Period 1959—1979 Neck joint glued-in Body Mahogany | Body type Solid Scale 30.5" or 34" (EB-0L) | |
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Manufacturer Gibson Guitar Corporation | ||
The Gibson EB-0 is a bass guitar that was introduced by Gibson in 1959. When production ceased in 1979, a total of 20,844 instruments were built.
Contents
History
The EB-0 was first marketed in 1959 in response to the declining sales of Gibson's EB-1. The body was styled after the Les Paul Junior, but retained the mahogany neck and body and 30.5" scale length of the Gibson EB-1. It was available only in cherry red. This version of the EB-0 remained in production until 1961, after which the body was redesigned to resemble the Gibson SG. The design of the bass guitar changed several times during the 1960s. In 1962, the black plastic cover on the pickup was replaced by a metal one. Around 1964/5, nickel-plated hardware was replaced by chrome-plated. Around 1966/7 the neck was replaced with a thinner one; the unadjustable bar bridge was replaced by a fully adjustable one with a nylon saddle for each string; the string guard was removed; a bridge guard was introduced and the knobs were replaced with the witch-hat design. In 1969 and 1970, the headstock was replaced with a slotted one (similar to those on most classical guitars), with tuning keys mounted at ninety degrees downwards behind the head.
In 1972, the EB-0 saw another, less dramatic revision. It received a larger body, a maple neck, and its pickup was moved further from the base of the neck. Despite these revisions, sales dropped significantly in the subsequent years and production was gradually phased out. The last EB-0 was made in 1979.
Epiphone currently produces an EB-0 which is similar to the late '60s version of the Gibson EB-0, but with a '70s-style three-point bridge and a bolt-on neck.
Variants
The EB-0 fathered two variations.
In fiction
The EB-0 appears in the fifth episode of the anime series FLCL, as the signature weapon of the space pirate Atomsk.