1970-71 Les Paul Triumph Prototype
During the development and design of any new guitar, a number of mock-ups and prototypes are created. These would be used to test viability of designs, to gain feedback from musicians and for use at trade shows. These were not generally sold, usually being dismantled for the parts to be reused. It seems that some were stamped with a serial number and sold though, as this bass testifies...
 This bass has had just one owner, Gary Moskowitz from Philadelphia who bought it new in 1972 from Cintioli's (also in Philadelphia) for $350. Apparently the owner Benny Cintioli bought the bass at a trade fair in Chicago. The suggested retail price for a regular Triumph at this time was $535-$560, so Gary got a deal.
The serial number 637011 (with MADE IN U.S.A. below) places it at very late 1970, or very early 1971. The predecesor to the Triumph, the Les Paul Bass was still being produced in early 1971, and the Triumph was not mentioned until the November 1971 price list.
This interesting early Triumph is very much a simplified instrument. [Check out a standard Les Paul Triumph]. The ornate binding, and split diamond headstock inlay are missing, as are the block fretboard markers. The Truss rod cover is unscripted and the control plate is a simpler unmarked single ply. Like the Triumph and earlier Les Paul Bass it does appear to be mahogany, with a three piece laminate mahogany neck. The finish is the typical orangey 'Natural Mahogany' so associated with this bass. The headstock inlays are very much in keeping with the later-design Les Paul Bass models; a simple crown inlay and dotted i.
 |  | Comparison of this model with a regular 1972 Gibson Triumph. In both pictures the top image is the commercially avaiilable instrument, and the bottom image is the prototype.
Click on either image for an enlarged version |
The really interesting feature is the single pickup - and therefore simplified controls. The pickup selector is obviously not required, nor is the phase in/out switch. The three position tone selctor is still present (but as a 3 way toggle, rather than the lever switch) as is the hi-lo impedence switch (although this is not working...). As can be seen the pickup is positioned slightly closer to the bridge than the neck pickup on the regular Triumph. This is clearly deliberate, perhaps the purpose of this was to test a different pickup location, or potentially this was an early version of a single pickup companion (or replacement) model to the Triumph that never got launched. It could have been used as a test instrument for so many different things: electrics, finish, balance - just about anything is feasible...
Did you work for Gibson in 1970-71? Do you know anything about this instrument? Have you seen another similar Triumph If you can help, or even throw any more light onto the matter, please do so by emailing me at info@flyguitars.com. There is also a thread about this bass in the Gibson bass forum
Thanks again to Gary for providing pictures and info on this bass
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