Gene Simmons’ Legendary Lobue BASS disappeared in 1977 - NOW IT’S BACK!!

A friend of mine has recreated the legendary Lobue Custom Bass that Gene Simmons lost in 1977. This bass IS the classic Gene Simmons bass sound! Having played and listened to this bass it is more than likely that this is the bass (model) he recorded most of the classic Kiss albums with. This bass underwent many changes between 1973 and 1977, you can learn more about it on the excellent Axeology site:
axeology.com/G...
Gene Simmons used Ampeg SVT stacks live. I got the closest using a a 1965 Fender Showman 1x15' Tone Ring Cab Rig.

[@SteveOuimette]

What a tone! I've always used Gene's Alive tone as a benchmark for great rock bass and that Charlie LoBue bass is IT! Just incredible to see and hear it in that way, 100% Johann!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Steve! Glad you like it! I was thinking about the Electric Lady Studio touch ups of Alive 1. I appreciate your insights earlier. Do you know if the 4x12 they used only had greenbacks or if some of the speakers were changed for blackbacks? I know it’s unlikely that anyone would remember though. 😂

[@SteveOuimette]

@@JohanSegeborn Of course, Johan!!! So good! Those Marshall's were right on the tail end of the greenback to blackback era and my guess is they would have remained stock either way since they had enough cabs that the speakers wouldn't have blown. To me they sound like they could have been blackback's but man...I don't know. And my guess is nobody ever even opened up the cabinets back then, just used them.

[@marksguitars5617]

not sure why but my comments were deleted. I was saying that I worked at Alex Music after they took over Guitar Lab and some of Charlie's parts and people that worked with him were still there. I tried to post a website that details the history of LoBue. Paul Stanley had a black asymmetrical Flying V and a white double cutaway that Charlie made also, I believe both were stolen, Anyway, this bass looks and sounds dead on, cheers to the luthier! love your demo and playing Johan as always appreciate all that you do

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Mark! That’s weird I’m gonna check the filter and post your link if it’s there

[@bobjoe7508]

Holy crap, this is one of the best basses and bass rigs I've ever heard! It's been fun watching your channel for like 8 years now

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man! Glad to have you here!

[@justincase6151]

Gene's tone and Billy Sheehan's are my favorite. It always cuts through when it has to!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Love Billy’s tone and playing too. And he seems like a super nice guy!

[@nuitari666uzgurzmor6]

I had Billy‘s signature Ampeg bass preamp. Killer sound! Strong recomendation!

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

Two very different tones and players.

[@MusicStudent1]

Both Gene and Billy are masters of their instruments. Billy took it farther with his ability to play, Gene took the bass further in the entertainment direction; singing while playing.

[@Superchixxx]

Sounds awesome and yes, very Gene!!! Hope you've had a nice Summer

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend! Hope you’ve had a great one too!

[@chrispile3878]

Johan is having fun and sounding great!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, yeah an insane amount of fun! Cheers

[@richardbeck4193]

It rocks 🤘

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Richard!

[@riangarianga]

Not owning more than one bass (that I really don't play so often), my ear isn't so developed to distinguish many bass tones, but I can certainly appreciate this one was gorgeous! I love that it has a good amount of low-end thud, without losing clarity. Hopefully in the future you'll use it in another video, again with drums and also some guitars.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Great to hear that! It will definitely feature again

[@siegfriedwashburn3484]

Hi, Johan! The bass is awesome. Its very interesting to compare it to Cort Kiss series - "The Punisher" and "The Axe bass". Must be interesting. See you! Kiss forever! S.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Siegfried, great idea! See you!

[@Twobarpsi]

Sounds great Johan! It really is a short scale guitar! Very cool 😎🤘

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Yeah it has the attack of a long scale bass for sure

[@ac81017]

That's one hell of a sound!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks really good to hear that!

[@michaelplaysbass]

Amazing! What a neat project to undertake, and pretty stunning results. Awesome recording setup, Johan, and great aggressive pick playing; the sound is huge! Out of curiosity, what do the three knobs do? I assume one's volume, one's tone, but the third one is a mystery LOL. Also, HILARIOUS beach waterside scene in the end of this video! Great stuff all around, sir :D

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Michael! The third knob is actually disconnected. Gene did a lot of changes on this bass over the years and this version appeared in late 75. The Waterside scene is a actually a recreation of the the scene where the Knight (Max von Sydow) meets Death (Bengt Ekeroth) in Ingemar Bergmans 1959 movie ‘the Seventh Seal’. I’m actually at the exact recording location of that scene.

[@AlexanderShibilski]

😁 excellent video Johan!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Glad you like it Alexander!

[@jcwear89]

This sounds super cool - love it , it growls

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Glad to hear it

[@SCOTT-ki3ve]

Man that sounds so great. So big and beefy but clear and punchy. You dont even need guitar! I think thats really the best bass tone Ive ever heard, no exaggeration Makes me want to move the mudbucker on my SG bass to the bridge!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks, really good to hear that!

[@darrellminx5459]

Great video as always Johan. That is a killer bass. And you got it to come alive. Reminds me of a Fender jazz bass if it was high power. Cheers from Hawaii Darrell

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Darrell! Cheers!

[@emilrolof]

Nice, really impressive work building the bass and that rig sounds wonderful. I’ll definitely use an EVM-15L for bass recordings from now on. 😊

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks my friend!

[@tyremanguitars]

massive sound! I'm impressed.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Ben!

[@4stringz.]

I'm in love with that bass!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah it’s completely unique!

[@jahjah67]

Looks and sounds awesome. Love the video, Johan

[@nathanmuniz3495]

Sounds like Gene. Another great video.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Nathan!

[@sonijam]

COOL!!!!

[@LeStraTele]

Cool. I wanted one in 1976. I still want one now.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers!

[@JosephBag]

Sounds great!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Joseph!

[@massapower]

I'm hearing 100,000 years from the ALIVE BabY !! 😁🤟

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers! 🤘

[@holleyroberts6702]

I have the punisher but looking to do his spector from alive 2 I always wondered about this bass in the kiss early years thanks for sharing!!

[@klepetar]

awesome

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks!

[@jcoulter43]

Wow, that things sounds fantastic! Like a sonic knuckle-sandwich to the face 😃 So powerful and punchy. The only thing that would have made it better was some Ace-like Plexi riffage on top. Would love to see you lay down some LP Plexi tones over top of that. Great stuff! God bless and rock on 🎸👍😎

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks man, rock on you too!

[@tungtobak]

As a swede I naturally read the lost KISS BAJS on the thumbnail.

[@danielktdoranie]

Explain to those of us who are not Swedish speakers?

[@crflores76]

Really great tones, thanks for share… Hey johan you are a really “great influencer”… today I saw the Gibson announcement of new eb-0 Gene Simmons’s signature bass…. So quickly…. 😂😂😂

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Yeah I’ve been lobbying for that earlier too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/inu3kmB3f66khNk Would be super cool if they saw my videos!

[@crflores76]

@@JohanSegeborn jajaja, i saw too….👏👏👏👏

[@sandorbronn1661]

KIck-axe, bro!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers!

[@benthompson9349]

Assuming that's an ordinary Gibson-style mudbucker, I'm ASTOUNDED at how good that sounds in bridge position! Genuinely nailed that tone, well done.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Ben! It is indeed an ordinary Gibson mud bucker so it’s really dark and middy compared to other pickups even in the bridge position so it needs to be paired with a potentially super bright rig like the Showman

[@jasondorsey7110]

​@@JohanSegebornWhen I use my '71 super bassman, I always run it through the guitar input, basses sound better through that than the proper bass input, no clue though as to why that is

[@DMSProduktions]

These WERE best suited TO the bridge position, as they were overwound and super dark! I had an EB3 with 1 in the neck and it was useless, so I had a bass cut added to it and it thinned it out nicely! But IN the bridge position they are just dark enough, and has enough thump without being too bright! Billy Sheehan does use DM buckers like these in the bridge posi of his Yammy basses!

[@DMSProduktions]

@@jasondorsey7110 Filtering!

[@benthompson9349]

​@@DMSProduktionsBilly doesn't use bridge pickups - he originally used a Gibson mudbucker at the neck but now uses a DiMarzio or Yamaha version.

[@-k-b-]

That tone is insane!!! Also wait so the head is an 8ohm going into a 4 ohm cab with an attenuator? This has been something I've been having trouble with when trying to find heads for my cab (which is a Sunn 4ohm 1x18)

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! No it’s an impedance matcher not an attenuatior. This is running at full volume 😃

[@jamiegustkey2573]

@ 3:50 I so wanted a third camera shot of you with a Les Paul going for the solo bouncing it off your hip… maybe a little smoke… 👏🏻😁 Thats great Johan!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Jamie! 😉

[@JasonVoorhees1946_]

Woow 😊

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers!

[@onlyfromadistance7326]

KISS ARMY FOREVER!!!

[@JohanSegeborn]

🤘

[@bimlenbamlen6289]

This made me so happy! Takk!

[@Juanhellou]

Got tag, Johan! Non related: Did you pay a little homage to The Seventh Seal at the end? Regarding the base, it sounds amazing and I believe it captures the essence of the first three albums as well. That Eb hint during the 100,000 years riff was pure bliss. If a beginner wanted to recreate such sound, what gear would you suggest? Tak!

[@llnn5112]

Great tone!!! What kind of overdrive are you using ?

[@stefftrim]

Nice "Deuce" baseline, Johan. Gene Simmons played guitar in the beginning as teenager. I believe you made a really great impression. From '75 and on Ace played bass on pretty much all songs, written by him. Try to listen to Dynasty or Unmasked where Anton Fig was drummer, Ace played bass; take the bass line on "Torpedo Girl" in the beginning of the song. Ha' det bra, Johan

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Steffen! Interesting about Ace. Killer bas playing on his 78 solo album too!

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

He had a heavily modded Gibson EB-O bass. Thought to be a prototype. The Humbucker pick up was moved from the neck position closer to Bridge. It had A fender type rounded bridge cover. A Frankenbass.

[@phildem414]

Is the pickup a stock mudbucker ? This rocks, very underated basist IHMO The deep and vibrant ar the same time, unique sounding For the controls, volume-tone-dummy? STUNNING replica, 😍

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks! Yeah the third knob is disconnected

[@BenBenSings]

Anyone interested in getting an instrument that sounds as amazing as this and almost certainly plays better should check out Birdsong Basses. I’ve got three and play pretty heavily picked, melodically ambitious rock - the tone is nearly identical. 31” scale, full scale strings, passive pickups (one with a Dimarzio mud bucker type) - and it is ferocious. The builder, Scott Beckwith, is about the coolest guy on Earth (or at least in the United States!) - check them out. :)

[@KISSFanDan1995]

Some boutique guitar maker should make replicas of these and Paul’s Lobue offset Flying V.

[@eddieholmes3236]

Wow Johan, that is quite something! Do you know what wood they used?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Thanks Eddie! I think it’s mahogany

[@eddieholmes3236]

Thanks Johan!@@JohanSegeborn

[@jazon65]

Gene Simons sound 🤟🏻

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers! 🤘

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

He also played with a pick and used guitar amps at times for recordings.

[@nunoharris]

Hi. Whats the brand of strings that you are using? Thanks

[@trance9158]

Gene ran Sunn amps and cabs in those days.

[@shawngroover9003]

One would think that an SG bass would be a natural for Gene to own and use. OK, thought provoking time is over now. The Lobue bass is also a favorite here. Was it neck thru ?

[@rocknroll1973]

I don't like the look of the studio jtm. Wish they did it like the sv20h, the plexi look. You reckon it would be possible to swap the entire components of the studio jtm into the sv20h? Basically just swapping all the insides, putting the jtm into the sv20h box. And vice versa. Or not worth it?

[@corymorris6876]

Is there a way for the guys that built the bass to make more for people to buy?

[@RockBrutus]

Har en 1987x som jag tänke testa lirar in bas på. Har du tips på 12" element som låter mest Gene? Elle r rekommenderar du ett 15 istället?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Tjena! Jag tror antingen 15” eller flera 10”. EVM15 låter grymt. Gene använde ampeg så hans element var nog CTS, Eminence eller JBL

[@RockBrutus]

@@JohanSegeborn Nice, får kolla lite 15". Hitta ett på blocket ifrån Wharehouse G15C. Men kanske är för gitarr. Körde lite innan på mitt 2x12 med Celestion G12-30 ifrån 1980. Lät rätt bra. Var en som sålde ett Fender gjort av JBL 15" på blocket men är borta nu. Har du nån e-post?

[@mk773920ify]

I read an interview with Gene on e where he said he lent that bass to Micki Free and it either got damaged really bad or he just never got it back.

[@JONNIE_ROCKER]

👍👍🍺

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cheers!

[@phildem414]

Gibson listened to you it seems, they the just presented a replica of the modded gene simmos eb-0!

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah, I’m so glad they’re releasing that one! Cheers

[@grega07656]

Ampeg SVT has entered the chat: “Where am I? 🙁”

[@dennadagettliv4743]

Hej Johan! Hur kommer jag i kontakt med dig? Annat än i kommentarer på dina youtube klipp 😊

[@JohanSegeborn]

Tjena! Jag har [e-mail]

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

An (SG) EB-O modded bass. It wouldn’t sound like that where the pick up was originally placed! The grabber had the sliding pick up and brighter than other Gibson humbuckers.

[@JohanSegeborn]

I’ve only heard about an LP jr shaped EB-0. This one axeology.com/Gibson.html#EB0 Do you have any references for SG shaped one and which guitar amps he used?

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

@@JohanSegebornGene’s was shaped from an EBO and the pick up lowered from under the neck and closer to the bridge. The horns were sanded all the way down. It no longer looks like an EBO in any way shape or form. Total mod.

[@Yodelinthegully-d7r]

@@JohanSegebornI’ve done enough. I’m not doing all the heavy lifting. Search it like I did.

[@davidoglesby6771]

Short Scale aswell right?

[@JohanSegeborn]

Yeah indeed

[@davidoglesby6771]

Do you know if the Love Gun/Alive II ''Spector" Bass Is short scale aswell ? I love that bass to

[@DMSProduktions]

I don't think Gene HAD these basses until around '76! Prev pix show Gene using various Gibsons, mostly Rippers & Grabbers. He & Paul DID have matching BROWN Charly Lobue DC guitar & bass, but Paul's was stolen at a gig, probably at 1 of the loft parties in the Village in early '73!

[@JohanSegeborn]

He used it from the beginning in 73, bit it had lots of cosmetic and pickup changes. This version is from the fall of 75. You can read about it here: axeology.com/GENEindex.html

[@DMSProduktions]

@@JohanSegeborn Cool! C U ~ 40 mins! \m/

[@user-wn9wr9en7s]

That's charlie lobue not billy

[@DMSProduktions]

@@user-wn9wr9en7s I stand cockerected then!

[@philipdesailles5286]

PLEASE You will have to try out the new Friedman JEL Jake E. Lee 20 Watt Amplifier.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Cool, I’d be glad to demonstrate it!

[@nelsonsilvaapiolaza7516]

Deuce, 1000 years, parasite... what other song you play?

[@richsackett3423]

I don't understand why they would use the wrong bridge (like an Chinese Fender) on a project like that. It's the wrong sound.

[@JohanSegeborn]

Wrong bridge for what? After trying a couple of bridges throughout 73-75 Gene ended up putting a fender bridge in his bass in the autumn of 75. You can see the different versions here: axeology.com/LoBue.html#LoBue1976

[@richsackett3423]

@@JohanSegeborn Excellent! All the contemporary pictures I found had a very different bridge. I saw no examples with a plain stamped steel bridge. Really caught my attention in the video because as a bassist then also, it seemed unlikely it wouldn’t have at least been a Leo Quan, maybe a one piece version of the Alembic. Those Fender bridges have always been crap hence the lucrative cottage industry of aftermarket ones.

[@chrisquinn9104]

Isn’t ALIVE! A Gibson? No live appearances I could see until ‘76

[@kingjames8926]

It baffles me his bass is just gone lol someone knows what it actually is and worth so they gotta be hiding it lol. His real Loboe bass will shock us all when it appears.

[@GlennJimenez]

Love kiss. Hate the people.

[@MichaelSorensen-bl3ec]

Well, Gene and Paul I have no affection towards. More of an Ace/ Peter/Eric person. Still, I admire Gene's early bass playing, it had serious balls!

[@Steve-mp7by]

ugh a pick? yuck

[@allendulles2481]

Nice.