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Les Paul EB-0 orginal style (not SG) bodied basses

Green_Ben

Green_Ben

Feb 6, 2024
16
27
#1
Is there a better term for referring to this body shape (LP 59-61)?

For some reason I'm obsessed this shape. At 52, I'm an absolute beginner, my first and currently only bass is a Slammer by Hamer SB4, and I bought on an impulse because it spoke to me. As my bass obsession has started sending me down internet rabbit-holes, I continue to find myself obsessed with that shape. I also see that I'm more attracted to short and medium scale basses.

Of course it was these obsessions which brought me here.

Please pardon if my questions/observations have been covered in other threads. Please note at the beginning of this post, I've yet to find the perfect keywords for searching for this body style. I'm sure the SG is a fine instrument, it just doesn't speak to me, and it adds a lot of noise to the signal I'm searching for.

Since I've yet to find a generally agreed upon term for this body shape, I've started a list of models that hit the vibe for me.

Gibson EB-0 1959-1961
Gibson Les Paul Jr. Tribute DC
Gibson Grabber, Ripper, and G3
Vantage VA, VP, and VS series (Witch)
Memphis MB300
Torchy Musician
Greco TVB
Danelectro short horns
Cort 80's models(?)

I have little allowance for variation from the original EB-0 in the list, I like the almost perfect symmetry with maybe just a little extension of the upper horn, so the symmetry isn't perfect. Too much asymmetry in the cuts, or cuts not flowing into a perfectly round booty also stray too far from the template for me.

I draw the line just far enough to include:
Kasuga Scorpion
Alembic Stanley Clark
Westbury Track 2 and Track 4

Just outside the line:
Aria Pro II
Westone Thunder 1
Ken Smith

The Aria Pro II, the sharpness of the points veers too far into the SG lane, otherwise it's close. Westbury has the same sharpness, but more symmetry than the Aria, and therefore makes the cut.

Final observation/question: Why are so many of these examples of this body style hippy sandwiches?
I mean, I don't have a problem with it. Could be I'm asking the wrong question, could be why were these designs more popular in the the hay day of hippy sammys, the late 70's / early 80's?

Though I've spent a little time down the rabbit hole, I'm still a newb. I'm sure I've missed something here, and even more sure I've used unclear or even incorrect terminology. Please educate me where I'm ignorant.
Or give me poopie about how I've drawn the lines for the classification.
 
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#2
Hi Ben and welcome in bass land! Never heard of SD Curlee ? Randy Curlee and his business companions had a workshop in Matteson il. and produced guitars and basses with a big nod to the original Gibson Les Paul DC design. From 1975 they build a series of instruments equipped with Di-Marzio pick ups, Grover tuners and later badass bridges. All of them had a bolt on neck through construction, with the necks anchored to the slab bodies with a huge brass plate.
The basses were 32 1/2 " medium scale and were quite popular in these parts of the woods (read; Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy,...).
I had three of them (std 1 and 2 fretless, Yankee 2) and loved them. Although never produced in massive quantities from 1975 to 1981 ( a few thousand I guess) but Bird Song revived the Curlee line in the new millennium with some slight modifications, there most be some nice basses floating around. Do check them out! this one is the model Standard 1 with Di Marzio brick humbucker
SD%2BCurlee%2B2.jpg
 
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#6
Green_Ben said:
Is there a better term for referring to this body shape (LP 59-61)?
Click to expand...
“ "Les Paul Double Cut(away)" / "Les Paul DC" / "LPDC" -shaped ”
is as clearly-intended, if not agreed-upon, as you'll ever going to find.

So far unmentioned:
The Hamer Slammer SB4 qualifies.
The Gibson Money Bass had slightly asymmetric horns but was very much in the vein.
 
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#10
As you mentioned above the Les Paul Jr Tribute DC sounds like the ticket. The "P" bass location of the pup is a big departure for Gibson and it is an incredible sounding instrument. There is a push/pull coil tap on the volume control and it really adds tonal variations to a single pup bass.

Gibson Les Paul.2.jpg


The Gibson EB-11 is another bass worth looking into. Only built as a limited edition back in 2011 but can be found in the 1400.00 to 1500.00 price range. It has the same electronics of the SG Standard bass but sounds very much different. I have both the SG Standard and the EB-11 so this is not just an assumption. It took me a couple of months for me to find this one but, well worth it. The Pelham Blue is to die for IMHO.

Gibson EB-11.1.jpg


Gibson EB-11.7.jpg


A " Les Paul Double Cut" would be the proper terminology for this body style IMHO.
 
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#12
The Gibson lesPaul $ (money bass) has a body shape similar to what you're looking for but the pickups are very different T_Bird style and it is a long scale base. All that being said they are easy to play in the loudest passive bass I have ever owned
 
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#19
First of all, welcome to bassdom and Talkbass!
How bout the Epiphone Newport?
Same basic shape, but with rounded edges that make it more comfy in my humble opinion.
The original 61s were built in the same factory, with the same materials, and the same appointments.
The new ones even address the "mudbucker problem " with the addition of a bridge pickup.
And they come in purty colors! :thumbsup:
 
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