Why no love for SG style basses..ESP in particular?

[Blackjax]

You can get an SG style bass with a 34" scale. My Viper does, the Epi EB-3 does.

[jason1980's]

What about the EB-3 5 string basses? I used to have one, also there was a Les Paul 5 string bass with the same pickups and basically same all around design even down to neck and string width, electronics configuration, etc.

But what are your opinions on the EB-3 5 string?

[SBsoundguy]

The shape is nice but i'm not a fan of mudbuckers.

[bumperbass]

The neck dive has to be very bad with the 5 string version.
The EB's have the strap button on the rear heel of the neck, too. I can't do that.
The ESP looks nice. But I don't want active.

[Mikio]

I wish Gibson made a regular scale SG, like the Epiphone model they offer, that's pretty cool. Same with the Les Paul basses.. I really like the Epiphone better, but Gibson is stuck with pre 80s stuff or so it seems.

[jason1980's]

Originally Posted by bumperbass

The neck dive has to be very bad with the 5 string version.
The EB's have the strap button on the rear heel of the neck, too. I can't do that.
The ESP looks nice. But I don't want active.

Yeah I really hated the strap button on the rear heel. Alot of people would consider this a crime but I changed that configuration pretty quick by drilling a tiny pilot hole then inserting the screw and strap button right at the end of the flare on the body where strap buttons are traditionally on Fenders and such. It actually worked out great but the pickups were way too weak for my taste, I couldn't get anything soundwise out of that bass that I wanted.

My friend has an ESP Viper 305 5-string and I wouldn't see why anybody would frown upon that bass, at least from my perspective. I am not into actives either, but from the active side of things the bass really wasn't that bad at all, really decent sound considering the pickups ESP put in that bass when it was produced, I don't believe they were the highest quality top of the line EMG's. It was made pretty well too, I don't have much of anything negative to say about it.

[bumperbass]

I wouldn't necessarily rule out an Epiphone EB-3, but don't you think they could lighten the neck up a bit? My thought is, they could make the neck out of maple and make the SG shape a little bigger, which wouldn't hurt the looks that bad....might even be nice, and might make the bass balance better. The Les Paul bass Gibson makes is larger than the guitar version, and it looks OK. After all, it's a bass. Strats aren't as large as Precisions, either, so there ya go.
Sometimes I wonder where Gibson's head is. Wish I could try out one of the new EB's, but they look too much like the Mosrite. Maybe they'll grow on me.

[Sid Fang]

Way back when I was a teenager first learning to play, I had a good buddy who had a matched brace of 60's vintage mahogany Gibsons, SG and EB-3. The guitar was fabulous, one of the finer Gibson necks I've ever played. But I couldn't stand the bass. Easy to finger with the short scale, but it didn't balance well, and I never liked the sound of the thing. It put me off EB-series basses altogether. If it's gotta be a Gibson, give me a Thunderbird!

[darkstorm]

The esp viper version looks clunky and awkward compared to gibson/epiphone sg shape imo. The neck diving issue and bad sound qaulity of the gibson/epi pups is other reason for not liking them myself. The odd pup size also makes replacement choices for pups very very few.

[hibachiduck]

They look weird to me for bass. I'd rather play this bad boy:

[Tanner5382]

Is the current Gibson SG bass out of the question?

[two fingers]

Well, OP, I just read your first post three times to make sure I read it correctly. It goes kind of like this.

"Why don't you guys like Bass X?

I understand why you don't like this part.

And that part of them really annoys me.

And this thing always bothered me.

And this version is way too expensive.

And this version is too short.

And that version neck dives.

And the other version feels cheap.

And that version sounds like crap with active pickups.

And the other really expensive version is even more way too expensive."


Heck, even if I DID like them BEFORE I read your post, I don't NOW. Ha! You pretty much GAVE me reasons to NOT like them.

Here's a question. What DO you like about them?

[Basshappi]

My very first bass was a SG-shaped Kay. Despite how terrible it was(not because of the shape, this was back in the days when "inexpensive"= "bad"). But I have always had a soft spot for the shape. I have wanted to have an EB-3 but being a lefty and the rise in prices due to the "vintage" craze put them out of my reach.

However, this year Gibson has decided to do a run of lefties and the SG bass is at a very reasonable price. So I will finally be able to add one to my stable (and if I am insanely lucky maybe a Thunderbird too! :dreams: )

[MAJOR METAL]

I think the EB-3 is a pretty cool body shape. It could be well served adding some F holes to it.

[bumperbass]

Originally Posted by two fingers

Well, OP, I just read your first post three times to make sure I read it correctly. It goes kind of like this.

"Why don't you guys like Bass X?

I understand why you don't like this part.

And that part of them really annoys me.

And this thing always bothered me.

And this version is way too expensive.

And this version is too short.

And that version neck dives.

And the other version feels cheap.

And that version sounds like crap with active pickups.

And the other really expensive version is even more way too expensive."


Heck, even if I DID like them BEFORE I read your post, I don't NOW. Ha! You pretty much GAVE me reasons to NOT like them.

Here's a question. What DO you like about them?

The Gibson EB-3 was my first bass..about 1967-68, I can't remember exactly. I should have never sold it. Although it was a muddy sounding thing, through a 215 cabinet, it fit in with the soul band (with 3 horn players) I was in perfectly. I got a nice thump out of it and it was easy to play. I have always loved the shape. After I went full scale and rock oriented, I have always wondered why Gibson didn't address the right way to go about designing a balanced long scale version.
I don't see many people on here that even talk about them, and when they do, it's the same old theme.... "like the looks, plays decent, but sounds like mud and balances horribly". Try looking for a thread about ESP Viper or ESP in general and they are few and far between.
To sum it up, the necks on even the short scale, were a dream to play. I loved the looks. I loved the quality of mine. It's a shame. If they'd get it right, I'd buy one.

[FrednBass]

Want to buy a Eb-3 anytime soon. Love their sound and looks.

[Zooberwerx]

Had an EB-3L back in the day. Looked cooler-than-heck but was an ergonomic trainwreck. I gave it to my brother who carted it back to Australia...still there, I guess.

Riis

[StephenDaRacket]

I own an ESP Viper 414 in trans red and it is really well built, quite versatile with a three band eq, which sounds awesome, it plays well and it is hella good looking.

[Basshappi]

Got my Gibson SG bass (EB-3 style), I'm in heaven!!

[Ric5]

I love my SG Frankenstein basses


http://www.3dentourage.com/425/5string-sg-bass.htm




http://www.3dentourage.com/425/5string-sg-bass2.htm