2017 Gibson EB redesign

[friendlybass]

That looks so cheap :/ no offense to you who like that body style but I'm pretty disappointed and I'm a Gibson loving guy, my sg bass (2014) screamed class and this screams look at me I look like every other bass. I would have rather seen an EB3 or EBO with those pickups cause that would have said to me "here's our roots, now look where we've taken them"

 

[friendlybass]

You take all this tech and parts and you apply it to a SG or ES shape smaller and contoured and you would have something better. And oh yes use some colours from the Gibby catalogue like Pelham Blue cherry red, etc...

This +10000

 

[Toptube]

This has a more Gibson type head stock

Gibson.com: Gibson USA Five-String EB Bass

This new EB uses a Thunderbird headstock. Which is completely Gibson.

Lastly, I fear that I'm probably the only one that can't stand that hideous looking bridge.

Eh, those bridges are really nice. Functionally, a notable improvement over their 3 point bridges.

 

[40Hz]

This reminds me of the 80's Gibson bass offerings. Like the Victory or whatever that thing was called.

There were two. One called the Victory and the other the Victory Artist. This new bass looks to be a "me too" and not taking any chances dual humbucker bass.

The Victory series was radical in its design and specs. Nicer looking too.

There's no comparison between the '80s Gibson basses and this thing. The '80s basses all took big chances and displayed an attempt at serious innovation on Gibson's part. Nothing like today.

 

[40Hz]

Funny you should mention the "originality" of that bass. It was specifically designed to be as P bass as they could get away with and not be a P bass.

Yup. That's why they put active electronics in the Victory Artist, series/parallel switching in the passive Victory and Victory Custom, and used a totally unique pickup design for all three models in the series. And then threw in a 24-fret neck just for good measure - purely to make it completely indistinguishable from a PBass.

Gibson went on record saying they wanted the playability to be as close to a Fender as possible. Because "Fender was doing it right" in that regard. That's not anywhere near the same thing as them "specifically designing it" to be as close to a PBass as possible.

The Victories were far closer to the TBird in looks, concept, and sound than they ever were to any Fender.

 

[StayLow]

Lastly, I fear that I'm probably the only one that can't stand that hideous looking bridge.

You're definitely not alone. It doesn't go with the retro-inspired looks of the EB2013 and 2014, where it first appeared, and that huge Babicz logo is plain gaudy. Nothing some paint won't resolve, and to its credit it's a solid bridge though frankly I've never had problems setting intonation or keeping it set on simple 1970's bent-plate Fender bridges.

 

[bigtone23]

Despite this being at a pretty cool price and what seems to be a good sounding pickup compliment, Gibson should maybe stay out of the modern bass game and stick to their classics.
This one looks like it's a Carvin BB75 mixed with a L-2500.
The last round of EB basses had a Univox-y shape. Those couldn't have done well. I don't know anyone with one, nor is anyone NBDing one online.
We will see...

 

[40Hz]

Hope they eventually offer it in candy apple red.

But what's going on? No fancy switching wizardry? No splits? No series/parallel? No active model - and it's a fiver? Just a vanilla V/T/V/T and a pup selector switch?

C'mon Gibson! Do something a little different at least.

 

[Basvarken]

I don't think it looks like a Carvin. Nor does it look like a G&L.
It looks like an Epiphone Embassy!

 

[Sauron_]

I hope it doesn't neck-dive like the older version.
I had to sell mine because of that...

 

[Marikk]

When it comes to making basses. Every company cannot win for losing.

I like the burst version better aesthetically. It seems to blend better with the rosewood.
Kinda wish it was a reverse headstock or a 2+2

I'd still sit down with one and give it a run.

 

[someguyfromNC]

I like it. But nothing about that to me says Gibson. NOTHING.

Looks more like a bottom level carvin.

 

[Guinness20]

They had a good thing going with the EB bass from 2013/14, why did they have too go and spoil it?

 

[johnson79]

In 2 years these will be on clearance for $499.99.

Totally uninspired design.

 

[BassAgent]

I like it. But nothing about that to me says Gibson. NOTHING.

This. I really kinda like the design, but it's just not Gibson-ish. It does look like a Carvin to me though, kinda like the Bunny Brunel sig.

 

[Zooberwerx]

It comes with a polishing cloth.

Anybody actually laid hands on one yet? The bass, that is.

Riis

 

[Slevage]

If you can't get it right the 1st time, keep trying. If you still can't get it right, ask yourself "What would Leo do?" (and George too).

 

[Susqmike]

At least they aren't asking 2500.00 for it!...

 

[bholder]

If you can't get it right the 1st time, keep trying. If you still can't get it right, ask yourself "What would Leo do?" (and George too).

What gets me is they put a new model out, and don't even give it time to make a dent and get noticed - if it's not a huge immediate success, they bail on it and move on to the next attempt. I think the previous body style had a better chance at becoming popular had they stuck with it a while longer. They have 0 confidence in their own models, abandoning them before even giving them a chance.

 

[SonnyBassPlayer]

The 2013/2014 model was great by itself IMHO. It had some flaws, but it could have had much more success if they gave it some more hype, some better presentiation videos, and some more lifespan.

The thing that cut legs the most to the old models was the pickup. Way too many pieces had the "chorus" effect, caused by these very pickups pulling the strings too much: that decieved many potentional buyers.... just go check the EB thread. Hopefully they had been fixed before landing on the Thunderbirds and on this new one. Also, inconsistence in fit and finish have been documented.
As for mine, most of the original electronics are gone. It just couldnt sound right. But it was so comfortable and good looking to me that I took the leap and modded it and it's sounding great with EMGs.

What if they took the EB4 and gave it functioning pickups (also prettier, if possible: those large exposed poles are not so Gibsony or pretty to me), a "branded" truss rod cover (instead of plain black-it's just anonimous, I got myself a sticker made for it), keeping the coil splitting and maybe adding some series/parallel toggle (meh, didn't some old Gibsons even had the chance to go out of phase? Now that is the Gibson quirkyness I like). Eventually a "normal" finish? I love the thin, grain showing one, but many many people disliked it. I'd live over a plain solid coat if it made the model live more.

Just a pair of cents.