Now sold - F/S - Gibson Grabber bass, c. 1975

DB1

Before I start on my usual ramble, let me just say that this has an old headstock crack. I've tried to show it on the photos as best as I can. If you're not too repulsed by this, let me have a ramble. First, it's just been set up by @SteveRobinson aka Manchester Guitar Tech and, as we all know, he's very good indeed, so no worries about the way it plays.

The story goes something like this - I was a bass player in the 1980's, until I retired by popular demand. I used a Grabber for live work and recording, and it was great. For some reason, the Grabber and I just gelled. I then didn't play for many, many years, and when I decided to play again, I wanted to play six string really, but wanted a Grabber for reasons of nostalgia.

I spotted this one, and fancied it. although it had an old crack (insert joke of choice here), which was presumably glued a long time ago, and has (and is) very stable. I did ask Steve about doing something with it, and he didn't think that it was a good idea on that basis. It's all original as far as I know, and the electrics are, with the exception of an added earth wire, which Steve very kindly did.

It's no case queen, partly because it doesn't have a case, and - as you can see - it's got that worn look. The front is really very nice, but the back suggests that the belt that it's previous owner wore was possibly purchased from a 'special interest' shop in Amsterdam.

One other thing to note (and I've photographed it) is that there's a curve in the wood on the back of the neck that looks like a repaired headstock break, but it's so smooth that I have to question that. More knowledgeable people than me will tell me whether it's construction-related or indeed has had a break at some time, so if anyone can shed any light on that, I'd be grateful. I didn't notice it before I photographed it today. They're certainly two different pieces. 

I'm selling it because I don't use it, which is a shame. Whenever I try to play it, it sounds and feels as if I've never played a bass before, and I've had a record played on Radio 1, I'll have you know. :-) I brought it back from Steve's, with the intention of getting into it, but I'm struggling with getting to grips with it, and my hands aren't as flexible as they were. It's a nice old thing, and plays well, but I don't want it to just gather dust in a corner, as it will do. I paid £650 for it, and it's just been set up, news strings etc - if I could recoup the price that I paid, great, but if I'm way out on price, just say, because my knowledge of bass guitars these days could be tattooed on the buttocks of an underdeveloped gerbil. 

HarrySeven

Ooooh!

Lush!

DB1

Hey @HarrySeven, you're not too far from me, just in case you're tempted. 

Funkfingers

DB1 said:

there's a curve in the wood on the back of the neck that looks like a repaired headstock break, but it's so smooth that I have to question that. More knowledgeable people than me will tell me whether it's construction-related or indeed has had a break at some time, so if anyone can shed any light on that, I'd be grateful. 

Looks like a factory scarf joint to me. A quick trawl of Google reveals numerous Grabber and G3 bass guitars with the same feature. Either they all break exactly the same way or all of the headstocks are scarfed on like that.

DB1

Thanks for that - much appreciated. 

prowla

I think Gibson use that join on other guitars too.

I've also got a Martin/Sigma acoustic which has a similar join.

DB1

No real need for a bump. but there's been an offer made on eBay, so if anyone fancies this baby, just let me know fairly quickly. Ta.

DB1

Sold at £650 via eBay to a nice chap from Warrington.