EB-3 in Russia

FrankieTbird · February 18, 2020, 11:21:15 AM

Here's an interesting early-'70s EB-3 with the wrong bridge. Can't figure out how they got it to fit on there. Serial number font looks slightly wonky also.

https://reverb.com/item/27130827-70-s-1970-75-gibson-eb-3-bass-nut-color-usa-with-hardcase

Pilgrim · February 18, 2020, 01:14:44 PM

Looks like a standard bar bridge to me. What's the issue with it? Wrong time period?

4stringer77 · February 18, 2020, 01:46:08 PM

All the EB-3s with the neck pickup in the middle should have three pointers or a tune o matic. Bar bridges went away by the late 60's.

Pilgrim · February 18, 2020, 02:07:59 PM

I thought that might be it. Does the bar bridge mount on the same posts and position?

Dave W · February 18, 2020, 03:59:53 PM

Quote from: Pilgrim on February 18, 2020, 02:07:59 PM
I thought that might be it. Does the bar bridge mount on the same posts and position?

No.

Serial number does look questionable and the finish on the back of the neck and headstock isn't right.

I'm sure everything that comes out of Russia is legit.

Still, I can't say that this is a fake.

FrankieTbird · February 19, 2020, 11:28:08 AM

Quote from: Dave W on February 18, 2020, 03:59:53 PM
No.

Serial number does look questionable and the finish on the back of the neck and headstock isn't right.

I'm sure everything that comes out of Russia is legit. Still, I can't say that this is a fake.

Exactly. Any ideas how they got that bar bridge mounted on there?

Finish on the neck is a tough call. My EB-4 looks similar because of the maple neck, not sure if this one is maple though.

ajkula66 · February 19, 2020, 12:16:12 PM

Quote from: FrankieTbird on February 19, 2020, 11:28:08 AM

Finish on the neck is a tough call. My EB-4 looks similar because of the maple neck, not sure if this one is maple though.

It should be maple as well, given the pickup position.

Dave W · February 19, 2020, 12:19:48 PM

(Cue Yakov Smirnoff voice) In Soviet Russia, EB-3 plays you!

I've seen maple necked EB-0/EB-3s from the early to mid 70s and none of them had that bright neck finish.

The earliest ones (72) with the mudbucker moved away from the neck did have the two-point but a bar bridge won't go without modification and I don't see any modification on the body.

doombass · February 19, 2020, 02:09:30 PM

That does'nt look like an original Gibson bar bridge (deeper string anchor slots and the pole slots line up. Gibson is offset). I think it is a ca 1972-1973 Gibson EB-3 with varitone removed, a non original (Asian?) bar bridge which in fact dropped right in and has stayed there for a long time (the fading matches the contour of the bar bridge, not the Tune-o-matic). The neck has been sanded and refinished (not faded to brown and serial nr restamped in non original fashion).

patman · February 19, 2020, 02:37:01 PM

Why would anyone go to the trouble to counterfeit what is not a particularly valuable bass?

Pilgrim · February 19, 2020, 03:01:29 PM

Quote from: doombass on February 19, 2020, 02:09:30 PM
That does'nt look like an original Gibson bar bridge (deeper string anchor slots and the pole slots line up. Gibson is offset). I think it is a ca 1972-1973 Gibson EB-3 with varitone removed, a non original (Asian?) bar bridge which in fact dropped right in and has stayed there for a long time (the fading matches the contour of the bar bridge, not the Tune-o-matic). The neck has been sanded and refinished (not faded to brown and serial nr restamped in non original fashion).

Looking at the bridge again, I think you're right. It does seem like a very odd substitution to make unless the owner had a deep, disturbing animosity toward the three-point.

uwe · February 19, 2020, 04:31:38 PM

He probably didn't like the evertilt and who can blame him?

ajkula66 · February 19, 2020, 04:52:19 PM

Quote from: patman on February 19, 2020, 02:37:01 PM
Why would anyone go to the trouble to counterfeit what is not a particularly valuable bass?

In the 1970s, you could get a car in trade for a Gibson in the USSR. Sure, Ladas were not Benzes, but I've personally known a couple of cats who did stuff like that back then and made out like bandits.

Very, very difficult to comprehend for someone who grew up in the Western World. A parallel reality, if you wish.

FrankieTbird · February 19, 2020, 06:50:13 PM

Quote from: doombass on February 19, 2020, 02:09:30 PM
That does'nt look like an original Gibson bar bridge (deeper string anchor slots and the pole slots line up. Gibson is offset).

I'm not sure what you're seeing there. To me, it looks exactly like a second-design Gibson bar bridge. Only the first-design bar bridge had the offset mounting posts.

amptech · February 20, 2020, 12:44:18 AM

Quote from: doombass on February 19, 2020, 02:09:30 PM
That does'nt look like an original Gibson bar bridge (deeper string anchor slots and the pole slots line up. Gibson is offset). I think it is a ca 1972-1973 Gibson EB-3 with varitone removed, a non original (Asian?) bar bridge which in fact dropped right in and has stayed there for a long time (the fading matches the contour of the bar bridge, not the Tune-o-matic). The neck has been sanded and refinished (not faded to brown and serial nr restamped in non original fashion).

I think it looks exactly like a bar bridge, version 2 (I have both versions). But if the instrument had a 3 point, where is the old posts?
My old EB0F came with a three point ~~upgrade~~ downgrade, and the rear two posts are not in the same place as the bar posts.
Obviously, the EB0F now has a bar. Not sure how the posts of a tiltomatic are placed, though.

Hey, if I had a late 70's EB3 I'd probably do a bar bridge and pup switch mod too! Like it

EDIT: Why have someone put a PAF sticker on the bridge pickup? And all those pics of the 'fading' of the finish - not too common to be this 'desparate' to prove the authenticity of a late 70's EB3.