Gibson try again for the nth time

[M@23]

It's very normal. I have a fantastic Les Paul, but the basses do nothing for me.

[nash]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1475162296' post='3143623']
Gawd. Reissue the Victory or GTFO.
[/quote]

Agreed. And the RD.

[tauzero]

"Inoffensive" is the word that came into my mind.

[3below]

Why will they not make a short scale EB2D at sane prices, or an Epiphone release of the same (Rivoli)?

[TrevorR]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1475152262' post='3143484']
Looks like a Cort to me, Gibson and basses don't work for me other than the ripper/grabber, make a ripper 5 string and we'll talk.
[/quote]

Yes, in about five years time anyone playing one will just get asked, "So why have you put a T-Bird neck on that cheap Cort?"

[Hutton]

I don't think I like the snooty attitudes to Cort basses displayed here. Cort instruments are excellent. They sound good and play very well. Given that Lakland Skyline, Squier, G&L tributes are all built by Cort and are given good reviews on this forum then I think a different whipping boy needs to be found. Give me a Cort over a Gibson any day!

[Lw.]

Are they snooty attitudes? I referenced them because the styling is similar, that's all.

Cort make decent quality instruments at affordable prices, nothing wrong with that - in fact, in the early 00's I lusted after one of that tiny bodied with one huge soapbar basses that they made, thought they sounded great!

It's just that other than the headstock these new Gibsons looks uber generic, which is really what Cort specialise in as they make basses for so many other people.

[dlloyd]

I really like some of the old Gibson basses... I used a Gibson Grabber (or was it a ripper?) for a while that was quite nice. I love the look of the Les Paul Signature bass and the EB2.

This though is "meh".

[stingrayPete1977]

My Cort comments aren't snooty at all, I actually like the look of the Curbow, but I wouldn't spend USA Gibson money on one.

[stingrayPete1977]

Of course you must remember that Cort also have one of the worst reputations in the world for poor working conditions whilst you are suggesting we find a better whipping boy.

[TrevorR]

Yes, my Cort comment was on incongruous styling of neck vs body and the likely presumption when the new Gibson range has been long forgotten that a neck from an expensive Gibson bass had been mated with a much cheaper, generic far-eastern bass body. No dissing of Cort, I could as easily have referenced Harley Benton as they do some sub-£200 Cort-alikes too, don't they?

Also, am I right in thinking they retail in the £8-900 price range? They have the look (from a photo) of a £2-300 bass (fancy bridge notwithstanding).

Edited September 30, 2016 by TrevorR

[EliasMooseblaster]

Oh dear. "Generic" really is the word, isn't it?

If they're reading this thread* then might I suggest they either go for something radically different, or reissue the SG-Z bass? The main complaint about T-birds seemed to be upper-fret access, and the (secondary) main complaint about SG basses was the great big mudbucker right under the neck; combining the SG's upper-fret access with a T-bird pickup arrangement seemed to be a good solution to me.


*they're almost certainly not

[bigsmokebass]

Epiphone Embassy bass hahaha

[Grahambythesea]

It is kinda weird, Gibson buy up Tobias and shortly after let Mr. Tobias go off and start another company. Just imagine what Gibson basses would be like if they had kept Michael on and have him design the EB! We would not be calling the "Gibson Kingston" generic! We'd be raving about the innovative asymmetrical neck, the excellent pickups and paying probably double or triple what MTD sell them for because it would of course be made in the USA. I do wonder who runs Gibson sometimes.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1475225947' post='3144110']
Are they snooty attitudes? I referenced them because the styling is similar, that's all.

Cort make decent quality instruments at affordable prices, nothing wrong with that - in fact, in the early 00's I lusted after one of that tiny bodied with one huge soapbar basses that they made, thought they sounded great!

It's just that other than the headstock these new Gibsons looks uber generic, which is really what Cort specialise in as they make basses for so many other people.
[/quote]

There's a Tanglewood branded (it's a Cort) Curbow for sale here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CURBOW-TANGLEWOOD-BASS-GUITAR-WITH-FREE-CARRY-BAG-/191978443134?hash=item2cb2ce917e:g:oXUAAOSwgApXC9f6 and judging by the size of the pickup it's a Mighty Mite - I've got a 5er with the same pickup and being an early run instrument the preamp allows you to adjust treble, mids and bass with the slap switch both on and off (later Cort Curbows have a preset EQ shape with the slap switch engaged).

[thodrik]

Okay, I don't mind the look of them. The question is how they play and sound. The price point is reasonable for a made in America bass.

Generic yes. However, I see a bunch of basses (and amps and cabs) that I consider equally as generic looking.

My own view is that the horn just looks too long and the design looks more suited to a bolt on design rather than a set neck. Pick ups and bridge look cool though.

[Painy]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1475148610' post='3143419']

Here are some pics before you die of boredom:




[/quote]

I'm afraid I saw these pictures and then just continued to die of boredom. I am unfortunately therefore now writing this posthumously.

[visog]

Christ that is unimaginative, derivative, horrid, horrid,horrid. Who designed this thing?

Haven't heard or played it though so could be cool...

*whispers but I doubt it*

[Painy]

[quote name='visog' timestamp='1475256210' post='3144530']
Christ that is unimaginative, derivative, horrid, horrid,horrid. Who designed this thing?

Haven't heard or played it though so could be cool...

*whispers but I doubt it*
[/quote]

To elicit that degree of emotion probably gives it too much credit!

[dlloyd]

My main issue with them, I guess, is that there is nothing Gibson about them apart from the headstock. Gibson has got where it is through innovation and by building a brand identity. I should be able to see the body and think "Gibson". This is as lame as an Epiphone stratocaster.

[Fisheth]

Wish they'd bring back the V basses.

What they've brought out just screams "meh" to me/.

[Lightlyseared]

To me it looks like the product of an unhappy marriage between MTD and G&L. It may look better in the flesh, and play and sound great, but it lacks its own identity. A bewildering amount of Gibson guitars of recent years have been parts bin Frankensteins with slack QC and poor finishes. I went SG shopping with my guitarist recently, he was really put off to see file marks all over fretboards and drippy finishes. The philosophy seems to be to make people pay custom shop prices for the quality and models they actually want.

[DarkHeart]

why dont they just make an affordable RD ?

[bigsmokebass]

[quote name='DarkHeart' timestamp='1475351439' post='3145343']
why dont they just make an affordable RD ?
[/quote]

+1 the maple Novoselic is a VERY nice bass n'all but it was a signature model and limited run.

[Grahambythesea]

http://www.bassplayer.com/Portals/1/StandardImage/042_bas1015_soundroom_ESP.jpg

The more I look the more convinced I am that this is the Bunny Brunel revisited. Have a look at the ESP version (link above). At $1400 for the ESP (& presumably more for the Carvin version) the Gibson starts to look like a bargain!