Gibson EB-2 Electric Bass Guitar (1958)
Gibson EB-2 Model Electric Bass Guitar (1958), made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # A-28818, sunburst top, dark back and sides finish, laminated maple body, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, original brown hard shell case.
This is a truly superb original example of one of the rarer Gibson electric basses: the first-generation semi-hollow EB-2. The EB-2 in general is not a overly rare bass, but these earliest models built in the debut year were sold in only small numbers; many more were built in 1964-68 when production was at its peak. The ES-335 guitar from 1958 is one of Gibson's most treasured and sought after instruments; this matching bass is actually considerably rarer, if not as highly in demand!
The EB-2 first appeared in Gibson's catalogs in spring 1958, the initial companion piece for the new ES-335 guitar. It was offered in sunburst or natural finish (at a $15 up charge). The list price for this sunburst model in November 1959 was $285 (plus case), making it one of the most expensive of the limited number of electric basses in production before the dawn of the 1960s. Only sunburst 90 EB-2's shipped 1958; this one was shipped in December that year. A total of 427 were sold before the EB-2 was initially discontinued in 1961. Although it would return to the line in 1964 there were a number of small changes from the original models.
It seems likely much of Gibson's slow-selling stock of these basses was "dumped" overseas in 1961-2, primarily sent to Gibson's newly engaged distributor Selmer in the UK. Over the next two years the instrument became very popular with many emerging "Beat Group" players of the British Invasion era leading to re-orders and a return to production in 1963-4. Over the next few years production totals ramped up dramatically, before being discontinued again at the dawn of the '70s.
This bass has the original features of the first 1958 EB-2's: a beautiful deep sunburst finish on top and back of the laminated maple body, nickel plated hardware including the heavy cast bridge, gold plastic knobs, no mute assembly or handrest and a medium-chunky round backed neck. This late 1958 bass retains the original huge single coil pickup, and does not have the "Tone Modifier" (choke) pushbutton which was added the next year, along with the switch to a humbucking pickup. The giant coil is set on its side under a black plastic cover with the poles on the bottom edge, a distinctive feature of the early models along with backwards-facing banjo tuners on the slimmer headstock.
This bass is a breed apart from the fairly common later 1960s EB-2's and one of the rarest and coolest heavy thump machines out there! A large proportion of professional UK acts used versions of this model bass or its Epiphone doppelganger, the Rivoli in the first years of the British invasion. This early one is a more rarified animal but still delivers the essential tones for the Animals, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann and beyond! Compared even to 1959 and '60 examples the original first-year 1958 EB-2s rarely turn up at all, let alone this clean and original.
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 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This bass appears to have seen not too much use for 65+ years on the planet and remains very clean overall with only light superficial wear, except for one belt buckle spot through the lacquer on the back and a feelable scrape to the back of the neck behind the 6th fret area. Apart from that there are only small scuffs and dings. It is completely original with no repairs or alterations. The all-original finish has ambered on the binding and shows hardly any checking while the nickel bridge hardware shows some light tarnish, mostly on the posts.
This bass is strung with flatwound strings leaving the frets looking very little worn. A real minimalist 4-string thumper this EB-2 plays exactly as it did in 1958, offering up a huge room filling thump even with the single coil pickup. It resides in the original brown HSC, more worn than the bass but still solid. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a truly superb original example of one of the rarer Gibson electric basses: the first-generation semi-hollow EB-2. The EB-2 in general is not a overly rare bass, but these earliest models built in the debut year were sold in only small numbers; many more were built in 1964-68 when production was at its peak. The ES-335 guitar from 1958 is one of Gibson's most treasured and sought after instruments; this matching bass is actually considerably rarer, if not as highly in demand!
The EB-2 first appeared in Gibson's catalogs in spring 1958, the initial companion piece for the new ES-335 guitar. It was offered in sunburst or natural finish (at a $15 up charge). The list price for this sunburst model in November 1959 was $285 (plus case), making it one of the most expensive of the limited number of electric basses in production before the dawn of the 1960s. Only sunburst 90 EB-2's shipped 1958; this one was shipped in December that year. A total of 427 were sold before the EB-2 was initially discontinued in 1961. Although it would return to the line in 1964 there were a number of small changes from the original models.
It seems likely much of Gibson's slow-selling stock of these basses was "dumped" overseas in 1961-2, primarily sent to Gibson's newly engaged distributor Selmer in the UK. Over the next two years the instrument became very popular with many emerging "Beat Group" players of the British Invasion era leading to re-orders and a return to production in 1963-4. Over the next few years production totals ramped up dramatically, before being discontinued again at the dawn of the '70s.
This bass has the original features of the first 1958 EB-2's: a beautiful deep sunburst finish on top and back of the laminated maple body, nickel plated hardware including the heavy cast bridge, gold plastic knobs, no mute assembly or handrest and a medium-chunky round backed neck. This late 1958 bass retains the original huge single coil pickup, and does not have the "Tone Modifier" (choke) pushbutton which was added the next year, along with the switch to a humbucking pickup. The giant coil is set on its side under a black plastic cover with the poles on the bottom edge, a distinctive feature of the early models along with backwards-facing banjo tuners on the slimmer headstock.
This bass is a breed apart from the fairly common later 1960s EB-2's and one of the rarest and coolest heavy thump machines out there! A large proportion of professional UK acts used versions of this model bass or its Epiphone doppelganger, the Rivoli in the first years of the British invasion. This early one is a more rarified animal but still delivers the essential tones for the Animals, Yardbirds, Manfred Mann and beyond! Compared even to 1959 and '60 examples the original first-year 1958 EB-2s rarely turn up at all, let alone this clean and original.
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 1/2 in. (775 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This bass appears to have seen not too much use for 65+ years on the planet and remains very clean overall with only light superficial wear, except for one belt buckle spot through the lacquer on the back and a feelable scrape to the back of the neck behind the 6th fret area. Apart from that there are only small scuffs and dings. It is completely original with no repairs or alterations. The all-original finish has ambered on the binding and shows hardly any checking while the nickel bridge hardware shows some light tarnish, mostly on the posts.
This bass is strung with flatwound strings leaving the frets looking very little worn. A real minimalist 4-string thumper this EB-2 plays exactly as it did in 1958, offering up a huge room filling thump even with the single coil pickup. It resides in the original brown HSC, more worn than the bass but still solid. Overall Excellent Condition.