Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

[BlueTalon]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

He had every right to expect good build quality in an open box instrument. The only thing "open box" is supposed to imply is perhaps some minor scratches from being out of the box. If it's a B stock instrument, it should say so on its web page so you know it when you are buying it.

If anything ItsaBass's experience teaches me not to ever buy a Gibson product without seeing it in person first. I say this as someone who has purchased many basses online, including an Epiphone. I'd sooner trust Epiphone's build quality sight unseen, and not just because of the price. For what Gibson charges for their instruments, their erratic quality control is inexcusable.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

He had every right to expect good build quality in an open box instrument. The only thing "open box" is supposed to imply is perhaps some minor scratches from being out of the box. If it's a B stock instrument, it should say so on its web page so you know it when you are buying it.

If anything ItsaBass's experience teaches me not to ever buy a Gibson product without seeing it in person first. I say this as someone who has purchased many basses online, including an Epiphone. I'd sooner trust Epiphone's build quality sight unseen, and not just because of the price. For what Gibson charges for their instruments, their erratic quality control is inexcusable.

As somebody who worked retail for many, many years I can tell you that "open box" implies many possibilities: possible returned item (for any number of reasons and obviously item got used and sometimes heavily), possible store demo, possible package damage during shipment therefore causing the need to open the box for inspection, possible known defects on item shipped from manufacturer thus purchased at a discount to sell at a discount, or even an item that has been returned several times that cannot be restored to it's original new condition.

Luckily, in America, you can return the item if you are not happy. So, to me, if he is unhappy, just return it and get your money back. No need to have sour grapes about Gibson products over this one incident and certainly no need for you to have sour grapes over his experience. I have owned, played and purchased many Gibson guitars in my life and I have only ever seen one with poor QC and played two that did not sound up to par with my standards. Gibson makes some of the best instruments in the world and there is certainly no need to stay away from their products.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

It isn't one instrument. It's more common than not with Gibsons. Show me any standard production Gibson made in the last decade, and 80% likely, I'll show you two flaws that never should have been let out of a self respecting factory. This bass is a particularly annoying example. It doesn't have major construction issues; it just has a bunch of little things that show what sort of pride Gibson now takes in their level of craftsmanship. It's not firewood. It's just frustrating.

Nor would I ever make such statements based on one instrument. This is something I've been noticing for about 12 years now. My 2004 Les Paul has two binding flaws, several clearcoat flaws, poor fret nib dressing, and a sickening amount or router flash. My 2006 Explorer had a terrible nut, an uneven, thick finish, and again, tons of router flash. My 2003 LP Melody Maker had a crummy nut, uneven fretboard edges, and terrible fretwork. These newer Gibsons make the Norlin years seem pretty decent in comparison. Norlin simply made weird spec decisions, while at least allowing pretty skilled builders to do their thing. My '83 LP Custom was a dog sonically, but it was beautiful and well built in every way. My 2001 LP Junior, a $699 guitar at the time I bought it, is dead perfectly made. You'd think it was a $4,000 Custom Shop guitar. My early 2000's Studio Plus: perfect build quality. Someone else fell so much in love with it that they traded me a $16,000 camera system for it, even though it was worth only $700-$800 on the street. Then there are my two '68's, an SG Standard and a 330. They are well crafted guitars. This doesn't even go into the scores of in-store Gibsons I've been playing every year since around 1991.

IME, Gibson had their **** together extremely well through the first 16-17 years under Henry J. Then something weird happened around 2002-2003, and quality started dropping as prices starting rising. I am guessing that the company not only has got too big to support its former level of quality, but that they've burned through and burned bridges with every skilled worker in the field, and are running on the dregs of the guys who want to make guitars.

At any rate, I am not saying Gibsons are worthless, useless instruments. I'm just saying that they sure ain't what they used to be.

The bass sounds fine through an amp. I can eventually alleviate most of the build sloppiness on the bass. My gut was to return it not because it's unplayable, but on principle. At this time, I am trying to not obsess on the principle of the matter, and just find a way to enjoy and make good use of the bass.

 

[daan]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

I REALLY wanted one of those when they came out, but they're way out of my price range. They kinda remind me of my first bass

except, "Hey it's a Gibson, so it should be top-0-the-line quality, right?" I always wanted something similar, but made of decent materials. Well, I'm dissapointed to hear they're just kinda slapping them together...
I know this is an old thread, but have you changed your mind about this bass? Did you send it back, or do you like it more now? (And I agree with you, if you spend as much as these go for, you shouldn't have to work on every component of it yourself to pass muster, like a $99 SX or something...)

 

[Wattage]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

Man sorry this didn't go so well. They are kind of cool basses.

My buddy used to do a lot of work for Gibson (promotionally) they gave him one to use and it was pretty righteous

 

[ItsaBass]

Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

I've been going back-and-forth over the last month with this. I love the body style, but the thing basically needs to be redone completely in order to feel like a good quality instrument. So it is going back today. Just called and got my return number. I don't have the free time to bother completely stripping down a brand-new bass, fixing all the poor wood work, and refinishing it just to make it seem like a decent instrument. If I really loved this bass model like no other, and I really intended on doing a lot of playing on it, and I wasn't that bright, I might bother to do it. But I have my P Bass and my Musicmaster Bass which have served me just fine for the past 15+ years. They will continue to do so. No reason to go through a bunch of nonsense just to have a third rung bass. The good looks simply aren't enough to overcome all the poor workmanship on this instrument. Down the road, I may buy a used one. They seem to go for well under $600. At that price, I might be able to talk myself into doing all the work, once I get to a point where I have some more free time. For now, I'm just going to take my return money and put it into the extra long scale Pre Bass base that I am having built instead. Or maybe I'll go back to the shop where I put that American Vintage Reissue '63 P Bass on layaway. I ended up canceling the layaway and getting my deposit back because I broke my leg and lost hours at work. That was a sweet ****in' bass. Dakota Red...yummy.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

Well, it's done. Dropped at the P.O. Hopefully they don't ding me for a little peeling of the pickguard film, and some pick marks on it.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

I agree ^^^.

The first bass I ever bought (I still have all my basses) was a '69 Gibson EB-1.

View attachment 66501

I was too young to know any better, liked the shape because I started on violin and upright bass, and the price was right. I used it only until I found something I liked more. No matter what amp I've used it's just way too muddy. I keep it only for sentimental value.

holy **** dude

 

[dg27]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

holy **** dude

Can't tell what that's in response to: that I bought, that I still have it???

There's a back story on this one...

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

One bad Gibson doesn't mean they are all bad. Besides, you're talking about a low end Gibson at best that was an open box. Not sure if you should have expected a great instrument to begin with at that price being an open box.
No need to have sour grapes about Gibson products over this one incident and certainly no need for you to have sour grapes over his experience. I have owned, played and purchased many Gibson guitars in my life and I have only ever seen one with poor QC and played two that did not sound up to par with my standards. Gibson makes some of the best instruments in the world and there is certainly no need to stay away from their products

Sorry got to disagree with you here. As someone who worked in a music store for many years, I was amazed at the conditions a lot of Gibsons came in (and I have spoken about this before). Poorly cut nuts, bad fret dresses, raised frets, binding/finish flaws, terrible setups. Classic Vibe's were coming in looking and feeling better. Quite sad...

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

^ absolutely. You've gotta be practically blind not to see it. Or, more likely, mentally blinded by the Gibson name on the head.

This case is closed. I received my full refund today. I'm glad I made the decision I did.

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: Impulse buy: Gibson EB Bass

It's a shame that you received such a poor quality one. I have the same bass in natural finish, also ordered online, and it doesn't have a single flaw I could find and the setup was almost perfect. Ordering online is definitely a crap shoot, so far I'm ahead, but every one knows if you keep playing you eventually lose