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BASSES > EB0 | EB3 | EB6

Gibson EB3 overview | EB3 variations | Sound clips | Technical info | Pricing and publicity | EB3 forum posts

1969 EB3 | 1971 EB3 | 1971 EB3L | 1972 EB3
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1972 Gibson EB-3
1972 Gibson EB-3 bass, walnut finish

Solid mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard with 3 piece maple neck. 30½ inch scale. Two humbucking pickups.

The 1970s EB3 was far more durable than those made in the 1960s. The easily broken one piece mahogany neck had been replaced with a thicker 3 piece maple version, with a larger headstock and a volute. It is unusual to find a snapped neck post '72 EB3. Maple, though less brittle than mahogany does warp more easily, and whilst you won't find many warp-necked sixties models, you will with these maple-necked versions. Examine a 1960s model here
1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail - neck humbucking pickup. 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail - bridge cover, and the bridge humbucking pickup 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail - witch hat volume and tone knobs, input jack and chicken-head selector switch 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail - headstock with Gibson logo and crown inlays.
1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Body detail 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Bridge detail, in this case the 2 point bridge, and the bridge humbucking pickup 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. The serial number is at the top back of the headstock 1972 Gibson EB-3 bass. Rear headstock detail

The redesigned 1970s Gibson EB-3 is first shown in the 1972 catalogue
Short scale strings suitable for the EB3 bass

Rotosound RS77S Jazz Bass Strings Short Scale (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77S - Jazz Bass)

Rotosound RS88S Trubass Standard Gauge Short Scale Strings (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS88S - True Bass (Black Nylon))

Fender 5250XL Short Scale Bass Extra Light Strings (Fender short scale Nickel Steel roundwounds)

Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale 4-String Bass (Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale)

D'Addario EXL160S XL Regular Short Bass String Set (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound Short Scale - Regular)

Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings (Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings)

D'Addario EXL220S Electric Bass Strings XL Nickel Super Light Short Scale (D'Addario EXL220S Nickel Super Light Short Scale)
The first two years of this remodelling (1972 and 1973) saw good sales of EB3 (including long scale versions 1350 and 2400 respectively) and because of their durability, many are still in existance today. As well as the thousands of instrument produced in cherry and walnut finishes (like the instrument featured above), a small number were available in ebony (10), natural (49) and towards the mid-late seventies, white (69).

This is a typical early seventies Gibson. Notice the volute (on the back of the headstock), laminate maple neck, spring mounted EB humbucker, situated away from the neck (unlike older models) and the two two point bar bridge with cover. Three point bridges were not in use until 1973. The machine heads are Schaller M4-S, as fitted on all solid headstock EB basses 1971-73 (until the introduction of the Schaller BM). This style of pickguard was used on all EB models from 1972 until they were last produced in 1979. This is one of 354 walnut (compared to 530 cherry) EB-3 basses shipped in 1972.

The 1972 EB-3 had series 2 circuitry

Sound Clips

Sound clips are approximately 150kb, and each clip features the introductory 4 bars of rescue me (Fontella Bass) played on a 1972 EB3.

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new Gibson basses

Gibson SG Supreme bass
Gibson SG Supreme Bass
Natural finish

Gibson's classic dual-pickup, short scale, SG bass, has been updated with a beautiful AAA flame maple top and natural satin finish. With a slim neck for effortless playability, the SG Supreme AAA Maple bass is fast, powerful, and beautiful. A vintage-style TB Plus bass humbucker neck pickup coupled with a bass Mini-humbucker at the bridge delivers trademark tone. A real stunner.

Gibson SG bass
Gibson SG Reissue 4-String Bass
Heritage Cherry or Ebony finishes

Gibson's classic dual-pickup SG bass from the '60s is back! It has the 30-1/2' short scale of the original, as well as its slim, fast neck. Mahogany body and neck. It features a vintage-style TB Plus neck humbucker and a mini-humbucker at the bridge for wide tonal range. Includes hardshell case.

Epiphone Elitist EB-3 Bass Guitar
Epiphone Elitist EB-3 Bass Guitar
Cherry or Ebony finishes

The Elite series are instruments that approach custom shop perfection. They're made with premium woods, fitted with American pickups and circuitry -- even American-made toggle switches and Grover tuners. They are made at a special factory exclusively devoted to their manufacture where they receive a high degree of hands-on luthier attention. The EB-3 is a bass classic, made famous by Jack Bruce, with its SG-style body in bookmatched mahogany, a 30-1/2'-scale neck, a USA humbucker at the neck, and USA mini-humbucker at the bridge.

Epiphone EB-0 Bass Guitar
Epiphone EB-0 Bass
Cherry or Ebony finishes

Authorized by Gibson, Epiphone has brought back a classic of the early '60s. Based on the SG, this guitar-sized (30-1/2' scale) bass is a great axe for anyone not quite large enough for a full-size bass. Though small and light, its sound is huge, and full-size people can play it too.