Last month we were talking about the early stuff. By today’s standards this technology is Stone Age, but I will say this—more records, jingles and soundtracks were (and are) recorded with this gear than any other gear. In this instance new technology does not always mean better. New gear is more reliable, but I still have not found a better sounding amp then a “blue check” B-15. In the late 1960s there were major strides in amp technology in terms of volume, reliability and size. Let’s look at the options.
The SVT Era
An absolutely appalling use of technology took place in the late ‘60s involving bass amplification. The same invention that helped put a man on the moon helped make some of the worst amps ever: the transistor. The late-‘60s transistor amps were hands down some of the worst sounding, most unreliable amps ever made. Fender made a short-lived transistor amp in the late ‘60s, as did VOX, Marshall and everyone else. If the amp did not short out or burn to the chassis, it created an overwhelming urge to put knitting needles through you ear drums to stop the tonal torture. From ten feet away, the Fender and Vox amps looked like the tube amps those companies were known for. The Marshall (I have not seen one in 20 years, thank the lord) looks like a longer Acoustic 370 head, but it’s dressed like a Marshall. Most of Marshall’s torture devices were stripped for their logos, knobs and switches. The carcasses are used as doorstops. For the collection or static display of gear that sucks, these amps are fine.
This is the BIG stuff!
On the other hand, some of the most amazing high-volume, reliable, “tone of the gods” amplifiers came out of this era. Ampeg produced the most robust product line. Marshall had the Major and Super Bass. Acoustic had the 360 and 370 series and the short-lived 320/408 rig, and Sunn had the Coliseum, Concert Bass and Model T. Fender had the old standby, the Bassman line. I’d say 95 percent of gigging bass players used the above-mentioned gear from these manufacturers.
Marshall
Years ago I played a large gig. My rig was two Plexi Marshall Majors and four huge 4x15 cabinets that I throttled my beloved 1964 Tbird IV through. The band played all originals, except for one cover, “I Don’t Need No Doctor” from Humble Pie. This rig nailed the bass tone from the Fillmore album. It’s not that tight modern sound but that vicious old-school wall of volume and tone. Most mortals need to experience this at least once. This rig will produce the Jack Bruce, Noel Redding and Overend Watts tone. For club work, you would be amazed how well a Major or Super Bass performs at a reasonable volume.
There is one very serious drawback to owning an old Marshall. The Major runs on KT88s. I have found the newer KT88s just don’t sound as good as the real Mullards. The Asian KT88s blow like mad in these amps. Have you priced a set of NOS Mullards? A quartet is between $800 and $1200 or more!
Ampeg
As a young teen, I went to a KISS concert at Madison Square Garden. The opening band, Detective, had SVTs on stage. I was in awe watching their bass player. A few weeks later, I saw a local band where the bassist had a Fireglo 4001 going through a full SVT rig. Not a bass, but an amp influenced me as a player. The best way to describe these amps is pure balls, pure tone and lots of volume. An old SVT will do a formidable job with an active bass and even a 5-banger. It is one of the few vintage amps that can. In a stage situation, this maybe the ultimate amp for a vintage bass. The Ampeg line also included the V-4B, B-25 and B-15. Each head had a specifically matched cabinet. The V-4B was almost like the SVT’s little brother, where the B-25, rather then being the underling to the V-4B, was the big brother to the B-15. Ampeg also made a solid-state line and quite frankly these were not to my palette.
My thoughts—I love this amplification. Using a passive bass and one of these amps is the only way to achieve real old-school tone. There is nothing like having an SVT or a Marshall rig behind you. These days I rarely use them. My 47-year-old bad back and lack of desire to drive my wife’s minivan to a gig are the reasons. If I drive the van, it means I’m lugging the PA system, too. Quite a few of the amps I’ve discussed can be purchased at very reasonable prices. SVT heads and vintage Marshall gear remain quite expensive.
The Low Down Wrap Up
4 SVT heads—$7000; 4 SVT cabinets—$ 3500. The looks of terror from the soundman and the guy in the front row directly in front of you? Priceless! Next month we will continue through the SVT era and on to the modern era. Until next time, drop the gig bag, bring the cannolis!
Kevin Borden
Kevin Borden has been a bass player since 1975 and is currently the principle and co-owner, with “Dr.” Ben Sopranzetti, of Kebo’s Bass Works: kebosbassworks.com. He can be reached at: Kebobass@yahoo.com. Feel free to call him KeBo.
Epiphone Firebird I
When Gibson debuted the Firebird I and Firebird V in 1963, the design was as innovative as it was radical. Like the Flying V and Explorer, the Firebird seemed Martian—or at least like a work of futurist art, with its offset body shape, extended lower and upper bouts, reverse headstock, and through-body neck.
Firebirds came in three versions: The single-pickup Firebird I, the two-humbucker Firebird V, and the three-pickup Firebird VII, with the latter two featuring a Vibrola tailpiece, trapezoid inlays, and neck binding. The first time I saw a Firebird in action, it was in the hands of Johnny Winter, who gave no quarter as he ripped conflagrant solos from its fretboard, but Brian Jones, Clapton, Allen Collins, Paul Stanley, and Phil Manzanera also helped make the model a legend. Original ’60s Firebird V’s sell for as much as $35,000, and reissues peak at nearly $10,000 for the Gibson Custom Shop’s ’63 Firebird V. That’s a lot of dough to look badass on stage. But now, Epiphone—in collaboration with Gibson’s Custom Shop—has taken high-quality reissues of the 1963 Firebird I and V into a more affordable realm. They’re still pricey for an Epi’, at $1,299 and $1,699, respectively, but undeniably brimming with panache.
“I was surprised by how sweet and heavy Gibson’s Firebird Mini Humbuckers sound. There is nothing mini about their tone.”
An’ a I, an’ a V
Our review Firebirds arrived impeccably set up, with action low enough for speed, but high enough for slide—my comfort zone, coincidentally. They are handsome guitars too. The I is finished in gleaming cherry, while the V is decked out in vintage sunburst and a shiny Vibrola tailpiece.
The necks are the not-so-secret weapons on these models. They are 9-ply mahogany and walnut (original Firebirds have a 5-ply neck), sandwiched between mahogany wings, but both guitars are still fairly light. The I is 7 1/2 pounds and the V weighs about 9 pounds due to the additional pickup and bridge hardware. There are 22 comfortable, medium-jumbo frets, which allow easy navigation and elegant bends, a Graph Tech nut, dot neck inlays on the I and trapezoids on the V, a classic Gibson-scale neck length of 24 3/4", and an Indian laurel fretboard. The banjo-style Kluson Planetary tuners, as well as the reverse headstock, take time to get to use to, but contribute to the instruments sleek, clean lines. The Firebird I’s electronics are simply a master volume and tone, with CTS pots and Mallory caps inside, in service of a warm-to-cutting single alnico 5 Gibson USA Firebird Mini Humbucker. The V offers more ways to shape your tone: The Vibrola is cool and vibey and there’s a classic four-dial Gibson control set (also routed through Mallory caps and CTS pots), a 3-way pickup switch on the lower bout, and a pair of those Gibson USA Firebird Mini Humbuckers.
Epiphone Firebird V
Trial by Firebird
I was sure I would prefer the Firebird V playing experience, because I am typically a neck-pickup player, but both guitars revealed sonic charms through Carr Vincent and Telstar amps running in stereo, my vintage Marshall Super Lead, and a Positive Grid Spark.
Low-action setups on both accommodate everything from campfire chords to screaming single-note playing past the 12th fret, with the perfectly smooth fret ends and comfortable neck making it all a pleasure. The neck broadens to 2 1/4" at the body, from 1 3/4" at the nut, making it easy to hit high notes accurately. But what really excited me, besides how artful these guitars look, is the power and sound of the pickups.
I was surprised by how sweet and heavy Gibson’s Firebird Mini Humbuckers sound. There is nothing mini about their tone, whether slashing and growling through the Marshall or pouring thick honey out of the Carrs. And through the Spark, a highly pleasing snarl and juicy warmth were all on tap. Despite my predilection for neck pickups, I became really excited by the Firebird I. The simplicity and elegance of its look, streamlined controls, clean surface, and light weight made the I a joy to play, especially with the treble rolled to near-zero. There, early Clapton-esque tone was a cinch to find, and for blues and pseudo-jazz-licks (the best I can muster in that genre), the warmth and clarity were delightful. Despite its basic construction, the Epiphone Firebird I is assuredly more than a rock machine.
Sure, having the addition of a neck pickup on the Firebird V provides a wider selection of tones, but the voices achievable on the I were no less winning and, honestly, I could not find any pickup-and-dial configuration on the V that sounded all that different or better than those available on the I. But, ah, a Vibrola is a very nice appointment—not just for its grand appearance, which is like some antiquarian treasure, but for the subtle bends its enables. If atmospheric guitar tones from the Ventures to Hermanos Gutiérrez are your passion, you’d want the Vibrola, which stays remarkably in tune, given its relatively primitive design.
The Verdict
Make no mistake: With their uncommonly proportioned offset bodies and reverse headstocks, guitars like the Epiphone Firebird I and V require time to get acquainted. But if you’re unafraid to stand out from the crowd, these instruments will serve you visually and sonically. Both play well and offer a good scope of vintage tones—from aggressive to dark maple sugar—with simple dial adjustments. And while many other Epiphone models sell for less, these well-crafted copies of original Gibson designs provide custom-shop or boutique-builder quality at a much lower price. PG
The 4-ply white pearloid pickguard is fitted with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound split-coil P Bass pickup custom mounted in reversed position, the final piece of Hoppus regaled pop-punk tone. A limited number of these bases will be produced, and they are offered in a traditional 3-Color Sunburst or Sea Foam Green.
“It has a Jaguar body; it has a Jazz bass neck – C style, Rosewood fretboard, pearloid pickguard, 1 volume knob because I don’t need a tone knob, my tone comes from the wood, which in this case is Alder, the Maple neck, and of course, it comes from my pickups. I've used Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups that are mounted inverted so that the lower strings are closer to the bridge and give them a little more brightness. This bass is really nice, and I hope players enjoy it.” said Hoppus on his new signature bass.
Fender first worked with Hoppus in 2002, bringing to life a Mark Hoppus Signature Jazz Bass. This instrument played with the elements and electronics of a traditional Jazz Bass, essentially creating a hybrid of a Jazz and Precision Bass, giving him the best of both worlds. This bass is still sought after today, and fans will be happy to see Hoppus continue the legacy of that model with his new Jaguar Bass, which combines his preferred Jazz Bass neck, reverse-mounted P Bass pickup with a comfortable and stylish offset Jaguar Bass body.
“Mark knew what he wanted when ideating this bass,” said Justin Norvell, EVP of Product at FMIC, “in turn, that is what fans of blink-182 fans want too. It’s been a true joy to work with Hoppus and help create this signature Jaguar bass. Hoppus's use of this bass on stages worldwide showcases its exceptional sonic capabilities. By incorporating Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups in a reverse position, he's enabled fans to achieve the iconic blink-182 tone they've always dreamed of. I can't wait to see how musicians worldwide will bring their creativity to this instrument.”
In addition to all its elevated specs, this bass is topped off with a custom neck plate and gig bag with the “Hi, My Name is Mark” octopus logo. An ode to his company that realises, in apparel, the cool things in life that can not be captured in anything other than art. Hoppus taught himself bass, and this new signature release from Fender hopes to encourage new players and established “blink” fans alike to pick up this instrument and start playing bass.
In true tradition, the Fender Artist Signature Series honors iconic musicians through product progression and storytelling, creating instruments inspired by the unique specifications of the world’s greatest guitarists and bassists.
MSRP $1399.99
For more information, please visit fender.com.