1969 Gibson Les Paul Bass

• Solid Honduran mahogany body • set 3-piece mahogany neck • Brazilian rosewood fretboard • two low-impedance humbuckers • 30 1/2 inch scale

The 'Les Paul Bass', as the model was known, was an advanced instrument for it's time. It was very well built with some incredible electronics. This is how Gibson described the bass, from the 1969 Les Paul Bass brochure

The pickups are low impedance humbuckers, and were specially designed for this bass by Les Paul. The three way tone selector switch changes the number of coil turns actually connected to the output, making the pickups themselves cooler or hotter. A clever idea, and certainly very effective.

Other components on this bass also appear on other Gibson bass guitars. The two point bridge with mute and cover were fitted to all EB bass guitars of this period. The Schaller M4 tuning keys were used on quite a few other models with varying degrees of regularity.

A dark translucent Walnut was the only finish option available for the bass, and looks particularly good against the chrome work. This look was continued in the form of the early SB basses (and guitars) of 1971, though over much lighter woods such as alder.

The Les Paul Bass was made from some very fine wood - the body and neck are both made from British Honduras mahogany, whilst the fingerboard is Brazilian rosewood. The three-piece mahogany neck is set (glued) to the body, in typical Gibson tradition.

The Les Paul bass was fitted with Gibson logo embossed Les Paul low-impedance bass humbuckers, with chrome surrounds. The three-way pickup selector switch is at the top of the image. The Les Paul bass was the first with a two octave neck, though so much of the fretboard overlaps the body to make the highest notes effectively unreachable.

The phase switch, and tone selector, are attached to a plastic control plate. The three controls are treble, bass, and volume. These controls were all scratchplate-mounted when this bass was updated to the Triumph in 1972 - see the controls of the Triumph bass here. The tone selector switch is very interesting. This actually determined how many turns of the pickups were actually connected to the output circuitry: position 1 used the fully wound pickup, with positions 2 and 3 using progressively less. You can read more about the controls in the original users manual Les Paul bass users manual.

The bridge pickup (low-z humbucker) and Gibson two-point bridge with cover. This instrument also has the underbridge mute; these were phased out in 1971, later instruments didn't have them. To engage the mute, the lever at the bottom of the picture is pulled backwards, which lifts a felt strip against the strings.

Les Paul low-impedance bass humbucker. Note the embossed Gibson logo.

Walnut finish. The Les Paul bass has a traditional Gibson set neck. There are two control cavities, one for the pickup selector switch, and one for the other controls

Six-digit serial number, stamped into the back of the headstock, with no other markings. The machine heads are Schaller M4, in this case marked 'G' on the gear cover with Made in W Germany below. The very last Les Paul basses circa early 1971, and then the Les Paul Triumph had the full word 'GIBSON' on the covers.

Inlaid Gibson logo (with un-dotted i) and crown logo. Note the truss-rod cover with model designation.

The three pieces of mahogany that make up the neck are clearly visible, along with two further 'wings', making a five piece headtock.

Gibson Les Paul bass guitars for sale

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1972 Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass Walnut

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

$3400

1972 Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass Walnut
Up for sale, an incredible and unique 1972 Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass in a Walnut finish. Norlin era. Made in Kalamazoo, MI USA. All Original, stock with its Black tolex hard case.
11 0 Lbs, which is average for a Les Paul Bass
This short scale bass guitar has an Incredibly comfortable Mahogany body and neck with rosewood fretboard. No volute, perfectly straight, allowing low action playing well all across the fretboard.
The two low ... more

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

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

$3580

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

Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass 1972 - Natural

West Newton, Massachusetts, 024**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2399

Vintage Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass in overall great condition this bass sounds amazing and plays great. Has a vintage upgrade bridge, I believe it's a Schaller bridge from the late 70's. Output swith mutes on low but works on high. Outside of that everything else works like expected. Case included it has stickers, wear and tear but solid fully functional no broken latches.... more

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