"Some trees want to be a guitar and some want to be a boat" - haha, that was good and I'm sure there is some truth to that. No matter what, old guitars have character.
That 61 is pure James Jamerson. I think part of the thing that attracts us to these old guitars is that they are THE sound that we are familiar with from so many old records. That familiarity is comforting and nostalgic. You are essentially owning a piece of rock and roll history.
Amazing! That color is so nice. I just picked up a 1967 EB2 in cherry red a few weeks back at Strum here in Portland. The neck, strung with flats, that I’ll prob never swap out, feels amazing.
Love these kinds of vids. I live in a area where the closest music store is around 5 hrs away and there’s no way they have this kind of stuff. Thanks Philip for letting me enjoy this through you! PS: ‘61 P!
I was at Carter Vintage just a week ago, and I believe I may have played a couple of those basses. They were incredible, but my wallet was screaming at me for even looking at them. (And that room was closed and locked when I was there, which isn't always the case. Might I have been there during this shoot?)
As a guitar player, I have always wondered why the finger rest was at the bottom. Never made sense to me. THANK YOU Philip for answering that curiosity.
I don't know why you don't see mutes like the one on that Gibson. I'm not the target audience for muted sounds, but every time I look into it it's always people sloppily taping foam or something to the bridge. That Gibson is a genius bit of engineering. Companies should bring that back as an option
I asked a musician years ago about those mutes and he said it was a thing way back when ('50's, '60's) but people don't use those anymore. I guess what's old becomes new again.
I love Carter's. It was one of the stops when me and a couple of buddies went up to Nashville purely to go through music stores. I hate that Carter's got bought by North American Guitars, though. Last I saw, they'd gone to appointment only, which limits the browse factor if you're dropping into town. I do still get their emails of what's new, and there is some definite drool factor there. :) And I love Rhett being a perfect enabler wanting you to have that Gibson.
depends, I have a beaten-up Gretsch Tennessean - it sounds killer and her look tells a story. From a players standpoint I can´t like these mint-condition collectors item guitars fom the 60s who never received any love as instrument and ended as investment. Truely sad.
That Gibson semi-acoustic bass is very cool indeed and also *my* favourite of this bunch 😊👍 Possibly modifying or repairing the electronics would be a nightmare, though. And hopefully it won't create feedback at higher Volume!
If money is no object always buy the most amazing sounding bass, even if you already have three of them. If you are looking for diversity of sound production, buy every model of bass produced in the 1960's and buy the amps that they BELONG to.. That '61 P-Bass sounds great through a B-15, but if you want that James Jamerson Sound you need a transistor amp with two 15 inch speakers (like the Kustom he played through). The Gibson (or Epiphone Rivoli) requires careful amplification as it will blow up every amp you plug it into, especially Fender Bass Amps, unless you play at low gain without the Bass Boost. Otherwise the guitarist will hate you for crowding his frequencies. The Hofner comes into its own when it is played with a pick and amplified to sound like a guitar; hence the close string spacing .... An Ampeg B-15 won't do it justice. The Hofner is just not tight enough for that amp. The "McCartney Coffin" with a super clean high gain head with a lot of high end is a better choice (but not for heavy metal). For my ears, the original "Tele" Bass sounded the best through the B-15. Its lower output didn't break up the amp (except when Rhett played it 😞). Incidentally, a 60's Super-Reverb at low volume is a surprisingly good studio amp for the P-Bass. Carol Kaye used one of these in the mid sixties cause it was lighter to carry in and out of the studio and it sounds remarkably like a 4 x 10 Bassman of the late fifties. You just can't turn it up loud enough to play live (which was never a problem in the studio). Ya da Yada Yaaa daaa.
I bought my 66 p-bass in 1976. It was cheap, I knew it, but I needed a p-bass. Fast forward to now. That chu k of wood learned to be a bass. The pickups were crap and replaced in 1981. Still my best friend.
Since subscribing, I've come to appreciate Bass much more now. You're a great player and I like how you love Basses like I love 6 string acoustic guitars. Great video!
My main bass since the mid 70’s has been a ‘67 Gibson EB-2c in sparkling burgundy. I just use it to record now. Learning to control the mudbucker can be a challenge.
Great list ! I saw John entwistle live with the who in atl in 2001. Loudest concert I ever saw. Also my last concert in atl was rush at Lakewood arena circa 2004. Lots of amazing concerts and players I saw in atl back in the day! Thanks!
In the dialogue, it was mentioned that Leo Fender never liked distortion. That’s not the only thing he wasn’t fond of. When he and Harold Rhodes were collaborating on their version of the electric piano, Harold had built the prototype of the 73-note variation which Leo never liked. He only ever liked the piano bass. At least one published book that I own a copy of states that the existence of that prototype is what led to the corporate absorption of Fender into CBS in 1965. Phillip, you made that comment about holding that particular ‘61 Precision bass and how anyone with $16,500 should just go to Nashville and get it. Real cute. I wouldn’t even touch one at that price point.
Since i have a P bass and a Gibson EB2D, i would get the Gibson only bcuz of the variety of tones and the short scale. Yes the "mud buckers" can get pretty deep but that "baritone switch" can change that in a hurry.
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I believe the first bass guitars were designed with guitar players in mind, not bass players, and hence the lower finger rest on the telecaster bass: they were made to be played like a guitar, with a pick. The picture of Leo "holding" the bass by the finger rest oozes publicity shot. I really don't think anyone would play it like that.
Your vids have such a cozy vibe to them, this one especially, I haven't played the real deal but I've played a few japanese copies of EB-2s and they're really cool basses.
i love these kinds of videos but the volume levels are all over the place in this one, when theyre talking its too quiet and when theyre playing its way too loud
@@philipconradmusicI'd love a look at bass cabs from you ... 10", 12", 15", or the multi-size speaker and ported ones. I just learned that 4x15" cabs were made which seems insane.
Leo got the thumb rest idea from classical French bow players at the time. Who were plucking with their thumbs for pizzicato. He wasn’t a dumb man. He asked players how they play.
Those are so cool! The early P has the bridge cover installed upside down, what’s up with that? You play it exactly like I do mine; I anchor the right thumb at the end of the fingerboard. Not a good idea to take out the pickup cover and anchor your right thumb right on top of the pickup. I agree with your choice; a short scale Gibson with Mudbuckers is certainly a different flavor. I have a ‘67 EB-3 which is similar but obviously different since it’s solid but great feeling and sounding bass. I also have Hofners which are also great playing and unique sounding.
As a guitar player…one who’s played one of Elvis’ guitars all the way to various current rock star guitars…this video makes me happy! I want that $2,500 bass too!
My first bass was a '63 Gibson EB-2D. I ended up putting a Badass bridge and Bartolini pickups in it. I regret selling that bass more than almost anything else. But, I really wanted a Starfire. Eventually, I got a '67 Starfire and Alembified it, which is my #1 player, but still, that Gibson....
I sent you 50 bucks which I hope helps if you put it in an envelope and write down what your next favorite bass would be. You’d be surprised how much money can wind up being in that envelope in one years time. What would be your favorite bass? I mean the bass of all basses if somebody were to allow you to walk into your favorite music store and pull one off the rack which one would that be and why? Hopefully it’s one that you’ve already been playing every once in a while it’s something that one day you will do what you can to make that bass yours… Knowing how the world is with everything going up in price and not value what base would you really want and why. I enjoy watching your videos more so than many of the other so-called big names, because I find you to be humble and very real, and I admire that very much Charge does that I’d like to see an answer… my favorite is my 1966 fender precision Jazz bass… Yes fender did make a Pbass with a Jazz bass neck and it was made in 66. I’ve heard so many people lose money on that bet. And I’m still making that bet Every chance I get.. I also have a 66 black jazz bass with matching black head stock that I have a red 66 with a matching red head stock and I have a 66 with a Factory overspray where after years of playing you can see the sun burst is showing through where the sea foam green paint job has worn off. It’s one of my favorites. Message me and I’ll send you some pictures. Now the best amplifier cabinet that I personally own is also a one owner, 1966 AMPEG B15 N PORTAFLEX FLIPTOP….. ask anybody who died and came back because it wasn’t there a time. Ask them what Jesus was playing up in heaven and they’re gonna tell you he was playing old PBass through a 66 Ampeg b15! Lol. I love saying that… I’m sorry it’s my own opinion I don’t think nothing sounds better than an old precision bass played through and Ampeg b15 and the year must be 66. Email me looking forward to talking to you…
Hi there! That was very kind of you. Thanks for watching, your thoughtful comment. Glad to have you here. And as I type this I have a 1969 B15N sitting behind me; not the same as a 66 but I do love a 60s flip-top. Sounds like we have similar taste!
People spend a fortune on fancy electronics but a (technically substandard) crappy bass sound will often add the character missing from a lot of modern music. Hi-Fi these basses were not, the fingers did the talking.
Great Gibson bass, Philip! When you play your own ‘66 P a lot, it will be like the ‘61 in a few years. She wants to be played. Her pickups will settle just fine! Better get a powerful amp and cab to go with that Gibson one. She has a lot of beautiful subby ‘thud’. Great basses! But, the basses you play are great too. Just keep on playing them! 🖖
Another cool vid! A couple thoughts; - I wish you had tried the 60 P right after the 61, to see if you could quantify why the 61 was different/better. - I'd love to see a comparison of the location and severity of dead spots on these vintage beauties!
As someone who's primary bass is a Japanese 51 p bass reissue, I can absolutely attest that the pickup cover directly covers the sweet spot. In my opinion, you want to be picking just behind the pickup. That's where it sounds fattest.
so funny you post this, i was just looking on the carter vintage website and saw this thing. thought it was the most perfect thing, just beautiful. so glad someone agrees
@@philipconradmusic Wow, dude...it wasn't an opinion, I was busting your balls. I was expecting you to laugh and have a dig back at me. Honestly, interactions such as this make me worry for the future of the planet. Thanks for replying!
That P bass sounded great and evoked all those great bass lines where a P was used. However, that Gibson just growled and was way cool. Find $2.5k now!
interestingly, I loved the Guild Starfire and always wondered about the cover of Jethro Tull's Benefit so I found Glenn Cornick's email and asked him about it...he said it was total crap and he hated it and never played it but only used it for publicity pics. I found it interesting that you skipped possibly the serious players old school fav, the Jazz bass.
To each their own mang but I honestly just see vintage stuff like this as a been there, done that kinda thing these days. Get something with no traditional materials like an Aristides or a new shape we haven't seen a million times ya know?
