Hi there,
................. Has anyone played an epiphone EB-0 and can it compare to the Jag? ...................
no real Problem, just curious...
Let me start by saying for the past almost 50 years of playing, I have had a very strong preference for Fender designed basses (and yes I've owned a number of non-Fender basses).
I sold an Epi EB-0 about 6 years ago and used a Gibson EB-0 in a band I was part of in '69 - '70 (band management furnished all equipment except wardrobe). So both EB-0's were used before the Squier Jag SS was available. This is what I remember of the EB-0 design basses.
Both Gibson and Epi were a little neck/head stock heavy and would dive straight for the floor if you weren't using a wide sued backed strap and paying close attention. The neck heavy design made them more fatiguing for a long gig than a P bass. The Gibson had better balance than Epi. In most respects the Epi is a fairly good copy of the Gibson EB-0, which is to say thick, muddy, growly tone. Listen to Jack Bruce with Cream if you want a quick reference of the EB-0 sound. The EB-0 neck is easy to play and the bass doesn't weigh a ton. IMHO the EB-0 design lends itself to a very "one trick pony" sound.
The Jag SS is about the same weight and the one I own will hang in the normal playing position when I let go (I use a woven cloth strap on my Jag). The Jag neck is a little smaller front to back and side to side (think classic Jazz vs classic P). Tonally there is no comparison. The Jag has a much wider useful tone pallet. IME & IMO the Jag has cleaner and better defined notes. The Jag respond better to changes in the tone control and right hand technique, where the EB-0 (especially the Epi) sounded pretty much the same all the time. The Jag's bridge pick up is comparable to a slightly weak bridge pickup of the EB-3 design.
Overall, hands down. I'd choose the Jag SS over an EB-0 (regardless of price differences) for all but a very, very, very limited number of playing situations, and then I'd probably look at effects pedals to get the EB-0 sound before purchasing the EB-0 bass.
One final thought that has always been a personal pet peeve with Gibson basses: any Fender type bridge has greater bridge to body contact area, is more reliable and easier to adjust and maintain than the 3 point Gibson type bass bridge. Can't say I've ever heard of a properly installed Fender type bridge pulling up, yet it appears to be a moderately common occurrence for one or more of the studs holding the Gibson 3 point bridge to the body to pull loose and need to be reattached with variously recommended types of glue.
As always my $0.02 and YMMV.
