Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

A new Epi EB-3 is on the way...


tommyb

Recommended Posts

I needed a decent bass for home recording and this one seems to be a good one by all the reviews and vids on YouTube...it should be here by late this afternoon...I'll post some pics and give a quick review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got it! Epiphone impresses again...

 

This EB-3 is a beauty. I tuned it up and laid down the bass track to a song I'm writing within an hour out of the box.

 

The cherry finish is darker and richer-looking than on my Gibson SG Standard. They look really impressive side by side.

 

The neck on this thing is Loooong...it goes on forever![confused]

 

There doesn't appear to be any flaws or build-quality issues, but there is one thing...the action is very high and that might be partially due to a slight bow in the neck. It looks to me like something a good luthier could handle so I don't plan to send it back. I need to take my DR-500MCE in for an action adjustment anyway.

 

When the UPS guy delivered it, I noticed the box was very warm from being in the truck. We are having a heat wave here in northeast Ohio. So I let it sit a while in the air conditioning to aclimatize to the cooler temp. Maybe the heat was the reason for the neck bow.

 

Noodling around on the EB-3 has given me a new appreciation for all you fat stringers out there. While it's true a guitar player can pick up a bass and play, to REALLY play it is another matter entirely. :-

 

Oh, yes...pics will be coming tomorrow hopefully!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

but there is one thing...the action is very high and that might be partially due to a slight bow in the neck. It looks to me like something a good luthier could handle so I don't plan to send it back. I need to take my DR-500MCE in for an action adjustment anyway.

 

When the UPS guy delivered it' date=' I noticed the box was very warm from being in the truck. We are having a heat wave here in northeast Ohio. So I let it sit a while in the air conditioning to aclimatize to the cooler temp. Maybe the heat was the reason for the neck bow.

 

[/quote']

 

Congrats! I just got mine a few days ago too. I noticed the exact same thing about the neck bow. It had WAY too much relief, so a few turns of the truss rod and it plays like butter. Oh yeah, and a new set of Rotosounds to replace the weak Epi factory strings.

 

Your luthier shouldn't have any problem with it and you should be very happy with the results.

 

Have fun!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got it! Epiphone impresses again...

 

This EB-3 is a beauty. I tuned it up and laid down the bass track to a song I'm writing within an hour out of the box.

 

The cherry finish is darker and richer-looking than on my Gibson SG Standard. They look really impressive side by side.

 

The neck on this thing is Loooong...it goes on forever![angry]

 

 

Congratulations on the new bass.

 

I really wish Epiphone would make a quality version of the short-scale SG bass, however.

 

The EB-0 bolt-on they make doesn't measure up in my opinion.

 

I'd love something as good as your EB-3, but with a 30.5" scale...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I noticed the exact same thing about the neck bow. It had WAY too much relief' date=' so a few turns of the truss rod and it plays like butter.[/quote']

 

I've always been reluctant to mess with the truss rod in an instrument. You must have done it before. Since we have the same instrument and the same issue, maybe I COULD attempt it myself with some guidance.

 

Any way, this bass looks like an instrument that costs much more than it does, at least IMHO. The finish is nearly flawless. It's a heavy beast. It is a bit neck heavy but I probably won't gig with it anyway. Sitting and playing I found very comfortable and like I said previously, I'm NOT a bass player by trade! Hell, I'm trying to get back to being a guitar player but that's another story! [cool]

 

I hope this neck thing isn't a chronic problem...that neck is SO long and thin! :-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I summoned up my courage and...

 

I took a shot at adjusting the relief. Success!

 

I read a little on the 'net about how it's done and what to be careful of. I gave it a little back bend and when I tightened the strings the neck is almost perfect. I did a small adjustment first then did it again before I put the TR cover back on.

 

This improved the action a lot but I also adjusted the bridge down a full turn.

 

I think I have a decent playable bass now. I'll use the stock strings for a while before I change...besides I know nada about bass strings except there's four not six and they're fat! [cool]

 

Are bass strings mostly flat-wound?

 

I'll say one thing...in the song I mixed the bass sounds just beautiful especially when played through my very old high-end stereo speakers (Boston Acoustics T1030's). NOt my playing, but the tone and sound...it's very full and rich and you can just feel the low E which is the way I like bass. This bears out what I saw on YouTube before I bought it...a very nice-sounding instrument, especially considering the price. And most of those guys were playing some really complex stuff compared to what I'm doing.

 

So, I'm pleased so far! :-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom,

 

Nice score... &, apart from asking questions around here, there is heaps of useful info on the DIY 'sticky' thread in the Forum Lounge above. Hope that helps!

 

...& O-A-G fixed the 'neck dive' on his bass by installing a scuba weight. Very innovative Ohio Bros. there, but I will leave it to him to explain how he did that[biggrin]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great looking instrument! It looks like it has genuine mudbuckers on it, too, so it probably sounds exactly as it should. It's the rich, fat bottom end you describe which makes me play Gibson and Epiphone basses instead of the usual Fender.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I summoned up my courage and...

 

I took a shot at adjusting the relief. Success!

 

I read a little on the 'net about how it's done and what to be careful of. I gave it a little back bend and when I tightened the strings the neck is almost perfect. I did a small adjustment first then did it again before I put the TR cover back on.

 

This improved the action a lot but I also adjusted the bridge down a full turn.

 

I think I have a decent playable bass now. I'll use the stock strings for a while before I change...besides I know nada about bass strings except there's four not six and they're fat! [biggrin]

 

Are bass strings mostly flat-wound?

 

 

Congratulations again! It wasn't really that hard, was it? Now you have the ability to make almost any bass playable. The worst ones are the double truss rods like on a Rickenbacker.

 

As far as strings, it depends on what style you're playing. The stock ones on your EB-3 are roundwound. A general rule (but not a hard and fast rule) is that roundwounds are good for rock, flatwounds for blues and jazz. You'll find exceptions on either side.

 

Have fun with your bass, I know I am with mine!:-

Link to comment
Share on other sites

audiomitch...

 

No, not hard at all!

 

The flat vs. round round seems similar on six-strings. The jazz players like them because of no string noise, I guess. Maybe they have a more mellow sound, too.

 

I'll stick to RW as I have on my six-strings. In fact, I won't change the stock strings on my bass for a while until I can make a sensible decision as far as gauge. I haven't really developed a technique yet anyway as I'm still fairly new to the bass.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pic as promised...I'm glad I got to this when I did...about ten minutes later it rained and STILL is!

 

Tom' date=' great looking bass! I want a long-scale set neck EB-0, but the chances of that being issued . . .

 

Sorry, S, got here late to the party. [biggrin Yep, definite Jack Bruce moment! I'm thinking "Tales of Brave Ulysses" from "Live Cream, Vol. II"!

 

Congrats, Tom.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

* * *

 

...& O-A-G fixed the 'neck dive' on his bass by installing a scuba weight. Very innovative Ohio Bros. there' date=' but I will leave it to him to explain how he did that[biggrin']

 

Yep, that's on my Vox-necked ash bodied "plank" bass. In the old days of diving, the weight belt held one and two pound lead weights that had been cast with belt holes in them (so they could be strung onto the belt). I used a two pound weight (IIRC) and attached it with screws to the back of the bass body between the rear-routed control cavity (the bass actually has no controls--the Carvin J-Bass style P'up goes straight to the jack) and the strap button on the bottom.

 

Because it's lead I wrapped it very well in plastic before mounting it. It cannot be seen when the bass is viewed from the front. That bass was one of two gigging basses I used back in the early eighties in a power pop trio (roughly similar to Cheap Trick crossed with Van Halen). The other was my 1973 Fender P-Bass.

 

Doing something like my scuba weight addition to a home-built bass is fine. I'd look for other remedies if we're considering an alteration to a nice bass like Tom's.[biggrin]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That bass was one of two gigging basses I used back in the early eighties in a power pop trio (roughly similar to Cheap Trick crossed with Van Halen).

 

O_A_G' date='

 

Hahahahaha...

 

Learn something new with every post...

 

& [i']'Us Twisted Seagulls' [/i]grow stronger by the experience[biggrin] [biggrin] [biggrin]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow...you guys are right about the EB-3 being neck-heavy.

 

Last night for curiosity I put my strap on it...it's a nice tooled leather that's 2 1/2" wide. I put the bass on my left shoulder per normal, let go of the neck and away it went!

 

That's a strange experience for me.

 

As I said, it will probably remain a "studio" bass so for me it's not a major problem. But for gigs I can see where the neck dive could be an issue and why some of you have come up with solutions. It would be an even worse problem for players that wear there instruments very low on their bodies like many do these days. I never could play that way. I like mine up on my stomach but hey, I'm old!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Tom,

 

Congrats on your EB-3, and for the neck dive, I had the same issue with my Elite Thunderbird. Sitting is no problem with it, but strap up and wow, does the neck head to the floor.

 

I found a solution on one of my other forums, the Reverend Discussion Page. Joe Naylor designed Reverend guitars and amps, and now has designed the Heads Up Strap. It is basically a 3" wide strap that you can weights to that counter balance the neck so it doesn't dive on you. I got one, and it is great. 5 year warranty and a 60 day trial period, too. I have no affiliation with Reverend, other than I love their stuff as much as my Epiphones. I have a Reverend Hellhound head and 4x10 cabinet and its one of the best amps I've ever had.

 

Enjoy your EB-3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tom' date='

 

Congrats on your EB-3, and for the neck dive, I had the same issue with my Elite Thunderbird. Sitting is no problem with it, but strap up and wow, does the neck head to the floor.

 

I found a solution on one of my other forums, the Reverend Discussion Page. Joe Naylor designed Reverend guitars and amps, and now has designed the Heads Up Strap. It is basically a 3" wide strap that you can weights to that counter balance the neck so it doesn't dive on you. I got one, and it is great. 5 year warranty and a 60 day trial period, too. I have no affiliation with Reverend, other than I love their stuff as much as my Epiphones. I have a Reverend Hellhound head and 4x10 cabinet and its one of the best amps I've ever had.

 

Enjoy your EB-3.[/quote']

 

Man... that solution is so obvious when you think about it... thanks for sharing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, the EB-3 is performing well...glad I got it. It sounds great in the recordings and I have no doubt it would sound just fine through an amp at a gig.

 

Chefman, that's an interesting product you describe. I'll check it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...