Uncorroberated Gossip ...

[Dave W]

The pickups had no low end and not much in the way of highs either. And they were weak.

They were not TB Plus, although they looked similar.

IIRC Uwe modified one of his with something better.

[bassvirtuoso]

IIRC Uwe modified one of his with something better.

IIRC it was a Mudbucker at the neck...

[uwe]

Ok, ok, you caught me, you ghastly posse! I herewith admit to having bought the second SG-Z, the cherry one, after the first one which was ebony for (clenches teeth ...) the ... variance ... in ... fin. But I felt guilty about it! Now get your own life!!!

The SG-Z bass has both pups farther to the bridge than any other Gibson bass known to man. Farther back than an LPB. Add to that how the pups are "Z-Pick Ups", not TB Plus pups and you have an explanation for the limp, deballed sound which is neither here nor there. Imagine a Jazz Bass with the forward pup dialed down halfway and without any maple neck snap or bolt-on attack. One of my SG-Zs now features a mudbucker in neck position (there is plenty room) and while it now has ample lows, the lows are mushier than on any shortscale archaic EB from the sixties. It has to do with the neck I think which is way too slim. People gripe about fat necks, well, most girls here do, but I think a fat neck has as much or perhaps even more influence on the good sound of a bass as/than a fat body does.

So is a modern-sounding long scale SG bass with balls an impossibility then? No, I have one, courtesy of Herr Carlston's compulsive buying urge (and then not being around to play the darn thing as he criss-crosses the US of A). George bequeathed me a one off long-scale SG bass (Gibson product, but not Custom Shop) and that does the trick. But it varies from the SG-Z as follows (and very considerably):

- TB-Plus pups,
- neck pup closer to the neck,
- fat LPB-sized neck,
- fat SG body, way fatter than any seventies maple neck SG, let's not even speak of the SG-Z body which has slim sixties dimensions,
- three point bridge (as opposed to the Schaller roller bridge of the SG-Z).

But the real reason is of course the one-off model's chrome hardware as opposed to the drab black hardware look of the SG-Z. Hardware finish influences sound, even Dave says so.

Uwe

[rahock]

Going way back about 40 years, when dinosuars roamed the earth and I was a senoir in high school, I had a customized EBO with a recut body and the pickup moved way back toward the bridge. The pickup relocation gave it a great growly Jack Bruce kind of sound. I also had an EPI solid body at the same time, which was pretty much the same bass with the pickup mounted in the stock position, right up at the neck joint, so I had a daily side by side comparison going on for a couple of years.
Having the pickup mounted back toward the bridge ,IMO , was a tremendous improvement. I could still get plenty of bottom, not as much as the Epi, but the Epi was a bit too bottomy. The growl the EBO had was cool and it also provided a bit more volume because I was picking right on top of the pickup.

Rick

[gearHed289]

Ok, ok, you caught me, you ghastly posse! I herewith admit to having bought the second SG-Z, the cherry one, after the first one which was ebony for (clenches teeth ...) the ... variance ... in ... fin. But I felt guilty about it! Now get your own life!!

You're crackin me up man! LOL!

[TBird1958]

"But the real reason is of course the one-off model's chrome hardware as opposed to the drab black hardware look of the SG-Z. Hardware finish influences sound"


I'll be zinging you with this MANY TIMES Herr Moderator    

[lowend1]

Ok, ok, you caught me, you ghastly posse! I herewith admit to having bought the second SG-Z, the cherry one, after the first one which was ebony for (clenches teeth ...) the ... variance ... in ... fin. But I felt guilty about it! Now get your own life!!!

The emperor has no clothes!
But I'm curious Uwe - what's worse sounding, the SG-Z or the V-Bass?

[SKATE RAT]

Uwe, i know that bass you're typing about. the red one right? i love the way that bass looks.

[Dave W]

I thought the SG-Zs were beautiful. They just didn't sound right to me. I had tried two of them in stores, then I was able to borrow one for a couple of weeks. So I was able to give it a fair trial. It was as bad as the store models.

[OldManC]

I love the way they look as well, but the reviews from guys here and elsewhere have always kept me from trying to grab one. If new pickups would do the trick I might be tempted though, since I'd want to chrome it out anyway... 

[eb2]

This is why I want Gibson to go out of business, or get bought by some wretched crap outfit.  There will the liquidation and upheaval, and just like when CBS bailed on Fender, a whole bunch of dumpster diving for rare parts and semi-finished parts. In the future, after Gibson has morphed into something like the Baldwin crap they sell at Target, fine people will put up a semi-finished SGZ on ebay.  It will have no pups, or finish or whatever else.  I will play Doc Bass for a couple of weeks/months and create my own SGZ, reimagined with proper home-brew electronics, and no lightning bolt douche-bag inlays.  Rock on, Gibson.  Right into the sunset!

[exiledarchangel]

People gripe about fat necks, well, most girls here do, but I think a fat neck has as much or perhaps even more influence on the good sound of a bass as/than a fat body does.

Couldn't agree more. Fat (bottom) necks me likey!

[Denis]

When I first got my Ripper I took it to the shop for a setup and the guy there laughed himself silly over the fat neck on it. He thought it the coolest thing he'd ever seen.

Rippers are also fat bottomed girls! 

[Dave W]

This is why I want Gibson to go out of business, or get bought by some wretched crap outfit.  There will the liquidation and upheaval, and just like when CBS bailed on Fender, a whole bunch of dumpster diving for rare parts and semi-finished parts. In the future, after Gibson has morphed into something like the Baldwin crap they sell at Target, fine people will put up a semi-finished SGZ on ebay.  It will have no pups, or finish or whatever else.  I will play Doc Bass for a couple of weeks/months and create my own SGZ, reimagined with proper home-brew electronics, and no lightning bolt douche-bag inlays.  Rock on, Gibson.  Right into the sunset!

I take it that Henry J. isn't invited to your Christmas dinner, then.

Unless you're having turkey.

[Highlander]

I'll give you an out, Uwe...

You obviously wanted the cherry fin as she would fit into Ze Kollection as a much better representation of the species and you always planned to give the Ebony lady "Six Million Dollar Luthier" treatment, to show the boffins at the Custom Shop the error of their ways...

(you can thank me later... )