Question about Gibson EB series String Mutes

[dc10bass]

Group...

Is there any difference between a 1965 "bar bridge - first version" EB String Mute & a 1968 "two-point Tune-O-Matic bridge" EB String Mute?

...Need a string mute for my 1965 EB-3 and there is one available from a 1968 EB-0.

Thanks!
Curt

The only visible difference I noticed was that the part that keeps the slide lever in place is plastic on the 1968 version.

I saw this at www.flyguitars.com
"EB string mute Introduced in 1960 (see the Gibson Gazette July/August 1960 and 1962 mute patent) and fitted to Kalamazoo-built basses until 1971. This mute was widely used on practically all Gibson EB3s, and very many EB0, EB2, Epiphone Newport, Epiphone Rivoli and Les Paul basses. The principle was very simple: by pulling the lever away from the bridge, it's raised part pushes a piece of felt up, under the strings, dampening vibrations. Listen to these soundclips of a muted and unmuted Gibson EB3."

[chromium]

The mute on my 66 EB-2D (bar bridge) looks like the unit pictured above, with the metal (brass?) thingus to hold the lever in place.

The mute on my 68 EB-3 (ever-tilt bridge) appears identical (best I can tell by looking at it), but it has the white plastic thingy holding the lever - as you described.  Looks the same as the one pictured, just plastic instead of brass.

No way to verify, but I believe both mutes to be original to these basses.

[chromium]

Also, just fyi- make sure you have enough room under the bridge to install one.  Eyeballing it, it looks like it requires around 5mm height under the bridge.

I remember my old EB-0 bridge used to sit right on the mute.  I think people sometimes remove them to get the action dialed in lower.

[chromium]

Just found some pics too, if it helps...

On that 69 EB-0 I mentioned, I had pulled its mute off and sold it...  These are photos from that auction, so you can compare to the older mute pictured above.  Note that I had replaced the dampening material on this unit with mousepad foam.

[uwe]

Also, just fyi- make sure you have enough room under the bridge to install one.  Eyeballing it, it looks like it requires around 5mm height under the bridge.

I remember my old EB-0 bridge used to sit right on the mute.  I think people sometimes remove them to get the action dialed in lower.

That is the only reason those mutes are so often removed on sixties basses