EB-0

[Oster]

My '66 Gibson EB-0 and I are just getting used to each other. I put some GHS Precision flatwounds on it and did a little cleaning here and there but all in all the years have been kind to this vintage bass. Someone along the line installed a passive preamp boost which, when that humbucker is wide open, is a cone fryer. Use with caution! I'm already sold on these basses, being a big fan of Jack Bruce and Live Dead-era Phil Lesh. Suits the kind of music I play and, personally, I think Gibson had the coolest looking basses out of anyone. The frets have next to nil wear, probably because it was strung with flats more often than not. The neck is nice and narrow at the nut and, truth be told, there is a dead spot (E string - 3rd Fret) but all in all the play and tone is formidable. I currently gig with a 100W Roland Super Bass Cube but this baby is just begging for an SVT (Ever notice how that last thing you swear you'll buy always leads to some other thing?). I love this bass.

[Core]

Glad you're pleased with it , Oster. There is a "certain something" about Gibson basses, I agree.

Has the EB-0 taken the place of your Dano?

[Oster]

Thanks, Core! My EB-0 was quite affordable and in great shape. Vintage basses in general still seem to be attainable pricewise (or at least on par with brand new 5-stringers) unlike the vintage guitars market which has far surpassed new product in terms of cost. I was expecting an old wreck at the price I paid but what I got was a very well-cared-for older bass that had been 'intelligently' modded (preamp) and had had its headstock only superficially cracked and professionally repaired. I really got lucky.

The Danelectro had to go in order to offset the cost of the Gibson. A shame since that little bargain bass was a real pleasant surprise. Not without its faults mind you (lots of dead spots up and down the neck, noisy pickups, shaky construction - playing unplugged you'd get a lot of hums and rattles all over it plus it had the worst tuners ever used on a bass) but for the price a real bargain with a truly distinctive sound. Actually, come to think of it, that Dano was a collection of many faults that, put together, made a very convincing contender! Cool design.

The bridge style for my '66 has separate adjustable white nylon saddles similar to the type used on Gibson's electric guitars in the '60s, rather than the 'bar bridge' style more commonly seen. It also has the flip-mute which I definately appreciate - all the better to approximate ca. '67 Paul!

[cvansickle]

I've got the Epi version of this bass, from the early 2000s. Bought it used off eBay in 2003. I wanted a bass for home recordings, and to have one on hand for jamming with guests. I was going through a major Free jones at the time, and I wanted a bass that looked like Andy Fraser's.

Sure, I know it's not the same bass, with its bolt on neck and all, but I needed a cheap bass that was easy to play, and the EB-0's short scale was perfect for me (I'm a Les Paul player mostly). I run it through a small Hartke combo.

I found the original Epi pickup to be too muddy, no matter what amp I played. I replaced it with a Dimarzio, and that pickup gives the bass lots of PUNCH! One other upgrade, I just added a Fender thumb rest to it, up by the bridge. Now, I can rest on either the neck pickup or rhe thumbrest, and get a decent variety of tone.

[Oster]

Yep, those EB-0s are muddy! That's definitely part of their charm, though.

I was thinking of getting one of those Epi bolt-ons as a backup or as a stress-free gig bass. The price is right, that's for sure.

I find my EB-0 is a great character bass. Not really a great all-arounder (that honour goes to my Squier Jazz) - but the sound you can get out of an EB-0 - or the Epi - simply cannot be duplicated by any other bass.

It's a rumbling thunder machine.