The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: drbassman on April 18, 2012, 10:27:26 AM

Title: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: drbassman on April 18, 2012, 10:27:26 AM
Sure glad I still have mine.  I hope he does well, could be good for me on down the road!  Nice looking speciman.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1992-Gibson-EB-650-Bass-Guitar-Cherry-Finish-/280861858639?pt=Guitar&hash=item4164abdb4f
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: TBird1958 on April 18, 2012, 10:50:21 AM


I've always really liked those...........It's a pretty bass.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on April 18, 2012, 11:20:50 AM
Yeah, and they rock. Very happy how mine recorded when we were in the studio.

Uwe
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: drbassman on April 18, 2012, 12:01:21 PM
The pups kick ass!
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Dave W on April 18, 2012, 02:02:22 PM
It's nice. Don't know if it's $3500 nice. IIRC Kebo finally sold the one he had at a fairly high price. Aside from that, I don't know of one selling for over $2500.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Pilgrim on April 18, 2012, 02:10:00 PM
That's really a nice-looking bass but essential cheapness restrains me.  

Is it $3000 better than my Casady?  Or $2700 better than my Gretsch 5123?  

I rather doubt it.

Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Stjofön Big on April 18, 2012, 03:16:02 PM
Maybe too many $$$... But very nice looking!
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on April 18, 2012, 05:01:52 PM
It's overpriced. By at least a thousand. Some years ago, EB 750ies went for that type of money and while I prefer the EB 650 in sound, the EB 750 is much rarer and has more expensive ingredients and features.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Aussie Mark on April 18, 2012, 05:17:02 PM
Quote from: Pilgrim on April 18, 2012, 02:10:00 PM
That's really a nice-looking bass but essential cheapness restrains me. 

Is it $3000 better than my Casady?  Or $2700 better than my Gretsch 5123? 

I rather doubt it.

or $1500-$2000 better than my Duesenberg Starplayers.  Unlikely.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on April 19, 2012, 05:48:21 AM
With all due respect to the Duesenberg as a fine little bass, the EB-650 is much more assertive. To the point of vicious. It cannot be compared at all to an EB-2 or an Epi JC as regards sheer assertiveness and even beats an LP Sig in that department. It is a hollow-body with solidbody density and cut of tone, totally defying expectations from its looks. You could play heavy metal with it if a Ric sound is what you otherwise prefer.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: drbassman on April 19, 2012, 09:35:36 AM
Quote from: uwe on April 19, 2012, 05:48:21 AM
With all due respect to the Duesenberg as a fine little bass, the EB-650 is much more assertive. To the point of vicious. It cannot be compared at all to an EB-2 or an Epi JC as regards sheer assertiveness and even beats an LP Sig in that department. It is a hollow-body with solidbody density and cut of tone, totally defying expectations from its looks. You could play heavy metal with it if a Ric sound is what you otherwise prefer.

Uwe beat me to the punch here.  His assessment of the agressive, butt kicking tone and output is right on target.  Having owned a myriad of hollow bodies and semi-hollow bodies, nothing can stand up to it.  I don't play it often because the neck length is a problem for my reach, but the sound of this bass is amazing and it's a hidden gem.

I might just take it to practice next week and give her a go since we're kicking it around.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: eb2 on April 19, 2012, 10:40:06 AM
They could have done so much better than that bridge and tailpiece.  So sad.

Is it more assertive than an SG-Z?  That is the last modern Gibson bass I want to get a hold of.  Modern for me being 20 years ago.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: drbassman on April 19, 2012, 11:08:11 AM
Quote from: eb2 on April 19, 2012, 10:40:06 AM
They could have done so much better than that bridge and tailpiece.  So sad.

Is it more assertive than an SG-Z?  That is the last modern Gibson bass I want to get a hold of.  Modern for me being 20 years ago.

You know, I had my doubts about the bridge, but it seems to intonate well in spite of it. 
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on April 19, 2012, 01:02:16 PM
I'm an intonation obsessive, but this bridge is freely moveable and you can intonate to perfection by slanting it. At least with a regular set of 105er rounds.

The SG-Z is on the other end of the spectrum. It looks rock, but is so docile and meek you'd have a hard time cutting through with it in an Air Supply covers band. Great looking bass, but an aural disappointment.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: clankenstein on May 06, 2012, 02:58:15 AM
isit the wood or the pickups on the sgz thats not so good?
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Dave W on May 06, 2012, 08:25:13 AM
Quote from: tubehead on May 06, 2012, 02:58:15 AM
isit the wood or the pickups on the sgz thats not so good?

The pickups. They look like TB soapbars but they aren't.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: gearHed289 on May 06, 2012, 10:25:21 PM
Even nicer in blue...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110870000760&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Man, you guys are making me want one of these!
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on May 07, 2012, 01:47:39 AM
The blue is cooler and rarer.

It was certainly the pups that left the SGZ sound ball- and bassless. Plus their positions way back to the bridge. I have an SGZ modified with a mudbucker and that has ample lows. However, even after modification its bassy tone is one thing not: assertive. That I think has to do with its sleek looks - thin neck and thin body (both maho) -, there is simply not enough wood. I have - courtesy of Herr Carlston - a one off long scale SG with TB Plus pups and that has a hugely thick body and a fat LP bass style neck. All elegance is washed away, but that bass takes no prisoners.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: clankenstein on May 07, 2012, 02:19:43 AM
aha so its a bit lean in the wood department.a pity ,its nice looking.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: drbassman on May 07, 2012, 09:13:44 AM
Quote from: gearHed289 on May 06, 2012, 10:25:21 PM
Even nicer in blue...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110870000760&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

Man, you guys are making me want one of these!

Yep, if I had the cash to burn, this one would be mine already.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: clankenstein on May 07, 2012, 03:29:51 PM
was there ever a lefty eb-650?
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on May 07, 2012, 06:28:54 PM
Gibson generally doesn't do lefties, period. And certainly not for a model with as short a production span as the EB 650.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: TBird1958 on May 07, 2012, 07:28:35 PM

Wish they'd paint T Birds in that pretty color  ;)


Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Dave W on May 07, 2012, 08:36:58 PM
There certainly wasn't a lefty EB-650 in production. It's not beyond possibility that one was made by special order.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Wilbur88 on May 08, 2012, 12:06:35 AM
Lovely model; I'd love to play one given the comments on it's assertiveness.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on May 08, 2012, 08:44:41 AM
Quote from: Dave W on May 07, 2012, 08:36:58 PM
There certainly wasn't a lefty EB-650 in production. It's not beyond possibility that one was made by special order.

Unless you are a celebrity, you'd be hard-pressed to have the Custom Shop build you a lefty even today, no matter how long the delivery or the price. I left both open on my doubleneck bass project and they still gave me a polite no.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: clankenstein on May 09, 2012, 12:30:38 AM
do tell please what sort of doubleneck you wanted.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on May 09, 2012, 04:22:29 AM
Nuthin' fancy: SG body, long scale fretless (possibly with a low B), short scale fretted with only D and G double octaved. All maho and cherry, TB Plus pups in whatever shape or form. Was that asking too much given that I declared to accept any price and any delivery date?  ???

I try to console myself with the thought that they did not even take me serious.  :-\ Their email to me was certainly worded in a way that they thought I was stark raving mad, but did not want to make me feel bad.  :mrgreen:

Of course I could get any luthier to build one for me with original parts (can't be that difficult to cobble an SG-Z and an SG-RI together), but I wanted a Gibson Custom shop doubleneck, damn it!  >:(

Oh yeah, and neck heaviness wouldn't have been an issue!  :mrgreen:

And I would have played it too: There ain't no song on earth where I could not combine some long scale fretless slides with some double ocatve chording and short scale fretted riffs!  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: Dave W on May 09, 2012, 08:25:05 AM
I can't see why they wouldn't want to satisfy a simple request like that!  :)
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: uwe on May 09, 2012, 08:35:07 AM
Dave, I detect irony in your words!  :mrgreen: But realistically, the only thing a little outlandish in my request was the octavizing of D and G (I could have lived without the B on the long scale) - surely there is room for two additional micro tuners on an SG RI headstock? You know what they did within two weeks on that TM Stevens LP eight string headstock.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2491.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2477.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v615/uwehornung/DCP_2484.jpg)

It's just that I'm not TM Stevens but some boring kraut attorney.
Title: Re: Nice EB-650 on the Bay
Post by: clankenstein on May 10, 2012, 02:08:20 AM
sue the buggers!i think thats an interesting project and those dumbasses should be all over it.