TomRichards/LIXMUSICLLC Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 I just purchased off of Craigslist a Gibson 20/20 bass. Unfortunately I cannot find any old catalogs or spec sheets. This one has a broken tuner and may need body painting. Before I chew her up, I'ld love some information on the electronics system as well as anything else anyone knows. So, help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abaddon Posted March 26, 2012 Share Posted March 26, 2012 Here's something that might help.http://www.flyguitars.com/gibson/bass/20-20.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards/LIXMUSICLLC Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 Thanks. Been to this a ton of times. Some good info, and I'm in touch with FLy himself. I was hoping that someone from Gibson trolls the threads and could shed some light. Otherwise, I'll call Ned when he gets back from MusicMesse. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Thanks. Been to this a ton of times. Some good info, and I'm in touch with FLy himself. I was hoping that someone from Gibson trolls the threads and could shed some light. Otherwise, I'll call Ned when he gets back from MusicMesse. Thanks again! Hi, I have both colors, Ferrari Red & Luna Silver, (to my wife's dismay!) I have most info available on them, I'll post it in a few days. Walter Carter thought that only 12 were made, the concensus on the Last Bass Outpost is that there are less than 100. If you search for Gibson 20/20 on ebay, a few advertisements pop up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 Cool looking basses. How do they play & sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Cool looking basses. How do they play & sound? They have a cool baseball bat neck, the balance is good. The sound is a bit thin for some tastes. It has active pickups. This catalogs binding cracked when I opened it, ouch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramone57 Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I'd email Gibson customer service and ask them for a schematic. they've always been helpful in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards/LIXMUSICLLC Posted April 9, 2012 Author Share Posted April 9, 2012 Bass arrived! Paid $400 and sort of pissed I did. Its in bad shape. Fixable but bad. It had a toggle wired in, and the input jack is broken. One tuner is bent an missing the knob but Roger at Sperzel is fixing me up best they can. The bass will live again. Today I disassembled her and cleaned everything. This was covered in dirt. Thanks to a pic on FlyGuy's website I have a wiring picture, so I can restore it.. I'll post pix soon. Can one of you call me at 732-966-3385? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Most of the circuit is built in the pickups, leaving only a battery in line & the normal pots, etc... Parts are kind of hard to come by on these, I've been keeping my eye open for another neck. Pickups seem to show up on eBay fairly often even though most sellers don't know what they are for. I've contacted Jules at Fly Guitars also, the serial numbers on his & the two of mine are within five numbers! He & I have two of the few Ferrari Red 20/20's I've been able to locate. I've seen a total of four posted on the internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards/LIXMUSICLLC Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Here is an update: Tried to rewire it back to normal per the picture on Fly's website. I think I have it right but now can't tell if the pickups are functioning correctly. It is serial number 83417683 Ferrari Red (well used to be, but the paint is really bad) The Steinberger signature and 20/20 on the upper horn are still decent. The pickguard has a hole in it for an afternarket toggle and the corner by the upper horn is broken off. I had to replace every screw on the pickguard as well as all the hunbucker screws and springs. It was missing all the springs and the screw heads were stripped. All the tuners work. Thanks to Roger at Sperzel, I have replacement spacers and knobs on the way, so the tuners, once I straighten the one post, will all be back to good function. I'm on the fence with painting this, as the paint is really bad. I'm still glad I rescued her from some guy in Baja Mexico, but I might go onto the PayPal and dispute the charge. tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRichards/LIXMUSICLLC Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Hey grog, if you get a chance email me at tom@apintl.com or call me at 732-966-3385. Also, if you have it, can you fire me Fly's contact info? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salty2020 Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 So I just stumbled across a Luna Silver 2020 and picked it up - it is impossible to find info on this thing - any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 The Gibson 20/20 is a very rare bass, designed by Ned Steinberger after Gibson acquired his company. They weren’t very popular & not many were made. Members of “The Last Bass Outpost” blog have discussed this bass in great detail. Several of us own them. We believe that somewhere between 50 & 100 were produced. I think it’s closer to 50. Also, “The Gibson Bass Book” written by a member of the Last Bass Outpost is an excellent source of info on this bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bagodonuts Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 I used to work for Gibson at the Nashville plant for a long time. After the 2010 flood while we were cleaning/rebuilding the plant, we found one of these stashed up in the ceiling tiles above the maintenance shop! Crazy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grog Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 I had never seen one before, (like most people!). I run into one in a local pawn shop. After a while it started to grow on me in an odd way. I went to pick it up and was told that it was just purchased by Beck’s road manager. It was quite a while before I would run into another one that I would eventually buy. Justin Meldal-Johnsen years later sold some of his basses on eBay, his 20/20 was in the lot. I asked another ex Gibson employee (Randy Lenard?) on another forum if he remembered it. He said that it came and went like a flavor of the month without much interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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