Gibson EB-6 6-string Semi-Hollow Body Electric Bass Guitar (1961)
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Gibson EB-6 6-string Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Bass Guitar (1961), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 3548, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
This EB-6 6-string bass is one of the rarest of all Gibson electric instruments with a total of only 67 produced, easily their smallest run production electric bass. While a spectacular instrument in many ways this classy deluxe twang machine missed its market niche and re-thought after less than 2 years, replaced by a solidbody version that fared little better. The market for these 1960s bass/guitar hybrids was very small, largely confined to professional session players. This deluxe semi-hollow 6-string Cadillac was beautiful but not enough to convince many of them to trade up from their cheap but reliable Danelectros.
The 1950s-60s 6-string bass was the brainchild of Nathan Daniel. His Danelectro company introduced the UB-2, its first bass in 1956. It was a ringer for their Masonite and pine guitars but with a longer 29 1/2" scale and 6 heavier strings sounding an octave down. With two pickups it offered a twangier tone than contemporary 4-string basses (electric or acoustic) putting the low notes up front. Daniel felt he had given bass players "2 extra strings for free" and thought the instrument a natural for both bassists and guitarists.
Daniel's bass did not eclipse the recently introduced Fender Bass OR the still-popular bass fiddle but was a hit in recording studios, especially in Nashville. Session players there developed a style of playing with a palm-muted pick, dubbed "Tic-Tac" bass. Used mostly to double and re-inforce the upright bass and give punch to the track, within a short time the technique caught on in East and especially West Coast studios becoming a widely heard sound.
Gibson kept in close contact with Nashville studio players with an ear for the latest trends. In response to the cheaply made Danelectro, Gibson developed this beautiful, lavish and expensive instrument. Announced in 1959 and first shipped in 1960, the EB-6 was kin to the new ES-335 and EB-2 built on the same thin semi-hollow double-cutaway body. It was not pictured in the 1961 or '62 catalogs, but availability was noted in a small box at the bottom of the bass page. The 1961 price list had the EB-6 at $325.00 plus $57.50 for the #538 case; the Danelectro Longhorn 6-string bass listed at $150 while the Shorthorn model was all of $85! Gibson had "bass-ically" priced themselves out of this niche market; Leo Fender would do the same when his lavish Bass VI debuted at the end of 1961.
Like its sister EB-2 the semi-hollow EB-6 was phased out in 1962, replaced by an equally high-priced SG-styled solidbody that ended up being equally unsuccessful saleswise. The semi-hollow 4-string basses would roar back with the British invasion in 1964, but the 6-string has never returned!
This 1961 example is the first we have had the pleasure to offer, straight from the original owner's family. The body is the same as the ES-335/EB-2, laminated maple with a center block single bound and sunburst finished on the top and back. A single PAF humbucking pickup is mounted in the neck position wired to standard tone and volume controls, with a "Tone Selector Switch" activating a one-position choke mounted under the bridge. The headstock is the same as the ES-335 with a pearl Gibson and crown inlay and mounting 6 Kluson Deluxe guitar tuners. The tailpiece/bridge is a 6-string version of the solid block unit used on all period Gibson basses, adjustable for height and overall intonation.
All of 34 of these shipped in 1960 and a further 33 in 1961 making for a likely total of 67 built before the solidbody design was substituted. This one carries factory order number R5796-20; we have seen several from this same batch and it is likely only one "rack" of these was produced each year. It carries an early 4-digit impressed serial number on the headstock and the orange label under the bass side soundhole indicating it was likely shipped in late spring or summer 1961.
This EB-6 is an eccentric instrument, perhaps, but a delightful one. It is better balanced than one might expect; the long 30.5" scale one-piece mahogany neck has a surprisingly slim "C" profile than and is very comfortable to play. The single PAF pickup produces a rich and well-rounded sound, less "twangy" than many similar instruments with a distinctly warm "Gibson-y" character. The company also termed the EB-6 a "Baritone Guitar" and perhaps if they had marketed it more that way it might have caught on with more players.
Someone (likely a Gibson sales rep) got one into the hands of Wes Montgomery at least briefly. It saw use on several tracks of his 1961 LP "Movin' Along." (credited as "Bass Guitar") played as a deep-toned baritone lead guitar. A casual listener might mistake it for a standard guitar but a careful listen will discern the difference in tone and register. George Benson owned one for a time as well. The EB-6 is truly a unique instrument; perhaps not the ultimate classic "Tic Tac" bass but a superbly friendly and smooth playing deep twang machine.
Overall length is 44 3/4 in. (113.7 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 21/32 in. (27 mm.).
This is a very clean and original instrument, with some very light wear overall. The all-original finish has just some light scuffing, a few shallow scratches and a couple of tiny dings to the back of the neck and headstock edges. The lovely rich sunburst has hardly faded at all.
The hardware is original with the exception of the buttons on the original tuners, which are exact repros of the crumbled originals. The "Tone Selector Switch" is a period lever instead of the usually expected pushbutton; we have seen enough Gibson basses from this period with this configuration that we can't say for sure if this was replaced or shipped this way, but if it IS a replacement it was done very early on. There are two small patched holes in the top just ahead of the bridge; these are from a Gibson lever-action mute that the original owner added later in the 1960s; the unit is still in the case but as it affected the adjustability of the action it has been removed. The PAF sticker has flaked off the bottom of then pickup but the unit exhibits all the correct physical characteristics for the 1961 period.
The original frets are in excellent shape and this big 6-string is a delight to play, and awesome to behold. It resides in the original 1950s style brown HSC, a mighty twang beast still waiting to be tamed! Overall Excellent Condition.
This EB-6 6-string bass is one of the rarest of all Gibson electric instruments with a total of only 67 produced, easily their smallest run production electric bass. While a spectacular instrument in many ways this classy deluxe twang machine missed its market niche and re-thought after less than 2 years, replaced by a solidbody version that fared little better. The market for these 1960s bass/guitar hybrids was very small, largely confined to professional session players. This deluxe semi-hollow 6-string Cadillac was beautiful but not enough to convince many of them to trade up from their cheap but reliable Danelectros.
The 1950s-60s 6-string bass was the brainchild of Nathan Daniel. His Danelectro company introduced the UB-2, its first bass in 1956. It was a ringer for their Masonite and pine guitars but with a longer 29 1/2" scale and 6 heavier strings sounding an octave down. With two pickups it offered a twangier tone than contemporary 4-string basses (electric or acoustic) putting the low notes up front. Daniel felt he had given bass players "2 extra strings for free" and thought the instrument a natural for both bassists and guitarists.
Daniel's bass did not eclipse the recently introduced Fender Bass OR the still-popular bass fiddle but was a hit in recording studios, especially in Nashville. Session players there developed a style of playing with a palm-muted pick, dubbed "Tic-Tac" bass. Used mostly to double and re-inforce the upright bass and give punch to the track, within a short time the technique caught on in East and especially West Coast studios becoming a widely heard sound.
Gibson kept in close contact with Nashville studio players with an ear for the latest trends. In response to the cheaply made Danelectro, Gibson developed this beautiful, lavish and expensive instrument. Announced in 1959 and first shipped in 1960, the EB-6 was kin to the new ES-335 and EB-2 built on the same thin semi-hollow double-cutaway body. It was not pictured in the 1961 or '62 catalogs, but availability was noted in a small box at the bottom of the bass page. The 1961 price list had the EB-6 at $325.00 plus $57.50 for the #538 case; the Danelectro Longhorn 6-string bass listed at $150 while the Shorthorn model was all of $85! Gibson had "bass-ically" priced themselves out of this niche market; Leo Fender would do the same when his lavish Bass VI debuted at the end of 1961.
Like its sister EB-2 the semi-hollow EB-6 was phased out in 1962, replaced by an equally high-priced SG-styled solidbody that ended up being equally unsuccessful saleswise. The semi-hollow 4-string basses would roar back with the British invasion in 1964, but the 6-string has never returned!
This 1961 example is the first we have had the pleasure to offer, straight from the original owner's family. The body is the same as the ES-335/EB-2, laminated maple with a center block single bound and sunburst finished on the top and back. A single PAF humbucking pickup is mounted in the neck position wired to standard tone and volume controls, with a "Tone Selector Switch" activating a one-position choke mounted under the bridge. The headstock is the same as the ES-335 with a pearl Gibson and crown inlay and mounting 6 Kluson Deluxe guitar tuners. The tailpiece/bridge is a 6-string version of the solid block unit used on all period Gibson basses, adjustable for height and overall intonation.
All of 34 of these shipped in 1960 and a further 33 in 1961 making for a likely total of 67 built before the solidbody design was substituted. This one carries factory order number R5796-20; we have seen several from this same batch and it is likely only one "rack" of these was produced each year. It carries an early 4-digit impressed serial number on the headstock and the orange label under the bass side soundhole indicating it was likely shipped in late spring or summer 1961.
This EB-6 is an eccentric instrument, perhaps, but a delightful one. It is better balanced than one might expect; the long 30.5" scale one-piece mahogany neck has a surprisingly slim "C" profile than and is very comfortable to play. The single PAF pickup produces a rich and well-rounded sound, less "twangy" than many similar instruments with a distinctly warm "Gibson-y" character. The company also termed the EB-6 a "Baritone Guitar" and perhaps if they had marketed it more that way it might have caught on with more players.
Someone (likely a Gibson sales rep) got one into the hands of Wes Montgomery at least briefly. It saw use on several tracks of his 1961 LP "Movin' Along." (credited as "Bass Guitar") played as a deep-toned baritone lead guitar. A casual listener might mistake it for a standard guitar but a careful listen will discern the difference in tone and register. George Benson owned one for a time as well. The EB-6 is truly a unique instrument; perhaps not the ultimate classic "Tic Tac" bass but a superbly friendly and smooth playing deep twang machine.
Overall length is 44 3/4 in. (113.7 cm.), 16 1/8 in. (41 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 21/32 in. (27 mm.).
This is a very clean and original instrument, with some very light wear overall. The all-original finish has just some light scuffing, a few shallow scratches and a couple of tiny dings to the back of the neck and headstock edges. The lovely rich sunburst has hardly faded at all.
The hardware is original with the exception of the buttons on the original tuners, which are exact repros of the crumbled originals. The "Tone Selector Switch" is a period lever instead of the usually expected pushbutton; we have seen enough Gibson basses from this period with this configuration that we can't say for sure if this was replaced or shipped this way, but if it IS a replacement it was done very early on. There are two small patched holes in the top just ahead of the bridge; these are from a Gibson lever-action mute that the original owner added later in the 1960s; the unit is still in the case but as it affected the adjustability of the action it has been removed. The PAF sticker has flaked off the bottom of then pickup but the unit exhibits all the correct physical characteristics for the 1961 period.
The original frets are in excellent shape and this big 6-string is a delight to play, and awesome to behold. It resides in the original 1950s style brown HSC, a mighty twang beast still waiting to be tamed! Overall Excellent Condition.