I played one for a bit Saturday at a local store. Loved the weight, ease of dialing in great tone- especially bridge pickup solo, and the neck. It played and sounded better than just about anything in the store... Up to about the 9th fret. Above that the pickup resonance phenomenon was increasingly apparent. I confirmed lower pickup height helped, but where it was dialed out, most of the awesome meatiness and punch were too. Careful setup with better strings might help. Aside from that, it rocked. I played several Music Men and American Fenders that flat out sucked in comparison, and I'm a Fender guy.
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New Gibson EB bass
- Thread starter Primakurtz
- Start date
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Musicmans.
Believe me, no disrespect intended whatsoever
I normally adore the trademark single H Stingray sound, but was unable to produce it from any of the examples they had on hand. I've long gassed to own one, but have never been a fan of heavy instruments (I have yet to play one that wasn't an anchor). The Gibson on the other hand had the tone I lust for in spades, and none of the excess junk in the trunk. It had some rough edges, but if it had been a 5 and something other than a butterface brownburst, I might have woken up next to it yesterday morning. Oh and no disrespect to the full figured ladies either, I honestly prefer a shapely woman. But if I have to carry you on my shoulder for a four hour gig,I'd prefer petite for the sake of practicality.
In all the years I've been here, I've never read so much positive talk about a Gibson bass.
Hopefully someone from Gibson will read this thread, and convince the top people there not to discontinue the EB anytime soon.
Mike
Hopefully someone from Gibson will read this thread, and convince the top people there not to discontinue the EB anytime soon.
Mike
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Pretty sure the only differences are the inlays, the pickguard, and the input is on the side as opposed to top.
They finally did something that fit in with Gibson's classic attributes (set neck, t-bird style pups) in a package with a 34" scale, a relatively light body, and a shape not given to neck dive that also looks fairly original and sounds decent. Seems obvious in hindsight
I'm gonna drop my two cents in this.
I read a lot about this bass, and it got me very excited. I went to a shop to try it, and I felt in love. I liked the style of the body, the paint (leaving the woodgrain visible.. I love it, I don't really care if others don't) and the sound was just BOOM awesome.
I tested both with the amp they gave me to try and with a MAG Evo III I asked to try it on as I own an Evo II. It has been the first time I took out the EQ off the amp or played plain flat with both pups at full volume and tone open. that was exactely what I was looking for.
I only got it 2 days ago so I don't have that many stories to tell, but I'm loving it.
What makes me feel a huge pain is the infamous chorus effect. I already lowered the p-ups as it once happened on my P bass too, but it's still there; I'll be adjusting the settings next days and I'll test new strings because I'd feel very bad about returning it. Also, the E string sounds overly boomy compared to the others, and my head's VU goes mad high when I play that string compared to others, it gives almost twice the imput, but it's almost completely stock so I guess it just needs some rework. the only thing I actually changed was the strap buttons to install the schaller strap locks.
Oh, mine smells too.. It will sleep outside the case a pair of nights.
I have a question - I read about Grover tuners/keys.. I'm not sure if that's the brand or something like that but mine has Gotoh stamped on the back of the key, is that like, correct/normal?
I will play it with changed strings and I'll make an actually decent review the next days.
I read a lot about this bass, and it got me very excited. I went to a shop to try it, and I felt in love. I liked the style of the body, the paint (leaving the woodgrain visible.. I love it, I don't really care if others don't) and the sound was just BOOM awesome.
I tested both with the amp they gave me to try and with a MAG Evo III I asked to try it on as I own an Evo II. It has been the first time I took out the EQ off the amp or played plain flat with both pups at full volume and tone open. that was exactely what I was looking for.
I only got it 2 days ago so I don't have that many stories to tell, but I'm loving it.
What makes me feel a huge pain is the infamous chorus effect. I already lowered the p-ups as it once happened on my P bass too, but it's still there; I'll be adjusting the settings next days and I'll test new strings because I'd feel very bad about returning it. Also, the E string sounds overly boomy compared to the others, and my head's VU goes mad high when I play that string compared to others, it gives almost twice the imput, but it's almost completely stock so I guess it just needs some rework. the only thing I actually changed was the strap buttons to install the schaller strap locks.
Oh, mine smells too.. It will sleep outside the case a pair of nights.
I have a question - I read about Grover tuners/keys.. I'm not sure if that's the brand or something like that but mine has Gotoh stamped on the back of the key, is that like, correct/normal?
I will play it with changed strings and I'll make an actually decent review the next days.
Last edited:
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
Only thing I think they still need to do is change the pick guard color(s). I'm head over heels in love with mine since I painted it. Was just in love with it when it was tortoise shell. Went from a blah looking bass to an in your face everybody will notice me now, rocking, beauty. This is my current #1 player. And I've got lots of really awesome basses.They finally did something that fit in with Gibson's classic attributes (set neck, t-bird style pups) in a package with a 34" scale, a relatively light body, and a shape not given to neck dive that also looks fairly original and sounds decent. Seems obvious in hindsight
That smell is still on the one hanging in the shop now for months.
Not sure if those are "normal" but brand name may actually be Gotoh, see Invalid Link Removed.
I finally got to play one at the local G.C. and was surprised at the good tones . It does not have the aggressive midrange of the Thunderbird but it gets decent highs. It also got about three more sounds if you tapped the neck pickup, both pickups, or the bridge pickup. I just wonder if it has a "signature" tone that comes out in recordings? Will people notice it isn't a Jazz or Precision? It beats any EBO or EB3 for crispness and is lighter than the average nine pound Fender. I dig the natural finish.
I imagine that they'll cycle through the colour options from year to year, just to differentiate model years and give people something new to look at/talk about.
I checked Sweetwater.com to see the tuners, since they have reliable pics: some basses have Grover Tuners, some others have Gotoh tuners; very same shape, just a different tag on them. If Gibson specified that I wouldn't have had an heart attack thinking mine was modified.
I'll be putting up new strings this evening hoping to fix the chorus effect.
I'll be putting up new strings this evening hoping to fix the chorus effect.
I played one a few days ago while shopping for a new bass (I ended up getting a Sterling SUB Ray4). I wouldn't want it as a primary bass, but I liked how it sounded and felt.
Spent a couple of minutes fiddling around with one in a store yesterday and was very impressed. Didn't plug it in but it felt and played great and the whole thing just seemed to sing when I played it. May be back in to check it out again next week... probably best if I leave my credit card at home.
I've got a couple of vintage p-basses, a couple of Rickenbackers and a MusicMan Sterling and this one reminded me a lot of the MM in terms of feel.
I've got a couple of vintage p-basses, a couple of Rickenbackers and a MusicMan Sterling and this one reminded me a lot of the MM in terms of feel.
i got mine for x-mas last year. it did have the chorus effect with the "stock" strings, it has since had chromes and DR neons on it with no chorus effect to my ears. 
After almost 5 months of owning it, 2 gigs, many hours of playing it and rehersals, after loving and some times hating it, I came to the conclusion.
I'm no one to say this, but this a great bass. I've been playing only a P for ages before this one so it took me a long time to befriend it. It had the chorus effect problem - solved with new strings and a good setup, mostly lowering the strings. The body shape felt strange, but I got used to it.
But damnation this thing plays great! I had two small gigs with it, with acoustic drums, voice, 100W guitar head, and the bass together with my MAG300 at 8 omhs (150W) was never ever unhearable, it just cut throught the mix all the time, with punch and grit.
The paint feels great to me; I'm a relic lover (don't own one, yet) and a nitro lover so this satin thin finish is awesome for me, I also love seeing the wood grain. The neck feels good, chunky, and the sating finish makes it very fast. The bridge is solid; a bit painful at the beginning, coming from the Fender classic one, but together with the tuners it grants awesome tuning stability! I took the bass out two days in a row, playing live, and not a half tone was moved.
As for the sound, well, that's subjective. I'm really digging it, once the EQing is done it really growls, and the tonal variety makes it a all round bass IMHO.
That's it, I love this bass.
I'm no one to say this, but this a great bass. I've been playing only a P for ages before this one so it took me a long time to befriend it. It had the chorus effect problem - solved with new strings and a good setup, mostly lowering the strings. The body shape felt strange, but I got used to it.
But damnation this thing plays great! I had two small gigs with it, with acoustic drums, voice, 100W guitar head, and the bass together with my MAG300 at 8 omhs (150W) was never ever unhearable, it just cut throught the mix all the time, with punch and grit.
The paint feels great to me; I'm a relic lover (don't own one, yet) and a nitro lover so this satin thin finish is awesome for me, I also love seeing the wood grain. The neck feels good, chunky, and the sating finish makes it very fast. The bridge is solid; a bit painful at the beginning, coming from the Fender classic one, but together with the tuners it grants awesome tuning stability! I took the bass out two days in a row, playing live, and not a half tone was moved.
As for the sound, well, that's subjective. I'm really digging it, once the EQing is done it really growls, and the tonal variety makes it a all round bass IMHO.
That's it, I love this bass.
