Howie Epstein

Currently in the posession of Tom Petty & The Hearbreakers bandmate Benmont Tench, as featured in this Instagram post by Tench.

tonight's other old friends #howiesgibson #prizepossession #thankyounateforthefender

Mentioned by Epstein in this August 2000 "Spotlight on a Heartbreaker" interview from the official Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers website.

It's a '55 Precision Bass. I've had it for along time. It's the best sounding. "I like it."

Featured in this October 2007 Hamer Fan Club Message Center forum post.

actually i sold this baby in june but the deal was not made finally. now i am happy about that circumstance.

it was one of two howie epsteins' hamer b4s, the other one is red, this one goldsparkle.

An earlier May 2007 forum post by the same user offers a certificate of authenticity for the gold bass, identifying it as a "Hamer Standard Bass" and revealing a serial number of 542121.

the story behind that bass is, howie borrowed a hamer bass from tom petersson and liked it that much, that he ordered two B4S after he returned tom's bass.

he ordered a red one and this goldsparkle.

the red one howie sold when he was still with us, the golden one he kept in his collection.

after his death the howie epstein collection was auctioned and i had luck to be able the grab the goldsparkle.

gerry

here is the original comment from the howie epstein estate:

the short scale 4 string was a special order from Hamer.

Tom Petersson (Cheap Trick) told me that Howie had borrowed his Hamer

short scale for a few months and then ordered 2 for himself. This was

the only one in his collection at the time of his death. It's in excellent condition,

and has its original hard shell case

More information about these basses can be found in this November 2011 The Last Bass Outpost forum post. The featured picture is now missing.

Here's a shot I just did of a pair of Hamer B4S short-scales....the rarer 4-string version of the more common 8-string and 12-string version Hamer builds.

These two were custom made for the late Howie Epstein, session player and producer, most known for being the longtime bassist with Tom Petty and the Heatbreakers.

These are different than the normal factory spec in that the neck profiles flares out to more of a Jazz/PBass profile at the body end, making finger play easier. The goldtop w/white EMGs is also custom bling. Mid-90s builds with SEQUENTIAL SN#s!!

Epstein owned seven or eight Hamers....8- an 12-strings, these two, some of the 90s Cruisebasses...also a black 8-string custom remake of an 80s Cruisebass with a set-neck. I also have his custom Cruisebass 4-string with 2TEK bridge, in a custom flipflop color close to a Sherwood Green w/matching headstock. Great bass.

There is some video footage of Howie in the studio playing the red one floating around.

Featured in this TalkBass.com forum post (which includes a photo).

I've got a Wal MK1 that was owned by Howie Epstein

Visible in this photo of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, which is featured on this page from the Elite Guitars website.

working in a "home" studio setup (Tom loved makeshift studios) recording with the late multi-instrumentalist / producer / singer and friend, Howie Epstein who is playing a vintage Danelectro Longhorn 4, and the fabulously talented Benmont Tench is on keyboards.

Howie can be seen holding a Gibson EB-2 in this photo.

Howie playing a Rickenbacker 330

One of Howie’s basses was an Ampeg Dan Armstrong bass, which would later be auctioned off by his estate.

According to the 1990 Musician Magazine article on Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Howie’s choice of amplifier was a Gallien-Kreuger head.

In an April 1990 issue of Musician, it is noted that Howie Epstein used the Soundcraft 2400 mixer in his home studio.

In a 1990 issue of Musician magazine, Howie Epstein's home studio is noted to include a Studer A827 24 Track Analog Tape Machine.

In an April 1990 interview featured in The Petty Archives, Howie Epstein mentioned using Rotosound RS66LD Swing Bass 45-105 strings on his Precision bass.