Vintage 1970's LP Recording Bass

[newplasticmachine]

I have a Les Paul Recording Bass, Triumph Serial Number 178661. It's the model with the 3 point bridge with through the body strings like on the RD Artists. I haven't seen this on any available photos on line, I see the 3 point bridge but not the through the body strings. I went to the Guitar Dater Project and that says Kalamazoo or Nashville 1970, 71 or 72. But all the other LP Recording Basses I've seen from that time have completely different bridges.

I will post photos, but any information would be super helpful. I bought it in 1990 for 200 bucks, in great shape although it appears that the previous owner did an amazing job repainting it.

cool

[newplasticmachine]

Here are those photos.

[newplasticmachine]

And a shot of the Serial number

[clankenstein]

nice.i bet that sounds good.

[TBird1958]

Welcome Here.   


Beuatiful bass, If nothing else I'd say if you paid $200.00 you got a heckua deal!

Looks great in cherry.

[Basvarken]

Welcome! Nice to meet another Les Paul Bass owner.
Great color.

The string through addition probably gives it a little more sustain. Not that the Les Paul Bass needs it. It has tons of sustain in its original configuration.

The three point bridge is probably the original bridge. But the string through addition most certainly isn't. It doesn't look too professionally done, if you ask me. The line of ferrules looks a little wobbly.

But there is one great advantage: the string through option adds a few centimeters to the total string length. And that makes it easier to put long scale strings on this short scale bass.

For the Les Paul Bass I am building myself I'm going to use a string though bass too, because I always use long scale heavy gauge strings.


Oh and the 200 bucks is an incredible steal!

[uwe]

The string-thru is after-market amd was most likely added together with the three point because that was only introduced in 1973, the earlier Triumphs still had the two point. Unsurprisingly, the then-owner must have been dissatisfied with this wonderful, string-pull-resistant work of American engineering which justly  has so many vocal fans here.  And as he mounted the three point, he must have thought of the string-thru too, possibly because the first three-points came out with the early Rippers and had that too (though some of the Ripper prototypes did not). Considering that an E string on a short scale has less tension and hence also less saddle pressure, the string-thru is a good idea.

I like the cherry refin btw!

Uwe

[jumbodbassman]

Like the cherry color.  String thru idea is good but execution looks weak. If you want to go string thru you have to change the bridge design.      Shaller?  makes a great gibson aftermarket bridge that adds 2 inches to the string length but not string thru.  Jack bruce used one on his eb-1 with cream reunion.  I have one that will eventually get into an eb-2 project that is 10 years past due....

Keep seeing pictures of LP basses on this site.  Maybe i will have to start bringing out my baby after a 20 year retirement.

[newplasticmachine]

Thanks for all the information. So I guess the consensus is this through the body string thing is an after market mod. The workmanship of the holes etc is actually very well done, but the coat of paint which has slightly chipped over the metal ferrules makes them look kind of wonky and uneven in these photos.

The bridges design is the same as on my RD Artist bass with through the body strings so engineering wise it's Gibson consistent.

Sounds wonderful. I have some flat wound Rotosounds on it now and it's great, needs a little neck adjustment, some pot cleaning, rewiring.

I was considering getting the paint job refurbished to more of an original color, but that is a much lower priority at this point.

[Basvarken]

I love that color.
Looks pretty close to the Japanese copy I have

[Highlander]

D'Addario strings...?

Nice bass... very nice price, very cheap even then... 

[newplasticmachine]

200 bucks was a great price, and the guy I bought it from said he felt "guilty" that I didn't haggle with him!
I felt guilty buying it for 200 bucks! But then again, I bought all 3 of my RD Artists for less than 250 back then as well.

[uwe]

Pics of the RDs or they don't exist!!!!

[newplasticmachine]

The RDs... big sore spot. I had 2 Maple RD Artists and 1 Black RD standard... I gave them away in 1994, and I mean gave them, not sold, but gave them away for free, like here have fun... sick just thinking about it... I just puked.

[newplasticmachine]

Here's all that's left.... 1982