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1973 Gibson SB-450

Solid Alder body, set maple neck with rosewood fretboard. Two humbucking pickup. 34½ inch scale.

1972 Gibson SB-450 bass, natural finish

This is a typical early seventies bass. Notice the volute (on the back of the headstock), transfer Gibson logo, and three point bridge. The three point bridge was used from 1973 to the present day. This is one of 237 natural SB-450s shipped in 1973 (only 386 natural SB-450s were made compared to 377 cherry and 193 walnut).

1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail - humbucker pickup 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail - bridge cover 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail - witch hat volume and tone knobs, input jack 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail - headstock with Gibson transfer
1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson SB-450 bass. Body detail

Strings suitable for the SB450

D'Addario EXL220 XL Nickel Round Wound Super Light Bright Electric Bass Strings (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound Long Scale - Super Soft)

Fender 9050L Stainless Flatwound Bass Strings (Fender - Stainless Bass Flatwound - Long Scale - 34 - Light )

D'Addario EXL170 Nickel Wound Bright Round Wound Electric Bass Strings (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound - Soft)

Thomastik-Infeld JF344 Jazz Flatwound Long Scale 4-String Bass Strings (Thomastik-Infeld JF344 Jazz Flatwound Long Scale 4-String Bass Strings)

D'Addario ECB81 XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings (D'addario Chromes Stainless Steel Flatwound - Soft)

Rotosound RS77LD Jazz Bass Strings (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77LD - Jazz Bass)

Rotosound RS66LC Bass Strings Long Scale (RotoSound RS66LC Swing Bass - Stainless Steel)

Rotosound RS77EL Jazz Bass Strings (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77EL - Jazz Bass)

Rotosound RS66LD Bass Strings Long Scale Strings (RotoSound Swing Bass RS66LD - Stainless Steel)

Rotosound RS66LB Bass Strings (RotoSound RS66LB Swing Bass - Stainless Steel)

The Gibson SB450 only appears in the 1972 Bass Place catalogue The SB450 first appeared in the 1972 catalogue, and sold in modest numbers until 1974. It was still available at from 1975-78, though only 14 instruments were shipped in this period.

under the control panel of a Gibson SB450 bass - click for a larger version
under the control panel of a Gibson SB450 bass
The SB series was an attempt to create a cheaper bass, probably a bad marketing decision by the company renowned for its quality. Mounting the control panel on the plastic plate rather than onto the body itself saved costs in production, but clearly the public did not approve as is attested by sales figures.

Interestingly enough, the 1972 catalogue only lists the available finishes as walnut and cherry, which it descibes as maple necked with a rosewood fingerboard. The body wood is not specified. 21 natural SB450s were shipped in 1972, and like the example above they had a maple neck, alder body and rosewood fingerboard. This configuration of woods, combined with the longer scale (and perhaps new style humbuckers) gives an instrument with real punch - far more so than its mahogany bodied cousins in the EB series.







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Thomastik-Infeld bass strings
Excite the senses!
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Flatwound bass strings
Perfect for that vintage tone
www.musiciansfriend.com

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new Gibson basses

Gibson SG Supreme bass
Gibson SG Supreme Bass

Natural finish

Gibson's classic dual-pickup, short scale, SG bass, has been updated with a beautiful AAA flame maple top and natural satin finish. With a slim neck for effortless playability, the SG Supreme AAA Maple bass is fast, powerful, and beautiful. A vintage-style TB Plus bass humbucker neck pickup coupled with a bass Mini-humbucker at the bridge delivers trademark tone. A real stunner.

Gibson SG bass
Gibson SG Reissue 4-String Bass

Heritage Cherry or Ebony finishes

Gibson's classic dual-pickup SG bass from the '60s is back! It has the 30-1/2' short scale of the original, as well as its slim, fast neck. Mahogany body and neck. It features a vintage-style TB Plus neck humbucker and a mini-humbucker at the bridge for wide tonal range. Includes hardshell case.

Epiphone Elitist EB-3 Bass Guitar
Epiphone Elitist EB-3 Bass Guitar

Cherry or Ebony finishes

The Elite series are instruments that approach custom shop perfection. They're made with premium woods, fitted with American pickups and circuitry -- even American-made toggle switches and Grover tuners. They are made at a special factory exclusively devoted to their manufacture where they receive a high degree of hands-on luthier attention. The EB-3 is a bass classic, made famous by Jack Bruce, with its SG-style body in bookmatched mahogany, a 30-1/2'-scale neck, a USA humbucker at the neck, and USA mini-humbucker at the bridge.

Epiphone EB-0 Bass Guitar
Epiphone EB-0 Bass

Cherry or Ebony finishes

Authorized by Gibson, Epiphone has brought back a classic of the early '60s. Based on the SG, this guitar-sized (30-1/2' scale) bass is a great axe for anyone not quite large enough for a full-size bass. Though small and light, its sound is huge, and full-size people can play it too.