Any info on this Epi?

[Kenny Lind]

Was wondering if anyone could provide some info on this bass. It's an Epiphone but has a Gibson style headstock. I haven't been able to find one like this anywhere else. Short scale. I replaced the original pickups with a DiMarzio in the neck and Seymour Duncan in the bridge.

ur help.

 

[ajkula66]

You've got a somewhat of a unicorn there. A rare bass with a finish to match.

I believe that these were built about 15 years ago and sold only on Japanese market. Specs-wise, they should be identical to Elitist series apart from the finish.

Someone in the club might know more about it than I do...so feel free to post there...

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/sg-eb-bass-club.1118100/page-476

 

[Kenny Lind]

Thanks! Will do.

 

[B-Mac]

Was wondering if anyone could provide some info on this bass. It's an Epiphone but has a Gibson style headstock. I haven't been able to find one like this anywhere else. Short scale. I replaced the original pickups with a DiMarzio in the neck and Seymour Duncan in the bridge.
View attachment 5251401 View attachment 5251400 View attachment 5251401 View attachment 5251402 View attachment 5251403 ur help.

@Basvarken would probably know.

 

[Basvarken]

ajkula66 pretty much said what there is to know.
The Elite series or Elitist were built in Japan for the domestic market.
They have a set neck instead of the cheaper bolt-on neck that standard Epiphones have.
All in all a very well built bass. Very close to the original Gibson ones.

 

[MattZilla]

If Gibson is like Volkswagen, this is a Porsche sold with Škoda badging.

It’s just an SG bass/EB-3 made by craftsmen who give a damn working under supervisors who give a damn with project managers who give a damn.

Probably has a better neck joint than any set-neck non-custom Gibson made in the past few decades. Probably Mahogany/Mahogany/Rosewood just like the majority of sg-b/eb-3’s.

The headstock angle looks well over 12° in the 4th photo. I’d bet a dollar it’s spec’d to match a vintage dimension and is vintage-style fragile. I’d bet a second dollar that it has a reissue/tribute year/decade number in its advertised model name.

Too bad that Gibson never developed a Cadillac/Lexus upmarket brand for these odd releases.

bet that Pelham Blue looks great in person!

 

[Iridescentone]

If I wanted an EB-3, that would be the one.

How much are they asking? Maybe I'll go for it if you don't want it.

 

[Kenny Lind]

I'd like to thank everyone who responded. You've been very helpful to this newbie.
As I now recall I did order it from Japan about 12 years ago. I've never seen another one anywhere since.
It's truly a wonderful instrument. Incredible craftsmanship, wonderful set neck and the upgraded pickups make it perfect.
....and no, it's not for sale...

 

[Iridescentone]

Oops, sorry. I missed that you already own the thing. It's def a cool bass, I remember when they were available new. Was tempted then, regretful now. Shoulda, coulda, woulda.....

 

[Kenan]

Cool bass! Which Seymour Duncan mini humbucker did you put in and how do you like it? Does it keep up with the neck pickup?

 

[Ostie]

That’s really cool!

 

[Kenny Lind]

Cool bass! Which Seymour Duncan mini humbucker did you put in and how do you like it? Does it keep up with the neck pickup?

Bridge: Seymour Duncan Rickenbacker Neck Pickup
Neck: DiMarzio Model One
This combination gives me a wide variety of tonal variations.

 

[elgranluis]

The Elite series or Elitist were built in Japan for the domestic market.

I’m sure most internet vendors (guitar center , American musical etc) were selling them back then… except that they were more expensive than the entry-model gibsons. That’s probably why most people have never seen one , I don’t think they sold that well.

 

[Killing Floor]

It’s cool AF but that’s probably information you already have

 

[ajkula66]

I’m sure most internet vendors (guitar center , American musical etc) were selling them back then… except that they were more expensive than the entry-model gibsons. That’s probably why most people have never seen one , I don’t think they sold that well.

Yes, some of the Elite/Elitist series models were sold in the U.S. and sport tags/markings on the back of the headstock that "domestic" units don't.There are, however, Epiphone (MIJ) models "related" to these series that were Japan-only, like the one shown in the OP. All the less common finishes (Pelham Blue, Arctic White or whatever it was called and a couple of others) were "reserved" for the Japanese buyers only.

Gibson themselves offered a few interesting finishes on the SG Basses around 2010 that were also only available in Japan, such as Coral Pink.

Epiphone EB-3 Elite for the U.S. market, back of the headstock: