1965 Gibson EB-0 to EB-3 mod - Refinish Color?

[dc10bass]

I'm also trying to find a medium scale neck for it but that's turning into quite a job.

Welcome Greg!

...you will find many Epi EB necks on eBay!
There always seems to be one or two there all the time.

Good Luck with your project!

[drbassman]

First post here

I also have an EB-0 to EB-3 project, except it's an Epiphone that I bought off CL for $75. I think a truck ran over it. I have it stripped and sanded and am waiting for some mahogany to plug the bridge holes with. Then it gets that beautiful transparent brown the was offered by Gibson in the late 60s.

I'm also trying to find a medium scale neck for it but that's turning into quite a job.

Sounds interesting, post some pics when you can.  There never was a medium scale neck made for EB-0s and 3s, Epi or Gibson models.  You'd have to have a custom neck made or use a 34" bolt-on Epi EB-3 neck.  

I might have an Epi EB-3 34" scale neck laying around my shop if you're interested.  Now, I probably shouldn't say this, but you could convert it to 32" scale by planing the fretboard down and gluing a new 32" one on top.  I've done similar things like that myself!

[dc10bass]

There never was a medium scale neck made for EB-0s and 3s, Epi or Gibson models.  You'd have to have a custom neck made or use a 34" bolt-on Epi EB-3 neck.

I was thinking he wanted a short scale neck...

[drbassman]

I was thinking he wanted a short scale neck...

He used the term "medium scale" so I interpreted it as 32".

[Greg_M]

Yes 32"

I had several EB-0s and a couple EB-3s back in the 60s and always liked them (obviously) but I guess I thought the strings to "floppy" if you know what I mean. I have a Fender Jazz now and had several of them, again in the 60s, but I have short fingers, so 34" scale is a bit of a reach although doable. I thought I would give medium scale a try. Seems like a good compromise.

[sniper]

this guy makes neck blanks and could probably make a blank for a 32" scale bass. Dr Bassman and i have both talked to him before about doing this and i think Bill has bought a blank from him. he can do one off custom measurements like for a bass scale vs a guitar sized scale blank. using the fret calculator on the stew-mac site one can figure out how long the board surface has to be on a blank for as many frets as one would want.

here is one of his auctions: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hond-Mahog-Model-59-Dbl-Cutaway-Neck-Call-Your-Own-/230646544786?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item35b39af992

one thing to watch for in mounting a neck if you have a limited reach as i do (frigging shoulder!!!) is to set your neck into the body and move the bridge as far as you can towards the end of the body as Gibson did when they made a 34" scale on the SG type bodies.

i didn't give Bill that option when i sent a used bolt on neck for my Colby bass and i regret it as it turned out to be as long as a 34" 7ender type. it is a wicked cool bass but the reach is a bit long for me even though it is a 32" scale.

[Greg_M]

I'm kind of limited on how much I can pull the neck into the body. There's that big pocket for the neck pickup about 3/16" from the end of the existing pocket now.

Maybe I should start my own thread instead of "borrowing" this one.

[Pilgrim]

I'm also trying to find a medium scale neck for it but that's turning into quite a job.

Greg, good to see you post.  Two questions:

1) Are you sure that a medium scale neck will work with the bridge placement? Changing scale length often requires moving the bridge.

2) Have you considered the balance with a medium scale neck?  I personally have sworn an oath never to own another EB-0 with a neck longer than 30" because of neck-dive caused by longer necks.

[Greg_M]

I just started a new thread so I can quit hijacking this one