SG & EB Bass Club

Yes, mine is real dirty sounding, I mean that in a good way. I've never tried a Victory bass but a buddy of mine had one when they were new and raved about it.

 

Interesting, I saw several Youtube demos framing the bass as "gritty" and as a "more ergonomic t-bird."

Then I stumbled into this clip, where the chap is getting quite a different (and pleasing tone) out of the bass. Always have to wonder about the processing, of course...Still, sounds cool!

Can't believe how cheap these are new.... $399 shipped!

 

Is pro meaning anything build quality wise?

 

No.

I played one that was horrible QC-wise and one that was fine and needed nothing.

There's a batch from a couple of years ago that can't be intonated due to mis-positioned bridge. The new ones are presumably safe.

 

One of our guitarist had a black one, according to the musicshop that sold it to him,
it was built in the Kalamazoo factory. Nice guitar, good sound, quite heavy though.

Later he got a black Genesis bass with it.

A couple of years ago, when I ran into him, he said he'd give me the Genesis guitar.
Which he never did. Pity.

 

I... I just couldn't help myself when I saw this one on eBay, not selling for 2 years. So struck when the seller discounted it yet again, I just took the bait.



1999 Epiphone Japan EB-3. First year of production after Orville stopped. Small electronic issue at the bridge pickup, but that can be sorted out quickly. The pickup itself isn't dead.

 

Nice! Is the neck pickup a true mudbucker? And is the rotary switch a true Varitone?

 

The rotary switch is a true varitone switch with the proper 60's wiring (neck solo, bridge solo, choked neck + bridge, chocked neck). And the pickup originally was a GOTOH sidewinder pickup...


originally... Because I bought the bass "as is", I had to open up the control cavity to sort out a shorting connection somewhere, and there I noticed a new neck pickup was installed by a previous owner... Using some very old braided wire... So I removed the cover and was greeted by a vintage sidewinder pickup. An original one.


This Epiphone version is an exact reproduction of a 1964-65 EB-3 (except for the bridge & tuners, and the tone-pot for the neck is 500k instead of 250k), so a chunky neck with a 43mm nut.

 

Congrats on an unexpected upgrade.

The neck on my Orville was the chunkiest neck I've ever experienced on any SG/EB bass, a real baseball bat. Sounds like they kept the same profile for the Epiphone version.

Does the choke circuit look something like this

 

Yes, down to the same coil.

 

I'd be curious to hear how it plays with the real Sidewinder. On my Orville, both with the original Gotoh (?) pickup and the Sentell's Unmudbucker I wasn't thrilled with it one bit so I ended up disconnecting it from the circuit altogether. Hopefully you'll be pleased with the results on your "new" Epi.

 

30" scale?

 

Yes, 30,5”

 

The prize is in the pudding... erm pictures!

 

NBD - this arrived this morning:

It appears to have been sitting in its case for a few years. I cleaned off the grime and everything works, although someone has rewired the selector switch (incorrectly) - there is no position where both pickups are on.

 

http://www.ak-line.com/medium/Bassschaltungen.pdf

Page 117-118

 

Perfect! Thanks!!

 

That, good sir, is a beauty. Congrats.

Play it in good health and enjoy!

 

Thanks! I had one just like it a few years ago:

 

I want the Tele that your guitar player was sporting...

Sheer curiosity on my end, what is the amp behind you if you remember ?