We all know Gibson® guitars well. As a guitarist, it's almost impossible not to have played one of the family. The company's basses, however, are a little less familiar to the masses. We dove into this test with great curiosity to find out what Gibson offers in mid-to-high-end basses today, up against its toughest competitors: Fender®, Music Man® and others.
A classic bass, modern yet retro, and well made. We compared the results of this instrument with two others at similar (even higher) prices that had really powerful active circuits. One of the things we liked most about this bass is its balance, the overall blend of its strings and the restraint (without losing any meat) of the fifth string, which doesn't send the peaks on your mixing console haywire or generate uncontrolled signal spikes. It's a balanced, quite versatile instrument with rather vintage tones, but modern and ready to work. A good low-end companion.
The Gibson EB bass earned the trust of professional musicians in the 1960s, and since then it has kept improving in design, elegance and dynamics, becoming a powerhouse in the sector. Expert Mike Brandford calls the five-string Gibson EB “the most versatile bass Gibson has ever made,” so the new model's success is more than assured. The American company celebrated its 120th anniversary with the launch of, among other models, the Gibson EB Bass, with which it reinforces its leadership in the electric guitar industry. The Nashville, Tennessee-based company introduced this model with one extra string on top of the four found on its younger “siblings.” The new design blends tradition and novelty perfectly, with a finish approaching that of a fine custom body, delivering a vintage style in different colors. This instrument has many new touches that reward design and elegance, including new pickups designed by specialist Jim DeCola. The result is a bass tone whose sonic range is broad enough to go from rock tones to jazz. Construction The body is made of solid ash finished with nitrocellulose lacquer, which gives it its characteristic glossy finish. It is joined to a maple neck that adds strength and clarity, on which rests a rosewood fretboard with a full 34" scale. Twenty medium frets, easy to reach.
Solid ash body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard. All backed by the Gibson guarantee. How does that sound to you? Great.
Pickups and Bridge The Babicz full-contact bridge makes it a bass with great power and punch. Enveloping sounds with plenty of body. It also has a top-of-the-line headstock that gives it tuning stability. Chrome Grover tuners. It has a rounded neck profile measuring 0.800" at the first fret and 0.900" at the twelfth. This formula makes it ideal for long gigs, since the body sits comfortably against the player.
The Gibson 5-string EB comes with a luxurious case included and a lifetime warranty.
Conclusions If you're looking for something serious in the mid-to-high range and you're into the retro vibe, this is an exceptional alternative that you should definitely consider before buying. The bass works well even for slap and more aggressive playing. It also has a balanced, round and powerful response in pop, jazz and funk settings and in almost any style you dare to try. Honestly, we liked this beast.
