New EB owner experiences sought

VeloDog · November 03, 2014, 06:46:12 AM

The 2014 Gibson EB's are currently on sale and I am tempted. There seems to be a fair amount of owners on other forums who had electronics and controls issues with theirs (loose barrel jacks, wonky pots, etc.)

It would comfort my very liver if any of you guys with an EB could comment on your experiences, both good and bad.

-Bob

neepheid · November 03, 2014, 01:45:31 PM

I have a bullion gold 2014 EB. I am very happy with mine.

Good stuff:everything is well screwed together, fret work is good, nice satin finish on the back of the neck, good sound, coil split does make a tonal variation worth being there, it's pretty light, ergonomically sound, electronics fine - no problems here with pots or jack. I don't use hard cases normally, but you do get a very nice one with it as part of the deal.

Bad stuff - the body finish is my least favourite thing about the bass, this unfilled ash thing maybe makes sense on a trans finish but on a solid colour it just looks like a rookie refinisher's mistake to me. Also the pickguard was rather squiffily cut around the pickup, hole is about 2-3mm too big in a couple of directions to the point where you can see gold body finish in the gap. Bit slack that.

One of my friends had/has one, and he was removing the knobs to get the plastic off the pickguard and he pulled the whole pot shaft out with the knob still attached. Possibly he subjected it to a force it wasn't intended to withstand, so I wouldn't necessarily say it was a dodgy pot. He ended up rewiring it.

You only ever tend to hear about the bad stuff, or cloud cuckoo land fawning praise, so hopefully I've managed to buck the trend and provide a balanced POV. I like mine, and it's not going anywhere any time soon.

FrankieTbird · November 03, 2014, 02:47:31 PM

I can't comment on the new EB bass, but I will comment on the latest Gibson pots. They are junk. I had one go bad, so I opened it up. Plastic abounds, and the taper is just silly. I have since replaced the factory Gibson pots on my 2012 Midtown 6-string, my 2011 SG Jr., and my Midtown bass is next in line. As far as I'm concerned, these new "Gibson" pots are the worst of the worst.

Also, since when did they start using 300K LINEAR taper pots for the volume, and 500K AUDIO taper pots for the tone? Goes against all logic and tradition. I really don't know what Gibson is thinking anymore. Seems like they're trying to bankrupt themselves.

amptech · November 03, 2014, 03:20:57 PM

As above, bad finish and electronics. But if you like the finish ok, the pots can be changed to better ones.

I liked the playability, sound and balance. Seemed solid, both construction and hardware.

Highlander · November 03, 2014, 04:57:22 PM

I've had an ally shaft come out of a 70's SG I own, so that happens...

Dave W · November 03, 2014, 06:38:22 PM

The SG Special Bass is a decent deal as-is, but if you want one, it's an even better buy considering that it's discontinued for 2015. A new 2015 SG Standard Bass will be $1679. Ouch!

I don't know about recent Gibson pots and jacks other than my 2007 Melody Maker guitar, no problems at all with that. But I agree with amptech, it's no big deal to replace them if you need to.

Quote from: FrankieTbird on November 03, 2014, 02:47:31 PM

I can't comment on the new EB bass, but I will comment on the latest Gibson pots. They are junk. I had one go bad, so I opened it up. Plastic abounds, and the taper is just silly. I have since replaced the factory Gibson pots on my 2012 Midtown 6-string, my 2011 SG Jr., and my Midtown bass is next in line. As far as I'm concerned, these new "Gibson" pots are the worst of the worst.

Also, since when did they start using 300K LINEAR taper pots for the volume, and 500K AUDIO taper pots for the tone? Goes against all logic and tradition. I really don't know what Gibson is thinking anymore. Seems like they're trying to bankrupt themselves.

300K linear volume pots have been standard on most (but not all) Gibsons since 1973. A lot of people still don't realize that.

VeloDog · November 04, 2014, 03:46:55 AM

Well, Sweetwater had a couple of 2013 models (NOS) in a vintage fireburst finish for $700. Seems like a decent price for a USA-made Gibson so I bit on one. We'll see what what I wind up with. Replacing the pots is no big deal if I have to do that and finish wear is just a matter of time anyway.

Thanks to all for your input.

Basvarken · November 04, 2014, 01:41:55 PM

As far as I know there is nothing wrong with the pots.
The EB that I got to test for the Bassist magazine was an excellent bass. Really couldn't find anything to nag about.
And I kinda liked the satin finish too.

I see them quite often with bands on stage.
As a matter of fact the other day I saw Blackberry Smoke bassist Richard Turner use one during the entire gig. Looked like he really plays it a lot, because it already had some of the finish worn down where he puts his wrist on the body.

uwe · November 04, 2014, 03:29:16 PM

My son saw Blackberry Smoke last night in Berlin, he thought they were great. Didn't know their bassist played an EB though. Have reprimanded son for not informing me accordingly.

There is nothing wrong with the EB in my view except

- it's not a bass to pull strings with because the magnetic fields of the pup pole pieces are so narrow they cause an unwelcome fade in/fade out effect,

- I find the look unalluring to say the least, that combo of a Fenderesque body with a 2+2 headstock just doesn't cut it for me (I was fine with the Victory's TBird headstock). I don't expect Gibson basses to be ergonomic (the EB is) or comfortable to play (ditto), but one thing they sure as hell need to do compared to those products of THAT OTHER CALIFORNIAN BRAND: look cool.

neepheid · November 04, 2014, 04:26:39 PM

I don't f'n believe it! After giving qualified praise to the EB, mine threw a wobbler at band rehearsal tonight - suddenly went quiet on me. Not silent, but quiet. Turn the neck pickup down and it's full volume. Push pull has no effect on the neck pickup, working fine on the bridge. Completed the rehearsal using only the bridge pickup, but damn, I'm annoyed.

Pot gone bad or pickup, one or the other. Either way, it's less than a year old so I guess it's going on a wee holiday back to the retailer.

uwe · November 04, 2014, 06:22:11 PM

Ouch.

The things people do to save a few cents on wholesale prices for pots.

chromium · November 04, 2014, 08:32:06 PM

Anyone have a control cavity shot of one of these?

I was curious if they went to a printed circuit board w/board mounted pots in there, instead of the traditional point-to-point wiring (thought I recall seeing that on some of the newer models as a cost saving measure?)

Dave W · November 04, 2014, 09:30:56 PM

D'oh! I saw EB and thought of EB3 and the SG Bass. Old associations die hard.

planetgaffnet · November 05, 2014, 02:55:14 AM

Quote from: FrankieTbird on November 03, 2014, 02:47:31 PM
I can't comment on the new EB bass, but I will comment on the latest Gibson pots. They are junk.

Why yes they are.
P

VeloDog · November 05, 2014, 03:59:52 AM

I'm right there with you, Dave. I don't understand why my '07 SG bass isn't properly classified as an EB bass but the new EB bass (which has nothing in common with the old EB series) gets an EB moniker. Not to mention that Epiphone ended up with the EB0 and EB3 names. Just makes it more confusing for old guys like myself that grew up in the EB-1, 2, & 3 era.