New Epiphone Newport Bass.

[gearHed289]

When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

I bought my first 4001 at 15.  I "flipped" an old Strat to raise the funds.

[morrow]

Rics were not common in Nova Scotia and before the internet there were limited opportunities to buy. I spent years waiting for one , and finally found a 4001 in Toronto. That was about 25 years ago .
I still get a little weak in the knees when I look at it.

[doombass]

I started playing bass when I was 16 and did it on a 4001. It is still with me.

[ilan]

/

[ilan]

When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

What's not to love?

I was buying a 4000 and the seller also had an Epi Flying V.
I wound up with both.

I bought my first 4001 at 15.  I "flipped" an old Strat to raise the funds.

Rics were not common in Nova Scotia and before the internet there were limited opportunities to buy. I spent years waiting for one , and finally found a 4001 in Toronto. That was about 25 years ago .
I still get a little weak in the knees when I look at it.

I started playing bass when I was 16 and did it on a 4001. It is still with me.

Best
Gibson basses thread
EVER

[ilan]

I like the Eastwood Newport's tone better. And its looks, by the way.

[uwe]

But fate would have it that I had to make do with a Korean Jazz Bass knock-off.



I never got over it either. And I blame Fender to this day.

[uwe]

Best
Gibson basses thread
EVER

Ilan has just wetted himself. 

[Dave W]

And:

https://bassmagazine.com/gear/epiphone-releases-the-acoustic-el-capitan-j-200-studio-bass

I hope the El Capitan J-200 Studio is better than the single cutaway El Capitan of the 90s-00s. Those were long scale and the tops were too thick (to handle the long scale tension) for any decent acoustic volume. The 5 string version sounded bad to me.

At least this version is short scale and has a solid top.

[TBird1958]

When I was 16 I liked Rickenbacker 4001s and Flying Vs.

You too!   

I couldn't play guitar so, a 4001 was my first "good" bass.

[ilan]

I hope the El Capitan J-200 Studio is better than the single cutaway El Capitan of the 90s-00s. Those were long scale and the tops were too thick (to handle the long scale tension) for any decent acoustic volume. The 5 string version sounded bad to me.

At least this version is short scale and has a solid top.

The demo sounds bad imho. Like all budget ABGs, very little low end.

[Dave W]

The demo sounds bad imho. Like all budget ABGs, very little low end.

Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

[Grog]

In early 1974, I drove to a little local music store to test drive a 4001. The manager (& only employee) pulled his personal 1967 EB-2 out from behind the counter & offered it to me for about $230. I bought it & to this day I don't think I ever tried the Ric. First Gibson bass of the heard.........

[ilan]

Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

Agreed. And it's huge. Although the Takamine TB10 is also incredible. Not a budget bass but at least you can find one.

[uwe]

Only ABG I've ever heard that develops enough low end acoustically is the Ernie Ball Earthwood.

True, that has remained unmatched.

The thinner the top the more bass response, BUT ALSO the more feedback propensity when played electric. My one-off medium scale Gibson Super 4000 ABG is a case in point, lovely bass content, but you can't really play it above living room volume amped, the top already vibrates noticeably if a drummer in a rehearsal space just kicks his bass drum (unmiked)!

I also remember playing quite a few years ago an electric fretless prototype at a luthier (Mr Bassman) that had magnetic pups AND a Piezo in a small cavity in the body with a veneer-thin cover on top to catch the bass frequencies. It sounded incredibly acoustic and bassy over that, BUT it fed back above anything more than (again) living room volume. They never got the problem sorted out and it didn't go into production because of that.

I guess there was a reason why semi-acoustic basses died their death in popularity at the end of the 60ies when larger bass rigs became available.