I Kind of like it a lot…the muddy tone rules! With a distortion this bass will sure be the king of stoner rock..great review as usual! All the best from Chile!
Back in the 1990’s, I briefly owned a Gibson EB-O that has the open, angled headstock (like a classical guitar) and the tuners were heavy and faced the rear. I loved how it played and sounded. I dropped it one day and the sheer weight of the headstock decapitated it.
My first bass was an Epiphone EB-3. For all the "fancier" the set neck felt, if you think you had neck dive issues with the EB-0, try the long scale variant! Needless to say, I don't have this bass any more, nor do I have any regrets in moving it on.
A few months ago, I was watching one of your reviews and you said that the bass you were testing was "muddy" (can't remember which it was). And I thought 'man, imagine if he thinks that's muddy, what would he say about an EB-0?". And here we are. What a time to be alive.
Well said! I've been rocking an Epi EB0 all weekend after snagging one for cheap. I don't think these basses are all that muddy in the low end. Actually, I'm hearing a lack of the low mids that can attribute to muddy mess when not eq'ed right. I hear burly, gnarly mids and a loose, but rather shallow bass response. The high end is on the abrasive, grindy side. I was expecting a muddy, useless tone, but that's not the result. Sure, these basses lack articulation, shimmering highs, punchy lows, and the upper mids that bite. If you're looking for those traits, play a Jazz Bass or a Stingray. I have a Squier VM Jag that is muddy compared to the EB0. And my P Basses produce deeper lows that can be boomy and useless in some circumstances. There's more character to the EB0's tone than I've been lead to believe. I'm playing through an SVT7 Pro and GK 210 cab.
Have this bass for close to a year now. With excellent setup, this has done wonders for my EB-0. This is my go-to bass now and have been neglecting my P and J basses. But still an excellent and honest review as always, Lobster! Keep it coming man! Thanks!
this is the kind of bass that builds character, it definitely has a funky tone! if i had a kid that wanted to learn to play bass I would consider something like this.
bought the EB-0 for my first ever bass and I thought the bass sound bad until I saw this video. It's just me that sucks with bass. I need to start practising it again I guess.
Strap-locks are a really good fix. It is always worth the investment to have an instrument with a heavy neck with one of those. Better safe than sorry.
Hello bro'r Lobster, I understand & totally respect you're opinion, but I LOVE this classic Epiphone EB-0 electric bass guitar. It was also my first electric bass of it's kind but with different vintage bridge similar to the 60s Gibson with an arched plate cover in the middle & different tuning machine heads with cover made in Japan by TOREDO. My lovely Abuela (Grandma) purchased the instrument in a local mom & pop Record Shop for $79.95, half a century ago which I no longer own. For me this Epi EB-0 (which I also own) sounds & plays like a bass guitar suppose too, without the Bells n Whistles. I'm just Old School! I absolutely enjoy all of your bass guitar videos along with your buddy Bully Thakidd. Take care bro & keep lobstering!!
I recently bought one of these because I am addicted to that tone. Sorry Lobster! And I love the neck and the pickup placement. But the brdge is a total PITA, that strap mount position is a disaster, and avoiding buzz is tough. Love your reviews!
thats a very good bass that sounds like what its suposed to sound like, not every bass should have a preamp and 8 knobs.I found that it does classic rock stuff and reagge stuff very well, its a classic tone that you wont get from your 150$ preamp HB bass, also the net and frets will be better than the HB.
Fit and finish on mine is great and better than the Squier VM Jag and Ibanez SR300 I had. Epi is on par with my MIM P Bass and G&L Tribute re: building quality.
As a big fan of The Animals, I love the sound of the mudbucker pickup and this bass is the easiest and cheapest way to get that sound (that I'm aware of anyway). I think these are really cool basses if you like the sound and the short scale playability. Definitely not the most versatile bass and it won't be everybody's jam.
A great beginner's bass for punk and grunge. It's not balanced by weight, but this is helpful when learning. Use this bass for a year or two and then move on to the EB-3 which Lobster probably also hates. Or, if you can afford it, go over to Gibson EB 3 or EB 0 - good enough for Jack Bruce of Cream.
I’ve played a few in store and they sound and fell really great, very powerful tone especially given the reputation of other violin style basses. Also the acoustic resonance is nice, it’s almost loud enough for light practice unplugged. Nothing like the EBs, all of which I’ve played have felt terrible and sounded ok
@@AnnoyingOrange420 The big problem with the eb basses is the neck. Weirdly enough next time you see a viola try doing some slap bass on it with both pickups on! I played a bunch of slap on my viola and I loved it
These aren’t half bad with a DiMarzio Model One tbh. My dad had one of the original Gibsons, he loved it. We found an older modified one with a DiMarzio and he was a big fab
@Skraegorn immediately replaced the stock pick up ( terribly microphonic ) with a dimarzio dp 120 and d'addario chromes after modifying the the bass to a lefty ...huge improvement .
My first bass was a 1969 EB0. It's 7 years older than I am. I still have it. The headstock has been repaired twice. Still has the bridge cover and the string mute. Mine has much smaller tuners than I normally see on these basses. I assume they are the original tuners, they do say Gibson on them anyway. The worst neck dive I have experienced so far is the Squier P-Bass owned by the church I play at.
Despite Lobster advisement, I am making one of these bad boys my next project. Replacing tuners and bridge w black chrome Hipshots (ultralites for tuners) and taking out the mudbucker/ routing in a guild bisonic in the bridge. Getting a custom pickguard to cover the mudbucker hole, will return with results!!
I'm right there with you! We have an upcoming mod series upgrading the bridge, tuners, and testing out two different pickup replacements in the EB-0. MODcember is upon us :)
I owned a long-scale Epiphone EB-3 for some time. It has 34 inch scale (same as Fender) and two pickups, so playability and tone are not bad. I cured the neck-dive like this: 1. Move strap button to upper horn. 2. Install Grover light-weight tuners (they're expensive!). 3. Get a wide strap with a rugged/rough backside that doesn't glide so easily agains your shirt. The result was quite good! I would suggest getting an EB-3 and perform the above changes. THEN you will have a cool looking bass with great sound and useful usefulness!
I have one I bought about a year ago. Through an Acoustic B450, you can really shape the tone better than that. In all honesty (and yes, I understand how you do your amp setup to balance the playing field, as it were), you can produce a nice 70s tone when finely adjusted on the amp. I will defend these basses. Yes, they need a bridge pickup…. High end would be appreciated. That, we’ll agree.
@@alessandrogouveia2268 Tweeter on, frequency sweep on at 4, first three low frequencies on the EQ at 6-7, other high frequencies at 7-8. I am also running newer roundwounds. Tone at the guitar at 10.
I solved the neck-dive with a little (£5) trickery on my EB-3 (long scale/set neck). I also replaced the bridge. The nut width is even narrower than my Fender Jazz. All in, it's a really fun & great sounding bass when paired with a good pre-amp. Disclaimer: I wouldn't want an EB-O. Especially a bolt-on, single pickup.👎
Hahaha, I REALLY wanted the EB-3 when I got this bass originally when I was younger. They don't sound bad but the full scale neck really does not do any favors for the balance as you've said too! We should do a dive-off lol
A part of me really likes the tone. I think a band mix would eat it alive if they didn’t respect the bassist. I bet one of those Lucithand filter preamps could prove useful on such a beast.
I feel like at least some of that muddy tone can be attributed to the pickup location. It's all the way at the neck, so it's going to be a lot of fundamental frequencies and very few harmonics.
When I saw Cream, jack Bruce was playing the 2 pickup version. The gain on his amp was so high I couldn't tell what the bass sounded like because it was all roar.
This is a wonderful bass with mot that bad a neck dive and Epiphone is a great brand for beginners, so to all of starting musicians out there in the world. The struggle is real to find a decent, affordable, and quality instrument when everybody wants to sell or own a gibson and that the last thing u have to say is that this channel was the reason i bought this bass.
For a beginning bass player this bass and it's neck dive issues would more than likely put young players off the bass. I see lots of these for sale on the used market. You manage to get some reasonable licks out of it Lobster.
Honestly if you put a hipshot bridge on it, hipshot lightweight tuners, and an original 30k output mudbucker like what the original 60's basses did, you'd have a great little thump machine. The only issue with this is that the mods easily exceed the original cost of the bass, oh well.
Due to technical issues, I had to play one of these (with a paisley strap) at a misfits tribute band show. Sound was fine, but it was humiliating if you're trying to look like Jerry only.
This shows me the problem with UA-cam bass videos, because I was loving the sound of that bass (when the tone was on about 50%). It sounded great through my supermarket brand earbuds as I watched on my phone. Living somewhere where the only basses I could try before buying are Squiers and SX; it's really a crapshoot as to what I'm going to think about the tone when I get to plug in any basses I've bought online. Still, at one claw, I won't be taking a punt on this one.
Interesting. That bass appears to lack everything. Its muddy, certainly. But it also somehow manages to sound thin. Not certain I've heard another bass with that combination.
I had one as a kid . Pair that with 2 - 15" , short scale , neck pickup , flatwounds and you have a have a MUD SLIDE ! Instead of EB-O , just call it ZERO ! This and the EB-3 were affectionately known as Gibson FART Basses ! On short scales , Scott Whitley gets some great sounds out of his SWB-PRO . With EMG's and Roundwounds . Most people don't realize that Stanley Clarke uses an Alembic SHORT SCALE ! He also has it mixed with a guitar amp for top end . Most people would only dream of getting Stanley's tone live .
I'd love to see you review an original Gibson version. You mention that you've heard that they're better, but honestly, I've always heard the exact same criticisms you mention here directed towards those basses.
For very little more, you can get the Epiphone EB-3. This has the same SG-style body, bridge, scratchplate and headstock, so the basic look is the same. But - crucially - it has a second pickup and the associated controls, with independent volume and tone for each pickup and a 3-way selector. This means a much wider range of sounds, and brighter tone from the bridge pickup. It's also a standard 34" scale instrument, which helps to reduce the 'mud' still further. Of course, you will still have to deal with neck dive and the peculiar 3-point bridge. I can't really see why the EB-0 style is still produced. It was a poor design from the outset, and tonally it's a relic. It was created before modern bass styles, and unlike Fender's basses it isn't flexible enough to adapt. There are many superior modern short-scale basses. This is a very fair and honest review.
I love my EBO. The model one pickup , Hipshot Supertone. GHS Precision Flats through any of my bass rigs sounds awesome . I may go to HIPSHOT tuners later but a wide leather strap I’m good .
I've had one of these for years - I almost parted with it, it was my "worst" bass, but then a friend took the frets off, and good lord, I'll never give it up!
if you added high mass bridge, lighter tuners, and a strap with more grip, such as raw leather, you’d still have some severe neck dive. i played one a few months ago at a guitar shop, and fell in love with the feel and sound. i personally really dig the tone, and i’m probably going to pick one up, but it’s definitely going to need the strap button moved to the horn
I bought a walnut colored SG bass. I love it despite the neck dive and the muddy sound. The bass is a stark contrast to my Sire V5 (with Tom Brantley pickups). I was going to put a hipshot bridge and their licensed lightweight tuners on my original SG bass, but that bass suffered a tragic accident (don't ask). It was replaced by another that came with a Babicz Bridge. I now have an extra bridge and tuners :-(. Any suggestion for possible replacement pickups? Curtis Novaks seem to get good reviews but cost about what you paid for that bass.
I am planning a renovation of my EB-3 - which has such a neck dive that I can't play it while standing for longer than 15 minutes because whole neck weight is sitting on the fretting hand. I'm thinking about throwing in some lightweight tuners, changing the pots and switch (maybe a cheap preamp one day) and maybe someday a Hipshot bridge
One of the first bass guitars I ever tried was an old Gibson EB-O in my high school band room. Never owned or tried one since. Always liked the look. Good review on this Epiphone version but Woah! That neck dive!
I think that this bass slaps just fine. It seems to me like most people think that J pass, P bass, and MM tones are the only ones that make sense for slap, but I beg to differ. Marcus Miller certainly pulled sounds out of his jazz basses that (probably) nobody knew about, and that's in spite of the fact that the jazz bass is already a beloved slapper in the hands of the average bassist. I wonder what secrets the Mudbucker holds... 🤔
Is this bass worthy to mod? Would be interesting to see if something like switching the pickup or maybe even adding a pickup will make any difference. This was a very interesting episode! Looking forward to that video about these style of bridges. I’m having issues with my Epiphone thunderbird
Thanks for yet another awesome demo and review video on this bass, I just saw this bass available online here in the Philippines and have always considered to get a short scale bass once I have enough on my savings, if you were to compare this Epiphone EB-0 vs the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang bass, which of the two would you prefer or advise?
Definitely lowend. Had one $269 new - but worth it. $600 for sterling short scale alternative. I guess $900 is top of lowend contestants? Mim fender mustang = $850? Not interested in used basses.
Hey Lobster! What's the listed color of the 5 string G&L there? Pharoah gold? Metallic Tangerine? On the SG, does a strap help the dive? Would it be better if the strap button was on the upper horn?
I believe it's the metallic tangerine. Great color. A strap really doesn't help, though placement on the horn might improve things. If you want a chuckle and don't know the story yet, check out our NAMM 2021 (not 2022, that's not out yet) live stream video where we talk about the hilarious 'solution' product to the SG strap placement issue... and how it spectacularly failed in front of our eyes.
First bass I ever bought! It was inexpensive and I figured learning on a short scale was the way to go but boy was I wrong. Didn’t like it at all and almost gave up on learning bass, then I sold it and got a Squier VM Jazz instead and the rest is history lol
That was painful to watch and listen too. Do you think the tone would improve if the pickup was moved closer to the bridge more like a P Bass? Your review was spot on.
The extra wood at the end of the Epi headstock must make it even worse haha! Ever thought of attaching both ends of the strap to the neck strap button? That way the rear of the bass might make a more effective counterweight :) I do love the fat sound you only get from a neck pickup. What's the possibility of a series/parallel switch via push/pull pot to tame the low end a bit?
I've never been a Gibson/Epiphone fan, and this definitely did nothing to change that! I actually found the sound of it kind of weirdly appealing, but there's no way I'd buy a bass for that sound. I'm wondering if it sounds the way it does because it works well through distortion/effects and is intended for that, or if it's just crap. Maybe both. I also think (?) I was noticing some pretty significant fret buzz around the 5th to 7th frets and it almost felt like the muddy tone is deliberate, to disguise the sound of shoddy fretwork!
Epiphone sells a set neck version with a bridge pickup and SG Standard cosmetics for $400ish USD. Maybe think about it if you really want this style of bass.
It would benefit from Epiphone redesigning it with not only a decent bridge but moving the pickup from the neck to the middle like Gibson did with some of the early to mid 70s EB-0s
Seems to be a running trend when it comes to gibson-manufactures basses. They make great stuff like that, the victory, and the ripper/grabber/g-3, and pretty much forget that they even exist save for some very limited runs lmao
With the tone full on this bass sounds like an upright. BTW, For fun, U could have give a comparing viewpoint against the Epiphone Embassy Pro. Thx Lobster.
Idk I get the feeling lobster doesn't like this bass for some reason. But yes those bridges are a crime against humanity, I play a thunderbird as my main bass and I can vouch for that fact, the amount of times the saddles have fallen out when I'm re stringing and I have to spend 3 to 5 minutes on the floor looking for them is unreal. They should sort that out and use babicz/hipshot.
How big is the pickup cavity on the EB-O? I'm wondering if a fair amount of the cavity would still be exposed if I replaced the mudbucker with some TV Jones pickups and their mounting plates. Or do you think I'd have to cut my own mounting plate? Whadda yuh think? Bad idea? :) Thanks for the reviews! ::EDIT:: Just saw your EB-0 mod series... was hard for me to gauge exactly how big it is, but definitely bigger than I thought :)
I think you need to see it as a utility bass. I have one made in Indonesia. I strung it with some La Bella black nylon strings and play it exclusively with a pick. It suits the "oldies" sound I'm looking for. I would not use it to play funk style or slap, though.
I Kind of like it a lot…the muddy tone rules! With a distortion this bass will sure be the king of stoner rock..great review as usual! All the best from Chile!
Same, as someone who plays punk, growly muddy butthole tones is everything I want!
Back in the 1990’s, I briefly owned a Gibson EB-O that has the open, angled headstock (like a classical guitar) and the tuners were heavy and faced the rear. I loved how it played and sounded. I dropped it one day and the sheer weight of the headstock decapitated it.
If the headstock falls off you know it’s a genuine Gibson
@@TheMusicianTom genuine gibson quality 👍👍👍
A short horror story
The head on mine fell off too.
@@Sven.Bornemark mine fractured too badly and was irreparable. Just a pile of wood and wires at that point.
“Neck diving into a puddle of mud” brilliant description!
My first bass was an Epiphone EB-3. For all the "fancier" the set neck felt, if you think you had neck dive issues with the EB-0, try the long scale variant! Needless to say, I don't have this bass any more, nor do I have any regrets in moving it on.
Most honest bass reviewer on UA-cam. Love this channel.
A few months ago, I was watching one of your reviews and you said that the bass you were testing was "muddy" (can't remember which it was). And I thought 'man, imagine if he thinks that's muddy, what would he say about an EB-0?".
And here we are. What a time to be alive.
It’s called a bass, not a treble. Sounds great in many contexts. Sounds beautiful with flats and a pick
Indeed, Jack Bruce had a Gibson one, these basses seem to work best in a power trio.
Flats and a pick, with a little bit of overdrive for taste. Or fuzz if you really wanna go for it
@@IanThatMetalBassisttried it into an orange guitar amp, sounds too good
Seconded. Flat wound, pick, bit of palm muting for crispness or bit of fuzz for weight, very underrated instrument.
Well said! I've been rocking an Epi EB0 all weekend after snagging one for cheap. I don't think these basses are all that muddy in the low end. Actually, I'm hearing a lack of the low mids that can attribute to muddy mess when not eq'ed right. I hear burly, gnarly mids and a loose, but rather shallow bass response. The high end is on the abrasive, grindy side.
I was expecting a muddy, useless tone, but that's not the result. Sure, these basses lack articulation, shimmering highs, punchy lows, and the upper mids that bite. If you're looking for those traits, play a Jazz Bass or a Stingray. I have a Squier VM Jag that is muddy compared to the EB0. And my P Basses produce deeper lows that can be boomy and useless in some circumstances. There's more character to the EB0's tone than I've been lead to believe.
I'm playing through an SVT7 Pro and GK 210 cab.
Have this bass for close to a year now. With excellent setup, this has done wonders for my EB-0. This is my go-to bass now and have been neglecting my P and J basses. But still an excellent and honest review as always, Lobster! Keep it coming man! Thanks!
this is the kind of bass that builds character, it definitely has a funky tone! if i had a kid that wanted to learn to play bass I would consider something like this.
its my first bass its super fun
I like the way it sounds
There, I said it.
Bought one cheap 25 years ago still using it on sessions now best £20 I ever spent.
with flats a pick and a careful hand, an eb-0 can really sing!
I actually love the stock tone :)
bought the EB-0 for my first ever bass and I thought the bass sound bad until I saw this video. It's just me that sucks with bass. I need to start practising it again I guess.
You seem very bias about this bass... With NO cred.... So you don't like it... 👎👎👎. I do like it. 👍👌
Love this bass
I'm maybe strange but I love the tone of that bass! I have the Gibson one and I must admit neck dive is awfull :(
Move the strap button behind the top horn easy fix
Strap-locks are a really good fix. It is always worth the investment to have an instrument with a heavy neck with one of those. Better safe than sorry.
Hello bro'r Lobster, I understand & totally respect you're opinion, but I LOVE this classic Epiphone EB-0 electric bass guitar. It was also my first electric bass of it's kind but with different vintage bridge similar to the 60s Gibson with an arched plate cover in the middle & different tuning machine heads with cover made in Japan by TOREDO. My lovely Abuela (Grandma) purchased the instrument in a local mom & pop Record Shop for $79.95, half a century ago which I no longer own. For me this Epi EB-0 (which I also own) sounds & plays like a bass guitar suppose too, without the Bells n Whistles. I'm just Old School! I absolutely enjoy all of your bass guitar videos along with your buddy Bully Thakidd. Take care bro & keep lobstering!!
i've got one and love it to bits - sounds great in recordings, unique tone - "caviar to the general"
I recently bought one of these because I am addicted to that tone. Sorry Lobster! And I love the neck and the pickup placement. But the brdge is a total PITA, that strap mount position is a disaster, and avoiding buzz is tough. Love your reviews!
These are an acquired taste. I really like mine.
IMO, to make it work you gotta embrace the muddy sound and go for a vintage, fat tone. Add some dirt and you have a synth like sound.
thats a very good bass that sounds like what its suposed to sound like, not every bass should have a preamp and 8 knobs.I found that it does classic rock stuff and reagge stuff very well, its a classic tone that you wont get from your 150$ preamp HB bass, also the net and frets will be better than the HB.
Fit and finish on mine is great and better than the Squier VM Jag and Ibanez SR300 I had. Epi is on par with my MIM P Bass and G&L Tribute re: building quality.
As a big fan of The Animals, I love the sound of the mudbucker pickup and this bass is the easiest and cheapest way to get that sound (that I'm aware of anyway). I think these are really cool basses if you like the sound and the short scale playability. Definitely not the most versatile bass and it won't be everybody's jam.
I have one of these and I really love the sound. Nice and chunky.
Chunky is a better description than muddy
A great beginner's bass for punk and grunge. It's not balanced by weight, but this is helpful when learning. Use this bass for a year or two and then move on to the EB-3 which Lobster probably also hates. Or, if you can afford it, go over to Gibson EB 3 or EB 0 - good enough for Jack Bruce of Cream.
I honestly would recommend checking out the Epiphone Viola Bass. I used to own one and absolutely loved the tone and playability
I’ve played a few in store and they sound and fell really great, very powerful tone especially given the reputation of other violin style basses. Also the acoustic resonance is nice, it’s almost loud enough for light practice unplugged. Nothing like the EBs, all of which I’ve played have felt terrible and sounded ok
@@AnnoyingOrange420 The big problem with the eb basses is the neck. Weirdly enough next time you see a viola try doing some slap bass on it with both pickups on! I played a bunch of slap on my viola and I loved it
These aren’t half bad with a DiMarzio Model One tbh. My dad had one of the original Gibsons, he loved it. We found an older modified one with a DiMarzio and he was a big fab
Planning a mod for this ;)
@@LowEndLobster excellent! Though I’d also recommend sticking some flatwounds on there. Mubuckers really sing with flats.
@@skraegorn7317 Really! I woulda figured flatwounds would make it even muddier.
@@musicshade9049 +1. Hard for me to think otherwise
@Skraegorn immediately replaced the stock pick up ( terribly microphonic ) with a dimarzio dp 120 and d'addario chromes after modifying the the bass to a lefty ...huge improvement .
My first bass was a 1969 EB0. It's 7 years older than I am. I still have it. The headstock has been repaired twice. Still has the bridge cover and the string mute. Mine has much smaller tuners than I normally see on these basses. I assume they are the original tuners, they do say Gibson on them anyway. The worst neck dive I have experienced so far is the Squier P-Bass owned by the church I play at.
Despite Lobster advisement, I am making one of these bad boys my next project. Replacing tuners and bridge w black chrome Hipshots (ultralites for tuners) and taking out the mudbucker/ routing in a guild bisonic in the bridge. Getting a custom pickguard to cover the mudbucker hole, will return with results!!
I'm right there with you! We have an upcoming mod series upgrading the bridge, tuners, and testing out two different pickup replacements in the EB-0. MODcember is upon us :)
@@LowEndLobster Hell yea! Can't wait Lobster!!
I owned a long-scale Epiphone EB-3 for some time. It has 34 inch scale (same as Fender) and two pickups, so playability and tone are not bad. I cured the neck-dive like this: 1. Move strap button to upper horn. 2. Install Grover light-weight tuners (they're expensive!). 3. Get a wide strap with a rugged/rough backside that doesn't glide so easily agains your shirt. The result was quite good!
I would suggest getting an EB-3 and perform the above changes. THEN you will have a cool looking bass with great sound and useful usefulness!
I have one I bought about a year ago. Through an Acoustic B450, you can really shape the tone better than that. In all honesty (and yes, I understand how you do your amp setup to balance the playing field, as it were), you can produce a nice 70s tone when finely adjusted on the amp. I will defend these basses. Yes, they need a bridge pickup…. High end would be appreciated. That, we’ll agree.
I have one of those, how Would YOU Set It at your amp? More bass, more treble? What are your specificstions?
@@alessandrogouveia2268 Tweeter on, frequency sweep on at 4, first three low frequencies on the EQ at 6-7, other high frequencies at 7-8. I am also running newer roundwounds. Tone at the guitar at 10.
I love this bass through my SVT7 Pro
I solved the neck-dive with a little (£5) trickery on my EB-3 (long scale/set neck).
I also replaced the bridge.
The nut width is even narrower than my Fender Jazz.
All in, it's a really fun & great sounding bass when paired with a good pre-amp.
Disclaimer: I wouldn't want an EB-O. Especially a bolt-on, single pickup.👎
Neck dive? The eb-3 is laughing at its short scale baby brother
Hahaha, I REALLY wanted the EB-3 when I got this bass originally when I was younger. They don't sound bad but the full scale neck really does not do any favors for the balance as you've said too! We should do a dive-off lol
A part of me really likes the tone. I think a band mix would eat it alive if they didn’t respect the bassist. I bet one of those Lucithand filter preamps could prove useful on such a beast.
You don’t need a lot of treble to cut through a mix.
@@michaelmenkes8085 Yes I do.
@@jonsidell3338 then you don’t know much about mixing bass
@@michaelmenkes8085 Thanks!
Michael, don't be a condescending dick to people in the comments.
I was literally begging and waiting for this review.... THANK YOU!!
I feel like at least some of that muddy tone can be attributed to the pickup location. It's all the way at the neck, so it's going to be a lot of fundamental frequencies and very few harmonics.
Oh, this baby loves the slop. Loves it, eats it up. Eats the slop. Born in the slop. His father was a mudder.
Brings back memories too for me as dad purchased one of these for me as my first bass too all those years ago.. All the best 👍
This is for 60s 70s sounds, for this it works great.
When I saw Cream, jack Bruce was playing the 2 pickup version. The gain on his amp was so high I couldn't tell what the bass sounded like because it was all roar.
I thought it sounded great
The Epiphone EB-0 and EB-3 are honestly some of the worst production basses I've ever played, no me gusta
Truth! Style over substance for sure.
This is a wonderful bass with mot that bad a neck dive and Epiphone is a great brand for beginners, so to all of starting musicians out there in the world. The struggle is real to find a decent, affordable, and quality instrument when everybody wants to sell or own a gibson and that the last thing u have to say is that this channel was the reason i bought this bass.
For a beginning bass player this bass and it's neck dive issues would more than likely put young players off the bass. I see lots of these for sale on the used market. You manage to get some reasonable licks out of it Lobster.
It actually sounded way better with tone off 100%👍🏾😁🤳
Honestly if you put a hipshot bridge on it, hipshot lightweight tuners, and an original 30k output mudbucker like what the original 60's basses did, you'd have a great little thump machine.
The only issue with this is that the mods easily exceed the original cost of the bass, oh well.
Due to technical issues, I had to play one of these (with a paisley strap) at a misfits tribute band show. Sound was fine, but it was humiliating if you're trying to look like Jerry only.
That's a pretty nice sounding bass, warm and not harsh or gnarly at all...
Awesome Lobster🎸《☆》U know your way around the SG Pretty Good & it shows in them fancy runs✌🏼😎☮
There is no way I would get one of these over a Harley Benton
That would be the main problem today.
Very Marmite. Love it or hate it. I have a Chinese one. QC is poor, one the bridge posts had pulled half way out. Easy to play neck.
@@johnhughes3796 ha "marmite"
This shows me the problem with UA-cam bass videos, because I was loving the sound of that bass (when the tone was on about 50%).
It sounded great through my supermarket brand earbuds as I watched on my phone.
Living somewhere where the only basses I could try before buying are Squiers and SX; it's really a crapshoot as to what I'm going to think about the tone when I get to plug in any basses I've bought online.
Still, at one claw, I won't be taking a punt on this one.
That neck dives worse than an Italian soccer player.
or goes down easier than a broke boxer.😛
@@cyrilgleiman7202 🤣
Man lets gooooo
If this isn't the best description of an EB-0 I don't what its lol
Interesting. That bass appears to lack everything. Its muddy, certainly. But it also somehow manages to sound thin. Not certain I've heard another bass with that combination.
I had one as a kid . Pair that with 2 - 15" , short scale , neck pickup , flatwounds and you have a have a MUD SLIDE ! Instead of EB-O , just call it ZERO ! This and the EB-3 were affectionately known as Gibson FART Basses ! On short scales , Scott Whitley gets some great sounds out of his SWB-PRO . With EMG's and Roundwounds . Most people don't realize that Stanley Clarke uses an Alembic SHORT SCALE ! He also has it mixed with a guitar amp for top end . Most people would only dream of getting Stanley's tone live .
What a funny toned instrument. Your picking is much improved and finger proficiency. The EB3 is hopefully a bit better in the tone department.
I'd love to see you review an original Gibson version. You mention that you've heard that they're better, but honestly, I've always heard the exact same criticisms you mention here directed towards those basses.
For very little more, you can get the Epiphone EB-3. This has the same SG-style body, bridge, scratchplate and headstock, so the basic look is the same. But - crucially - it has a second pickup and the associated controls, with independent volume and tone for each pickup and a 3-way selector. This means a much wider range of sounds, and brighter tone from the bridge pickup. It's also a standard 34" scale instrument, which helps to reduce the 'mud' still further.
Of course, you will still have to deal with neck dive and the peculiar 3-point bridge.
I can't really see why the EB-0 style is still produced. It was a poor design from the outset, and tonally it's a relic. It was created before modern bass styles, and unlike Fender's basses it isn't flexible enough to adapt. There are many superior modern short-scale basses. This is a very fair and honest review.
Only one claw, but SIX neck dive whoops. I think that's a new record.
The slap sound is actually interesting for me. It's not authentic, but interesting.
ahhh sounds like 1967 all over again. It has its place I've owned one. I remember when they were 149.00 at GC. these has its place for the right mood.
It’s got an old school cool factor but I’d but a Gretsch instead if I had a need for this style bass.
I love my EBO. The model one pickup , Hipshot Supertone. GHS Precision Flats through any of my bass rigs sounds awesome . I may go to HIPSHOT tuners later but a wide leather strap I’m good .
This baby is growling way more than I thought it would
I've had one of these for years - I almost parted with it, it was my "worst" bass, but then a friend took the frets off, and good lord, I'll never give it up!
Lobster bought the EB0 from Guitar Center to take home to his personal Bass Center
if you added high mass bridge, lighter tuners, and a strap with more grip, such as raw leather, you’d still have some severe neck dive. i played one a few months ago at a guitar shop, and fell in love with the feel and sound. i personally really dig the tone, and i’m probably going to pick one up, but it’s definitely going to need the strap button moved to the horn
We have a mod series for this coming in December with bridge and tuner upgrades and two different pickup upgrades as well. Stay tuned :)
@@LowEndLobster i look forward to seeing what you do with it. sg basses are flawed, but still really rad, and have crazy mod potential
This thing has the bass tone of an AM radio.
I love the video title "Neck Diving Into a Puddle of Mud" 😁
Epi eb3 has to be next now. I'd love to see it unmodded and modded.
I bought a walnut colored SG bass. I love it despite the neck dive and the muddy sound. The bass is a stark contrast to my Sire V5 (with Tom Brantley pickups). I was going to put a hipshot bridge and their licensed lightweight tuners on my original SG bass, but that bass suffered a tragic accident (don't ask). It was replaced by another that came with a Babicz Bridge. I now have an extra bridge and tuners :-(. Any suggestion for possible replacement pickups? Curtis Novaks seem to get good reviews but cost about what you paid for that bass.
Try DiMarzio Model 1....I like mine.
I am planning a renovation of my EB-3 - which has such a neck dive that I can't play it while standing for longer than 15 minutes because whole neck weight is sitting on the fretting hand. I'm thinking about throwing in some lightweight tuners, changing the pots and switch (maybe a cheap preamp one day) and maybe someday a Hipshot bridge
Great review, thanks!
One of the first bass guitars I ever tried was an old Gibson EB-O in my high school band room. Never owned or tried one since. Always liked the look. Good review on this Epiphone version but Woah! That neck dive!
I think that this bass slaps just fine. It seems to me like most people think that J pass, P bass, and MM tones are the only ones that make sense for slap, but I beg to differ. Marcus Miller certainly pulled sounds out of his jazz basses that (probably) nobody knew about, and that's in spite of the fact that the jazz bass is already a beloved slapper in the hands of the average bassist. I wonder what secrets the Mudbucker holds... 🤔
What happens if we pinch the like button before the prompt?
Terrible terrible things
@@LowEndLobster Ruh Roh
I took one of these and turned it into a piccolo bass and haven't been too disappointed. But it is for sure because of "the look".
Great honest review as always lobster! What do you think would make this a better bass? Definitely hipshot but as far as electronics goes?
Is this bass worthy to mod? Would be interesting to see if something like switching the pickup or maybe even adding a pickup will make any difference. This was a very interesting episode! Looking forward to that video about these style of bridges. I’m having issues with my Epiphone thunderbird
A dimarzio mudbucker would sound sick!
Thanks for yet another awesome demo and review video on this bass, I just saw this bass available online here in the Philippines and have always considered to get a short scale bass once I have enough on my savings, if you were to compare this Epiphone EB-0 vs the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang bass, which of the two would you prefer or advise?
Definitely lowend. Had one $269 new - but worth it. $600 for sterling short scale alternative. I guess $900 is top of lowend contestants? Mim fender mustang = $850? Not interested in used basses.
Hey Lobster! What's the listed color of the 5 string G&L there? Pharoah gold? Metallic Tangerine? On the SG, does a strap help the dive? Would it be better if the strap button was on the upper horn?
I believe it's the metallic tangerine. Great color. A strap really doesn't help, though placement on the horn might improve things. If you want a chuckle and don't know the story yet, check out our NAMM 2021 (not 2022, that's not out yet) live stream video where we talk about the hilarious 'solution' product to the SG strap placement issue... and how it spectacularly failed in front of our eyes.
First bass I ever bought! It was inexpensive and I figured learning on a short scale was the way to go but boy was I wrong. Didn’t like it at all and almost gave up on learning bass, then I sold it and got a Squier VM Jazz instead and the rest is history lol
That was painful to watch and listen too. Do you think the tone would improve if the pickup was moved closer to the bridge more like a P Bass? Your review was spot on.
This was my first bass. I played it for several years then traded it in at a pawn shop for a off brand p bass. I enjoyed it so much more.
06:21 This kind of reminds me of the tone of the bass used in NIB by Black Sabbath
i have this bass currently and i haven’t been playing for very long at all yet i think it does the job it needs to as of rn
The extra wood at the end of the Epi headstock must make it even worse haha! Ever thought of attaching both ends of the strap to the neck strap button? That way the rear of the bass might make a more effective counterweight :)
I do love the fat sound you only get from a neck pickup. What's the possibility of a series/parallel switch via push/pull pot to tame the low end a bit?
Could most likely implement something like the eb-2s baritone switch. or some variant of it
I've never been a Gibson/Epiphone fan, and this definitely did nothing to change that! I actually found the sound of it kind of weirdly appealing, but there's no way I'd buy a bass for that sound. I'm wondering if it sounds the way it does because it works well through distortion/effects and is intended for that, or if it's just crap. Maybe both. I also think (?) I was noticing some pretty significant fret buzz around the 5th to 7th frets and it almost felt like the muddy tone is deliberate, to disguise the sound of shoddy fretwork!
I hope your Whoop segment becomes a meme
I always liked the look of sg’s, wish they could make a good one for a reasonable price
Epiphone sells a set neck version with a bridge pickup and SG Standard cosmetics for $400ish USD. Maybe think about it if you really want this style of bass.
It would benefit from Epiphone redesigning it with not only a decent bridge but moving the pickup from the neck to the middle like Gibson did with some of the early to mid 70s EB-0s
Seems to be a running trend when it comes to gibson-manufactures basses. They make great stuff like that, the victory, and the ripper/grabber/g-3, and pretty much forget that they even exist save for some very limited runs lmao
With the tone full on this bass sounds like an upright. BTW, For fun, U could have give a comparing viewpoint against the Epiphone Embassy Pro. Thx Lobster.
Can't find it on the website.
Right? I was digging and didn't see it either. Very odd
If nothing else, it looks awesome. sweetwater has them as well
Idk I get the feeling lobster doesn't like this bass for some reason.
But yes those bridges are a crime against humanity, I play a thunderbird as my main bass and I can vouch for that fact, the amount of times the saddles have fallen out when I'm re stringing and I have to spend 3 to 5 minutes on the floor looking for them is unreal. They should sort that out and use babicz/hipshot.
All basses sound bad with slap, apart from alembics and even then.
How big is the pickup cavity on the EB-O?
I'm wondering if a fair amount of the cavity would still be exposed if I replaced the mudbucker with some TV Jones pickups and their mounting plates. Or do you think I'd have to cut my own mounting plate? Whadda yuh think? Bad idea? :)
Thanks for the reviews!
::EDIT:: Just saw your EB-0 mod series... was hard for me to gauge exactly how big it is, but definitely bigger than I thought :)
I think you need to see it as a utility bass. I have one made in Indonesia. I strung it with some La Bella black nylon strings and play it exclusively with a pick.
It suits the "oldies" sound I'm looking for. I would not use it to play funk style or slap, though.