" lots of great improvements!"

[Basvarken]

 A bass you mean? I've never seen a Gibson special faded LP Bass (with classic LP shape) 

[Granny Gremlin]

I totally missed the BFG when it came out.  Looks nice.  Extra thick body Uwe says.  Brass hardware.  Faux snakeskin fin (my mom would love it).  How's that Neck humbucker Uwe? 

[Basvarken]

It is more than just a faux snake skin fin.

It is actually carved. So you feel the ribbles. And the finish is superficially sanded down. On the upper parts there is no colour.
Which gives it sort of a snake skin or crocodile skin effect.

[Granny Gremlin]

You couldn't leave me to my blissful ignorance could you.  Good thing those are likely rather pricey and long scale or I'd have a problem.

[gearHed289]

They did do a faded LP a few years ago in cherry or walnut finish, but it had the Monkey Bass style bridge. The one on Reverb is OK, but totally over-priced.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/gibson-les-paul-faded-limited-edition-flattop-bass-guitar

[Basvarken]

That must be the one then. In that case he's only two years off.
The brass plate conceals the location of the original ABM bridge.

[uwe]

My hunch too. That faded issue also had the pups repositioned slightly (closer to the neck) which seems more in line with the abomination that is is the unsavoury topic of this thread.

Not even a faded flat top with bad workmanship deserved a fate like this.

[Pilgrim]

It is more than just a faux snake skin fin.

It is actually carved. So you feel the ribbles. And the finish is superficially sanded down. On the upper parts there is no colour.
Which gives it sort of a snake skin or crocodile skin effect.

As they say in the trades, "Ribbed for your pleasure..."

[Dave W]

Wow, I had forgotten all about the flattop Faded, and I even owned one (very briefly)! That may well be what this is, considering the pickup placement and the unfilled grain. And the date, for that matter, assuming the seller is using a serial number dater.

I found my invoice in my old email file, bought it Sept. 6, 2007 from Music123 and it had been reduced from $1199 to $799 on clearance. So the 2006 date would fit.

Mine sounded fine, I remember the neck profile being comfy, it was the workmanship and finish that were awful. One of Peter Gabriel's monkeys probably could have done as well.

[Rob]

Peter Gabriel's monkeys probably could have done as well.

Maybe...... Google 100th monkey

[Nocturnal]

Yuup, I do, and it's among the finest Gibson basses, but much too thick a body to have been used as a platform for this monstrosity (unless they shaved off huge amounts of maho material amd also the maple top of the BFG). Another possibility would be the Special Faded series from 2004 (you had one, Dave, and were so appalled about the workmanship you sent it back), that had a 4-controls-configuration too.

The Special Faded was the one I was thinking of. Pretty sure that is what this was before the "improvements".

And I would love one of those BFG basses!!!

[Dave W]

Maybe...... Google 100th monkey

No, the Tale of Five Monkeys probably explains it better.

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result -- all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.

[uwe]

Too true.

[Klondike]

No, the Tale of Five Monkeys probably explains it better.

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result -- all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.

Sorta explains Government policy too and what to do with isis.

[TBird1958]

No, the Tale of Five Monkeys probably explains it better.

Start with a cage containing five monkeys. Inside the cage, hang a banana on a string and place a set of stairs under it. Before long, a monkey will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the other monkeys with cold water. After a while, another monkey makes an attempt with the same result -- all the other monkeys are sprayed with cold water. Pretty soon, when another monkey tries to climb the stairs, the other monkeys will try to prevent it.

Now, put away the cold water. Remove one monkey from the cage and replace it with a new one. The new monkey sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his surprise and horror, all of the other monkeys attack him. After another attempt and attack, he knows that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.

Next, remove another of the original five monkeys and replace it with a new one. The newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm! Likewise, replace a third original monkey with a new one, then a fourth, then the fifth.

Every time the newest monkey takes to the stairs, he is attacked. Most of the monkeys that are beating him have no idea why they were not permitted to climb the stairs or why they are participating in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing all the original monkeys, none of the remaining monkeys have ever been sprayed with cold water. Nevertheless, no monkey ever again approaches the stairs to try for the banana. Why not? Because as far as they know that's the way it's always been done around here.

And that, my friends, is how company policy begins.

 Sounds like working at Seattle Lighting to me!