{"product_id":"epiphone-ebs-6-newport-electric-6-string-bass-guitar-1962-14215","title":"Epiphone EBS-6 Newport Electric 6-String Bass Guitar (1962)","description":"Epiphone EBS-6 Newport Model Electric 6-String Bass Guitar (1962), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 94585, cherry lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, period grey chipboard case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis Epiphone Newport EBS-6 6-string bass is one of the rarest electric instruments ever turned out by Gibson's Kalamazoo factory. According to available shipping information a paltry total of 21 were ever shipped; 10 in the initial year 1962, 7 in 1963, and a final 4 stragglers in 1965. Probably only one batch was ever assembled, and Epiphone's sales office had little luck moving them out from the beginning! Unsurprisingly few vintage guitar fans even know they ever existed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Newport in general was the first solid body bass offered in the Kalamazoo Epiphone line, launched in mid-1961. It is built on the same cherry-finished mahogany body as the Epi-branded solid body Wilshire, Crestwood and Coronet guitars with the hardware and fittings of Gibson's contemporary EB series. Compared to those familiar SG-shaped bass models the Newport is much rarer, and only lasted a few years in this form before being modified in 1964 with a sleeker asymmetrical body and huge single-sided \"batwing\" headstock. These later Newports are far more commonly seen today. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEpiphone's 1961 catalog showed the \"brand-Newport\" available in 4-string single or double pickup versions (this latter also very rare) but the 1962 edition really went to town adding this 6-string model and an EBS-F with a built in Maestro FZ-1 fuzztone under an expanded pickguard. There were listed on the July '62 pricelist at $210 for the basic one pickup model, $245 for this six-string version, $249.50 for the Fuzzed-out model and $285 for the twin-pickup deluxe. There was no hard case offered, only a $26.50 \"Archcraft\" (heavy chipboard) piece. By the next pricelist in September '63 all but the single-pickup version were gone, with the about-to-launch Thunderbird-cousin Embassy Deluxe appearing as the new top-line 4-string. A year (at best) is a sadly short shelf life, and shows how few orders came in for any of these models. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhile the 4-string Newport shared the EB-0's massive (and notoriously treble-free) \"mudbucker\" pickup the EBS-6 uses the standard PAF mini-humbucker intended for guitar, giving it a much more upfront and cutting tone. This unit makes a GREAT bass\/baritone pickup and it's too bad more folks have not gotten to hear it in that role. While it only has one pickup, the EBS-6 can be surprisingly versatile in action and is one of the least murky-sounding of all Kalamazoo-made basses\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe bass is also quite handy to play, with a super comfortable round backed neck that manages to feel chunky and sleek at the same time. The tuners are Kluson deluxe guitar machines, avoiding the huge heavy headstock that makes Gibson's SG-styled EB-6 wildly unbalanced. Gibson's design team adroitly realized this instrument would likely be played with a pick so the standard wooden fingerrest was not fitted to the pickguard; There is no sign there was ever an Epiphone \"E\" logo on there either. There was a metal handrest originally sited over the strings around the middle of the body, a fairly dubious fitting for an instrument played essentially as a guitar. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd that's pretty much why all the Gibson 6-string basses were originally ignored; the company designed them AS basses, not as overgrown guitars. The 3-pickup Fender Bass VI was more successful, but even that had a limited market. Compared to the established $150 Danelectro Longhorn or $85 Shorthorn none of these other low-tuned 6-strings offered a distinct musical advantage, and were all much more expensive. This 1962 EDS-6 is in its own way a wonderful instrument, but an extremely rare and admittedly eccentric one. Even among Gibson and Epiphone devotees this is almost an unknown piece, but we think it's one of the coolest and best playing of it's kind we have yet encountered!\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 39 1\/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 13 in. (33 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5\/16 in. (3.3 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 1\/4 in. (768 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11\/16 in. (43 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis bass has definitely seen some play time (We wish we knew who or when!) but remains a fully solid fine playing piece. The last owner told us he got it in the Boston area in the early 1980s and it has mostly been sitting around since. This exceptionally rare bass is somewhat worn in with dings, dents and scrapes overall and quite a bit of fade to the finish, which has lost much of the cherry red hue. There are deeper dings on the body sides and headstock edges, and some odd deep dinks to the wood in front of the bridge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe bass remains is structurally excellent with no serious damage and a very solid neck joint; there is a small superficial crack in the top around the volume knob, solidly sealed but visible with no added finish. A shim has been fitted below the truss rod nut to give the rod more purchase and the beck is gloriously straight. The hardware (tuners, pickup, pickguard, knobs and the rare 6-string milled block bridge) remains original with a couple of omissions. There was a (pretty useless) handrest fitted over the strings originally; that is long gone leaving a couple of small screwholes in the top. The electronics include a 2-position \"baritone\" switch; originally this was wired to an EB-3 style choke coil that sapped much of the life out of the signal. That large and heavy coil unit has been removed and the switch wired to a capacitor that more subtly takes off a bit of high and just a touch of volume for a more \"conventional bass\" effect. We like how this works but could re-wire it to the original spec if desired. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Newport plays great, one of the most ergonomic 6-string basses we have encountered with a really powerful natural sound that is chunky but not muddy. Although there is only one pickup, the mini humbucker has a punchy attack in this deeper-pitched mode, and the instrument can really rip when cranked! Currently strung in the traditional bass E-e tuning with special strings Labella runs up for us (thanks guys!) this instrument would also sound fabulous in B-B baritone mode. An original blue-lined grey Epiphone heavy chipboard case is included, somewhat worn but fully functional. This is longer in the headstock area than this bass so may have been originally made for the 1964 and after Newport with the extended single-sided peghead, but is otherwise an excellent fit. Overall Very Good + Condition.","brand":"Epiphone","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51218174083212,"sku":"14215","price":12500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_3243d534-3ec2-4516-a5dd-a8f6394dc54a.jpg?v=1783020224","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/epiphone-ebs-6-newport-electric-6-string-bass-guitar-1962-14215","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}