• Solid mahogany body • mahogany neck • rosewood (or wenge) fingerboard • two Z-bass pickups • 34 inch scale • split diamond inlays
The Gibson SG-Z bass is one of the least known 'new' Gibson basses. When launched it was the first new bass model for over a decade. It was only available for a brief time between 1998-2002, though it does not seem to have sold well, and was most likely produced only in small numbers. It was built at Gibson's Nashville plant alongside it's sibling the SGZ six-string guitar. Both have the same 'Z' (assuming that is what it is) split diamond headstock inlays; the guitar version is actually strung through the body, and has a similar Z-style tailplate. The original specification was for an all-mahogany long scale bass with a 21 fret wenge fingerboard. By the 2001 catalogue, the specification had changed to rosewood. It was originally named the EB-Z as this Gibson Press Release from August 1998 confirms. Listed finishes were Heritage Cherry, Ebony and, Natural Oil.
A wickedly carved body and passive Z-bass pickup system combine for performance that sounds as sinister as it looks
This example hails from 2000. The style of SG body is more reminiscent of the 60s rather than 70s EB series basses, especially with the rich Cherry finish. But the pickup placement and hardware are quite different to any EB bass preceding it. And although long scale EB3s have been available as far back as 1970, they are still traditionally thought of as short scale instruments. The SG-Z is long scale, 34" with (perhaps?) a wenge rather than Gibson's more traditional rosewood fretboard. This example only has 20 frets, and it may be that the 20 fret boards are all rosewood? Gibson have always reserved the right to change specifications, and these woods are similar in appearance.
Tonally, the Gibson SG-Z bass is a long way from the sixties EB basses - and probably much more useful in a modern day band setting. The two pickups set far away from the neck. Each has a volume control, with one master tone. The mini toggles are series/parallel coil tap switches for each pickup, allowing quite a range of sounds. Though note, there is no pickup selector switch, this must be achieved via the volume controls.
Although the control cover on the back of this bass has the standard shape used by Gibson since 1965, the cavity itself is very different. The SG-Z circuitry consist three pots and two mini-toggles. Click on the image for a larger version.
This is how the SG-Z was advertised in the 2001 Gibson catalogue:
Gibson SG-Z Sound Clips
These sound clips are recorded directly into a mobilepre preamp. Recorded with round wound strings, and played finger style. All three clips have both pickups at full volume and tone at 10. Variations are changes in series / parallel switches. Turning off individual pickups and adjusting tone allows a wide range of sounds not reproduced here.
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