flamed top. Though the initial impression of its tone was enjoyable the novelty wore off (see above - spot on Uwe) and I've been on a replacement pickup hunt ever since. Tried real Gibson TB+ (passive) and currently Schaller/DiMarzio (passive).

I'm thinking of going back to the TB+ and using the original Bart pre. I didn't know that was the typical setup.
OR
I have a set of Alumitones that I'm very curious about.
Stable....for now.    www.risky-biz.com

slinkp

It's funny, I have a hard time imagining keeping an LPB but going on a pickup hunt to make it sound good.  I bought my (passive TB+) LPB1 as a total ebay gamble without ever having played or heard one, motivated entirely by my inability to stop looking at the auction photos.  I didn't know I had a thing for black hardware LP with yellow-black burst, but clearly I do.

But once I had it, I kept it and it became my main bass mostly because I love its sound so much. It is a bit tough to play. The way it hangs makes the neck feel about 2" longer than it really is, it weighs a ton, and I'm not fond of the feel of the slab body edge against my forearm. But that sound just works so well for my band.  If it didn't, I probably would have flipped it long ago rather than looking for pickups.  Even though I still love the look.    I have certainly swapped out pickups in other basses looking for a sound, but I have to love how it feels before I do that.
Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

bassilisk

Well, there you go. The reason I've kept this one is because I like the neck and it's one of the most even playing basses I have. Very smooth and consistent notes. I also really like the top. I've seen a bunch and not many with such a nice figuring. I can deal with the slab body as well. I wasn't crazy about the black hardware, and at the time I was able to get NOS chrome Gibson replacement tuners. The Schaller bridge was easy.

The current pickup combo can be dealt with using some judicious EQ and output control. They have a wicked hot midrange. I did manage to find the chrome covers from a Kramer dealer moving excess stock.

I'm still trying to "normalize" it a bit more to suit me.
It's great for outdoor gigs going through my Mesa M-Pulse which softens it some.

Stable....for now.    www.risky-biz.com

uwe

#13
The LP-Saga:

- LPB-1/Special: early version TB Plus soapies and passive, later version TB Plus soapies and active with Bartolini TCT,

- LPB-2/Deluxe: througout its life span Bartolini pups and TCT electronics.

- LPB-3/Standard: early version TB Plus guitar size humbuckers and active Bartolini TCT electronics, later version TB Plus guitar size humbuckers, but passive.

So your Deluxe had original Bart pups and TCT electronics.

Meshell was pictured with the regular Deluxe (and it is what she plays in that Mellencamp vid of that Van the Man song), but actually she had a prototype that was passive and had custom pups emulating - a bit - a more Jazz Bass sound, might have been single coils.

And I now tell you a secret, never revealed before: Rob in his book of books pictures that passive prototype of hers (it reached ze Kölleckshün in convoluted vvvays) and mistakenly claims it to be the regular off-the-rack Deluxe. It is not. I only saw that when it was already printed and rather than break the poor guy's heart, I kept the secret forever hidden in my bosom.



As we shall continue to do here, my brethren,



and not unsettle the sensitive Dutchman.

So get your rare 1st edition Gibson Bass Book now***, only original with that lil' mistake!  :mrgreen:

***This part of this public statement sponsored by Proper Propaganda Media B.V., CEO: Rob van den Broek.

We've taken too much for granted ... and all the time it had grown ...
From techno seeds we first planted ... evolved a mind of its own ...

Basvarken

#14
Haha, I already thought there was something funny about that particular bass in the book.  It didn't match the other pics I found on the Internet.

Luckily I put in the foreword that the book is probably filled with mistakes.
This one goes right up the pile with all the other ones! 😂

www.brooksbassguitars.com
www.thegibsonbassbook.com