Short scale strings suitable for the EB3 bass Fender 5250XL Short Scale Bass Extra Light Strings (Fender short scale Nickel Steel roundwounds) D'Addario EXL160S XL Regular Short Bass String Set (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound Short Scale - Regular) Rotosound RS77S Jazz Bass Strings Short Scale (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77S - Jazz Bass) Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings (Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings) D'Addario EXL220S Electric Bass Strings XL Nickel Super Light Short Scale (D'Addario EXL220S Nickel Super Light Short Scale) 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))

The first two years of this remodelling (1972 and 1973) saw good sales of EB3 (including long scale versions 1350 and 2400 respectively) and because of their durability, many are still in existance today. As well as the thousands of instrument produced in cherry and walnut finishes (like the instrument featured above), a small number were available in ebony (10), natural (49) and towards the mid-late seventies, white (69).

This is a typical early seventies Gibson. It is unusual to find a snapped neck post '72 EB3. Maple, though less brittle than mahogany does warp more easily, and whilst you won't find many warp-necked sixties models, you will with these maple-necked versions. Notice the volute (on the back of the headstock), and the two two point bar bridge with cover. Three point bridges were not in use until 1973. The machine heads are Schaller M4-S, as fitted on all solid headstock EB basses 1971-73 (until the introduction of the Schaller BM). This style of pickguard was used on all EB models from 1972 until they were last produced in 1979. This is one of 354 walnut (compared to 530 cherry) EB-3 basses shipped in 1972.

The 1972 EB-3 had series 2 circuitry

Sound Clips

Sound clips are approximately 150kb, and each clip features the introductory 4 bars of rescue me (Fontella Bass) played on a 1972 EB3.

• 1972 Gibson EB3 varitone position 1.
  Neck pickup only
• 1972 Gibson EB3 varitone position 2.
  Bridge pickup only
• 1972 Gibson EB3 varitone position 3.
  Both pickups with tone choke
• 1972 Gibson EB3 varitone position 4.
  Neck pickup only with tone choke
• 1972 Gibson EB3 varitone position 1, treble turned to 0