Gibson Custom Shop Original Flame Top Bass

eb2 · May 28, 2010, 08:02:51 AM

Hand made and hand wound on Staten Island.

With a little work you could rip that top off and laminate a piece of mahogany on, plug up that cyclops 3rd hole and put a proper bridge on - I'm liking the Hipshot Evertilt replacement, get a plastic lid mudbucker, a set of banjo pegs, and a 59 EB0 pickguard. That would straighten out that thing.

But I don't think that is a long scale. From the bridge and neck set I am thinking whatever goober paid out his a$$ for this thing had it made 30" scale. If it even is a custom shop bass - show me the back of the headstock. That scale would be in keeping with the original, which you could probably buy for less. As several of us who have or had one have said before, this is a bass that is just ok. It feels off, it plays kind of like an EB0/3 but without the compact comfort. I would love to see what one was like with a full 34" scale to see if it balances out with the small but clunky body. But as it came out, it didn't feel that good.

gearHed289 · May 28, 2010, 10:30:28 AM

Love that body shape. Too bad they didn't stain that boring old maple.

uwe · May 28, 2010, 11:49:18 AM

5.000 bucks is pricey, yikes!

I'd have to know more about this to be fully enticed. No chance in hell Geddy could get anything even remotely approaching his sound out of a bass with a pup placement such as this one. Never saw him with anything of the like either. This looks more like something Gene Simmons would have asked for.

I will have to make discreet investigations next week.

But pricey, phew!

OldManC · May 28, 2010, 12:39:27 PM

Especially with the Euro circling the drain!

eb2 · May 28, 2010, 02:23:46 PM

It makes the baklava all the sweeter.

jumbodbassman · May 28, 2010, 02:59:40 PM

looks like early 80's sd curlee.

godofthunder · May 28, 2010, 03:42:55 PM

Quote from: jumbodbassman on May 28, 2010, 02:59:40 PM
looks like early 80's sd curlee.

............................Only better

seriously I always wanted a SD

uwe · May 28, 2010, 05:01:59 PM

From the pics and the description there is so far nothing compelling me to believe this is a true Gibson or am I missing something? The pup bothers me big time, I can't believe that Gibson would put something so closely resembling or even being a DiMarzio Model 1 on one of their creations. And everything on this bass is so un-Geddy though Alex Lifeson was always a Gibson player would have certainly received something like that had he asked nicely.

Dave W · May 28, 2010, 05:17:43 PM

Quote from: jumbodbassman on May 28, 2010, 02:59:40 PM
looks like early 80's sd curlee.

Please!

Come on, guys, it's a doublecut Junior shape. Period. The Curlee, Washburn and Malcolm Young Gretsch were influenced by the Junior, not the other way around.

Dave W · May 28, 2010, 05:20:31 PM

Quote from: uwe on May 28, 2010, 05:01:59 PM
From the pics and the description there is so far nothing compelling me to believe this is a true Gibson or am I missing something? The pup bothers me big time, I can't believe that Gibson would put something so closely resembling or even being a DiMarzio Model 1 on one of their creations. And everything on this bass is so un-Geddy though Alex Lifeson was always a Gibson player would have certainly received something like that had he asked nicely.

Remember the "Gibson Custom Shop" bass you bought from California that was made from Gibson parts but not by Gibson? Could this be from the same builder?

Nocturnal · May 28, 2010, 05:43:19 PM

Couldn't it have originally had a mudbucker, only to be replaced (by a misguided soul) with the Dimarzio?

godofthunder · May 28, 2010, 05:50:29 PM

Quote from: Dave W on May 28, 2010, 05:17:43 PM
Please! Come on, guys, it's a doublecut Junior shape. Period. The Curlee, Washburn and Malcolm Young Gretsch were influenced by the Junior, not the other way around.

Well of course !

Muzikman7 · May 28, 2010, 10:17:19 PM

Maybe I'll call Gruhns and ask then what they think they helped me the last time I called about an odd Gibson bass.

Dave W · May 28, 2010, 11:29:53 PM

Or one could just ask the seller for documentation. The pics don't even show the Gibson logo, much less any evidence that it's from Gibson's custom shop. That's either deliberate evasion or incompetence. Color me suspicious.

dadagoboi · May 29, 2010, 01:58:04 AM

Quote from: tubehead on May 27, 2010, 08:00:43 PM
crikey.looks like a long scale to me.i wonder what construction the pickup is.

I think it's a short scale, it's a small body.

Here's my 1960, again...at age 50 the intonation with the original bridge is xlnt w/ long scale Rotosounds, I like it's simplicity. The bridge pup is a from a '68 Tele bass. Replaced the original banjo tuners with Schallers in 1965.