Shaggy

Good score! I've had my last 3 Gibsons from the US; customs bill hurts, but still works out way cheaper and much more choice.

I'd strip this back to the wood, and if it's a nice grain go for a vintage (tobacco) sunburst with a black p/guard. If not, then CAR or even metallic red. Neck should hopefully sand back to unsinged maple.

Be sure to post the pics!

PM'd

That's gorgeous - very Sting circa 1979

Let me know how the Overwaters work out as the flats I've tried so far on mine are a tad too thuddy (Pyramid Golds and Rotosounds)

Bought a P neck off umph, slick deal - cheers fella!

[quote name='Lifer' post='874568' date='Jun 22 2010, 04:37 PM']Lucky bugger, love the (look of the) artist bass what's it like to play?[/quote]

I moved that one on - it was a natural finish one someone had put chrome EB-3 p/ups and a bart preamp in, now got an all-original fireburst one; [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=76091&st=60"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=76091&st=60[/url] (second post down) - TBH I kind of preferred my old modded one, mainly as it had such a great tone switched passive; like a T'bird but with more middy punch and endless sustain.

Like most Gibsons they're marmite basses; I find this and the T'bird the most ergonomic of all body styles as they're so comfortable for "Entwhistle-style" right-hand technique, are [b]hugely[/b] heavy, clubby neck, extra-long scale (34.5"), and contrary to popular belief don't neck dive. Got it's faults yes - I dislike the Moog electrics - but absolutely unique and produce a wall of sound . Check out; [url="http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RDartist.php"]http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/RDartist.php[/url]

EvilLordJuju and neepheid are your men for this, but I'd have said £500 absolute tops. Even assuming an all original in good nick with OHSC is worth a grand, the refin halves the value. I paid £500 for an RD Artist with non-orig p/ups and electrics which I reckoned was fair.

Nice basses tho!

Speakers are original apparently; I think this is one of the pre-Korg models

John fulfilled a long-time dream for me; to own a Wal Mk 1 custom fretless.

Involved a three-way deal with GustOo; absolutely couldn't have gone smoother - big thanks to a couple of top, friendly guys. Great communications, put himself out for a meet closer to Wales (I don't like to leave the sheep for too long..... ) Picked up the bass at sunny Aust services tonight, even Italy - Paraguay hasn't stop me noodling on it since. Why have I faffed around with lesser basses for so long?

Would deal with again anytime

[quote name='Ancient Mariner' post='866648' date='Jun 14 2010, 12:05 AM']Looks in lovely nick. Are those speakers the originals? I'd have expected Blues or G12Ms.

Have a bump.[/quote]


No idea TBH! I'll ask the guy I had it from, as he bought it new

Havng gone a bit overboard on the bass-GAS recently, looking to shift some gear that's getting home use only, so I'd be grateful if you could sound out your guit*rist buddies about this baby.

Always done a bit of rhythm playing, always coveted one of these amps, had this last year off the guitarist from one of my old bands. He was without a doubt the fussiest guy for looking after his gear I've ever known; this was regularly serviced, valve-changed, covered between gigs etc etc with the result it's pretty much in new condition despite being nearly 20 years old.

All guitarists know what these do, so check the reviews. This is one of the last UK models before they switched production to the Far East, and there's absolutely no comparison between the two.

Heavy, so I'd much prefer local pickup (I'm near Swansea, S Wales). One exactly the same but in worse nick just went on ebay for £671 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160437726902) I'm asking £500, not really looking to take less or trades.

cheers, Greg

Gus sold Gus my old BCR CS Eagle, was part of a sudden three-way deal that had to happen fast or not at all, and Gus was a total star Made the decision and paid instantly, heck of a friendly and funny guy to communicate with. Just wouldn't happen anywhere else than here. Cheers fella!

I used a Sabre as my main gigging bass for a decade or so, they’ve a name for being heavy but TBH I didn’t find it any worse than the average Fender, maybe as mine was alder body rather than ash. Necks are solid, no issues at all. Always been cheaper than 'Rays simply because they're not as well known, but do [b]so[/b] much more

Pros;
Very cool looks,
Rare and exclusive
Very “Fender-ish” in feel (more like a P than a J), so instantly familiar feel to most players.
Nice fast neck
Built like a tank
Huge range of tones available between the switching and the EQ – more low end and top end available than any other bass I’ve tried.
Slap tone on the neck p/up is to die for………

Cons
Basic tone is fairly unsubtle “old school” – not a hi-fi bass
Treble EQ control will cut glass if you overdo it
Fairly heavy on battery drain and no passive option (so always carry a spare battery!)
Treble boost switch does so little it’s redundant. Out of phase switching wasn't a tone I personally found usable either
Mine had the nototious MM "weak G string syndrome" too (much like the wife... ), don't know if if was that particular bass, and wasn't a big problem

Bass now sold! Thanks for the posts and interest
Greg

PM'd

[quote name='Lorne' post='860393' date='Jun 7 2010, 09:40 PM']Those basses are not TOPPED,they are solid wings of Koa or Maple [/quote]

Correct - my mistake!

[quote name='Gust0o' post='860485' date='Jun 7 2010, 10:51 PM']Christ, they're absolutely stunning! Thanks Shaggy.

Are these yours?[/quote]

Jeez, I wish.....

Some pics for Gus (not of my bass!)
Late '70's Koa top and blond maple top Eagles.

Knackers still intact BTW

Golden-era Ibanez that, and the Kimbara is tasty too - I remember they always used lovely woods.
Bump and a PM

[quote name='Clarky' post='855307' date='Jun 2 2010, 08:11 PM']OK, further makeover - tried out a maple neck with fake F*nder waterslide decal on Sid. Simenon played his oly white bass with both maple and rosewood boards. Waddya reckon looks best?

[attachment=51263:paul_sim...he_clash.jpg][attachment=51265:clarky_basses_009.JPG][/quote]

Both good, but maple does it for me! Especially once it's aged a bit to a nice "honey"

Just bought Donny's very, very lovely '73 Rick 4001. He had a couple of false starts with this sale so I think was a bit wary of "tyre kickers", but having established I wasn't one he was a really friendly, informative guy to communicate with and organised the shipping thoroughly.

Seems to be always travelling around Northern Europe, so either he's either bassist in a name band or a drugs baron.......

Quick update;

Here's the more conventional "Mk II" version;

1978 Fender P fretless maple neck with original tuners, board redressed & refinished by Martin Simms, otherwise original (courtesy Chris Beedster)
1979 Fender P natural ash body, original finish (US ebay)
1973 Fender "F" neck plate (courtesy Chris Beedster)
Cellulose tort vintage-type pickguard (WD Music)
Fender '62 RI pickup (courtesy bumnote)
Fender vintage spec wiring kit; CTS pots and all cloth wire (UK ebay)
Chromed brass dome knobs (WD Music)
Generic bridge (£3 on UK ebay - it'll do till I source an old 'un, and it's more solid than the Fender one)

It's a very nice bass, that looks, feels and plays just like a vintage Fender should (bright brass pickguard screws and shiny bridge will be replaced), but as a player the Mk 1 had the edge - that piezo made a massive contribution to tone and range. Too bad - body now sold with the original zebrano neck.

Been a fun little project anyway, especially as I convinced the wife it's not really a new bass, just some old bits I stuck together

[quote name='Clarky' post='846340' date='May 24 2010, 10:58 AM']Thanks Shaggy! Check post 3 in this thread - shows it with its Bass Doc-crafted tort pickguard [/quote]

Doh! Lush - didn't see those first time

Glad you didn’t pull the rug on this; no way is it overpriced. V&R prices seem a bit steep to us tight BC’ers but are generally a pretty good gauge of book price since the vintage market is largely collector-driven. Davo’s bass was mega cheap – I would have snapped that up if I hadn’t been skint then. As pointed out too; maple boards look fab but you’re pretty much stuck with flats on them so as not to chew the board up, so a rosewood board is far more versatile. (I'm building a "vintage" maple-board project now, but only because I've already got an ebony-board fretless)

Absolute worse case – as long as you go for something a tad pricier, you should be able to p/x back with V&R and get what you paid back against it or close to it - they’ve always got some tasty old Fenders in. But as I reckon we’ve got similar tastes (old P’s, Ricks & T’birds) I absolutely urge you to try a ‘60’s Thunderbird if you possibly can, or failing that a bicentennial / 70’s one. You won’t look back, especially being well sorted Fender-wise already.

That's the exact blurb he had in the previous 2 listings - not sure why he left it out now as it's what a prospective punter would want to know about an obscure bass. Just somehow has that "Far East" look to it, although I guess the info is genuine.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120572683339&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url]

About the third time he's listed it. Looks quite decent, and I love a nice semi (ph'nar ph'nar..... :brow: ) anyone know anything about the make / maker? Would be tempted if I wasn't GAS-ed out (curse this site!) probably totally impossible to sell on though.

Violin. 4 strings and no frets - more in common with bass than you'd think. Seeing JJ Burnel in '77 helped decide me too.

Many of the most "musical" bassists are multi-instumentalists anyway - Macca, Mick Karn, John Deacon, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee - and some of the most "rythmic" guitarists started on bass (Paul Weller....er..can't think of another)

[quote name='Gust0o' post='847640' date='May 25 2010, 04:19 PM']I'll bump this. The Eagle is a fantastic bass; and this really is a superb example of the model.

I still couldn't sneak this past the wife (not as we've been planning a custom shop build for my 30th, anyway) but surely someone can!

I have Shockwave's old pink NJ Eagle, and - bargain as it was - I wouldn't trade [/quote]

Oo - I nearly bought that pink one as a back-up for this when I was gigging it more - would have clashed with my stage outfit though! :snob:

Thanks for the good words anyway. I myself am just about to sneak a bass costing a large amount past the wife, which is why I've just insured my knackers for an even larger amount..... :wacko: