I sold off a few items recently in preparation for Christmas shopping (all guitar equipment: Rivera Amp, Axon Guitar Midi Controller, etc), and found myself making another impulse purchase.
I couldn't pass this one up, however. The bass is en route to me now all the way from Japan. Truthfully, I've had a very hard time finding info online about it. I know it's an Epiphone Newport Bass, manufactured sometime in the 70's in Japan after Epiphone moved their manufacturing operations there. I've never seen another lefty, and I don't believe Epiphone made any lefties in the 60's either. One of my bass idols, Colin Moulding of XTC, played a Newport on many of XTC's recordings, so it's been on my short list. It's not a true RI of the 60's model, however, since the pickup placement is much different than the original, which had a large mudbucker at the neck heel and sounds not unlike a Gibson EBO. I suspect the PUP setup on this bass, however, will prove to be much more versatile than the originals, and with the toaster PUP at the neck and the "Whatever it is" PUP at the bridge could put it in the ballpark of a Rick sound, I'm guessing.
Can't wait to give it a spin. in the meantime, if anyone can offer up any further info on these basses and/or Japanese-era Epiphones please let me know.
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