Gibson Victory, Gibson Explorer

As well as an artist, Dave is known for his publicity work for Gibson, particularly the Gibson Victory adverts of 1981. In fact Dave had three Victory basses from Gibson: a red Victory Artist (that appears in the advertisements), a white single pickup Artist (single pickup like a Standard, but with active circuitry like a Artist) which was stolen, and another identical replacement.

FlyGuitars When did you first hear about the Gibson Victory?

Dave Kiswiney Pat Aldworth, the artist rep, told me they were making a bass, more like a Fender type of thing, and did I have any input. And i'd get with Chuck (Burge - read his interview on the development of the Victory bass) and and we'd talk about it, and he'd say what do I like, you know. The V came from the way the pickup configuration is that's how they named it Victory... because they had a slanted front and straight treble one, and they slanted it like that and got 24 frets out of the first string.. and then they looked at it and it looks like a V, so they just decided that's why they call it the Victory. That's what they told me because it looks like you're holding a letter V.

FlyGuitars Can you remember what input you gave Chuck back then?

Dave Kiswiney A bigger, more massive, more adjustable bridge... the thing they ended up with, that's a Schaller. And active pickups. Lots of boost on the low end, and on the high end I liked a lot more variations. I like active basses, just wanted it to be active. Other than that, balance; some of the Gibsons i've had fall down.

Chuck Burge was the king, and if you went to his shop.. my gosh.. he would make some incredible stuff.. he was an artist, really a genius.. just a way lot of stuff going on in his brain, you know, he was really something. And he made that Victory bass, and he gave it to me and I did the ad with it, and they let me leave the property with it. Chuck said it's yours, get it out of here. That’s prototype number 8. It's a monster.

We did it in a theatre in Kalamazoo, I think it's the State. It was an old movie theatre and they had a proscenium stage, and that's where we did it. I was at the edge of the stage wearing that same jacket; it was the same photo shoot.. I was holding that thing up in the air. It's not a candy apple red either, it's an awful tomato soup red.

FlyGuitars Is the back of the neck red?

Dave Kiswiney No not on that one, the back of the neck is Maple and it's got a stamp on it that says 'Gibson prototype' 08.

Two Gibson Victory basses, both active. The 1983 single pickup Artist, and the original dual pickup Artist, #08

Headstock front view, with 'Dave' truss rod cover

The reverse has Chuck Burge's 'Original Gibson Prototype' stamp, and serial number 08. This is probably one of the 'eight rack' of show instruments built before production started in full see Chuck Burge interview

FlyGuitars How did you lose your first white Victory bass?

Dave Kiswiney I took a flight to Fort Lauderdale to do an album with Pat Travers, (Hot Shot) 1983 - and I had two basses a Fender and Gibson; that white (single pickup) Gibson Artist that he made for me - and it never came off the plane. It just never came from Detroit.. and I had metal cases, hardshell cases. The Fender came off the plane but the Gibson did not.

He (Chuck Burge) started making another for me right away. There was a tour that we did where we all had white Gibsons. It was the Bound and Gagged tour I believe, anyway, at the end of the show we all stood in the middle and held up our guitars in a three-way. Ted had a skull crossbones painted on the back of his. It wasn't a Byrdland, it was a Howard Roberts Fusion maybe, and they painted on the back, it had this big skull and crossbones and he stood in the middle with that holding it by the neck, up in the air, and Derek and I would cross in front of it with our white.. he painted the neck white on that, you know, so that was the reason for that.

FlyGuitars How did your Victorys differ from stock instruments?

Dave Kiswiney Well Chuck carved the heel out on the white one; where the neck joins the body and it's square, he rounded that off so your hand fit on it really nice. The one that got stolen was even more so, and where your hand fits up like on the 21st, 22nd fret on the first string it's indented a little bit more and leaned in, carved in. He did that for me. Chuck was an artist and genius. He didn't talk much, he was a Michigan Guy and an artisan, and he built some really cool stuff. (It's) a single pickup but it's got activate electronics in it. The only other one out there Tim Shaw's got. I said "I've got the only one you made for me", he said "no you don't, I've got two!". Who knows what he walked out of Gibson with. The single pickup artist is beautiful, you should see it.. the patina on it, it's absolutely amazing what's happened to these basses over the years, you know it's 45 years old

FlyGuitars Is that the one in the bass frontiers video?

Dave Kiswiney Yes that's it, yep that's it

FlyGuitars I noticed that, unusually, it's got the black hardware, the black bridge. Is that something you asked for?

Dave Kiswiney No. I may have, but I don't think I did, I think they just did it for me that way. And it's beautiful, it's got a brass nut, it's an absolutely gorgeous bass, and not only that, they gave me a fretless neck for it. For both the guitars I have a fretless neck. just bolts on perfectly. how about that?

But I mean I love the bass.. they're the heaviest things i've ever owned but you get used to it after a while you don't even realize; they play so good. The Victory's not light, but it's lighter than the RD I think. It's 12/4 lbs, the red one. That's pretty heavy. But I can stand with it. I actually perform better standing, my parts I might learn them sitting down but, I like to stand up when I play.

FlyGuitars The red Victory had serial number #08. What about the white one?

Dave Kiswiney No serial number. It just says Gibson custom shop original, but no serial number. How about that? And this is the replacement. This one (the accompanying fretless neck) has a serial number, it's very faded 82741573 that's what it looks like. It was stamped and then it was heavily lacquered.

Gibson Explorer

Single pickup active Explorer bass. The bass appears to have a 1986 serial number (80566525) which doesn't quite make sense! See text.

Dave Kiswiney I've got an Explorer bass here, that's medium scale. I told Tim (Shaw) I said "can you make it active?" and he said "well, yeah, we don't have anything that would fit in there, but..." so they took the circuit board out of a Chet Atkins acoustic gut string. He took the circuit board from that and plopped it in this Explorer bass; cut it out and put it in the back. And it's ungodly. Like something from another planet. I played it in 1984, it was just the coolest bass, it plays so good and it's louder than bejesus. I mean it's just a monster. It's absolutely a monster. The paint job on it is a cherry red.. everything but the neck has rolled up, the body rolled up on the back and the front, and the paint, if you're not careful with it, will fall off it.. it's absolutely beautiful but the neck didn't do that, just the body

This Is what kills me about that Explorer. I got it for the '84 tour because Dave Amato was in the band, he now plays with REO Speedwagon, and he had Gibsons, and all kinds of weird shape things, Flying Vs and stuff like that, and it just seems like '84 was the year for that to come back with Ted. He didn't tour in '83, and going back out there with Brian Howe, who was the singer who went on to Bad Company. But I had that red guitar; they built it for me. Tim Shaw put the electronics in it from a Chet Atkins acoustic electric. I said wanted it active, and they didn't have anything, so Tim Shaw figured out how to wire it into that bass. I've got extra boards for it; he said I don't know what will happen but if this gets screwed up you've got a couple extra circuit boards. And they're still here some place, i've got them even to this day. When you plug that thing in it takes a second for it to fire up, you can strike a note it doesn't come out it goes...... (makes noise). And it's goes through batteries you know, I take the batteries out of it when it's on display. I don't want anything to go wrong with it, any ones that are active I go and check the batteries on them, you know like those Victorys, because I don't want this stuff to rot especially that Explorer. But I got it in 84, I swear to God I don't know why it's got a number on it like that. I got that in Kalamazoo. They gave it to me in '84. I'd moved back from Maui in '83. My father had passed away I moved back, and moved all my stuff back and had an apartment in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and that's where Nugent headquarters were, so we rehearsed for the tour in like January, February, and I was going to Gibson I was driving to Kalamazoo and they made that bass for me.. and yeah there was no talk of Heritage or any of that, so I went out on the road with the Ripper, the Explorer, and a Fender. The Fender had an 8 string conversion bridge called 'Octopus' - I cannot find another like it. I always took the Ripper out, but it was not my primary. In '84 the Explorer was the primary. I had those three basses. it's all I had and I played it for the whole tour.

Gibson bass guitars for sale

Flyguitars.com is funded by its visitors. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. For more info see terms and conditions.

Vintage 1976 Gibson L-9S Ripper Electric Bass Guitar w / Original Case

Fresno, California, 937**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3400

American Music is proud to present this beautiful Gibson Ripper Bass!
Bass was kept in its ORIGINAL case, as the case is pretty beat up
Brand New StringsTruss Rod worksNo warping in neckWeighs roughly 9lbsFret board is in good shape for a instrument of its age, but could use some fret work.... more

1961 Gibson EB-3 the cleanest original extent w / hang tags 1 of a kind & Minty !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$11495

This is a beautiful 1st year produced example of the exactly ??Cream Era?? Gibson EB-3 bass, pretty much identical the primary one used extensively by Jack Bruce from 1966 into the mid-70s. These expensive double pickup EB basses were made in fairly small quantities from 1961 into the mid-1960s but most examples that surface now are the later ??60s and early ??70s models, when they were produced in much greater numbers ?? at least partially due to the popularity of Cream ! Those are fine ... more

Gibson 70s EB-3 WALNUT Used Electric Bass

Union, New Hampshire, 038**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1275

The Gibson 70s EB-3 WALNUT Used Electric Bass is a classic right-handed solid wood electric bass guitar with a 4-string configuration. This vintage model, known as the Les Paul, was made in the United States and features a solid brown body color, making it both visually appealing and high-quality in terms of sound and playability. With its durable construction and iconic design, this guitar is a popular choice among bass players looking for a reliable and timeless instrument.... more

1978 Gibson RD Artist "NATURAL BLONDE" Electric (MOOG) Bass + OHSC

San Jose, California, 951**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4000

1978 Gibson RD Artist Bass Guitar + Original Gibson Hardshell Case
" NATURAL BLONDE" FINISH
GIBSON NORLIN-ERA
Original MOOG ELECTRONICS
Made in USA (Kalamazoo Plant, MI)
Production # 102 (April 17th release)
Adult owned only. Children-free, Pet-free household. Kept inside case when not used

Up for sale is a BEAUTIFUL LATE-70's Gibson Bass Guitar (RD ARTIST)
EXCELLENT overall vintage condition. Standard surface scratches, light dings, marks on front / back body / ... more

1963 Gibson EB-0 Cherry Vintage Short Scale SG Bass With Gigbag

Lincoln, Nebraska, 685**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1600

The 1963 Gibson EB-0 Cherry Vintage Short Scale SG Bass is a highly sought-after electric bass guitar known for its classic design and superior craftsmanship. Made in the United States with a solid mahogany body, this vintage Gibson bass instrument exudes a timeless charm with its rich cherry color and vintage appeal. As a part of Gibson's renowned series of electric bass guitars, the EB-0 model delivers exceptional sound quality and playability, making it a versatile and reliable choice ... more

1969 Gibson EB3 Bass Guitar- 100% Original with Original Case

Glastonbury, Connecticut, 060**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3700

One owner, bought new in 1969 from Quigly Music in Kansas City with original Gibson Case. One small strap rub on back with minor finish scratches on back as seen in photos.... more

Gibson EB-O Electric Bass Guitar 1972 Walnut Kalamazoo Short Scale Humbucker

New Brunswick, New Jersey, 089**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1700

Not Being A Bass Maven, The Specs On This Is The Closest That I Could Find Online So Don??t Hold Me To Every Single Detail. First Off I??ve Had This Bass For A Long Time & Used It Sparingly. It??s Been Kept In A Case & Is In Great Condition. Plays Good, Sounds Awesome, Electronics Are Quiet, No Frets Buzz & Really Has No Issues. Seems Like It??s All Original So Let??s Get Into The Details
Gibson 1972 EB-O Mahogany Body(Walnut Finish), 3 Piece Maple Neck w / 22?? Short Scale 21 ... more

Vintage 1960s Gibson Kalamazoo KB-1 Bass Guitar Very Early Low Serial #000316 SG

Kansas City, Missouri, 641**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1200

Please read all of this and ask questions BEFORE YOU BID!

Vintage 1960s, probably 1966, Kalamazoo bass guitar. Super low serial number: 000316. Made in the Kalamazoo Michigan Gibson factory. Same exact pickup as the Gibson EB0 bass guitars

Works and plays great great shape with minor scrapes, digs and an obligatory cigarette burn on the pick guard. Currently has black flat would strings installed. No case. Will be pro packed in a sturdy guitar box


As ... more

VINTAGE 1981 Sunburst Gibson Victory Artist Series 4 String Bass Guitar w / Case

Interlochen, Michigan, 496**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1620

Vintage 1981 Gibson Victory Artist Series 4-String Bass Guitar ?? Sunburst Finish ?? w / Original Case & Manual
Up for sale is a rare vintage 1981 Gibson Victory Artist Series bass guitar in a beautiful sunburst finish. This model was part of Gibson??s early ??80s ??Victory?? line, designed for versatility and modern tone
Year / Model: 1981 Gibson Victory Artist Series (4-string)
Finish: Classic Sunburst
Pickups: Professionally upgraded with custom EMG pickups (not original) ... more

2024 Gibson Rex Brown Signature Thunderbird Ebony 4 String Bass Guitar With Case

Lewiston, Maine, 042**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1826

This guitar plays very nice and comes with the original strap and hard shell case!!! There are some dings and dents as you can see in the photos of this listing.
Stock # J78010770-NK / 10 13XZ
A New Signature Bass Model From Rex Brown
Multi-instrumentalist Rex Brown is well-known for his work with legendary metal bands Pantera and Down, and his hard-rocking solo album, Smoke on This?? His new Gibson Rex Brown Signature ... more

1972 Gibson SB-350 Cherry Vintage Short Scale SG Bass w / Case

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2200

Up for sale, a 1972 Gibson SB-350 in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original chipboard case. This rare, short-lived Gibson bass was only produced from 1972-75, one of four basses introduced as slightly more affordable variants of Gibson??s EB platform. The SB-350 was on the upper end of the range, featuring a pair of SB humbuckers and a 30 1 / 2?? scale length. This first-year example has been upgraded with a Hipshot SuperTone bridge and a set of Schaller ... more

Vintage 1967 Gibson EB-0 Short Scale 4 String Bass - Cherry - Don Storck Custom

Edmond, Oklahoma, 730**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2500

Awesome bass. Original electronics and hardware. Still has the string dampener and it works! Great tone. This is a two-owner guitar from Oklahoma City. It was played lovingly by its original owner, Don Storck, from the time that he purchased it new by in 1967 at different gigs over the years. It has earned its wonderful patina from years of playing, and it looks great. It has all the expected finish checking that you would expect to see on a guitar of this vintage. The second pick guard was ... more

1969 Gibson Les Paul Recording Bass OHSC Mahogany On-Board Preamp, Stage Ready!

Andover, Massachusetts, 018**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3500

1969 Gibson Les Paul Recording Bass ?? Mahogany ?? Pro Modded for Live Use ?? Original Bridge + Case
Here??s a real rarity??not just a collector's piece but a working relic: an early-production 1969 Gibson Les Paul Recording Bass, built during the first very limited run at Kalamazoo. Original mahogany body (the heavier, denser tonewood used only in the earliest examples??later models switched to walnut). Serial number 988003 and no ??Made in USA?? stamp indicate 1969 manufacture date. This ... more

gibson bass guitar 4 string

Maple Shade, New Jersey, 080**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1188

The Gibson Bass Guitar 4 String is a high-quality electric bass guitar designed for musicians looking for a powerful and versatile sound. With its solid body construction and distinctive red color, this SG model delivers rich bass tones that are perfect for both live performances and studio recordings. Featuring four strings, this bass guitar offers a wide range of notes and harmonies, making it ideal for bass players looking to explore different genres and styles of music. Built by the renowned... more

Vintage 1913 Gibson Mando Bass Style J -Natural- For Repair & Restoration 1920's

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

$4950

This listing is for a rare and amazing Vintage Gibson Style J Mando Bass. To the best of my knowledge this bass was made in 1913 and these Style J Mando Basses were made in small quantities between 1912 throughout throughout the 1920's and 1930's. This one is not in great shape and will require some professional restoration but these are so rare it would be a great project for the right player or luthier to restore
The Mando Bass serial number is 15722 as best I can make out but the label ... more

1994 Gibson LPB-3 Les Paul Standard Bass ?? Heritage Cherry Sunburst | Bartolini

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

$1899

For Sale: 1994 Gibson LPB-3 Les Paul Standard Bass ?? Heritage Cherry Sunburst | Bartolini TCT-B Preamp | Original Hard Case
Up for sale is a 1994 Gibson LPB-3 Les Paul Standard Bass in the classic Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish, complete with its original Gibson hard-shell case
This rare and powerful USA-made bass features a factory-original Bartolini TCT-B 9V preamp, delivering deep low-end response, flexible EQ control, and articulate tone across the entire spectrum. Designed as ... more

1951 Gibson ES 350

Sunnyvale, California, 940**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6950

1951 Gibson ES 350 in Sunburst finish Guitar has modified wiring- Selector switch, Master Volume, Master Tone. A previous owner had the guitar over buffed, as a result , the outer ply of the body binding was over heated, as were the original knobs (included) ,causing some cracking and crumbling in the body outer ply binding only-the neck and headstock binding is fine. Guitar has Repro Tailpiece and Repro Kluson Tuners. At one time there was a strap button installed on the neck heel, and has ... more

1993 Gibson LP-3 Les Paul Standard 5-String Bass | Extremely Rare 5-String | Fla

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

$3499

For Sale: 1993 Gibson LP-3 Les Paul Standard 5-String Bass | Rare 5-String | Heritage Cherry Sunburst | Flamey Top | Bartolini Preamp | Original Case
Up for sale is an extremely rare 1993 Gibson LP-3 Les Paul Standard 5-String Bass in a gorgeous Heritage Cherry Sunburst finish, complete with its original hard-shell case. This particular bass is a true standout??not only is it one of the rare 5-string versions of the Les Paul Standard bass, but it also features a highly figured, flamey top ... more

Gibson EB-0 Circa 1964 Electric Bass Guitar

Georgetown, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1600

Sounds and plays so good! Has all the vintage tone and good mojo. Straight neck. Fully functional. Someone has refinished the headstock while leaving the logo. Some cosmetic flaws from its age. This is a classic thumping bass that can take your playing to the next level

Don't miss your chance to own!



Items only come with case or accessories if pictured or listed in the listing

Items only come with accessories / parts pictured and or... more

Left Hand Gibson SG Bass

Saint Paul, Minnesota, 551**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3600

As the original owner, I bought this short-scale [30 5 " ] Gibson bass in January of 2013 during one of Gibson's infrequent left-hand bass runs. Rarely played, still has the protective plastic on the back plate. Recently had a qualified Gibson-authorized luthier go over the instrument and make any necessary adjustments. He was impressed with the build quality. This is the higher-end Heritage Cherry finish version, not the "faded" style. The Gibson SG bass features a solid mahogany body and ... more

Find more vintage guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co