Bass-ically: A Brief History of Gibson Basses

Gibson produced its first electric bass guitar – the EB-1 – in 1953. With a shape that was inspired by upright basses and with false f-holes painted onto the body (decades before Paul Gilbert used the idea), the EB-1 was a rather simple instrument with a solid mahogany body, raised pickguard, and a 30.5” scale neck. It was a particularly “bassy” sounding bass, with its single pickup butted right up against the neck for maximum low end. It further distinguished itself from the early electric basses of the time with the addition of a telescopic end pin, easing the transition for upright players to the new electric instrument.
Although the EB-1 was innovative, it wasn’t until 1958 with the introduction of the EB-2 – featuring a shape reminiscent of its companion six-string, the ES-335 electric guitar – that Gibson really started to forge an identity as a bass company. The EB-2 initially shared the same pickup placement as the EB-1, and soon the model was augmented with a “Baritone Button,” a pushbutton for alternating between a deep, bassy rumble or a more midrange-present voice.