Epiphone EB-3
List: $750
Unlike Fender, Gibson’s bass offerings continue to be overshadowed by their guitar counterparts. Countless bass maestros would be seen cradling their favourite Fender basses, citing the splendid single coil pickups as the primary draw to these fantastic basses, in addition to the impressive construction. Nevertheless, Gibson’s EB-3 bass remains to be the elusive, under-rated gems out there, just ask Jack Bruce. The Epiphone EB-3 is the manufacturer's attempt to reincarnate the Gibson gem in a more affordable guise.
Construction/ fit/ finish
Many of use would recall how our Epiphone auditions were let down by the dodgy construction & untidy finish. The EB-3 on scrutiny here is 100% free of such blemishes. We’d continue to blame Epiphone for riding on the Gibson success too much to ignore the finer points which qualify the instruments as a worthy purchase- impressive make & cosmetics. If this is the sign of quality to come from this manufacturer, we’d be thankful that there are authorities in the production sector who actually care for a satisfactory end product. Applause all round.
Playability/ Tone
Due to the
double cutaway, SG-like, nature of this bass, handling one successfully while sitting down remains tricky;
neck-dive is inevitable. The deep scoops of both body horns give the illusion that the neck is longer than it actually should be. This inherent peculiarity aside,
the neck per se is very playable & nothing too overwhelming. Upon tuning, the nut manifested some choking with the E & A strings; nothing to be too overtly concerned, it’s lubricant/ file rectifiable.
The EB-3 bass is equipped with a pair of in-house, tone contrasting pickups; a
Sidewinder neck & a Mini-humbucker bridge. Together with the rotary switch, the player has a palette of tones at his/ her disposal.
The Sidewinder in isolation is a deep, thumping pickup. Watch your amp’s bass input while employing it; an excessive level will render your tone quite ill-defined. Moving over to the Mini Humbucker at the bridge, this is a source of
midrange clarity that you’d appreciate. It has enough top end to rival a single coil. The combination of these 2 very different units will give you an in-between tone that’d be useful for those in need of a balanced tonal character but the Sidewinder has a tendency to be the more overwhelming counterpart; the player would then appreciate the volume control for this pickup.
This bass in whole is more suitable for those who peddle picked notes,
less forthcoming for the rest who are slap/ pop inclined. It has everything to do with the pickups on offer. If you wish for a better sonic definition, a pickup swap would be a wise move but be warned of the limited selections out there. All in all, the EB-3
excels in sustain & the overall varied tone on offer; thanks in part to the mahogany presence here.
Last say
Epiphone’s EB-3 is an impressive bass to acquire. The tones on offer make it a versatile bass per se, the playability & finish standards are deserving of its asking price. Forgive the kamikaze neck; the remaining attributes of the EB-3 makes it a worthy investment for those hunting for an impressive, piggy-friendly unit.
Rating 8.5/ 10
Likes:
• Overall build quality & tone
• Upper fret access
• Price
Dislikes:
• Neck-heavy
• Nut incisions could have been better
Worthy competitors:
*Ibanez GAXB
*LTD Viper 104
Epiphone: EB-3
