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 CLEVINGER |
| MODEL DATING IDENTIFICATION |
| Here is information concerning production as well as the various brand names found on Clevinger electric double basses: 1981-1984: First Clevinger basses produced by Ace Industries in San Francisco, CA. The first run had glued neck joints with a black glossy or satin Krylon finish on the body, with transparent lacquer neck. By mid-1984, all production was switched to bolt-on necks with non- adjustable 4 bolt fastening system. Some custom colors were produced including aqua, white, custom '70's style van/motorcycle gas tank art motifs. All had clear lacquer on maple necks with grade A ebony fingerboards. A novel feature was the patented Delrin bridge with height adjusters, and Delrin bridge guard arched over the strings at the bridge. 1985: Incorporation of Ace Industries. Hostile investor group acquired controlling interest of the company, resulting in a lock-out of the founder, Martin Clevinger. After this period, R & D ceased on the model then in production and several hundred units were produced without expertise in the art. 1985-1987: in 1981-1985 resulted in the removal of the Clevinger name from basses produced by Able Tech, Inc. These instruments were identical to the original Clevinger basses but were labeled Solid Acoustic . Estimated number of several hundred were produced by rote at Able Tech, Inc, which foundered and was dissolved by 1989. 1986: Clevinger continued R & D and refining his bass designs solo. Clevinger licensed some new designs to Robert Lee Guitars. Instruments built during this time were branded: Clevinger by Robert Lee. The Clevinger Bassic and Deluxe, and Clevinger Jr. hybrid bass guitars in four-, five- and six-string models were produced, many with faux art marble finishes such as the Nathan East/Eric Clapton tour model. 1995: Martin Clevinger takes sales in-house, a re-newed effort in R & D spawned the final refinement of the pickups and electronics as well as the perfection of the model, neck dimensions, and other refinements. The marketplace had well-tested and voted by sales on the most popular models, and these became the main catalog items. Numerous variations including the curvaceous Clevinger Opus models with elegant scrolled headstock, were unveiled at the 1996 NAMM trade show. The Opus was in a variety of finishes, most notably the custom Eddie Van Halen model courtesy of Eddie Van Halen who furnished the art. 1997: The introduction of the ultra portable flight carry-on models: 34 in. scale Clevinger Bassboy X-Former, and the breakthrough nano-bass the 23 in. scale Clevinger Bassboy Poquito, which became a sensation with Afro-Cuban bands due to its tumbao forment. The amazingly portable full scale semi-acoustic Clevinger Bennett with full body length floating spruce top utilized special engineering so standard orchestra strings could be used on an amazingly short 52 in. portable. 1998: The introduction of the Clevinger Imperion MIDI system by RMC as well as the Wide 5 bass guitar available with optional MIDI and RMC pickups. Seymour Duncan extra wide pickups were custom made for these bass guitars. 1999: Introduced at the 1999 NAMM show was the sleek violin shaped Clevinger Concerto, offered in a variety of custom woods and finishes. Four-, five-, and six-string models available. The Clevinger Bennett was offered in a new five-string model. 2000: The Clevinger Solid Acoustic models were introduced that feature a semi-hollow, carved floating spruce soundboard, in the Deluxe and Concerto style. This has become the most popular model. This bass comes standard with the Arco Virtuoso bridge pickup (a piezo under each string) and the Clevinger Holosonic pickup for that sonic detail of the neck and body of the bass. |