[sparki73]

hey everybody,
i´m a longtime occasional reader in this forum and now i decided to do my first post.

a couple of days ago i purchased an black/gold eb-2 which seems to be a ´65/´66. all parts seem to be original and it´s a very fine instrument, but it´s hardly impossible to find any information on that color/hardware combination. it seems as gison did not do black/gold on stock, so what could be the story of that bass?

any information is very much appreciated!

thanks and cheers, markus

[RUMBLEKAT]

Wow, that's a really unusual EB-2. Could it be a custom order? Looks in very good condition.

G

www.motherlodeonline.co.uk

[jules]

Wow, that is really nice. Never seen any reference to such a bass either, but I would not be surprised of such a custom order. Is the finish definately original? Any markings in the pickup routes?

A great bass whatever it's story

Jules

[sparki73]

hmm, i´m pretty shure that all the hardware is original but gold, the finish looks original to me. there is no sign of a refinish and it has the typical appearance of a 40 year old finish. the fine cracks etc.... and the junktion between the bindings and the finish look original too.

but i´m not definetily shure because i have no real comparison. are there any unmistakable signs of originality?
everything else looks original too. the SN on headstock and orangelabel etc...

what do you mean with "markings in pickup routes"?

cheers, markus

[Redbird]

What does the sticker read in the F hole?

If you take out a pickup is there signs of a repaint under it.

[sparki73]

i didn´t take out the pickup, but there is a small ding an the side where the finish is off down to the wood - and theres no other paint under the black finish! the orange label looks exactly like this one:

[eb2]

My bet is it is not a custom order or factory stock. The plating is not dipped, but electroplating. The parts have a flatter look to them, as I suspect the parts were burnished before tanking, and this was probably done at a jeweler's. This type of plating was fairly common and not too expensive in days gone by. Gibson would not have done that. The black could be a refin as well, and it could be hiding a break, which is also common. But maybe not at all, as black was always available either officially or not. One can't tell without having it in hand as far as the finish. There wouldn't be another finish underneath anyway unless it was Cherry. This could be verified by a vintage dealer of decent reputation, as it should be, and I would get out the phone book. But my take is this is not stock or rare, but a well done aftermarket mod. Nice bass.

[sparki73]

Originally Posted by eb2

My bet is it is not a custom order or factory stock. The plating is not dipped, but electroplating. The parts have a flatter look to them, as I suspect the parts were burnished before tanking, and this was probably done at a jeweler's. This type of plating was fairly common and not too expensive in days gone by. Gibson would not have done that. The black could be a refin as well, and it could be hiding a break, which is also common. But maybe not at all, as black was always available either officially or not. One can't tell without having it in hand as far as the finish. There wouldn't be another finish underneath anyway unless it was Cherry. This could be verified by a vintage dealer of decent reputation, as it should be, and I would get out the phone book. But my take is this is not stock or rare, but a well done aftermarket mod. Nice bass.

thanks for your evaluation! it sounds pretty likely! if i get the chance to let some vintage dealer have a look on it i will do!
do you think such a modification has a big impact on the value?
what would be a reasonable price for that one in the usa/international market? ( i do not want to sell )

cheers, markus

[eb2]

The plating really doesn't have a big effect - I think - as the parts are original and most importantly still all there. It looks nice. Plus, if anyone wanted to have their parts either chrome or gold (or even old fashioned nickle) plated just like the factory, you can do this pretty easily. I came across the guys Ernie Ball uses for MusicMan as they do hot rod parts as well. Hot Rod and vintage car guys do that stuff all the time.

The finish looks good in the pics. If it is legit, no problem. If it is a good refin, and there are no breaks, it takes it down a peg, but at least they kept the label clean which is a good sign. If there is a well repaired break on the neck, then you can guess that takes the price down a bit. I am figuring an EB2 is worth a couple of grand now? Even broken projects run high now. I am not the best assessor of market value. Anyone?

[sparki73]

Originally Posted by eb2

The plating really doesn't have a big effect - I think - as the parts are original and most importantly still all there. It looks nice. Plus, if anyone wanted to have their parts either chrome or gold (or even old fashioned nickle) plated just like the factory, you can do this pretty easily. I came across the guys Ernie Ball uses for MusicMan as they do hot rod parts as well. Hot Rod and vintage car guys do that stuff all the time.

The finish looks good in the pics. If it is legit, no problem. If it is a good refin, and there are no breaks, it takes it down a peg, but at least they kept the label clean which is a good sign. If there is a well repaired break on the neck, then you can guess that takes the price down a bit. I am figuring an EB2 is worth a couple of grand now? Even broken projects run high now. I am not the best assessor of market value. Anyone?

thanks again for your evaluation and sharing your knowledge! how can one find out if a bass had a headstock/neck repair if there are no visible signs?
i paid about 2000 $ for it, so i guess it was an okay price, at least in europe respectively germany... it has incredible tone and plays really well, a nice companion to my ´69 EB0 :wink: