Fly Guitars updates
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1972 Gibson EB0L
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 A very unusual long scale 1972 Gibson EB0L practically all Gibson EB-0 bass guitars had a mahogany body with a translucent Cherry or Walnut finish. This bass has an alder body with natural finish, and somewhat different hardware, with more in common with an Gibson SB-450, rather than a typical seventies EB bass. Despite being built in 1972, this bass was most likely one of just 5 natural EB-0 basses shipped in 1973, according to the EB-O shipping stats.
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1978 Gibson G-3
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 The Gibson G-3 bass was first shown to the public at the 1975 NAMM show, and was an immediate success; it remained in production throughout the 70s, with small numbers being shipped in 1982 and 1985. The three in G-3 is, of course, a reference to the three pickups and associated circuitry designed by Gibson employee Bill Lawrence. The vast majority of G-3s shipped had a Natural or Ebony finish, although small numbers had a Candy Apple Red, White, Walnut, Wine Red or Tobacco Sunburst as shown here. For more, see the G-3 production totals.
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1974 Gibson L-9S Ripper
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 Although a few were completed in 1973, 1974 was the first year the Gibson Ripper bass was shipped in any numbers. It was one of the first new designs by Bill Lawrence who came to Gibson in the early 1970s. Early examples, like this, have a wider slab body, without the sculptured bevelling of later Rippers, but are essentially the same in other respects. The Ripper was in sharp contrast to the short scale 'muddy' mahogany basses that had dominated Gibsons output of the previous decade, and was immediately sucessful. Have a listen to the soundclips of this bass, through several vintage amplifiers.
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1961 Gibson EB3
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 A 1961 Gibson EB3 bass. 1961 was the first year of EB3 production, and the year Gibson first used the classic SG shape. Like the SG guitars, the EB3 was built at the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo. Early EB3s are characterised by their chunky necks, wide-spaced controls, nickel hardware and bakelite neck pickup cover. Have a listen to the soundclips of this bass, through several vintage amplifiers.
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1966 Gibson EB0
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 Profile of a 1966 Gibson EB0 bass. The EB0, like it's big brother the EB3, is something of a 1960s classic; the construction (short scale, mahogany body, set mahogany neck), and the famous Gibson EB humbucker positioned at the neck, gave a deep rumble that perfectly suited the musical environment of the early-mid sixties. But by the early-mid seventies things were going long-scale and maple... Nonetheless, this is a finely built instrument, capable of some terrific sounds that really suit certain musical situations. Have a listen to the soundclips of this bass, through various vintage amplifiers.
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1972 Gibson EB3L
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 A closer look at a 1972 Gibson EB3L. In 1972, Gibson completely redesigned the EB series of basses, giving them maple necks, far more substantial bodies, and redesigned circuitry. This included moving the front pickup away from the neck, and towards the middle of the body. The result was a fine playing bass; less boomy than its's 1960s predecessor, and more durable too. Have a listen to the EB3L soundclips
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Older updates here
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Vintage Guitar Website updates
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1963 Vox Symphonic bass guitar
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 The Symphonic bass was one of the models produced by JMI in the UK, primarily for the early sixties British market. It was comparatively high priced, still cheaper in the UK than the Fender Precision that it was emulating, but not by much, and actually more expensive in the USA. It only sold in small numbers in Britain and barely at all overseas. No equivalent model was produced in Italy, and although it remained in UK price lists as late as 1967, it is unlikely many instruments were shipped beyond 1965.
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1963 Vox Precision in Sound brochure
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 This early Vox brochure comes from summer 1963, still the early days of JMI production, and shortly before the beat boom of the mid 1960s. At this time, Vox guitars were built in the UK, primarily for the British market. The company had refined it's production methods, to some extent, and many of the guitars shown are quite different from those in the Choice of the Stars catalogue from late 1962. Includes primarily Vox solid body guitars, basses and amplifiers. See other Vox catalogue scans here.
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1972 Hagstrom HIIN-OT electric guitar
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 The Hagstrom Hagstrom HIIN was first produced towards the end of 1969, as a direct descendant of the HII and HIII models of the mid to late 1960s. It shared the same body shape, construction and materials of the older models, but with improved pickups and electronics. This model, the HIIN-OT, had no tremolo, rather a stop tailpiece, but was otherwise identical to the HIIN. With the famous Hagstrom low action, this is a very playable guitar, rightly well-regarded by musicians to this day.
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1960 Selmer Guitars and Strings catalogue
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 The 1960 Selmer guitar catalogue featured a whole range of acoustic, electric semi-acoustic, and solid body guitars manufactured by Hofner. There were also a small number of Hofner-made (but Selmer branded) acoustic guitars, Futurama branded solid bodies, and a Futurama electric upright bass. From the very fine (and even shorter lived) Golden Hofner, to the budget Selmer 222 flat top. Monochrome, 32 pages
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1966 Goya Electric Guitars catalogue
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 Goya was well-known for it's acoustic guitars, produced by Levin in Sweden; but in the mid 1960s they added a number of Italian-built electric guitars and basses. Semi-acoustic models such as the 105, 107 and 109 Rangemaster guitars and Panther II bass were made by Polverini, whilst solid body models 116 and 118 were made by Galanti. These were well-built good quality instruments, but perhaps too expensive to sell in large numbers.
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Older updates here
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