Gibson EB-2 Electric Bass Guitar (1964)
LOADING IMAGES
This item has been sold.
Item # 9636
Prices subject to change without notice.
Gibson EB-2 Model Electric Bass Guitar (1964), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, sunburst top, dark stained back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black tolex hard shell case.
This is a stunningly clean and all original example of "THE" classic electric bass of the British Invasion era: the Gibson EB-2 in sunburst finish. The semi-hollow EB-2 is not the rarest of Gibson basses, but the great majority found today were built in 1966-68, when production was at its peak. True 1964 examples like this rarely turn up in the US, and are now rare even in England.
The EB-2 did not even appear in Gibson's catalogs or price lists for 1964, having been introduced in 1958 and soon enough officially discontinued in 1961. It seems likely much of the remaing stock at the time was "dumped" overseas, many sent to Gibson's newly engaged distributor Selmer in the UK. Over the next two years the instrument unexpectedly became very popular with many emerging "Beat Group' players, leading to re-orders and a return to production in 1964. Over the next few years the totals ramped up dramatically, but only 340 were actually shipped in 1964.
This bass has all the classic 1964-only features: dark sunburst top, all nickel hardware including the heavy cast bridge, gold metal-capped knobs, no mute assembly or handrest and most important the big, wide chunky neck that was dramatically narrowed in 1965. Do not confuse this bass with the fairly common 1966-69 EB-2's out there...this is a breed apart and one of the coolest heavy thump machines out there! A large proportion of professional UK acts used this exact bass or its Epiphone doppelganger, the Rivoli in the first years of the British invasion and this one still delivers the essential tones for the Animals, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann and beyond!
Overall length is 44 3/4 in. (113.7 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This bass has seen some light use and very minor wear over the past 55+ years but remains very clean, the best example of an EB-2 from this year we have ever seen. It is completely original, with no repairs or alterations. The original finish still shines like it did in 1964, even the nickel hardware has only minor tarnish. There are a few tiny dings and dents to the edges of the headstock back of the neck, with some minor belt buckle dents to the back. The bridge adjustment screws have some screwdriver marks to the slots in the top.
The electronics including the 2-way baritone switch perform as they should. This bass has been strung with flatwound strings since new leaving the frets looking practically new. It is still strung with original 1960's green-silk Fender flatwound strings and plays exactly as it did then, with a huge room filling thump which can be cut to a tighter klunk in the "baritone" position. The black gold-lined OHSC is intact showing some external wear; the original owner's tan leather skinny strap and a couple of fuses for their gigging amp are still in the pocket! A "Fab" time capsule back to the brief period when this bass was a more common sight on TV than a Fender! Excellent Condition.
This is a stunningly clean and all original example of "THE" classic electric bass of the British Invasion era: the Gibson EB-2 in sunburst finish. The semi-hollow EB-2 is not the rarest of Gibson basses, but the great majority found today were built in 1966-68, when production was at its peak. True 1964 examples like this rarely turn up in the US, and are now rare even in England.
The EB-2 did not even appear in Gibson's catalogs or price lists for 1964, having been introduced in 1958 and soon enough officially discontinued in 1961. It seems likely much of the remaing stock at the time was "dumped" overseas, many sent to Gibson's newly engaged distributor Selmer in the UK. Over the next two years the instrument unexpectedly became very popular with many emerging "Beat Group' players, leading to re-orders and a return to production in 1964. Over the next few years the totals ramped up dramatically, but only 340 were actually shipped in 1964.
This bass has all the classic 1964-only features: dark sunburst top, all nickel hardware including the heavy cast bridge, gold metal-capped knobs, no mute assembly or handrest and most important the big, wide chunky neck that was dramatically narrowed in 1965. Do not confuse this bass with the fairly common 1966-69 EB-2's out there...this is a breed apart and one of the coolest heavy thump machines out there! A large proportion of professional UK acts used this exact bass or its Epiphone doppelganger, the Rivoli in the first years of the British invasion and this one still delivers the essential tones for the Animals, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann and beyond!
Overall length is 44 3/4 in. (113.7 cm.), 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This bass has seen some light use and very minor wear over the past 55+ years but remains very clean, the best example of an EB-2 from this year we have ever seen. It is completely original, with no repairs or alterations. The original finish still shines like it did in 1964, even the nickel hardware has only minor tarnish. There are a few tiny dings and dents to the edges of the headstock back of the neck, with some minor belt buckle dents to the back. The bridge adjustment screws have some screwdriver marks to the slots in the top.
The electronics including the 2-way baritone switch perform as they should. This bass has been strung with flatwound strings since new leaving the frets looking practically new. It is still strung with original 1960's green-silk Fender flatwound strings and plays exactly as it did then, with a huge room filling thump which can be cut to a tighter klunk in the "baritone" position. The black gold-lined OHSC is intact showing some external wear; the original owner's tan leather skinny strap and a couple of fuses for their gigging amp are still in the pocket! A "Fab" time capsule back to the brief period when this bass was a more common sight on TV than a Fender! Excellent Condition.