‘59 EB 0 from Jack Bruce Estate-now it can be told!

[emblymouse]

I got this last year and have kept it under wraps until now. It is now complete and I'm thinkin Jack would like it.
He gave it to a friend and fellow Scottish bassist name of Ronnie Garrity years ago. After Jack passed, Ronnie asked to have it cataloged along with his other instruments. His widow recognized it as one 'kept around the house and studio'. No photos of it were found however.

It's been refinished at least twice before I got it, there is a little TV Yellow in the crannies! The bridge pickup added along with routing out the cavity for the extra controls, and the switch too. The headstock was broken but a nice fiberglass repair done. The banjo tuner holes were doweled and re routed for the Schaller's (Jack did this to a few other old EB's if you look up photos) , these say 'Made in W. Germany' on them.

Aside from all this it came to me in excellent playing shape! I had a new wiring harness made by Starr Guitar Systems and the bridge pickup rewound way hot by John Benson. I disassembled and sanded down everything but the face of the headstock and sent it to MJT for an aged Candy Apple Red refin. The frets needed nothing and neither did the neck, it plays great. Don't let anyone tell you these have fat necks! A little meatier than later 60's EB's but super comfy and playable.

 

[ajkula66]

Congrats on your "new" bass. May it provide you with decades of good company.

I was watching it but had no funds to spare at the moment - what else is new - so I'm glad that it ended up in hands of a player who'll have no issues utilizing it.

Some 30+ years ago I had one of those in really worn shape, but it was a sweet bass nevertheless. Wouldn't mind getting another one if the starts aligned themselves properly.

Play it in good health and enjoy!

 

[JRA]

cool stuff!

the ax looks great --- looks like it would be a lot of fun! it's cool that you got the look you wanted, but it's great that it plays for you!

 

[emblymouse]

Congrats on your "new" bass. May it provide you with decades of good company.

I was watching it but had no funds to spare at the moment - what else is new - so I'm glad that it ended up in hands of a player who'll have no issues utilizing it.

Some 30+ years ago I had one of those in really worn shape, but it was a sweet bass nevertheless. Wouldn't mind getting another one if the starts aligned themselves properly.

Play it in good health and enjoy!

Thank you sir! It surely loved!

 

[emblymouse]

cool stuff!

the ax looks great --- looks like it would be a lot of fun! it's cool that you got the look you wanted, but it's great that it plays for you! [/

I feel very fortunate, I need to post a clip.

 

[dmt]

The back looks almost like it has a candy apple red finish, at least in that photo there.

Enjoy your piece of history. Must be a fun axe

 

[emblymouse]

And Candy Apple Red it is, with a little Deep Cherry flavoring as a nod to tradition.

 

[bassobrutto]

Very cool--the world's oldest EB-3!

 

[D.M.N.]

The necks on the early EBs are great, meaty but very comfortable. I have a '62 EB-3 and the neck on it is fantastic.

 

[chanson]

I need to hear this! Cool story.

 

[Bass V]

my question is how this bass ever sold for a mere 2K? even without any star provenance that's dirt cheap.

 

[callofcthulhu]

TBH not sure what the point of refin'ing/replacing parts on a celebrity owned instrument is, seems like if you were motivated by provenance you'd want to preserve it as exactly as possible to the state they left it in.

But glad you're happy with it I guess.

 

[eccles77]

Hi Emblymouse. Cracking piece of history you have there.

Just a couple of bits of non important things. Jack Bruce was born and grew up about 3 miles form where I stay and in 2018 I did a gig in Prestwick and on the bill was Rattlesnake Tattoo featuring Ronnie Garrity! If I see him again I will ask him about the bass.

 

[ajkula66]

my question is how this bass ever sold for a mere 2K? even without any star provenance that's dirt cheap.

It was originally listed at $3K but no one bit.

As interesting and as cute as they maybe, early EB-0 basses really don't have much of a following, and this one was heavily modded. Not to mention that one doesn't necessarily associate Jack Bruce with the model in question.

I, for one, am glad that the OP had decided it to "make it his own" and put the bass to use instead of throwing it in a glass case...

My $0.02 only...

 

[eastcoasteddie]

TBH not sure what the point of refin'ing/replacing parts on a celebrity owned instrument is, seems like if you were motivated by provenance you'd want to preserve it as exactly as possible to the state they left it in.

But glad you're happy with it I guess.

I had a new wiring harness made by Starr Guitar Systems and the bridge pickup rewound way hot by John Benson.

It seems that all that was done by @Emblyhouse was a new harness, rewinding of the bridge pickup, and refinishing. All other mods were done by Jack. Emblyhouse just made it look nice and probably sound good, as Jack seemed to treat it as a bit of a beater....
I would probably do the same.

 

[emblymouse]

TBH not sure what the point of refin'ing/replacing parts on a celebrity owned instrument is, seems like if you were motivated by provenance you'd want to preserve it as exactly as possible to the state they left it in.

But glad you're happy with it I guess.

No serial number, no photo evidence. It's just a freakin' cool bass with a great story. I'm not going on Antiques Roadshow with it!

 

[Bass V]

It was originally listed at $3K but no one bit.

As interesting and as cute as they maybe, early EB-0 basses really don't have much of a following, and this one was heavily modded. Not to mention that one doesn't necessarily associate Jack Bruce with the model in question.

I, for one, am glad that the OP had decided it to "make it his own" and put the bass to use instead of throwing it in a glass case...

My $0.02 only...

nobody bit cos I had 0 clue it was for sale and likely didn't have 3K at the drop of a hat lol but it would still be brown if all the planets had lined up for me instead. as I posted last month on my fb page this sale reminded me of when Noel Redding's Jazz Bass went for a paltry sum, a shocking shame IMO, in this case it was owned and modded to taste by Jack friggin Bruce who made it his home recording instrument. to me that's priceless. the added bridge PU is probably a big plus sonically, there's $500 in raw costs alone and amazingly Jack retained the often maligned slant bar bridge which he seemed ok with on other basses as well. regarding sales, these rarities tend to have 4K asking prices, but like with the violins nobody is paying that much. as it is I love the looks now, and it's getting played, extra kudos cos it's still got the old bar bridge, pretty damn cool.

 

[emblymouse]

Hi Emblymouse. Cracking piece of history you have there.

Just a couple of bits of non important things. Jack Bruce was born and grew up about 3 miles form where I stay and in 2018 I did a gig in Prestwick and on the bill was Rattlesnake Tattoo featuring Ronnie Garrity! If I see him again I will ask him about the bass.[/QUOTE

Yes, please do and I would be happy to sent him an 'after' photo! The dealer I got it from was buying a different bass from Ronnie- an old P Bass in original Fiesta Red. This was an afterthought.

 

[emblymouse]

And now a brief tour of fretboard!

 

[mongo2]

And now a brief tour of fretboard!

That body style of EB0 is my favorite. What's the story on the Longhorn hanging on the wall in the background?