Gibson EB2 Bass
semi acoustic Gibson bass guitar

Short scale strings suitable for the 30½ scale EB2 bass Rotosound RS77S Jazz Bass Strings Short Scale (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS77S - Jazz Bass) D'Addario EXL160S XL Regular Short Bass String Set (D'Addario Bass Strings Nickel Wound Short Scale - Regular) Fender 5250XL Short Scale Bass Extra Light Strings (Fender short scale Nickel Steel roundwounds) Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale 4-String Bass (Thomastik-Infeld JF324 Jazz Flatwound Short Scale) Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings (Ernie Ball 2837 Slinky Silhouette 6-String Short-Scale Bass Strings) Rotosound RS88S Trubass Standard Gauge Short Scale Strings (Rotosound - Bass Strings - RS88S - True Bass (Black Nylon)) D'Addario EXL220S Electric Bass Strings XL Nickel Super Light Short Scale (D'Addario EXL220S Nickel Super Light Short Scale)

The EB2 was first announced in the 1958 Gibson Electrics catalogue This new thin model Gibson double cutaway electric bass is the ideal companion for the new ES-335T guitar. True bass-pitch response throughout its tonal range. Now the player has easy access to the complete twenty fret range on all four strings. New body construction, with solid fining neck, pickup, and combination tailpiece-bridge, provides the solidity to produce clear, resonant, sustaining bass response

The EB2s popularity had increased by the mid 1960s. 1966 Gibson full line catalogue The EB2 hollow-body electric bass provides an exciting "new look" with its thin body double cutaway design. The sensational Gibson Base / Baritone Pushbutton gives the bass player the enormous range and versatility he's always wanted. It's a combination of dramatic good looks and driving, full tone for a sound that really sells a combo!

The EB2 was featured in the 1968 pamphlet. 1968 Gibson pamphlet Move your group forward with a new drive. The sensational Gibson bass / baritone pushbutton provides great bass range. And this hollow-body electric bass is unbelievably thin. Single or twin pickups.

1970 Gibson bass catalogue A hollow-body electric bass that features a Bass/Baritone push button for tow different tonal characteristics

The EB2 bass guitar was launched in early 1958 as a companion model to the new thinline semi acoustic guitar the ES-335T. It was available in several variations between 1958-61 and 1964-72. The bass on the right is a 1968 EB-2D.

Gibson subsidary Epiphone made a very similar model, the Rivoli, which was constructed in the same manor, of the same materials. The differences were cosmetic - the headstock shape and markings were in the Epiphone style, as was the scratchplate.

The description below comes from the 1970 Gibson Bass catalogue which was the last to feature the EB2; the one-pickup model was dropped in 1970, but the two pickup EB-2D was still listed in price lists throughout 1972

1964/65 Gibson EB2 promo sheet

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