Vintage Gibson Guitar – The Electric Bass
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Once Leo Fender introduced his Precision Bass in 1951, the other guitar makers tried to get into the game. Two years later the vintage Gibson guitar EB-1 was launched.
History 101
1953 EB-1
Gibson is a renowned guitar manufacturer and is credited with producing the first electric guitar that was commercially successful back in 1936. It’s a wonder then that they seemed to make a half-hearted effort when it first entered the electric bass market.
Their first attempt was simply called the “Gibson Electric Bass” when it first appeared in 1953. It was shaped like a violin and had a solid mahogany body with a telescopic end pin so that the bass player could play it horizontally like a guitar or in an upright position.
Apparently Gibson wasn’t completely sold on the electric bass guitar so the end pin provided the option of playing it like a double bass. It also came in a short 30 ½” scale length in an attempt to coax guitar players into playing their bass. In comparison, the Fender Precision bass came in a 34” scale length.
1959 EB-2
In 1958 Gibson changed the name of the Electric Bass to EB-1, but this would be its last year of issue as it never achieved much market success. Gibson decided to reissue this bass in 1969, this time without the end pin. As you might have guessed, it was still unpopular and production ceased in 1972.
During 1958 the company added the EB-2 to its bass line which was designed after the Gibson ES-335 electric guitar, both of which were made with a semi-solid construction. This design featured a hollow body except for a maple wooden block running through its center. This was done to give it the tone of both a solid and hollow body bass.
The EB-2 was moderately successful and its production continued until 1972 (with a 3-year break from 1961-1964) but Gibson’s most popular basses were yet to come.
Success at Last
In 1959 Gibson introduced the EB-0. This vintage Gibson guitar was their best selling bass from the 60s through the 70s. When first released the body design was like that of their Les Paul Junior electric guitar, but changes were coming.
Just two years later the EB-0 was completely redesigned to resemble the Gibson SG guitars with beveled edges and distinctive (devil-like) horns. At least that’s how they looked to me which was fitting since they were only available with a cherry red finish. It was redesigned again in 1972 when the pickup was moved further down from the neck and more weight was added to the body.
1959 EB-0
1961 EB-0
1972 EB-0
(Notice the design change of the Gibson EB-0 from the original 1959 issue, to the 1961 body redesign and the modified pickups in 1972)
In 1961, a highly successful vintage Gibson guitar called the EB-3 was launched and became the favorite of many name musicians such as Jack Bruce (Cream), Bill Wyman (Rolling Stones), Chris White (Zombies) and Glenn Cornick (Jethro Tull) to name a few. The primary difference between it and the EB-0 was an additional pickup along with the associated electronics.
In 1960 a six-string bass called the EB-6 was introduced but that was discontinued after 1966. They also produced a 34 ½” scale bass from 1969-1979 designed after the EB-0 and EB-3. Gibson ended production of both the EB-0 and EB-3 in 1979, but their subsidiary Epiphone began producing them again in the late 90s.
Collectibility
Obviously when an instrument is one of the first basses ever produced, made by a leading manufacturer and is 50+ years old it is going to be a collectors item. However, the current value of these basses is not obscenely high.
The estimated values listed below are for instruments in excellent condition meaning that some slight wear is expected but that there are no major blemishes, no repairs or damage and they have all original parts and finish.
I’ve seen a 1954 EB-1 in “near mint condition” (dealer’s description) advertised for $12,500 and the same model year in very good condition advertised for $4,750. I don’t put much stock in dealer’s asking prices, so I estimate $6k – $7k for all years (1953-1958) due to the low production numbers.
An original 1959 or 1960 EB-0 bass may hit $4,500.
The 1961 EB-3 bass can fetch anywhere from $5,000 to $6,000.
Although Gibson always seemed to be playing catch-up to Fender, they produced some very popular basses of their own starting with their Electric Bass series and later on with another vintage Gibson guitar, the Thunderbird.
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