Talking about the old 60's and 70's Gibsons here, not the newer Epiphones. Just wondering which professional bassists actually chose an EB0 over an EB3 for either live performances or studio use. I mean, the EB3 had such a broader tonal palette.
I guess a second question might be WHY a bassist might have chosen the EB0 over the EB3.
This is just a curiosity inquiry. There seems to have been little reason for the EB0 to exist in the professional world back then.
-Bob
The only one I can think of is Dennis Dunaway of the Alice Cooper Group. And his had a added Precision pickup.
Felix Pappalardi didn't always play an EB-1 and certainly had no use for a bridge pup.
(http://imageshack.us/a/img534/9136/lesliewestlpjunior.jpg)
Jance Garfat of the one and only unmistakeable Dr Hook played an EB-0 (it might have been a long scale one) in this - largely substance free, I'm sure - performance on German TV (amazing what you could get away with back in the day!). Good glimpses of the bass as it is "shared" between Jance and Dennis (Locorriere) at 5:17 onwards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxFwUDLaI0s
The "unfortunately named" John Glascock with an EB-0 (with additional controls, but only one pup), here is me waving my Carmen flag again, the band no one seems to appreciate for their daring mix (this was 1973!) of world music, Prog, hard rock and glam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxCGT8l0Rao&list=RDrxCGT8l0Rao#t=75
Marshall Grant used an Epiphone Newport with Johnny Cash. Certainly qualifies here. 8)
Maybe someone should sift through our video thread and see who we have there.
That Dr. Hook vid kills me. What a bunch of jokers. Anyhow, here's an EB0 back in the day. This is one with the black pickup cover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzRRwfOXus
I believe they would probably sum that particular performance up as under one of their song titles: "I got stoned (and I missed it)".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM1MftCtIlg
Whatever bass Andy Fraser is playing in this video, it rules!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo
Quote from: TBird1958 on March 21, 2014, 09:18:43 AM
Whatever bass Andy Fraser is playing in this video, it rules!
EB-3.
Carson Van Osten, original Nazz bassist, played an EB-0. Maya Ford of the Donnas played an Epi Newport. I don't know how many more famous or well known bassists played them, but I'm sure there are plenty more that were played professionally.
Why? They liked the single neck pickup sound more than the tonal options of the EB-3. It's that simple.
Let's not forget that the EB-2 and Epi Rivoli were popular back in the 60s too. Other than the godawful "baritone" switch they had a one pickup sound and it wasn't as focused as an EB-0.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9hcxbIln3sc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=RDagQoBF_OI
All good info here. Thanks. There's more professional EB0 players than I imagined.
I have an old '68 EB0 that I break out once in a while on small nightclub gigs when we're playing '60's tunes, but it's hard to justify doing it, tonally, because all my more modern basses sound so much better. But that neck. What a great feeling neck! Most comfortable bass I've ever played.
Also, I've found that if I run the EB0 through an old Cry Baby Wah pedal I can adjust the tone for room acoustics much better than if I omit it altogether, and can add a bit of treble instantly for solos.
Quote from: VeloDog on March 22, 2014, 07:12:43 AM
What a great feeling neck! Most comfortable bass I've ever played.
Also, I've found that if I run the EB0 through an old Cry Baby Wah pedal I can adjust the tone for room acoustics much better than if I omit it altogether, and can add a bit of treble instantly for solos.
I agree with you about the neck. The tone is what it is, but I love my EBO. Crybaby wah, you say? Gotta give that one a whirl!
I thought it might just be because I was so used to the neck that I thought it was so easy to play and comfortable. But I now see there are other people out there who feel the same about the EB-O.
I think the short scale Gibson EB-0 is one of the most ergonomically pleasing basses ever made. Light, decent balance, thin neck. Every time I pick mine up I think i should play it more.
Quote from: Pilgrim on March 22, 2014, 11:53:43 AM
I think the short scale Gibson EB-0 is one of the most ergonomically pleasing basses ever made. Light, decent balance, thin neck. Every time I pick mine up I think i should play it more.
As opposed to the Epi EB-O. I had one for one day and sent it back to MF. The intonation was horrible (although that could have been fixed,) but the neck dive was way worse than I was expecting.
Quote from: westen44 on March 22, 2014, 12:59:42 PM
As opposed to the Epi EB-O. I had one for one day and sent it back to MF. The intonation was horrible (although that could have been fixed,) but the neck dive was way worse than I was expecting.
I also had an Epi and like the 60's Gibson better. Strange about the balance, because the Epi body was thicker...their neck must have been much heavier. There have been at least two generations o the Epi, made in different places. IIRC the earlier versions were a bit lighter and better balanced than the later series.
I had an Epi EB-3 and it was the worst neck diver I've ever had. In addition, the way the small body hung on me shifted the neck out to the left and I had trouble reaching the lower frets on the neck. Loved the look of that bass but sold it immediately and swore never to own another SG-body bass that was more than 30" scale.
I wouldn't mind having an Allen Woody Rumblekat, though. Except for just a hundred dollars more you can get a bass that's quite a bit better. Of course, this really has nothing to do with EB-Os or EB-3s I suppose.
graham simpson played an eb0 with plastic pickup cover on the first roxy music lp.
Quote from: westen44 on March 22, 2014, 01:53:26 PM
I wouldn't mind having an Allen Woody Rumblekat, though. Except for just a hundred dollars more you can get a bass that's quite a bit better. Of course, this really has nothing to do with EB-Os or EB-3s I suppose.
Somehow the Rumblekat has always felt like a toy to me. The (light) weight and the thin / airy sounding pickups just don't make it feel like a real bad ass bass...
I hardly ever use it.
The bass player in Juicy Lucy used a modified EB-0 or EB-0F in their Paul Williams era.
Added pickup under the handrest, I think..
Quote from: Basvarken on March 23, 2014, 02:46:57 AM
Somehow the Rumblekat has always felt like a toy to me. The (light) weight and the thin / airy sounding pickups just don't make it feel like a real bad ass bass...
I hardly ever use it.
That's pretty much what Jack Bruce said about the Gibson EB-3 when he tried one out for the reunion shows. But he did well with one the first time around. I think it's an understandable attitude to have for someone who is used to a more substantial bass.
Quote from: uwe on March 21, 2014, 07:54:26 AM
The "unfortunately named" John Glascock with an EB-0
Glassy cock or not, he got to bang the singer :)
(not the bearded one)
Got both their albums, uneven maybe but there is great moments in them.
Quote from: westen44 on March 23, 2014, 08:37:51 AM
That's pretty much what Jack Bruce said about the Gibson EB-3 when he tried one out for the reunion shows. But he did well with one the first time around. I think it's an understandable attitude to have for someone who is used to a more substantial bass.
Yeah, after playing a heavy Wankwick for years I can understand how he felt. The EB-1 he chose is more substantial feeling than an EB0/EB-3.
The Rumblekat OTOH is semihollow and is even less substantial than it looks.
Quote from: Dave W on March 23, 2014, 07:19:45 PM
Yeah, after playing a heavy Wankwick for years I can understand how he felt. The EB-1 he chose is more substantial feeling than an EB0/EB-3.
The Rumblekat OTOH is semihollow and is even less substantial than it looks. I'm assuming most have seen this, but maybe not all.
Jack talks about the EB-1 at 1:40 or so. I suppose most have already seen this, but maybe not all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_aR2hfy_7Y
Quote from: amptech on March 23, 2014, 11:39:56 AM
Glassy cock or not, he got to bang the singer :)
(not the bearded one)
Got both their albums, uneven maybe but there is great moments in them.
Pah, I have all three. 8) Absolutely underrated and totally orignal band.
Angela Allen and John G. were indeed an item. His memory seems to have stuck with her.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZMXmyxm0e4
Three? did I miss something?
Is info available on the internet? :mrgreen:
I´ll have to do more searching, then....
Yeah, I have that interview with Jack Bruce on one of his DVDs, where he said he did not care for the short scale EB-3 and wanted a wider range of tones...! Uhh...all the while he is holding the short scale EB( original '50's version not the '69 also short scal and mudbucker).
Yes , I do too love my '69 EB-0 and these days as i get on in years is sooo comfortable to play and even don't mind the mudbucker.. I actually have entertained the idea of putting in the 'fake' TB+ that is found on the SG basses for some interesting tone balance...but never pressed the button yet on that.
Danko sounded great on his slot head. That dude had soul. Copacetic, you could check out some of Curtis Novak's pickups if you're looking for options other than the TB+
Quote from: amptech on March 24, 2014, 02:20:22 PM
Three? did I miss something?
Is info available on the internet? :mrgreen:
I´ll have to do more searching, then....
http://www.angelair.co.uk/?tcp_product=carmen-the-gypsieswidescreen
"The Gypsies" is worth having too, less progish/outlandish than the predecessor albums, record company wanted them to be more accessible, but they were still different enough. More songs you can hum on that last album.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i0DMbCKnAg
I've been reading Rolling Stones Gear, the new boat anchor of a book by Andy Babiuk. Bill Wyman briefly used an EB-0 at a studio session (I don't have the book here with me at work so will have to double check which album it was) around 1966 or 1967, but went back to the Framuses (Framii?) and Voxes after that.
I knew that he ventured into Gibson territory when he bought an EB-3 which he used as his main bass on the 1973 tour, but wasn't aware of the earlier EB-0 cameo.
In the Burden/War clip, Dickerson the bass player appears to be playing thumb-style! And back then, there was a tug bar on the EB-0 series to help him out.
Quote from: 4stringer77 on March 25, 2014, 02:32:49 PM
Danko sounded great on his slot head. That dude had soul. Copacetic, you could check out some of Curtis Novak's pickups if you're looking for options other than the TB+
I'll second that. I've got a 64 eb0 with a Curtis Novak pick up. All the playability and a wider variety of tones. I kept the original in case I ever want to go back, which I never think I will. Until I listen to Black Sun's live stuff with an eb0...
Also interesting to hear about the Rumble Kat. Always liked the look, never gotten to play one!