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Pangborn Warlord graphite …history?


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Posted (edited)

Greetings!

I have what appears to a one-off all-graphite Warlord. [EDIT: wooden wings!] would love to know its history. I’ve read up on Pangborn and found a reference to this bass from 1985 when it was in its planning stages. Aside from that, nothing. I quite love it. Anyone see this one before?

IMG_0318.thumb.jpeg.87fd76ef52bf46a816ca07bb545b1dfe.jpegIMG_0319.thumb.jpeg.89d4ea85f1da6617cae18d9826d46413.jpegIMG_0319.thumb.jpeg.89d4ea85f1da6617cae18d9826d46413.jpegIMG_0320.thumb.jpeg.3c3b7919a707ae1069c8bb9fc7dfe2d8.jpegIMG_0321.thumb.jpeg.1434318e8b9fc4b08c69db4358524960.jpeg

 

Edited by Lord Hautdesert
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2 hours ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

Greetings!

I have what appears to a one-off all-graphite Warlord. I would love to know its history. I’ve read up on Pangborn and found a reference to this bass from 1985 when it was in its planning stages. Aside from that, nothing. I quite love it. Anyone see this one before?

IMG_0318.thumb.jpeg.87fd76ef52bf46a816ca07bb545b1dfe.jpegIMG_0319.thumb.jpeg.89d4ea85f1da6617cae18d9826d46413.jpegIMG_0319.thumb.jpeg.89d4ea85f1da6617cae18d9826d46413.jpegIMG_0320.thumb.jpeg.3c3b7919a707ae1069c8bb9fc7dfe2d8.jpegIMG_0321.thumb.jpeg.1434318e8b9fc4b08c69db4358524960.jpeg

 

Did you buy it from the Bass Gallery recently?

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2 hours ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

That is correct.

It was mine. I'm a little confused about why I'm finding out that theyve sold it from you rather than them.  But thats not your problem. 😶

 

I dont know much about it either apart from suspecting it may be one of a batch commissioned by the Bass Centre.  The nut is precision width which I read somewhere  was a specific request from the Bass Centre.  The bass was refinished by Jon Shuker earlier this year after the armour plating cracked due to movement by the body wood.  Jon thinks the wings are basswood, I think they might be alder.  Either way they're quite light and soft.

 

What reference did you uncover? I'm curious.

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If that's from 1985, it's in great condition. I'm not particularly a fan, or someone  who dislikes Pangborn's - but I quite like the look of that. Is it fairly lightweight, given that it's made of graphite?

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2 minutes ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

I am surprised to find I like the passive tone better! The active one overdrives my amp unless I bypass the amp’s EQ. A little compression is a must. Superb player! 

In the late 90s My bass teacher had one of these basses and always used it passive.

 

Sounded great!

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9 minutes ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

I had a Steiny that was dense like a supernova by comparison.

For a while I had a Steinberger XL25 - the narrow spacing one and yes it was dense and heavy, even compared to full sized basses.  Steinbergers are made from carbon fibre impregnated resin though, not layers like you'll find in most other graphite necked basses.  I think the Pangborn might be a carbon wrap but I have nothing other than speculation to base it on.

I always liked the Panger's ergonomics and meant to trace the body shape before I took it to the Gallery.  But my UK visit this summer was absolutely mental in terms of logistical complications and I didn't get time to see anyone...not even relatives.  Any how, it seemed to me that Ashley was trying to make a greatest hits of eighties basses with this one - the pickups are Armstrong and modelled on the GMT pickup Kent Armstrong made for Rob Green originally.  The body shape is clearly Alembic influenced but downsized.  The electronics seem inspired by Jaydee.  The original finish was so thick Tim (who helps Jon and used to be in Dead or Alive) was ready to give up on it.   Those horns in the omega shape were literally sanded out of finish, not wood!

977520_10152867366770371_1119987687_o_zpsbdb3aq7i.jpg

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23 minutes ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

Tempted to put the Alien Audio 6-knob pre in there but I got too much respect for the artist to swap anything out.

'80s pre-amps. My Blade B4 is like that. 

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37 minutes ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

Fascinating! I understand there’s no truss rod; if a wrap, like the Peavey G Bass, would that be possible?

Graphite neck construction can be as inconsistent as wooden necks - the fingerboard is still vitally important in how well the bass can be set up.  I've had four Musicman Cutlass basses all with necks like bananas and a couple of Modulus Quantum basses, the fretless also had a banana neck while the fretted was so stiff it sounded like glass breaking.  All because of the phenolic (aka Bakelite) fingerboards.  Contrast that with the OG, my Alembic Series 1 which plays like butter because it's rigid but dampened by the wooden fingerboard.  A bit like Leo, they got it right the first time...and then abandoned graphite necks completely around 84 because of QC issues.  Geoff Gould supplied them to Alembic and Musicman AND was setting up Modulus at the same time.

You've scored a honey of a bass with no issues.  Enjoy it.

 

56 minutes ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

Tempted to put the Alien Audio 6-knob pre in there but I got too much respect for the artist to swap anything out.

I would recommend looking at the latest East Pro Uni pre, John has tweaked it so there's more of a mid peak available and with a bit of careful twiddling, it's possible to push things into Status Series II territory, if that's your thing.  I've installed one in my Status S1 through neck and it does everything it used to but also now the Series II honk.  So now I get to channel Graham Edwards and Go West...in the privacy of my office. 

 

BTW, I have a hunch this bass is an 86, not 85. 

 

@scojack maybe able to shed some light on things too, he used to run a website for Pangborn instruments.

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5 hours ago, Kiwi said:

Geoff Gould supplied them to Alembic and Musicman AND was setting up Modulus at the same time.

 

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed the Cutlass necks to be made by Modulus. The Alembic and Musicman necks were constructed very differently to Modulus necks, with their woven graphite monocoques rather than the patchwork necks Modulus used on their own basses. Today I learned!

 

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  • Lord Hautdesert changed the title to Pangborn Warlord graphite …history?
Posted (edited)

I also think it is 1986, but in that 1985 article the writer says an all graphite bass is the next step for the brand, so I wonder if that was the plan but wood ended up part of the mix for financial or practical reasons, such as the stiffness or warp in Modulus necks documented at the time.

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7 hours ago, LeftyJ said:

 

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed the Cutlass necks to be made by Modulus. The Alembic and Musicman necks were constructed very differently to Modulus necks, with their woven graphite monocoques rather than the patchwork necks Modulus used on their own basses. Today I learned!

 

cache_6145095.jpg.08633bb9af5cbf43d2b2d4271527bff5.jpg

Early Cutlass necks were labelled with a reference to Modulus on the back of the headstock. Geoff Gould also made after market necks under the bass-star brand.

 

7 hours ago, Lord Hautdesert said:

I also think it is 1986, but in that 1985 article the writer says an all graphite bass is the next step for the brand, so I wonder if that was the plan but wood ended up part of the mix for financial or practical reasons, such as the stiffness or warp in Modulus necks documented at the time.

I read somewhere else that Ashley had issues with the original supplier of graphite necks so switched to another. Also even if the first was made in 85, others could gave followed in 1986.  Particularly after Ashley supplied exclusively to the Bass Centre.

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On 22/05/2024 at 04:05, Kiwi said:

It was mine. I'm a little confused about why I'm finding out that theyve sold it from you rather than them.  But thats not your problem. 😶

 

 

 

The Gallery must be as lax with their communications as they are with updating their website, it's still showing for sale there. 

 

OP, that is a super cool bass you have there. All the ingredients are just right to ensure that it should make a great noise. In particular, I really rate Kent Armstrong pickups. 

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