what is it with that E string on EB3 and SG basses?

[uwe]

I think I have that problem too, with my new to me SG Standard, which came with Chromes.  My SG Faded with Pyramid flats has no E string issues, and neither does my TI Flat wearing Rivoli.

The .100 E string on the SG Standard won't intonate at all - when my TU-2 says it's tuned to "E" it's not, and I have to tune it half way between Eb and E for it to sound even close to being intonated anywhere up to the 7th fret.

Will this issue be fixed if I switch to lower gauge strings like the TIs?

The pull of D'Addario Chromes is brutal and their stiffness too - even with "just" a .100 gauge. I never ever have them on anything except long scales with the sturdiest of necks. They even brought a Fender neck to its knees. Thought about putting them on a short scale for added "rebound", but your experiences teach me otherwise.

I have two SG Supremes and one RI, strung with DR Black Beauties rounds, Labella flats and half-rounds of some make I forgot. None have intonation or ghost harmonics issues so I fear thoses Chromes will have to go, Mark.  Only other advice I have: Have you bent the E real hard over the saddle to make sure it sits properly?

[patman]

I started using pressurewounds...even my Dano with GHS flats starts to run sharp...on the E string...just hooked it up to a tuner to check, and the E string problems were not insignificant...guess in the old days, no one had tuners.

[uwe]

The bridge design of a Dano is such that exact intonation is not exactly its forte! 

The new generation reissue now has individual saddles at long last.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

The pull of D'Addario Chromes is brutal and their stiffness too - even with "just" a .100 gauge. I never ever have them on anything except long scales with the sturdiest of necks. They even brought a Fender neck to its knees. Thought about putting them on a short scale for added "rebound", but your experiences teach me otherwise.

That's interesting because I've never found them stiff playing, but they do pull the neck on my Epi Les Paul true. It's actually set to backbow and frets out at the third fret until all the strings are on it.  Do I need to worry about that? My playing touch is just slightly lighter for electric than it is for upright- seriously, and I really put my instruments through some serious workouts. I also have them (actually Ernie Ball Group III flats-which I recently found out are rebranded D'Addario Chromes) on my parts ESP/"Fender" JPJ bass, which has a very tough Mighty Mite 70's Jazz neck copy.

[barend]

Don't know why but starting and reading this topic made me wanna have an EB-3 again.
I am gassing for a 72 or later one. With the neck pickup being further away from the neck it will have a more useful sound for me. Never was a big fan of that muddy neck pickup sound of my '68 EB-3. Really liked the bridge pickup though.

Are the long scale versions EB-3's neck heavy? (I had an Epiphone EB-3 and that had way too much neckdive)

I really shouldn't be doing this. And I am still afraid of the weak E string which made me sell the other EB3's. Hope I can resist the temptation.

[uwe]

That's interesting because I've never found them stiff playing, but they do pull the neck on my Epi Les Paul true. It's actually set to backbow and frets out at the third fret until all the strings are on it.  Do I need to worry about that? My playing touch is just slightly lighter for electric than it is for upright- seriously, and I really put my instruments through some serious workouts. I also have them (actually Ernie Ball Group III flats-which I recently found out are rebranded D'Addario Chromes) on my parts ESP/"Fender" JPJ bass, which has a very tough Mighty Mite 70's Jazz neck copy.

My Epis all have sturdy necks and the Epi Les Paul's is even maple I believe, so I think you are safe. You only should be worrying if on a continuous basis you always need to tighten the truss rod more over time to retain sensible action, independent of climate, season or storage conditions.

[Aussie Mark]

Are the long scale versions EB-3's neck heavy?

I don't find any long scale Gibsons neck heavy, but I use wide, suede backed leather straps and have large hands.  I really miss my EB-4L, it was a fantastic bass.

[uwe]

As usual, the remarks of the Antipodean can lead to serious accidents in the Northern Hemisphere.

Save for the beast called Epi Embassy, long scale SG body basses are the most notorious neckdivers. All of them whether EB-4, EB-3L, EB-0L, SB-400, SB-450 or even the SG-Z. It's not just the imbalance between neck and body, but also that the SG body has no "hanging stability" to speak of in the first place, it even bounces with a short scale neck. The seventies models are especially imbalanced due to the heavy maple necks though. My one and only exception is the one-off 90ties long scale SG bequeathed to me from some friendly Republican in the film business. The body of that is so fat and thick, it compensates the long neck almost.

All this applies everywhere except in Australia.  

[patman]

Ronald Reagan played bass?

[Pilgrim]

So shorties sound best when strung with lighter gauge strings then?

I know why you're asking!

I just ordered Labella 760FL flats for both my Gretsch 2202 Jr. Jet and my Squier Bronco.  They're 043 060 082 104 and I think they're gonna sound great.  I recently put a set of leftover Ernie Ball flats on my Aria Diamond Hi-Flyer clone and once they had a week or so to settle in they sounded much better to my ear than the rounds which were on it.  I didn't note what the string gauges were...I'll have to check on that.

[uwe]

Ronald Reagan played bass?

The pre-owner of my SG long scale one-off would view that question alone as a compliment! 

That said, the work of subsequent Presidents puts Ronnie's era in a golden light. And I sure hope that wherever he is, they have no Alzheimer's Disease there.

[barend]

As usual, the remarks of the Antipodean can lead to serious accidents in the Northern Hemisphere.

Save for the beast called Epi Embassy, long scale SG body basses are the most notorious neckdivers. All of them whether EB-4, EB-3L, EB-0L, SB-400, SB-450 or even the SG-Z. It's not just the imbalance between neck and body, but also that the SG body has no "hanging stability" to speak of in the first place, it even bounces with a short scale neck. The seventies models are especially imbalanced due to the heavy maple necks though.

That is what I was afraid of. So no longscale 70's EB-3 for me then. What I like about shortscales is that the Jack Bruce type string bendings are easy.

[Pilgrim]

That is what I was afraid of. So no longscale 70's EB-3 for me then. What I like about shortscales is that the Jack Bruce type string bendings are easy.

No longscale new EB-3's either. 

Had one, terrible neck diver, and didn't like the way the 34-inch neck oriented to my body either - I felt like I was reaching a mile to my left to play it.  Sold it just a few weeks after it hit the door.  That's why I plan to mod an EB-0 by adding a second pickup.

[barend]

No longscale new EB-3's either. 

Had one, terrible neck diver, and didn't like the way the 34-inch neck oriented to my body either - I felt like I was reaching a mile to my left to play it.  Sold it just a few weeks after it hit the door.  That's why I plan to mod an EB-0 by adding a second pickup.

yes, that was the same on the Epi EB-3. That low F was too far away.

[Aussie Mark]

Geeze, you guys need to use different straps.  No bass will neck dive with a suede backed 4" wide leather strap (or one of those homoerotic neoprene "comfort" straps), unless you wear your bass high like a necklace.