1966 Gibson EB-0

Mahogany body and neck, humbucking pickup. Short (30 1/2 inch) scale.

The SG-shaped Gibson EB0 was available from 1961, and although it changed subtly over the years of production, this 1966 bass still has many features in common with earlier versions. Listen to this bass

Short scale strings suitable for the EB0 bass Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale 4-String Bass (Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale) Rotosound RS88S Trubass Standard Gauge Short Scale Strings (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS88S - True Bass (Black Nylon)) Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings (Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings) Fender 5250XL Short Scale Bass Extra Light Strings (Fender short scale Nickel Steel roundwounds) Rotosound RS77S Jazz Bass Strings Short Scale (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77S - Jazz Bass) D'Addario EXL220S Electric Bass Strings XL Nickel Super Light Short Scale (D'Addario EXL220S Nickel Super Light Short Scale) D'Addario EXL160S XL Regular Short Bass String Set (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound Short Scale - Regular)

Model	Gibson EB0
Year	1966
Scale	short, 30 1/2"
Body	Solid mahogany body. Approx dimensions 17" long, 13" wide, 1.32" thick. Total body length 41".
Neck	One-piece mahogany, set neck. Rosewood fingerboard. 14° headstock angle
Frets	20
Width at nut	43mm
Weight	3.6kg

Gibson EB-0 bass

The EB basses are famous for their deep bassy tones, in part due to the famous Gibson EB humbucker at the neck, but also the short scale, and all mahogany construction. This example has a fantastic thick neck, and plays superbly. Tones vary from deep and fat when played fingerstle at the neck, to a more middy growl when you dig in with a pick at the bridge. Listen to some soundclips.

Determining the date

The serial number of this bass can be placed in several years in the 1960s and 1970s, but the potentiometers of this bass are dated November 1965, suggesting a 1966 shipping date. It was built at the Gibson Kalamazoo factory, in Michigan, USA; one of 1660 produced that year and one of almost 21000 produced in total. All SG-shaped instruments sold well in the mid to late 1960s, and the EB0 was no exception. Have a look at the Gibson EB0 shipping figures in more detail.

Components

Gibson EB0 hardware was continually updated over the years of production. This bass is typical for a mid sixties bass, identical to the bass shown in the 1966 Gibson catalogue. The Gibson bar bridge is simple; no moving parts, and would be superceded within the next year by the two point tune-o-matic bridge - surplus bar bridges were fitted to the Kalamazoo KB bass until they stopped making them. The under-bridge mute, however' does have moving parts. As the lever is pulled away from the bridge, the strip of felt raises up and touches the strings.

The EB humbucker is under the earlier-style wide, shallow cover; again a feature soon to change (see a 1969 Gibson EB0). The Kluson 538 tuning keys, however, were used right up until the change to slotted headstocks at the very end of the decade (see a 1970 Gibson EB0).

Wiring

Volume and tone pots are identical; Centralab 500K audio taper, part number BA811-1053. Click the images for larger versions, and a circuit wiring plan.

More about the EB0 in general.