LeftyBassist.com

Eastwood will be reissuing their Epiphone Newport Bass copy soon. I'm not sure if it will have 1 or 2 PUPs, as the description only states 1 EB humbucker, but the photo they've used shows a PUP cover positioned in the bridge area. Would be odd to include a bridge PUP cover and not include a PUP under it!

https://eastwoodguitars.com/collections ... rt-bass-lh

Found a sold listing for the original bass - selling price was $2782 (Canadian)! From what I can tell, the "pickup" cover was not for a second pickup; more cosmetic, and a palm rest if needed... Here's the link to the sold bass on Reverb... https://reverb.com/ca/item/9882672-epip ... -kalamazoo

Sonically, I see the Eastwood as an unnecessary reissue. The short scale mudbucker Epiphone Newport was essentially just a Gibson EBO in a different body. The really interesting solid body bass in the vintage Epiphone lineup was the Embassy (essentially a non-reverse Tbird IV in a different body).

I wish Epiphone would offer a lefty version of the recently issued Embassy Pro...that would be so much more desirable- long scale, Tbird pickups, etc... and priced at $399, vs. $599 for the Eastwood. I played a righty at Sam Ash recently and the build quality was really nice, certainly as good as what Eastwood does- and could easily drop in genuine Gibson electronics to upgrade if desired.

That Embassy is cool looking. Wishful thinking though, hoping for a lefty. Epi only offered lefty T-Birds for about 5 minutes.

There were 2 PUP Newports in the 60's, though they were referred to as the Newport Deluxe. Only 89 were made, according to this site, and interestingly enough, the bridge PUP was not covered by the cover, it was behind it:

http://www.flyguitars.com/epiphone/bass ... Deluxe.php

In the 70's/early 80's, Epiphone made MIJ Newports with 2 PUPs. I found a lefty years ago, (haven't seen another yet), and it's been nearly impossible to get further info on it. It's way different than the Newports of the 60's, very Rickish in sounds, so arguably more versatile/useful. The bass in this article/blog is mine (I took additional photos but can't find them right now):

http://guitarz.blogspot.com/2010/12/epi ... -bass.html

I don’t think that particular “cover” was ever designed to cover anything- it was always just a hand rest and was featured on multiple Gibson/ Epiphone bass models, many of which of course also had bridge covers- like your Japanese Epi Newport.

What a cool bass that Japanese Epi Newport is, I’ve seen several righty’s before...



...but yours is the the only lefty I’ve ever seen. I still remember it from years ago when it came up for sale (on eBay I think?), but somehow I missed getting it. Had to post a pic for ya: