1989 G&L SB-2 Refinished?

[tbonesullivan]

I picked up this bass last summer from Elderly instruments. The ad is still up: http://elderly.com/vintage/items/55U-4712.htm

Basically it's a 1989 SB-2 in pretty good condition. Got some dingers but overall it's in great shape. I had it set up and a new nut put on (the old one was chipped/cracked, etc). Sounds great, and definitely gave me the P-Bass sound I was looking for.

The one big question about it is the color. It's a blue-purple-orange flip/flop color. It's not exactly a thick coat, and has chipped/scratched through in some places. Chips on the outside show a black coat underneath, and the scratch on the back shows and amber color, so the bass definitely started life as a sunburst SB-2. Any chance that G&L did the paint job, or was it aftermarket? It's definitely not a rattlecan job, that's for sure.

http://www.tbonesullivan.com/guitars/sb-2a.jpg

http://www.tbonesullivan.com/guitars/sb-2b.jpg

[darwinohm]

I would be surprised if it is original. This appears to be a "Chamelion" SP? type paint and I believe that they were not available until a later time. I remember when they were introduced, at least by Dupont, and it seems much later to me. I could be wrong. Yes, it would have been a professional application and not a spray can.-- Darwin

[tbonesullivan]

I remember when Gibson had the flip flop colors for a while. Definitely interesting. Of course, I bought it more for the fact that it's a G&L SB-2, rather than the flip flop color. that was just a bonus, though it does appear that there was not really any clear coat put over it. So, it scratches through relatively easily.

[Craig]

I remember when Gibson had the flip flop colors for a while. Definitely interesting. Of course, I bought it more for the fact that it's a G&L SB-2, rather than the flip flop color. that was just a bonus, though it does appear that there was not really any clear coat put over it. So, it scratches through relatively easily.

It looks similar to G&L's Electric Blue but they did not have that color available in 1989.
Since you say that it does not really have a clear coat on it, I will say that it is very
unlikely that it was done at the G&L Factory.

From the 1996-97 G&L Catalog:



Hope this helps.