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Gibson EB-3

#21
metzgermeister said:
I apologise in advance for my ignorance here, but from looking at the picture of an EB-3, I couldn't tell the difference between that and an SG. Would somebody be able to fill me in on what I'm missing here please? :help:
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The original EB-3 had two pickups, with a tone and volume control for each (4 knobs) and a 4 position "varitone" knob that selected different pickup and choke configuations. The new "SG" bass has two pickups and two volume controls, but only one tone control and no varitone.

FWIW, in the 70s and early 80s, I strung mine with round wound rotosounds, and played the choked mudbucker wide open through a Marshall 100-watt lead head with treble boost into a Sunn 215BH cabinet. I got LOTS of great pop tone from that setup!
 
#23
KrisH said:
The original EB-3 had two pickups, with a tone and volume control for each (4 knobs) and a 4 position "varitone" knob that selected different pickup and choke configuations. The new "SG" bass has two pickups and two volume controls, but only one tone control and no varitone.

FWIW, in the 70s and early 80s, I strung mine with round wound rotosounds, and played the choked mudbucker wide open through a Marshall 100-watt lead head with treble boost into a Sunn 215BH cabinet. I got LOTS of great pop tone from that setup!
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Sorry KrisH, I'm still a bit lost. I have an Epiphone SG at home with two pickups, four knobs and a varitone knob. Would that actually be an EB-3?
 
#24
BigOldHarry said:
*why* is this bass "one of your favorites"? Have you played them and really dig the feel, or do you just like how they look?

Appearance is a pretty poor way to judge a musical instrument...
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it's one of his favorites because it appeals to him. is that ok? everybody knows you don't like Gibsons but you seem to have trouble accepting that some people do. why do you feel compelled to reply to every Gibson bass thread if you don't like them?
 
#26
StrangerDanger said:
Damn! Seems a much better design than the current bridge.
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not really. That particular bridge (2 point) tilts forward from string tension, to the point that the anchors would sometimes rise from the body. The newer bridge (3 point, as seen on the epi t birds) has a third anchor. The anchors still pop up from the body, but at least the bridge doesnt tilt when you tune the bass!
I guess you can't use the old mute on the 3 point bridge though, as it went under the bridge and the third anchor would block it.
 
#27
my biggest complaint about the bridge isn't so much the tilting as that can easily be addressed by cutting small notches in the studs and then using the two allen screws to lock it in place, thus removing any tilt. the thing i'm not to fond of is the nylon saddles. i made some out of corian and they sounded better, but really should make some out of steel for it. (i think i just found my next project/experiment ;) )
 
#28
Get an EB3 and have an overdrive added :bassist:

stubass31.gif
 
#29
I've never had the chance to play an old EB-3, but I love the sounds that Jack Bruce and Andy Fraser (to name a few) got out of them. Also really like the bass solo on Substitute, which is played on an EB-3. I have played old EB-0's, and though they aren't very versatile, I found them very comfortable to play (nice, full neck) and they had plenty of bass. I've looked at getting a current production SG bass, but every time I play one I feel slightly let down. Don't get me wrong, they're greatly built and sound cool, and I might eventually get one for their own tone, but they are totally different beasts from the EB-3. They just don't have that same massive bottom that the older basses had. I want it to have the big lows of the EB-0, but with the snappy bridge pup, like on old Cream stuff, but even with the bridge dialed totally off, the new ones are just way more clanky and mid/high focused.

Oh, and either way, both the SG and EB-3 look Bad-freakin'-a$$.
 
#30
elgranluis said:
not really. That particular bridge (2 point) tilts forward from string tension, to the point that the anchors would sometimes rise from the body. The newer bridge (3 point, as seen on the epi t birds) has a third anchor. The anchors still pop up from the body, but at least the bridge doesnt tilt when you tune the bass!
I guess you can't use the old mute on the 3 point bridge though, as it went under the bridge and the third anchor would block it.
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The actual issue is that the mounting holes in the bridge plate tend to get elongated over time, causing the bridge to tilt. That was the reason for the design change to the 3-point - keeping the bridge level. If you're not particular about originality, Hipshot makes the wonderful Supertone replacements for both styles. I replaced the 2-point on my '72 EB-3 with one and it made a huge difference in the overall adjustability and tone.
 
#31
the early 2pt bridges used nylon saddles but the later ones used metal saddles. flyguitars might have some info as to which years they used each material.
regarding the tilt issue, I think it is the result of adjusting the height of the bridge without loosening the set screws which lock the bridge to the studs. if the set screws wear and aren't tight, the string tension will pull the bridge forward. I have two basses with the 2pt bridge (metal saddles) and neither tilts.
 
#33
johnk_10 said:
IMO, my '68 can sound almost any way i want it to. IME, it's the EBO's that are very limited to having just a ton of low end, but the little bridge pickup on the EB3, as well as the pots (to blend pickups) and rotary pickup selector make it alot more versatile.

here's a pic of it:

68eb3-1-w.jpg
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Sweet merciful crap. That is gorgeous, can I have it please?
 

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