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Since I’ve got it...Epiphone EB-0

Bruiser Stone

Bruiser Stone

Supporting Member
Dec 7, 2017
1,916
4,218
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Dayton, TN
#1
Since I’ve decided to keep my P Bass over a Spector, I’d like to know if anyone has modded their EB-0, specifically to get more of a Jazz grind with roundwounds that’s not there with the Fender. I’ve only had it for a month and I got it with DiMarzio pickup and coil tap already installed. I have no idea if it has Ernie Ball rounds or something else. I think it probably sounds brighter than the original mud pickup (maybe Gibson Victory oriented), but I’m open to experimentation. I’m firmly commited to leaving flats on the P, and so something that sounds nasty/mean (punk/garage/etc) is what I’m after. Failing this tone, I’m open to other suggested ideas, no matter how crazy. I got this cheap as a practice bass for my kids and as a backup/knockaround bass for myself, so I’m not squemish about Frankenstein-ing it.
 
#2
are you saying the Epi doesn't deliver the nasty? obviously, the Gibsons are renown for their grit capabilities and why I'm interested in the new and more pocketbook friendly EB-0. if it lacks the classic Gibson power grind and big whoof then what does it sound like? is the stock PU a wimpy take on the good old Sidewinder?
 
#3
Bass V said:
are you saying the Epi doesn't deliver the nasty? obviously, the Gibsons are renown for their grit capabilities and why I'm interested in the new and more pocketbook friendly EB-0. if it lacks the classic Gibson power grind and big whoof then what does it sound like? is the stock PU a wimpy take on the good old Sidewinder?
Click to expand...

The Gibson tone is in there, and I’m confident the DiMarzio brightens things up a notch over the factory model. It actually sounds great for a budget bass. Maybe a little more sustain from another bridge would help. I think the strings are beyond their prime. But I’m just curious if anyone has enhanced the Gibby tone to give it a little more bite. Apart from bass mods, maybe certain effects work well with it. For $150-200, I would recommend it,
 
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#4
Bruiser Stone said:
The Gibson tone is in there, and I’m confident the DiMarzio brightens things up a notch over the factory model. It actually sounds great for a budget bass. Maybe a little more sustain from another bridge would help. I think the strings are beyond their prime. But I’m just curious if anyone has enhanced the Gibby tone to give it a little more bite. Apart from bass mods, maybe certain effects work well with it. For $150-200, I would recommend it,
Click to expand...
I'll be keeping an eye on any good tips for your cause, I'd want the famous bite as well. good luck with it!
 
#5
I don't think it is possible to get a "grindy" tone on one of these basses without installing some kind of bridge pickup. If you are willing to go this route, you should consider a guitar pickup as an option. I used a Bill Lawrence/Wilde Pickups L-90, a kind of P-90 voiced blade humbucker when I did this on my own Epi EB-0 (since gone and no pics, sorry). I installed in the middle position, about halfway between the neck pickup and bridge. Truth be told, even this still produced a pretty "tubby," if very beefy sound. If I were to do it again, I would put it an inch or two closer to the bridge for a bit more bite. But blade guitar humbuckers are an easy shape to carve out of the body, and the pickup ring will conveniently hide any shoddy workmanship.
 
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#7
Thanks! I like the guitar pickup idea. I may try the Super Steps first and hit the previously-untouched “BRITE” button on my Hartke LH1000 and see where that gets me before I start cutting on it.

I wonder what a T-40 pickup in the bridge position would accomplish (if possible)....
 
#8
I wonder what a T-40 pickup in the bridge position would accomplish (if possible)....[/QUOTE]

There's only one way to find out, though it would require a super-large routing footprint, so there would be no going back! Of course, Gibson traditionally used a mini-humbucker close to the bridge for this function, but IMHO this produces a pretty spanky, brittle tone by itself (unless you turbo-charge the electronics, like Jack Brice did) and is hard to blend effectively with the big beefy neck pickup, because they are so wildly different. Plenty of people on here have modded these basses with a second pickup, so to get some further ideas I recommend you look up some of those threads, esp. the EB/SG Bass Club (I think that's what it's called) thread.
 
#9
If dont use tone knob much on eb0 could try diode passive fuzz mod..not my bass.

Epiphone EB0

So far ive only swapped bridge for the supertone for easier string adj and just feels sturdier. And have tapewound on mine. Still stock pickup.

Wondered about making tone knob push/pull to have tone or fuzz. And been eyeballing the reissue guild bisonic as i love chrome on pickups but not sure about enlarging cavity yet. One day the mod bug will strike me though. Maybe next bassiversey.
 

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