| Gibson EB-1 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Gibson |
| Period | 1953 — 1958, 1968 - 1970 |
| Construction | |
| Body type | Solid |
| Neck joint | Set |
| Scale | 30.5" |
| Woods | |
| Body | Mahogony |
| Neck | Mahogony |
| Fretboard | Rosewood |
| Hardware | |
| Pickup(s) | 1 Humbucking Pickup |
| Colors available | |
| Mahogony Brown | |
The Gibson EB-1 is an electric bass that was introduced by Gibson in 1953, and is the first bass in Gibson's range.
The EB-1, then known as the Electric Bass, was first marketed in 1953 in response to the runaway success of the Fender Precision Bass. Rather than using a body styled after an electric guitar, the EB-1 was shaped to resemble an Upright bass, and even had false f-holes painted onto the top of the body. Production of the EB-1 ended in 1958, when it was superseded by the EB-2 and the later EB-0. The Electric Bass was renamed as the EB-1 at this time.
The EB-1 was reissued twice; once in 1968, and again in 1999. The 1968 reissue deleted the false f-holes, the pickguard, and the telescoping end pin. Other changes included standard right-angled tuning machines, and the addition of a chrome bridge cover. This reissue was discontinued in 1972. The 1999 reissue, by Epiphone, was manufactured in Korea. This version of the EB-1 uses a more cost-effective bolt-on neck construction.
Despite its relative unpopularity among players, the EB-1 is prized among collectors for its historical value. It is not uncommon for original EB-1s to fetch prices of over $4000 US dollars.
The EB-1 featured a solid mahogany body with raised pickguard, and featured a 30.5" scale set neck rather than the traditional 34" scale of the 3/4-sized upright bass, which was the scale favored by many upright bassists of the time. The pickup was mounted directly against the base of the neck, rather than the mid-body position used by the Precision Bass, giving the EB-0 a deeper, but less defined tone than its rival. The EB-0 is fitted with planetary banjo tuners, rather than the right-angled tuners used by most other guitar and bass designs.
In order to appeal to upright bass players, the EB-0 featured a telescopic end pin that allowed bassists to play the EB-0 in both the upright and horizontal positions. False f-holes and purfling were painted onto the body in order to resemble the upright bass. The EB-0 was only available finished with a brown stain.