Calling Gibson EB-0 Experts....

[Dave W]

I like the Model One.  Until a few years ago there was no real viable option to get your EB working if someone decided mudbuckers were bad - which was 99% of the bass playing world, and almost every guy who owned an old EB that isn't registered here.  So, they have way less ooomph.  They can sound good, just not like a mudbucker.

The Model One was never popular with Gibson owners. I'd guess Dimarzio probably sold a lot more to Billy Sheehan fans.

About 15 years ago I saw a black refinned EB-0 with a Model One and Badass bridge at the old Suneson Music Center on East Lake. That's the only Model One I've ever seen in person. In the last 20 years I've probably seen between 50 and 60 other EB-series basses in retail stores, and all of them had their mudbuckers. So I really don't think most of the bass playing world thought they needed replacing.

[eb2]

I have seen loads of them, but I am going back a bit further, way before Billy Sheehan.  And my old home turf was near the musical petri dish of Berklee.  Those "cats" were really fond of throwing them in EB0/1/2/3's back in the late 70s and early 80s. They were also extremely into throwing Jazz necks on P-basses, but that is for another forum.  The point was they were not fond of Gibsons, but because they were plentiful and cheap (and popular several years before), they got modded a lot.  More typically you saw the P-bass pup, or a DiMarzio P-bass pup, routed into the lead position, more or less, on an EB bass.  The Model One moved a lot because you didn't have to borrow a hammer and screwdriver to dig out a hole.  Oh sure, the d-bags had to drill a mini toggle in there to boot most of the time, but they got their hip Dimarzio fix with less work.

The sad truth is that the percentage of old Gibson basses I have run across over the years with modded pups and electronics is much greater than those left stock.  The same can be true of broken headstocks and neck joints vs unbroken for certain models.  In the case of the humble EB-0, there are an awful lot that have both breaks and barbaric pup mods. 

[Pilgrim]

In the case of the humble EB-0, there are an awful lot that have both breaks and barbaric pup mods. 

Truth.  Simply truth.  And the same continues today with the EPi version.

[Big_Stu]

Get a curly SG Junior scartchplate made to cover the hole, put the thumb-rest back where it should be, have the Model I chromed and the rest leave as is. 

[exiledarchangel]

I'd put an Artec on the neck and chrome the model one's cover. But I think the string spacing on those Artecs is wider than mudbuckers, maybe those Artecs are made to be installed in fender basses or something? Better check that first.

[dadagoboi]

I'd put an Artec on the neck and chrome the model one's cover. But I think the string spacing on those Artecs is wider than mudbuckers, maybe those Artecs are made to be installed in fender basses or something? Better check that first.

I went to the Artec site to see if I could find the string spacing, it used to be more accessible.  That bass pup doesn't seem to be in their lineup from what I can see on this page.  What looks like an EB3 style bridge pup is visible.  maybe someone else can find it.

http://artecsound.com/pickups/index.html

They also warn elsewhere on the site about counterfeits.  "Artec" may becoming a generic name.  If so, there are probably at least 10 factories producing "Artecs" that look similar but will vary in sound produced.  Eden sells that 'bucker on Ebay, I've been to their warehouse in China, they seem reasonably reputable. Can't say if they are selling a real Artec or not, I was looking for necks and bodies.

I enjoyed EB2's post on the model 1 and EBO mods.  My original '60 EBO rig was an Ampeg B-18 portaflex w/flats (only bass strings sold at that time), you can imagine the mud that made.  I stuck a Kent Pbass pup in the mid position.  It was only about 5/16" (7mm) thick so luckily no routing necessary.  Just stuck a jack on the end of the pup wire and went straight into the Ampeg.  It was an improvement.

My point is that with the amps of the day it was almost impossible to get a defined sound out of an EBO mudbucker in a live setting, for me anyway.  Had there been a model 1 around and I had the bucks I would certainly have given it a shot.

[exiledarchangel]

Some time ago I ordered directly from Artec (not ebay, the actual Korean company) a pair of the same pickups BaCH uses, they sent me an catalog too. I could try to find the catalog and scan it, if anybody is interesting. I think it has dimensions and string spacing for all of their products.

[Highlander]

About 15 years ago I saw a black refinned EB-0 with a Model One and Badass bridge at the old Suneson Music Center on East Lake.

Oops... a double whammy on my 'bird...

[Pilgrim]

I've done some surfing on the headstock break, and common sentiment seems to be that a break and repair reduces the value of the instrument by 1/3 to 1/2.  Does that sound about right?

[dadagoboi]

It does to me unless it was a perfect repair with documented provenance on a rare instrument.

[doombass]

I have an Artec mudbucker in my parts box which I actually ordered together with some other Swedish bassplayers like Anders (Linderson) who recorded those soundclips previously mentioned in this thread. The polepieces have Fender spacing.

[Pilgrim]

I have an Artec mudbucker in my parts box which I actually ordered together with some other Swedish bassplayers like Anders (Linderson) who recorded those soundclips previously mentioned in this thread. The polepieces have Fender spacing.

I don't recall offhand what Fender spacing is - can you give me a clue? (I'm often "clue-free").

[dadagoboi]

On my '62 Jazz I measure 51mm (2 inches) center of G string to center of E at the end of the neck.  On my '65 EBO it's 47 (1 27/64"). 

At the bridge Jazz is 60 (2 3/8) EBO 51 (2)

[dadagoboi]

Pole piece spacing on a Mid 60's mudbucker is 48 mm (1 7/8") E to G centerlines.

[Pilgrim]

The bass is mine! I reported the price info (range of $300 to $500 but $400 would be realistic) and he said "...well, I can see that you have a passion for the bass, so $150 would be a good deal, right?"

I assured him that it would be an excellent deal.

"I'd like you to have it, so it's yours for $150."

I thanked him sincerely, and told him that I would be glad to do that, but on the condition that my wife and I took him and his wife (my co-worker) out and bought them dinner to boot.  He cheerfully accepted.

And he'll have a check for $150 in hand tomorrow.

IMO this qualifies for a number of "WOO-HOO's"!!!!!

WOO-HOO!
WOO-HOO!
WOO-HOO!

Now I have to decide whether I'm going after one of the original mudbuckers available on Ebay...is the part correct and price reasonable?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360262708611&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360262708907&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I am open to suggestions about repairing the headstock crack, but I'll open a thread under repairs and mods.