Vintage 19667 LaBaye 2x4 XII - 12-string solidbody

guitarz.blogspot.com:

As if the LaBaye 2x4 guitar wasn't enough of a rarity, along comes a 12-string version!

Currently listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of US $2,100.

G L Wilson

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So... the LaBaye 2x4 longscale bass - is it really as rare as we thought?

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Well, that was a pretty weird coincidence... Earlier today I posted about the supposedly super-rare LaBaye 2x4 longscale bass, then today I check eBay and - Lo! and behold! There's another one for sale on there! This example, in natural finish, has a Buy It Now price of $2,500 which is $2,000 less than the first example we looked at. In this instance the seller claims that there were only 45 examples made, which although a low quantity is considerably more than the lone two examples that we have previously been led to believe were built. Having said that, the seller of THIS 2x4 bass does not say if those 45 were all long scale (31" apparently) or if that figure includes the more commonly seen short scale basses. However, IF the latter were true, and there were only TWO of these basses made in longscale format, how weird would that be if BOTH of them were listed on eBay within days of one another?

Does anyone out there have a more complete and accurate picture of what the truth was regarding how many LaBaye 2x4s were made?

G L Wilson

© 2013, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - the blog that goes all the way to 11!
Please read our photo and content policy.

Proof that it really exists! The LaBaye 2x4 LONGSCALE bass...

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Now here's a bass that was only ever rumoured to exist; it's a longscale version of the now legendary LaBaye 2x4 bass. I'm so excited to have found proof that it actually does exist. Legend has it that one "one or two" were made, most of the 2x4 basses being very short scale.

We've previously looked at the LaBaye shortscale bass here and the six string guitar here and here.

The LaBaye 2x4 guitars and basses were a relation of the Wurlitzer-branded guitars, built in the same Holman-Woodell factory in Neodesha, Kansas in 1967, .

Currently listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $4,500.

EDIT: Re-listed with a Buy It Now price of $3,500 (14 July 2013)

G L Wilson

© 2013, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - the blog that goes all the way to 11!
Please read our photo and content policy.

LaBaye 2 By 4 "Six"

guitarz.blogspot.com:

Here's a LaBaye 2X4 "Six" guitar - a rarity that I've not seen turn up on eBay before (other than the short-scale bass version).

LaBaye 2x4 guitars were produced in the Holman-Woodell factory in Neodesha, Kansas in 1967, and share features and hardware with the Wurlitzer-branded guitars that were built in the same factory. The guitar is so-called because it is modelled after a 2-by-4 plank with a neck attached to it. Controls are positioned on the top edge of the guitar except for the pickup selector on the guitar models situated on the bottom edge where it is very easy to inadvertantly knock and change the pickup selection. Short-scale bass, guitar and 12-string versions were all produced plus allegedly one or two long-scale basses, but none were successful and production ceased within a year.

This particular example looks to be well-used and is being sold "as is". The auction has started with a low price, and it'll be interesting to see what this eventually sells for. The action does look a little high. Maybe Devo's Bob Mothersbaugh should buy it as a back-up guitar for the one he uses on "Smart Patrol/Mr DNA". I don't think the guitar's action is very important on that "solo"!

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

The best anti-guitar solo ever?

guitarz.blogspot.com:

This is one of my favourites; it's the antithesis of a guitar solo. Check out Bob Mothersbaugh on the LaBaye 2X4 on the 2nd part of this song.

G L Wilson

© 2011, Guitarz - The Original Guitar Blog - now in its 10th year!

LaBaye 2x4 bass

guitarz.blogspot.com:

This one is rarer than rocking horse manure. It's a LaBaye 2x4 bass, and it's on eBay right now. Seriously, these hardly ever come up for sale. When was the last time you saw one?

For those not in the know, LaBaye 2x4 guitars were produced in the Holman-Woodell factory in Neodesha, Kansas in 1967, and share features and hardware with the Wurlitzer-branded guitars that were built in the same factory. The guitar is so called because it is modeled after a 2-by-4 plank with a neck attached to it. Controls are positioned on the top edge of the guitar except for the pickup selector on the guitar models situated on the bottom edge where it is very easy to inadvertantly knock and change the pickup selection. (The bass only has a single pickup and therefor no selector switch. However, for some reason it has two tone controls, which is peculiar.) Short-scale bass, guitar and 12-string versions were all produced plus allegedly one or two long-scale basses, but none were successful and production ceased within a year. The only notable player is Devo's Bob Mothersbaugh who uses a LaBaye guitar live on the solo to "Mr DNA" in which he causes all the strings to break by pulling up on the vibrato arm.

G L Wilson

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