Gibson Bass Guitar Advertisements

The Advertisements here are scans of original Gibson promotional material, from magazines from the 1960s onwards. If you have any other Advertisements that you would like to see here, both older and newer, please email them to me!

Revelation in Rhythm
1954 Gibson advert for the new EB (electric bass) bass guitar, and the GA-90 amp. Featuring Dave Reiser, of the Reiser Brothers Trio.

Leading combos, western and country groups are featuring a "new sound" . . . the Gibson electric bass. Gibson's renowned electronic department is proud of this instrumental innovation, heralded for its deep, sustaining tones, lightning fast action and ease of handling. Teamed with the new Gibson GA-90 Hi-Fi Amplifier, with six speakers, here's really a "revelation in rhythm".

People Change To But Never From Gibson
1967 Selmer advert for the Gibson EB2 bass, ES330, ES345 thinline electrics, and the S.J.N. acoustic. This British advert features the Gibson EB2 Bass as a background although it is not mentioned in the text. Selmer distributed Gibson guitars in the UK in the 60s and 70s.

Your Long Lean Mother Is Comin' Back To You
1970 Gibson advert for the newly relaunched EB1 bass

There was an upsurge of interest in the late 1960s in the EB1 bass; plaers such as Felix Pappalardi

Jack Bruce basses his sound on Gibson
Early seventies (1972) Gibson advert featuring Jack Bruce. Despite Jack ironically playing an early 1960s EB3 bass, the text proclaims "The old ways are over". It mentions some of Jacks later bands; Larry Coryell, and West, Bruce and Laing but fails to mention the bass itself! 1972 was not a year of particular inovation for Gibson, but the new Ripper and Grabber basses were just around the corner, pehaps explaining the adverts claims.

The old ways are over. And Gibson basses are molding a whole new band of musicians for the new sound of music. Today, the bass player is up front sharing the spotlight with the most reknowned lead guitarists.

The sounds of tomorrow for todays music
1972 double page Gibson advert for the newly designed Les Paul Bass - now dubbed the Triumph. It appeared in the April 1972 edition of Guitar Player and uses the same picture and text as used previously in the 1971 Gibson Low Impedance catalogue. The text refers to the free flexi disc that came with the '71 catalogue - it also came with this magazine, but is rarely still attached.

Show us a man whos's too good for a Gibson Les Paul
UK ad for the Les Paul Triumph bass and Les Paul Recording guitar. The add was produced by Selmer who were the British distributors of Gibson Instruments.

The Ripper. Designed to rip your ears off
1974 Gibson advert featuring a prototype Gibson Ripper. This double page add appeared in the January 1974 edition of Guitar Player (see the single page Ripper advert here, and shows a prototype (or at least very early variant) of the Ripper with a smaller Rickenbacker-like pickguard (only one pickup is mounted in it), 2 EB style humbuckers (maybe not, see below) with surrounds and no bridge cover (also no strung through body?). If this guitar was ever commercially available, it is certainly incredibly rare.

"The Gibson Grabber - We don't prmoise you fantasies".
A 1974 advertisement for the Gibson Grabber. The bass featured is an interesting model, with very red tortoiseshell pickguard, and the engraved bridge cover positioned upside down (presumably to allow the Gibson logo to be the correct way round for the photograph). This advert (as was the grabber itself, with its bolt-on neck, and alder or maple Fenderesque body shape) was clearly aimed at the Fender buying market, acknowledging that Gibson basses are not your favourite!

The mark of any great bass lies in the low E, F and G. This is where most basses fall short. But the Grabber sounds as clean and clear in the low E as it does in the highest D. And it plays perfectly at both ends of the neck too. Compare it to your favourite bass. You'll see what we mean.

Try Gibson for a change of bass
A mid seventies (1977) advert featuring the Gibson Ripper and the Gibson G3 bass.

Sometimes it pays not to follow tradition. We didn't when we designed our new basses. We just followed the advice of every good bass player we could find. As a result we've satisfied the best - the Doobie Brothers, Chicago, Jack Bruce, the Electric Light Orchestra, Elton John's band Greg Lake and so on.

It Sounds Like Peter Ceteras Playing A Lot Of Basses
Late 1977 advert for the Gibson Ripper featuring Peter Cetera of the band Chicago; the same photoset was used on the cover of the 1975 Gibson bass catalogue

If the Gibson Ripper that Peter plays had just one sound, it would be an excellent bass. But, the Ripper is loaded with excellent sounds. The Q System tunes and fine tunes the electronics from funky fundamental tones to rich, raunchy sounds—right on your cue. Just turn the four position transfer switch and tune the midrange and treble roll-off controls. The Super Humbuckers sound especially superb, because we matched their sensitive electronics with the Q System's special electronics.

Gibson Guitars. To the Tune of $399 and Up
Before the 1970s, Gibson had never been able to site low cost as a reason to buy a guitar. As markets changed they were forced launch a number of new budget instruments and market them aggressively. The Marauder guitar and Grabber bass were the entry level models

Gibson basses have been on their fair share of best sellers too. The Grabber, Ripper and G-3. Their sliding pickup, sound switching and fresh body styles deliver a rich range of sound. For a modest price range

There is no energy shortage
A 1979 advert for the RD artist guitar and bass

Active electronics supercharge the sound. Just half way up on the potentiometers puts you beyond where other guitars end. From that point on, there's a sense of power you've never felt before. And those pots are zero set, and calibrated to the exact ratio you dial, so both you and your RD perform with perfect precission.

There is no energy shortage
A 1979 advert for the RD artist guitar and bass. This advert for the RD series actually appeared on two consecutive pages. The top half, for the RD Artist guitar on the left, the RD Artist bass on the right

The Thrill of Victory
An early eighties advert featuring the Gibson Victory Artist bass.

This Gibson bass is designed to be number one, with sound unequaled on the stage. Or in the studio. Hold it back for light smooth jazz. Or rip it wide open to heavy rock. No matter how you play Victory, you'll look great doing it. Because new molded black pickups and a reshaped pickguard add extra class to the sleek Victory Standard or deluxe Artist model.

When a bass sounds this good, you just can't keep it to yourself.
A 1981 advert featuring the Gibson Victory Artist bass. This advert features a number of prominent bass players of the day: Dave Kiswiney (Ted Nugent), Dave Wolford , Dev Pegg (Jethro Tull), Ralphe Armstrong (John Mclaughlin) and Bob Moore.

When a bass gets down like the Gibson Victory, you've just got to spread the word. And the sound.

Gibson is Back to Bass-ics!
Eighties advert for four new Gibson bass guitars: 20:20. IV, V, and Q-80.

Hear the crack of lightning... and the boom of thunder with... new Gibson "thunder pickup series".