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View Full Version : Slotted Headstocks on Gibson Basses - Which, When

mcknigs
10-28-2007, 02:16 PM
For a long time I believed that you could tell an old EB-0 from an EB-3 because the latter had a slotted headstock. That impression was formed in the early '70s. Now looking at pictures of basses from that time I see all have standard side tuners. I found a pic of a '69 EB-3 with a slotted headstock. Now I'm all confused. Can anyone tell me which basses had slotted headstocks during which years?

-Scott
mcknigs
10-30-2007, 10:37 AM
Kind of surprised there were no responses to this...
tkozal
10-30-2007, 01:59 PM
www.gibsonbass.com (http://www.gibsonbass.com) might have the answer, a fan site for those wretched pieces of so-called basses that Gibby tried to make


(sorry, a big "F" is tatoo'd on my ass)
The Golden Boy
10-30-2007, 02:22 PM
From what I'm aware- 69-72 (although more than likely 71) I've seen both EB-0s and EB-3s with slotted headstocks.
mcknigs
10-30-2007, 03:53 PM
From what I'm aware- 69-72 (although more than likely 71) I've seen both EB-0s and EB-3s with slotted headstocks.

When I was in Jr. High a friend got hold of a Gibson catalog. It would have probably been for '72. We thumbed through it every day at lunch like the guitar porn it was. It was then that I (think I) saw the EB-3 with the slots and the EB-0 without. Would they have switched one but not the other for a year?

-Scott
mcknigs
10-30-2007, 04:01 PM
OK, well, now I looked at the Gibson bass site and their catalog from 1970 actually looks most like what I remember looking at in school. It does show the EB-3 with slots and the EB-0 not.

http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/gibbass70.php
John Phillips
10-30-2007, 04:24 PM
I'm fairly sure I've seen EB-3s with both and EB-0s only with plain heads. I'm almost certain the slot head was used on the long-scale (34") EB-3 - possibly to reduce balance problems - and the short-scale (30.5") ones had the plain head. The EB-0 was only available in short scale AFAIK, but it's possible I'm wrong!
The Golden Boy
10-30-2007, 07:22 PM
I'm fairly sure I've seen EB-3s with both and EB-0s only with plain heads. I'm almost certain the slot head was used on the long-scale (34") EB-3 - possibly to reduce balance problems - and the short-scale (30.5") ones had the plain head. The EB-0 was only available in short scale AFAIK, but it's possible I'm wrong!

There were EB-0Ls, as well as EB-3Ls.

My EB-0 is more than likely a 71- although for years I was under the assumption it was a 72.

(how could anyone forget these pix?)

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10038/EB-0HeadFront.jpg

http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10038/EB-0Full.jpg
John Phillips
10-31-2007, 03:43 AM
Ha! I was wrong :).

I did remember that, but I thought it was an EB-3... must have been something to do with the giant hole near the bridge ;). But no - only two knobs :D.
The Golden Boy
10-31-2007, 05:35 AM
Ha! I was wrong :).

I did remember that, but I thought it was an EB-3... must have been something to do with the giant hole near the bridge ;). But no - only two knobs :D.

John,

Someday I'll take that duck tape off and take pics of that cavity. If you've ever wondered what lack of planning, incompetence AND access to a Dremel tool can do...