1987 Gibson 20/20 bass, NBD!

[TomRichards]

Hello all! Here is a bass I "rescued" from Mexico. It was all in pieces when i got it, and covered in dirt. Electronics were shot. After putting in two weeks of love, here it is . Amazing bass!

Truly "reliced" or "road worn". Enjoy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56204228@N05/7097284787/

Tom

[steve-soar]

Wow! And i love the MTV Spector, brilliant.

[Doctor J]

Wow indeed. I have never seen one of them before.

[BigRedX]

That's fantastic! The headstock layout is very Atlansia, did N Hayashi have anything to do with the design? Also any idea if Gibson made a 5-string version?

Edited April 21, 2012 by BigRedX

[Muzz]

Wow +1 - I've never seen one of those either. Very interesting.

[Shaggy]

Cooler than a very cool thing! Any story behind why it was in pieces in Mexico?


Good score......

[Chambo]

Ned Steinberger signature on there too Edited April 21, 2012 by Chambo

[evilLordJuju]

I've got a red 2020 too, but I admit I never really play it - not that it doesn't sound good, just too '80s looking for my tastes

They didn't do a 5 string version - I dont think they did very many 4 strings for that matter

[BigRedX]

[quote name='evilLordJuju' timestamp='1335050860' post='1625314']
They didn't do a 5 string version - I dont think they did very many 4 strings for that matter
[/quote]

That's a pity - although thinking about it I don't know of any Gibson 5-string basses except for a Thunderbird that they did for a short time. It that correct?

[Gust0o]

Very cool chief, a very unique Gibson.

That said, is there a law that people must treat Gibsons like sh*t before they come home to roost on Basschat? You don't often (ever?) see pristine Gibsons (well, apart from the Money Les Paul, but I'm barred from thinking about that by wifely decree).

[neepheid]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1335118678' post='1626027']
That's a pity - although thinking about it I don't know of any Gibson 5-string basses except for a Thunderbird that they did for a short time. It that correct?
[/quote]

There was a 5 string Les Paul bass:



Also the Gibson V, funnily enough the 5 string version of the IV



That's the only other ones I can think of off the top of my head.

[neepheid]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1335136720' post='1626329']
Very cool chief, a very unique Gibson.

That said, is there a law that people must treat Gibsons like sh*t before they come home to roost on Basschat? You don't often (ever?) see pristine Gibsons (well, apart from the Money Les Paul, but I'm barred from thinking about that by wifely decree).
[/quote]

Well, it does seem like it when you consider the state my Victory Artist was in when I received it. My G-3 was a mess (as in filthy) and a lot of rash in the back, but it cleaned up OK. My IV was pretty decent, just some of the regular gouges in the back. My RD Artist needed a 0-5-0 knob and the finish was oddly rough to the touch around the body edges but it polished up OK. So I think that 2 fit into that category and 2 don't.

Well, you don't need to worry about that Money bass any more, it appears to be sold. Was trying to get the funds together for that, but c'est la vie. There'll be others.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1335177333' post='1626632']
Well, it does seem like it when you consider the state my Victory Artist was in when I received it. My G-3 was a mess (as in filthy) and a lot of rash in the back, but it cleaned up OK. My IV was pretty decent, just some of the regular gouges in the back. My RD Artist needed a 0-5-0 knob and the finish was oddly rough to the touch around the body edges but it polished up OK. So I think that 2 fit into that category and 2 don't.

Well, you don't need to worry about that Money bass any more, it appears to be sold. Was trying to get the funds together for that, but c'est la vie. There'll be others.
[/quote]

There already is another... albeit on Ebay and for £100 or so more. Couldn't really justify a swoop on the Money, so to speak, either.

Yours have all come good in the end, as has this one; and I know I actually enjoyed getting my G3 spick and span... does make you wonder about the journeys some of them have been on!

[Stag]

Thats cool as. Do like me a nice Gibson every now and then!

I remember the 5 string LP being launched some time around 1997, got a feature in the much-missed Bassist Magazine if I remember correctly.

[TomRichards]

[quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1334991029' post='1624369']
Wow! And i love the MTV Spector, brilliant.
[/quote]

The MTV Spector was Dweezil Zappa's and he used it on his MTV hosted show. The bass was commissioned back in the early '80s and is a Kramer era Spector NS.

I wish I had Fly's 20/20, as it would be all pretty when I played her. However, I'll live.

Someone asked the story of why the bass was in Mexico, well, I'm not sure. The "seller" was on Craigslist and said he was in California, but based on the poor English and the extremely poor pictures I knew something was up. I was able to hagglel the seller down to an acceptable price ($400 USD) and took the risk. When the bass arrived, it was in a small box all disassembled and covered in dirt. Not like any picture. The shipping from address was clearly in Baja California, which is actually Mexico. The box arrived all moldy and busted.

In this case, I feel it payed off. I put another $200 in her in new old stock pots, an expert rewire and new tuning keys and washers and a couple of weeks of labor, and well, the piece of history, while "relic", is a player.