marty robbins song, fuzz bass

[nofi]

short piece at 1:25 in.

[amptech]

Yep, that's what led to the Gibson EB0F bass!

[Grog]

It was an interesting story.....

http://communityvoices.post-gazette.com/arts-entertainment-living/get-rhythm/item/37737-fuzztone-who-used-it-first

It is obvious by the original instructions that Gibson had no idea what it would eventually be used for.....

[nofi]

here is the article i got that song from.

http://www.openculture.com/2018/09/brief-history-guitar-distortion-early-experiments-happy-accidents-classic-effects-pedals.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+OpenCulture+%28Open+Culture%29

[Dave W]

That openculture article contains the usual utter bullshit about Link Wray: " Link Wray slashed the cone of his speaker to get that sound on 1957's "Rumble," the birth of power chords." No, that never happened, Link invented that story later after Dave Davies made a similar claim about "You Really Got Me." Also, not only were power chords around many years before Rumble, the song actually doesn't contain any power chords.

Here's Vintage Guitar's Maestro Fuzz-Tone article from 2013. Very thorough. Includes mention of the EB-0F and others.

FWIW, Lightnin' Hopkins was overdriving his amps back in the late 40s, and I doubt he was the first. Fuzztone? He's the guitarist (and composer) on this J.D. Edwards record from 1953.

[Grog]

Here is a copy of the 1962 demo record I posted earlier. This recording is much cleaner than mine.............

[Dave W]

I always wanted my bass to sound like a sousaphone. 

It was advanced, in its time.

[amptech]

FWIW, Lightnin' Hopkins was overdriving his amps back in the late 40s, and I doubt he was the first.

Agree. The P-90 (from 1946) is a rather hot pickup, and even the metal cover version from about 1940 is hot too. Even the last prewar bar pickup is on the hot side.

I'd say 50% of the pickups from the mid 30's and onwards would push at least 50% of the amps made for music instruments into overdrive if you played them at 50% volume

There are good prewar overdrive/fuzz stories too, like Charlie Christian playing an ES-150 into a EH-150 on a late night jam sesssion.
Accidentally plugging into the mic channel, he got this mean fuzz. Don't know where I read it, but I think he unplugged it fast only to have someone responding something like 'whatever you did, do it again' or 'plug it back in' or something. Any guitarist playing such gigs or jams in crowded bars (with a drum kit)  must have turned up the volume to 11 or used the mic channel more than once back then. Stories like that sound more likely to be true than slashed cones. After a few pints, plugging into the right (or wrong) channel can be quite a challenge

[Grog]

I always wanted my bass to sound like a sousaphone. 

It was advanced, in its time.

This should help you accomplish that dream!

[Dave W]

^^^ Just what I was looking for! 

At least a vintage FZ-1 or 1a would be a lot less expensive than an EB-0F. I think there are clones on the market but there are probably better fuzz pedals for bass. I really wouldn't know, though.

[Grog]

I was never that thrilled with the sound of either the bass or the pedal, but after re-reading the instruction sheet I'm tempted to try it again. Possibly using a different bass with the pedal. You would have thought that some kind of owners manual would have came with the EB0-F. I have never seen anything other than what I posted. Also, the old claim that carbon batteries work better than modern alkaline batteries. I might have to give that a try someday.................

[doombass]

Also, the old claim that carbon batteries work better than modern alkaline batteries.

I'd like to see the scientific explanation supporting that claim. 

[Pilgrim]

I'd like to see the scientific explanation supporting that claim. 

If there is one, which I very damn much doubt.

[clankenstein]

Don't tell Eric Johnson.

[Dave W]

Don't tell Eric Johnson.

Supposedly the real story is that he changed batteries in a pedal once and noticed an improvement in tone. The new battery was a Duracell so he's used them ever since. IIRC he has never done any testing and he doesn't claim to be able to tell batteries apart.