Epiphone EB3 - old(60s) and New (70s)Pickup Location

[groucho]

Got an Epiphone EB3 and it is really fine for the money! Very satisfied with the fit finish
and playability (did the "pick of the litter" thing ant my friend's store) BUT...
I know the "mudbucker" at the neck got it's name for being just that - And
Gibson later relocated it up a few inches towards the bridge in later editions.

I can move the pickup and fill the space with a new custom pick guard
to that late 70s position -

My question -
Anybody ever directly compare EB3's with those
neck pickups in the classic and later version positions ?
Does the upped location really clear up the boomy bottom?

 

[aquateen]

I have a '72 Gibson EB-3 with the neck pickup moved back towards bridge. it will bring the mud but it's not as bad as the 60's pickup placement. I usually set the tone around 7 and it's got a big, fat, thick and clear sound but it's not mud. it doesn't give me sparkling highs but, hey, it's not built for that. I also have a 90's Epi Rivoli and there is no comparison between the 2 pickups other than looks. the Epi pickup wasn't even close to the Gibson. I thought it was kind of honky, although sometimes I thought it sounded pretty good and other times it sounded kind of lame. not sure why that was happening but it bothered me so I replaced the Pickup on the Rivoli with a Dimarzio Model G.

the Rivoli with the stock pickup

with the Model G

 

[iiipopes]

I have a '72 Gibson EB-3 with the neck pickup moved back towards bridge. it will bring the mud but it's not as bad as the 60's pickup placement. I usually set the tone around 7 and it's got a big, fat, thick and clear sound but it's not mud. it doesn't give me sparkling highs but, hey, it's not built for that. I also have a 90's Epi Rivoli and there is no comparison between the 2 pickups other than looks. the Epi pickup wasn't even close to the Gibson. I thought it was kind of honky, although sometimes I thought it sounded pretty good and other times it sounded kind of lame. not sure why that was happening but it bothered me so I replaced the Pickup on the Rivoli with a Dimarzio Model G.

the Rivoli with the stock pickup

with the Model G

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[iiipopes]

Oh, sorry, got distracted by the mudbucker porn. Yes, moving the pickup up will help. Is it worth the $$$ for an Epiphone? Probably not, especially since new Epi "mudbuckers" have a completely different internal structure and are not like the original Gibson pickups; just the cover is the same size for cosmetics.

 

[M.Mannix3]

I have compared my Epi EB-3 (with a vintage 69 mudbucker) to a 70s EB-0. It's not a direct comparison really because the Epi EB-3 is longer scale than the EB-0 and has 2 pickups but I could tell that it was a bit "tighter" sounding. It was still a big full sound but it didn't have the same amount of booty.

I think it would be really cool to see an Epi EB-3 set up 70s style but it would require a whole refinish so I'm not sure it would be worth it.

+1 on the new mudbucker not being the same as the old ones. It's not bad but definitely not the same.

 

[groucho]

Thanks for the input guys!
I do this kind of thing myself, (used to do custom put togethers and repairs in a guitar shop in the 1980s) and I have a finish guy if I need him.
I would not do a refinish, just cut a new cavity up 2 inches (whatever the exact measurement) and make a custom pickguard that would
reach over and cover the original cavity. Based on my sketches it would look pretty OK - Not as slick as gluing in matched wood and refinishing
it but that ain't gonna happen! this is a "fun" bass! I will post some pics and make (before/after) soundfiles when I do it later this Summer!

FWIW I had the Dimarzio mudbucker on my Fender P bass in the 1980s
up at the base of the neck like an EB3, it was more cool looking than useful.