Guyatone EB-9 Modified Owned by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar, c. 1967, made in Japan, handpainted finish, hardwood body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
This bass is one of the weirder denizens of the Wilco loft that has been passed on to us; it started life in the later '60s as one of the "Sharper" Japanese basses of the day but has been severely modified into a unique hybrid of time and place. This bass is (at its core) a Guyatone EB-9, originally released in early 1967 and immediately adopted as a signature model for Japanese instrumental band the Sharp 5, one of Japan's premier guitar-centric outfits. These "Sharp Five" models were considerably higher quality than earlier Guyatones, more professional level in the top tier of 1960s Japanese guitars along with the electric Yamahas or higher grade Matsumokus.
Guyatone was one of the original Japanese builder/exporters of electric guitars, making an impact in world market in the late 1950s. By the later 1960s the company fielded some original designs for the home market, where competition was increasingly fierce; Guyatone stepped up their game with some flashy pro grade guitars of their own.
This EB-9 appears to date to around 1967-8; the truss rod adjustment is through a cavity the back of the body under the neck plate, like period Yamahas. The 33 1/2" scale neck bolted to the body has a Mosrite-esq feel, with a small-dot inlaid bound rosewood fretboard and somewhat wacky bound oversized headstock. The body is a wildly sculpted reverse offset affair with a fluidly shaped Mosrite-esque German-carve ledge all around.
Along the way, this bass was modified almost beyond recognition. The body was overfinished, sanded down and then clear coated the resulting look being parts of all the layers are visible in a sort of abstract striped pattern that is either beautiful or just odd, depending on your point of view! The original adjustable bridge remains intact but all other hardware was replaced; The two pickups are EMGHZ passive units, wired to all modern controls on a custom-made pickguard. The tuners are Gotoh Schaller copies. The original frets were left intact, the headstock sanded down and the string retainer moved. In a subtly amusing touch someone penciled a "Fender" logo on the natural face!
This now unique bass has a decent feel, the already unique Guyatone design mutated into something with a more '80s vibe. It plays well within the limits of the original neck and frets, sounds good and is definitely one of a kind!
Overall length is 48 3/4 in. (123.8 cm.), 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) deep. Scale length is 33 1/2 in. (851 mm.). Width of nut is 1 7/16 in. (36 mm.).
As noted this is a hybrid, refinished instrument with elements of the 60s and '90s combined with its abstract painterly look! The later overfinish on the body has some wear, the neck was sanded down and an amateur clearcoat applied. The body was routed for the larger pickups and extended control cavity. At some point someone moved the headstock string retainer and drilled a small hole extending out the back of the peghead. The top has numerous open screw holes for a pickguard no longer fitted.
The EMGHZ pickups have passive output and do not require a battery, the controls are fancy modern microchip pots; the control layout is a small 3-way switch (with the tip shortened, or possibly just broken off) a volume knob for each pickup and a master tone; the third-in-line knob is not wired to anything so is inactive! The switch works oddly, and is best left in the center position with the pickups blended via the volume controls.
The original four-saddle adjustable bridge is intact under an aftermarket Fender-style cover. The original small-wire frets remain in good shape and this is a playable bass if not a fully pro-quality one; still it has a cool vibe and a definitely unique look! It comes in a gig bag with no Wilco loft markings but a COA attesting to its provenance there. Overall Very Good Condition.
