sound difference between 60's and 70's EB3

[barend]

How would you describe the sound difference between an (for example) '68 and '74 EB3.
I mean the ones with the neck pickup close to the neck or away from the neck.

Is there much difference? and is the sound of the bridge pickup the same? and the overall sound?
I guess it sounds less muddy with the pickup away from the neck. But the shape of the bass is a little bit different and it is heavier I think, so maybe that changes the overall sound also.
I heard the soundclips on the Gibson site, but I can not make much of it.

Don't know why but lately I have gas for a 'newer' EB3. I already have an '68 one. I really like it.
Hope the gas goes away.

[Chris P.]

Barend,

I'm sure Uwe will give a full review of the sound differences. One thing's or sure: Gibson made a lot of Mudbuckers and they seem to differ a lot over the years.

I have a '76 EB3 which sound FAT. I don't really like the looks if I compare it to a 60s one. A big body without the curves and as you said the pick up to the middle. Mine's from '76, it has a well repaired neck break and a bad repaired bodybreak but it still sounds nice. Maybe I want to get rid of it, so if you're interested.

The reason for that is my SG Reissue Bass. It has the sixties look, it's warm and fat and more usable because of the TB+ pick up. You can find them cheap too on eBay.

[uwe]

Unless your preference is that largely middish Jack Bruce or Andy Fraser sound, the seventies sound is more versatile as pup position, maple neck and tweaking of the last generation mudbuckers make for a more attack-rich and distinct sound with still enough mudlevel ooomph to send a P Bass home crying to his mom and asking her if he shouldn't better become a banjo. The seventies sound has more treble and less overbearing mids, bit Ric'ish even though it's not yet as scooped. What you don't have with the seventies EBs is that fuzzy overdrive sound of the early sixties EBs (which many people die for) or the close to hilarious sublows (and nothing else) of the late sixties slothead era EBs. Radar Love was played with a seventies EB-3 or EB-3L, try getting that sound out of a sixties model.

Personally, I also think that the seventies EBs feel more like a bass as opposed to the guitar handling characteristics of the sixties models, but many people prefer the older models for just that. 

Uwe

[Chris P.]

...with still enough mudlevel ooomph to send a P Bass home crying to his mom and asking her if he shouldn't better become a banjo.
Uwe

My 70s EB3 has a mahogany neck I think.

[uwe]

Not if it has the middle pup, then it's maple. You should be able to see that the neck is three-ply like all maple necks by Gibson in the seventies (Grabbers and G-3s excepted, which were one piece) - a maho neck would be one piece.

Uwe

[barend]

What you don't have with the seventies EBs is that fuzzy overdrive sound of the early sixties EBs (which many people die for)

what do you mean exactly? my '68 doesn't have the fuzzy overdrive sound. Fuzzy on the neck or bridge pickup?
The bridge pickup on my EB-3 sounds rather clean (but very good, Fraser style) and the neck pickup sounds very muddy (too muddy for my taste). But it has the EB-0 mod. I am still not sure if I like that mod better than the oiginal sound. With the EB-0 mod the neck pickup becomes too muddy and not useful when I use the neck pickup solo. Without the EB-0 mod the neck pickup was also useful when soloed.
Now I use the neck pickup only to dial in little bit more bass to the neck pickup, but only very little.

 

[uwe]

The early sixties EBs have a middish bark  in neck pup mode to them, not so much sublows in fact. Gibson only went overboard with the "brown frequencies" in the late sixties and especially the slotheads.

[Dave W]

The early sixties EBs have a middish bark  in neck pup mode to them, not so much sublows in fact. Gibson only went overboard with the "brown frequencies" in the late sixties and especially the slotheads.

I don't think there's any difference in the mudbuckers over the years until you get to the redesign in the mid-70s. There is a difference in sound between the early 60s and the slotheads. Not sure why, but the open headstock, nylon saddle bridge and narrower-but-deeper neck could all have affected it.

[Basvarken]

Not if it has the middle pup, then it's maple. You should be able to see that the neck is three-ply like all maple necks by Gibson in the seventies (Grabbers and G-3s excepted, which were one piece) - a maho neck would be one piece.

Uwe

Not sure if that is what you mean, but not all mahogany Gibson necks are one piece...
Maybe the EB necks are, but the Les Paul Bass necks are three piece.

Uwe's edit: You're right, there are three piece maho necks, even with some EB basses as others have rightly pointed out in this thread. 

[SKATE RAT]

my Les Paul Bass neck is one piece.all 'hog

[EvilLordJuju]

split headstock EBs had a three-piece mahogany neck

[Dave W]

split headstock EBs had a three-piece mahogany neck

Agreed.




You can see the difference in grain on the 72 and later EBs, it's easy enough to tell maple from mahogany.

[barend]

The early sixties EBs have a middish bark  in neck pup mode to them, not so much sublows in fact.

do you think this 'bark' is gone when you do the EB-0 mod? I am thinking of reversing the mod to the original wiring, as it was before. The EB-0 mod only results in mud and way too much lows and too muffled. But I am not sure though.

[bobyoung]

What you don't have with the seventies EBs is that fuzzy overdrive sound of the early sixties EBs (which many people die for) or the close to hilarious sublows (and nothing else) of the late sixties slothead era EBs.  

Uwe

I could level a building with my slothead EB-3 with the neck pickup soloed.

[uwe]

do you think this 'bark' is gone when you do the EB-0 mod? I am thinking of reversing the mod to the original wiring, as it was before. The EB-0 mod only results in mud and way too much lows and too muffled. But I am not sure though.

Not sure what the "EB-0"-mod is. Are all EB-0s treble- and mid-choked like EB-2s are while EB-3s in mudbucker only mode aren't? I've heard of that theory, but have never ever checked it. Certainly, my late sixties Slothead EB-0s do not sound more muffled in highs and mids than my Slothead EB-3. And likewise my maple neck seventies EB-0 does not sound darker than its EB-3L cousin from the same era in neck pup only mode.

If your EB-0 is indeed choked like an EB-2, then unleashing the full frequency range of the mudbucker will work wonders.

Uwe