NBD - and yet another project

I had no intention of today being a New Bass Day. None, zero, zip, zilch. I was just going to run over to the music store to pick up a pedal I ordered for my son's Christmas present. Instead of going straight to the pedal case, I decided to walk a lap of the floor. The first instrument I noticed was an old Gibson EB-0, rough but pretty much original. The price seemed unreasonably low, so I pulled it down and asked what was up with it. The tuners were aftermarket, the finish was just about worn off, and there was a stable crack in the end of the body. Somebody had consigned it, and clearly wanted it sold quickly. I felt guilty haggling over the price they had it tagged at, but they offered to sell it to me for under $400, with a newish HSC that fits it like a glove.

Meanwhile, other customers are walking in the door and asking where the EB-0 that had just gone up on their eBay site was. I'm really trying to avoid impulse buying, or bringing anything in that doesn't fill a hole in the collection. I just couldn't pass this one up, though, and I knew it would be gone in seconds if I put it back on the wall to mull it over. Anyway, here's the first Gibson I've ever owned:







Sorry for the lousy photos, but they're the best I could get under indoor lights.

This bass will be a project. On the bright side, the "mudbucker" pickup sounds just like it should, the neck has no dead spots, and nobody has ever taken a router to it. On the down side, the wood is very dry, there is a split in the body near the jack, and the tuners, pots and knobs are not original. My first order of business will be to purge it of its round wound strings, soak the fretboard with walnut oil, and set it up with flats. I need to give the body and neck some TLC and make up for years of drying, so I will probably try the oil/beeswax combo I use on the Warwick. Then the hunt for period-correct pots, tuners and knobs will begin. I'm inclined to leave the crack alone for now, and just watch it for any growth.

I've been GASsing for a short-scale bass for a while. I'm feeling no impulse-buyer's remorse, especially since I paid about what a used Chinese import would go for with the case. I just might end up loving this one.

Ken

Score !!

I'm looking forward to see her all oiled up .
I never had a gibby bass, I have recently set up a '72 SG that I got for 450, it plays better now than some of my les pauls,
not something I had expected.
That's gotta sound huge with the B-15N.

Nice score, that brings back memories. I bought a new EBO in Cherry Red in 1961. That was my bass and of course in the 60s, I was a Gibson guy. I have seen a few of these around and If I could find one great shape, I would consider. It was a good, stable bass. Boy, those were the good old days. I wonder what year yours is? -- Darwin

That's gotta sound huge with the B-15N.

Even with crappy round wound strings, they are a great match.

I wonder what year yours is? -- Darwin

It appears to be a '69.

Ken

cool project Ken !! , pretty soon your going to need a bigger house ..lol

Cool score, Ken.
If had seen it I would've snagged it, too. The good news is you have an original finger rest and bridge cover which are rare items for Gibson EB0s and EB3s. Its also cool that you got a case.

Nice Ken! Must look good under the X-mas tree

- Jos

Vintage finds are always cool. It's like a big SG. Very cool.

Zip

The "Mudbucker" is a lovely thing.
My first "proper" bass, in the '60s after some Vox / Burns type things, was an Epi Rivoli, and I love the memory of it still.
No dead spots = fundamentals of happiness, and your split being by the jack doesn't sound structurally significant. Just a calm, watching brief, as you say.
Wishing you good times together!

Thanks!