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Vintage Gordon Smith GS SG-Style Custom Bass Cherry

£699.00
Tax included
Gordon Smith  |  SKU: SH SG CUSTOM BASS

Delivery and Shipping

At Reidy's Home Of Music, we understand how important it is for you to receive your order in a timely and efficient manner. That's why we have put together this delivery information to provide you with all the details you need to know about our shipping process.

Shipping Options:

We offer a variety of shipping options to cater to your specific needs. Whether you need your guitar delivered quickly or prefer a more cost-effective option, we have you covered. Our shipping options include:

  • Our Standard Shipping: This is our most affordable shipping option, with delivery by express courier taking 1-3 business days , normally via DPD or DHL parcel. Currently FREE on orders of £399 or over and £6.95 for orders under £399
  • Next working day Shipping: If you need your guitar in a hurry, our Next Working Day shipping option means next working day delivery if you order before 2pm. Currently £12.99. (please note, working day means Monday-Friday , excluding bank holidays  - Orders placed before 2pm Friday will be delivered Monday. Orders placed after 2pm Friday would shipped on Monday, delivered Tuesday.) * Please Note: Next Working Day option is not available on some items , check delivery options at the checkout.
  • Shipping to Northern Ireland - can take 48 hours to arrive , and please note we can't send very heavy items such as pianos to Northern Ireland due to courier restrictions. £19.99

Shipping Costs:

Shipping costs will vary depending on the shipping option you choose and your location. During the checkout process, you will be able to see the shipping costs associated with your order before making a payment.

Tracking Your Order:

Once your order has been shipped, we will provide you with a tracking number. This allows you to easily track the progress of your delivery and know exactly when to expect your new guitar.

Delivery Timeframes:

The standard delivery timeframes mentioned above are estimates and may vary depending on factors such as your location and any unforeseen circumstances. However, we strive to ensure that your order is delivered to you as quickly as possible.

Customer Support:

Got Questions ? Get in touch and we'll be happy to help!

 

Thank you for choosing Reidy's Home Of Music. We look forward to delivering your new guitar to you soon!

Description

We are incredibly proud to present an absolute holy grail of British luthiery: a 100% original, early-production Gordon Smith GS Bass. While vintage Gordon Smith six-string guitars have long been heralded as the ultimate workingman's rock machines, their early basses are virtually mythical. Built entirely by hand in tiny, sporadic batches by company founders Gordon Whitham and John Smith, these bench-made instruments were almost never mass-produced. Finding a fully intact, un-modified example from the original Partington workshop near Manchester is a major event for collectors and serious players alike.
Founded in 1974, Gordon Smith Guitars is the longest-running British guitar manufacturer. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the company operated out of a modest, unassuming workshop in Partington. Every single instrument from this foundational era was crafted using traditional wood-carving tools and hand-guided machinery long before the introduction of automated factory lines.
The serial number on this instrument, 04781, follows the historic Gordon Smith dating system. The initial digits indicate that the primary wooden body components were hand-stamped during a production block in April 1978. As was highly common with these bespoke, low-volume bass builds, the instrument was final-assembled, wired, and released from the workshop between 1978 and 1981. This bass represents the absolute peak of the company's early boutique experimentation.
Design & Construction Details
  • Premium Tonewoods: The body is carved from a solid piece of high-grade mahogany, sharing a similar design philosophy, thin profile, and lightweight feel to a classic vintage Gibson double-cutaway. It balances exceptionally well on a strap and sits at a highly comfortable gigging weight of approximately 8 lbs.
  • Neck Profile: Features a rock-solid fixed mahogany set-neck with a remarkably slim, shallow profile that accommodates incredibly fast, low-action playing. The neck is topped with a dark rosewood fingerboard fitted with durable, chunky frets that show excellent life.
  • Translucent Cherry Finish: The body is finished in the company's iconic, highly breathable Translucent Cherry Red lacquer. This thin satin/gloss finish allows the beautiful natural grain of the solid mahogany timber to show through prominently under the light.
Electronics & Hardware
  • Original Resin-Encapsulated Pickups: This bass features its original, hand-wound Gordon Smith humbucking pickups. Rather than utilizing mass-produced commercial plastic covers, the founders wound these coils in-house and poured a dark charcoal-grey epoxy resin directly over them to seal the electronics. These original "black box" pickups produce a deep, punching, high-output voice that is impossible to replicate with modern off-the-shelf replacements.
  • Advanced Four-Knob Tone Circuit: While the standard Gordon Smith catalog favored minimalist, stripped-back controls, this boutique bass was built with a sophisticated four-knob electronics layout. Drawing inspiration from high-end custom electronics of the late '70s, the configuration features a Master Volume alongside dedicated Bass, Middle, and Treble controls, giving the player immense tone-shaping versatility right from the instrument.
  • Period Hardware: The bass is fitted with its heavy-duty original bridge and premium open-back tuning machines, ensuring superb tuning stability and exceptional natural acoustic resonance.
Specifications
  • Brand: Gordon Smith Guitars (UK)
  • Model: GS Bass
  • Year of Origin: c. 1978 – 1981
  • Serial Number: 04781
  • Production Location: Partington, Manchester, UK
  • Finish: Translucent Cherry Red
  • Body Wood: Solid Mahogany
  • Neck Wood: Mahogany (Set-Neck construction)
  • Fretboard: Selected Rosewood
  • Pickups: 2x Original Hand-Wound Resin-Sealed GS Humbuckers
  • Controls: Master Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble

Payment & Security

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Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.

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Gordon Smith

Vintage Gordon Smith GS SG-Style Custom Bass Cherry

£699.00
We are incredibly proud to present an absolute holy grail of British luthiery: a 100% original, early-production Gordon Smith GS Bass. While vintage Gordon Smith six-string guitars have long been heralded as the ultimate workingman's rock machines, their early basses are virtually mythical. Built entirely by hand in tiny, sporadic batches by company founders Gordon Whitham and John Smith, these bench-made instruments were almost never mass-produced. Finding a fully intact, un-modified example from the original Partington workshop near Manchester is a major event for collectors and serious players alike.
Founded in 1974, Gordon Smith Guitars is the longest-running British guitar manufacturer. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the company operated out of a modest, unassuming workshop in Partington. Every single instrument from this foundational era was crafted using traditional wood-carving tools and hand-guided machinery long before the introduction of automated factory lines.
The serial number on this instrument, 04781, follows the historic Gordon Smith dating system. The initial digits indicate that the primary wooden body components were hand-stamped during a production block in April 1978. As was highly common with these bespoke, low-volume bass builds, the instrument was final-assembled, wired, and released from the workshop between 1978 and 1981. This bass represents the absolute peak of the company's early boutique experimentation.
Design & Construction Details
Electronics & Hardware
Specifications
View product