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1938 Gibson electric bass

1938 Gibson electric bass

Gibson had experimented with electrically amplified instruments as early as the 1920s, but they were not really considered commercially viable until the 1930s, with the popularisation of Hawaiian guitars. Gibson produced a number of instruments fitted with pickups: guitars, banjos and mandolins; and a bass, produced sometime between 1938 and 1940. Only two examples were built, one going to Les Paul's bassist, brother-in-law Wally Kamin, the other pictured here. Although a nice instrument, amplifiers were not yet at a stage that they could reproduce the instrument effectively. War broke out and development of new guitars and amplifiers were put on hold.

The instrument, although technically Gibson's first electric bass, was never a production model, so the accolade tends to go to the 1950s violin-shaped Gibson EB.

This bass was heavy, and designed to be played just like an upright string bass, i.e. standing with the bass supported by it's end-pin as shown below.

Thanks to Elderly Instruments for the use of these images.

1938 Gibson electric bass, front
1938 Gibson electric bass, back
1938 Gibson electric bass, end pin
1938 Gibson electric bass, pickup


Gibson bass guitars for sale

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ORIGINAL VINTAGE 1970s Gibson Les Paul Triumph Recording Bass Walnut Orig. Case

ORIGINAL VINTAGE 1970s Gibson Les Paul Triumph Recording Bass Walnut Orig. Case

West Islip, New York, 117**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3250

UP FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ORIGINAL VINTAGE 1970s Gibson Les Paul Triumph Recording Bass Walnut Original Gibson Hard case .
HAS AMAZING TONE AND SOUND WITH A REAL NICE SMOOTH FEEL AND ACTION ALL TUNERS, ELECTRONICS, GIBSON PICK UPS, SWITCHES, VOL , TONE. WORK REAL WELL ALSO AS SHOWN HAS A TINY HAIRLINE ON GUARD BY INPUT JACK CONSIDERING THIS GEM IS APPROX. 50 YEARS OLD AS SHOWN IN REAL NICE ORIGINAL CONDITION BUT TO BE EXPECTED TO HAVE SOME SCUFFS, SCRATCHES AND NORMAL USAGE WEAR .PLEASE ... more
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Epiphone by Gibson Korean bass guitar 1980s white with case

Epiphone by Gibson Korean bass guitar 1980's white with case

Bordentown, New Jersey, 085**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$399

one blemish back bottom touched up super nice medium weight bass with smooth fast low action medium neck very clean condition with case . no disappointments here
... more
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Epiphone By Gibson Bass Guitar  Hockey Stick Headstock

Epiphone By Gibson Bass Guitar Hockey Stick Headstock

Torrance, California, 905**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$199


Used in working order and decent cosmetic condition .Some nicks , scratches and small dings on the body ( see pictures ) .
Comes as shown on pictures .Nothing else included Shipping cost shown is only to the lower 48 states , others please inquire before bidding .... more
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Ibanez miKros  Left Handed Bass Guitar, Rosewood Fretboard, Black + Gibson case

Ibanez miKros Left Handed Bass Guitar, Rosewood Fretboard, Black + Gibson case

Nutley, New Jersey, 071**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$225

Ibanez miKros  Left Handed Bass Guitar, Rosewood Fretboard, Black + Gibson soft carrying case  
model GSRM20 
Excellent condition with a few very minor paint chips
Gibson soft padded carrying case
Gibson bag has both a carrying handle and shoulder straps for carrying like a backpack-- Also has 1 large zippered pocket and 1 small Velcro pocket
plays great!
Recently Tuned and intonation adjusted!
All 3 controls and jack cleaned by expert electronic ... more
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1979 Gibson Grabber Bass Natural

1979 Gibson Grabber Bass Natural

Salt Lake City, Utah, 841**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1999

Up for sale is a 1979 Gibson Grabber Bass in Natural, complete with its original hard-shell case. This bass guitar is in good condition and operates flawlessly
There are some scratches, dings, small cracks by the input jack, and wear on the back, giving it a well-loved appearance and earning it an overall rating of 7 5 out of 10. The input jack remains solidly secured due to the thick pickguard, even with the thin cracks around it
All components on this bass guitar are original, and ... more
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Kay Japanese Lawsuit Kay SG-Style Bass K2B Gibson EB0 Copy 1968-69 Cherry

Kay Japanese Lawsuit Kay SG-Style Bass K2B Gibson EB0 Copy 1968-69 Cherry

Kaufman, Texas, 751**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$350

Good working condition, all electronics work, no scratchy pots, no Fret wear, good truss rod. Some light buzzing on the open note. Tight tuners
... more
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1964 Gibson EB-2 Bass Guitar with Hard Shell Vintage Flight Case

1964 Gibson EB-2 Bass Guitar with Hard Shell Vintage Flight Case

Chantilly, Virginia, 201**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5700

1964 Gibson EB-2 Bass with Hard Shell Vintage Flight Case.

The Gibson comes with a stellar silver and gold very early flight case you could ship it overseas in that thing and I wouldn't be afraid. It came from a very high end Collection and is in extremely good condition and will not find one in better shape. Plays and sounds amazing, has the stock bass boost switch that gets super deep tones and a very very cool bass!!!!  It is so clean you can eat off of it!!! Jimmy page... more
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1970 GIBSON EB BASS Guitar Bridge Tailpiece STUD Post Set Vintage Parts

1970 GIBSON EB BASS Guitar Bridge Tailpiece STUD Post Set Vintage Parts

Plano, Texas, 750**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$119

Steel construction, Chrome finish, Normal vintage wear with patina, some driver marks, threads are Good,   ORIGINAL GIBSON PARTs, See pics for dimensions. THANKS for looking!
... more
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Vintage Gibson USA Bass Guitar SB-450 70s Natural 1971  1972 1973 EB Ripper

Vintage Gibson USA Bass Guitar SB-450 70's Natural 1971 1972 1973 EB Ripper

Orange, California, 928**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1200

Comes as seen
original finish shows wear marks scratches dents as seen
No damage or structural issues
Neck is straight and frets are good
Pickups and electronics tested and working
Original schaller made Gibson logo tuners
One tuner bent but still works ok
Missing the bass cover. Otherwise all there and complete
Includes fender gig bag
34?? scale
Weight 7 lbs 1 oz
Pots date to 1966
Serial # dates it to early 70s
1970, 1971, 1972
Will need some cleaning... more
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Used Gibson SG Standard Bass - Ebony

Used Gibson SG Standard Bass - Ebony

Brookfield, Wisconsin, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1599


Used Gibson SG Standard Bass - Ebony
A used Gibson SG Standard Bass. This is a showroom model that has seen almost no use and is in fantastic condition. The bass will ship with all original factory documentation and packaging. Additionally, before shipment our luthiers will provide a professional inspection and full setup, so it arrives ready to play. If you have any questions about this instrument or any of our great gear, please send us a message!
Please note--these may not be ... more
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GIBSON VICTORY STANDARD BASS GUITAR

GIBSON VICTORY STANDARD BASS GUITAR

Saint Petersburg, Florida, 337**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1750

GIBSON VICTORY STANDARD BASS GUITAR - Serial # 81831614 - 1981 - Monday July 2nd - Nashville TN - Production # 614, beautiful original guitar, professional players guitar, the case was made by Quest https: / / authorityguitar com / gibson-serial-number-lookup-decoder /

... more
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1965 Gibson EB-3 - 100% Original - Straight Neck - Low Action - Great Player!

1965 Gibson EB-3 - 100% Original - Straight Neck - Low Action - Great Player!

Dayton, Ohio, 454**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4000

For your consideration is this 1965 Gibson EB-3 in a Transparent Cherry finish. Overall the guitar is in very good shape with only light to moderate play wear. 100% Original! The original pickups deliver excellent sound across all playing styles, truly capturing the iconic tones of your favorite players. Playability is excellent with low action & no fret wear. Mute is in case. Straight neck, low action, moved thumb rest (much more usable)
Comes with the original case and candy as shown. ... more
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1972 Gibson EB-0 - Low Action - No Fret Wear - Great Player!!

1972 Gibson EB-0 - Low Action - No Fret Wear - Great Player!!

Dayton, Ohio, 454**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1500

For your consideration is this 1972 Gibson EB-0 in a Natural finish. Overall the guitar is in very good shape with only light to moderate play wear. Pots have been changed. Everything else is 100% Original! The original pickups deliver excellent sound across all playing styles, truly capturing the iconic tones of your favorite players. Playability is excellent with low action & no fret wear. Low action. Dirty MOJO!!
Comes with Gigbag. (GB-26)
Weight: 9lb 3oz | Nut: W 1 57 H .84 | 12th:... more
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Used 2022 Gibson Non-Reverse Thunderbird Bass, Inverness Green

Used 2022 Gibson Non-Reverse Thunderbird Bass, Inverness Green

Tampa, Florida, 336**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1665

With unique, superb playability and absolutely dripping with style, the 2022-model Gibson Non-Reverse Thunderbird Bass holds true as a fantastic bass guitar. It features a mahogany solidbody with a matching neck and an Indian rosewood fingerboard. Two Thunderbird pickups can be individually controlled via the volume control set and a master tone, while the Hipshot Ultralite tuning machines give a crisp tonal lock
This bass is in Near Mint condition, as there are really no particular issues ... more
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1967 Gibson eb-0 bass. lots of patina and finish checking. has hard case cm23ess

1967 Gibson eb-0 bass. lots of patina and finish checking. has hard case cm23ess

Albany, Georgia, 317**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2000

has been tested and checked over. plays great and looks very vintage. has a decent amount of belt buckle wear and dings. please see pics for condition... more
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1980s GIBSON VICTORY BASS CASE BLACK TOLEX RED FUZZY LINING VERY HARD-TO-FIND!

1980s GIBSON VICTORY BASS CASE BLACK TOLEX RED FUZZY LINING VERY HARD-TO-FIND!

Berlin, New Hampshire, 035**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$289

NEW YEAR'S SALE &FREE USA SHIPPING!
Kicking off 2025 The Bass Palace will be listing more cool vintage cases from The Swami's own personal collection. Most of these are in primo condition and some are actually NOS. There are even some seldom-seen ones to be offered. These are the cream-of-the-crop if you are looking for a case worthy of your own special instrument. As an intro I am offering FREE shipping to the lower 48 thru the end of January (a $40-60 savings)! But make no mistake, once... more
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Vintage 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass Natural

Vintage 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass Natural

Tarzana, California, 913**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1595

Vintage 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass Natural
Up for sale, here's an incredible example from a rare 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass in its original Natural finish
This is the 34" long scale version of the EB-0 bass with slotted headstock. It's been introduced in 1969 and this one is from early 1970, with no volute. The bass is super light weight (7 0 Lbs) and it sounds incredible, with a beautiful chunky round neck profile. It's has a lot of checking which makes it look and feel great and give it a great... more
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Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass Guitar W / OHSC-Excellent!!!

Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass Guitar W / OHSC-Excellent!!!

Bigfork, Montana, 599**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2299

This listing is for a
Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass Guitar W / OHSC

Specs / info:
Rock Like the God of Thunder
Gene Simmons is a legendary rock icon and the bassist from KISS, and his new Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass reflects his tastes. Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird?? body and headstock shape. The G2 Thunderbird Bass is voiced with a pair of powerful T-Bird pickups, each with individual ... more
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Gibson sb400 Bass 1971-1973 READ DESCRIPTION

Gibson sb400 Bass 1971-1973 READ DESCRIPTION

Brooklyn, New York, 112**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1800

This is a Gibson SB400, in not fully original condition. When I recieved this bass the truss rod was busted, and it contained 0 of the original electronics and hardware. Check out the full video for all my restoration work. MAKE ME AN OFFER!
https: / / youtu be / oZIYBfvSb6g?si=A5dVHv0gw1Qb6or
I replaced the crappy old broken truss rod with a modern stewmac 2 way rod, and replaced the original fretboard with a stewmac indian rosewood fingerboard and refretted. It's now a 34 inch scale, ... more
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Vintage Gibson EB-1 Walnut Brown 1970

Vintage Gibson EB-1 Walnut Brown 1970

Brookfield, Wisconsin, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3999


Vintage Gibson EB-1 Walnut Brown 1970
PLEASE CONTACT US WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR FOR AN IN-HAND DESCRIPTION
Based on an earlier design, this gorgeous reissue from '70 retains most of the original 50's look, including the ultra cool violin-shaped body. Exquisite tone with a smooth, comfortable feel. Professionally set up & ready to play straight out of the case
Cosmetic Condition: Various nicks, chips, dents & dings; scratches, weather checking & some finish wear. ... more
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