chris_b Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 (edited) [quote]....They sounded terrible and Fenders sounded good. They broke while Fenders bounced. Real men used Fenders, pop groups used Gibsons....[/quote] [quote name='neepheid' post='552109' date='Jul 26 2009, 09:50 PM']You are wrong. Also, I hate generalisations.[/quote] Of course these are generalisations but I was making a point in answering why Gibson basses had/have such a low profile compared to Fender? The expanded version is: The sound of Gibson basses was the one thing that stopped most pro bass players from owning one in the 50's, 60's and early 70's. The bass amps and cabs had little definition and with a Gibson you mostly got a woolly, unclear and unsatisfying tone that didn't cut through against the AC 30’s, Marshall stacks and in the studio. You could play with a pick but most players used their fingers. No matter how you played a Fender got you "the sound" right out of the box. On the road not many players wanted a Gibson because they were too delicate. They were built like “proper” guitars and broke easily. Fenders were planks and in the days before flight cases they didn't break, well hardly ever! You never see a reliced Gibson, it would be match wood long before then! Real men is just a reference to the original players. Fenders were initially used by the Rock and Roll, Country and then Blues and Rock players and, maybe because of the first 2 points, Gibson's weren't. Also, back then, many US studios had "house basses" and they were all Fender, so the history of bass was written on a Fender. As others have posted; Gibson was an old and established company and did things “properly”. In the 50’s they looked down their noses at Fender and the other “new boys” and lost the battle right there. With its product line, Fender's world domination was pretty straight forward after that! Edited July 27, 2009 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilLordJuju Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 [quote name='BigRedX' post='552736' date='Jul 27 2009, 03:27 PM']IMO in the early days, apart from the EB1 Gibson have been anything but conservative[/quote] No, you are not quite seeing what I mean... I mean conservative regards to music and musicians they promoted rather than design.... The British Invasion happened - where were the adverts for all those British guys playing Thunderbirds/Rivolis/EB2s Jack Bruce/Andy Fraser must have sold thousands of EB3s - where were the late sixties adverts? The only Jack Bruce advert came out in the seventies, after Cream had split Gibson was still advertising bow-tied blues artists (BB King), Country (Homer and Jethro) and Jazz (Wes Mongomery) etc RIGHT at the point that they should have had Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton I think the political situation in the US in the late sixties may have something to do with it - perhaps they were against the very un-conservative things going on in the world. Perhaps hippies made them mad? Whatever the reasons, Gibson advertising in the 1960s looks staid, and a good decade behind the times. Check some [url="http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/advertisements/gibson"]old Gibson adverts[/url] here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 I looks like by 87 they run out of ideas for a bass design. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 [quote name='evilLordJuju' post='553123' date='Jul 27 2009, 08:04 PM']No, you are not quite seeing what I mean... I mean conservative regards to music and musicians they promoted rather than design....[/quote] That maybe but your original post didn't mention advertising so the obvious conclusion was that you meant design [quote name='beerdragon' post='553136' date='Jul 27 2009, 08:14 PM']I looks like by 87 they run out of ideas for a bass design.[/quote] unlike Fender who had run out of ideas for bass design by 1963. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 [quote name='BigRedX' post='553222' date='Jul 27 2009, 09:19 PM']unlike Fender who had run out of ideas for bass design by 1963.[/quote] Er... Geddy Lee Jazz? Steve Harris Precision? Er... Marcus Miller Jazz? Hmm... ... MIKE DIRNT PRECISION? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='553416' date='Jul 28 2009, 12:10 AM']Er... Geddy Lee Jazz? Steve Harris Precision? Er... Marcus Miller Jazz? Hmm... ... MIKE DIRNT PRECISION?[/quote] Revolutionary, each & every one!! J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 The timing of that last line was meant as an homage to [url="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/123-LEGO-Indy"]"STICKLE BRICKS BABYLON FIVE?"[/url] but I don't think it worked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='553416' date='Jul 28 2009, 12:10 AM']Er... Geddy Lee Jazz? Steve Harris Precision? Er... Marcus Miller Jazz? Hmm... ... MIKE DIRNT PRECISION?[/quote] I hope you were being ironic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [quote name='thisnameistaken' post='553471' date='Jul 28 2009, 04:04 AM']The timing of that last line was meant as an homage to [url="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/123-LEGO-Indy"]"STICKLE BRICKS BABYLON FIVE?"[/url] but I don't think it worked.[/quote] Gah. I watch Zero Punctuation religiously every Wednesday & still missed the reference , for shame. Major thread derailment coming if we start discussing the comedy genius of Mr Croshaw. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 Interesting thread this. Gibsons have always been pretty unfashionable for many of the reasons discussed above, but I’ve gravitated towards “reverse” Gibsons over the years – they just seem to fit me ergonomically (I’ve got big hands, and can comfortably rest my right palm on the upper body bout), they’re proper “crafted” instruments, they always sound “big” which suits as I’ve normally played in trios until recently (yes, right amp seems to be more crucial than with a Fender – never sounded right to me through solid-state), and they look pure rock n’ roll – even the occasional dogs they’ve produced have always had style. But their promotion/advertising division and variable quality control has always let them down hugely, basses way overpriced now - especially reissues of what were originally intended as mid-market instruments like the Ripper, and I would guess in terms of profitability that Epiphone are now much more successful? Of all the Gibson designs, have to say I like the Victory least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 (edited) [quote name='evilLordJuju' post='553123' date='Jul 27 2009, 08:04 PM']Check some [url="http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/advertisements/gibson"]old Gibson adverts[/url] here[/quote] "The Ripper. Designed To Rip Your Ears Off" 1974 Classic. Going for the rugby prop forward market, possibly. Now, where's my polo pony. Edited July 28, 2009 by spinynorman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarnacleBob Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 [quote name='spinynorman' post='553788' date='Jul 28 2009, 12:10 PM']"The Ripper. Designed To Rip Your Ears Off" 1974 Classic. Going for the rugby prop forward market, possibly. Now, where's my polo pony. [/quote] Ha Ha the old joke about bringing the Afghan chief a string of poloponys!!! I always pronounced Epiphone like Epiphany and not Eppi-fone. Used to get some funny looks in the music stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 [quote name='BarnacleBob' post='553983' date='Jul 28 2009, 02:29 PM']I always pronounced Epiphone like Epiphany and not Eppi-fone. Used to get some funny looks in the music stores.[/quote] You're not alone. Fortunately I didn't say it in public. Epi-fone sounds very awkward to me, don't know why though, as I never had a problem with Voda-fone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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