#eb3mystery Semi-restoration :: 1970s Gibson EB-3 [7.7 lbs]

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A poor 1970's Gibson EB-3 that was crudely modified at some point.  The mods included adding a P pickup, active preamp, moving the rotary switch, plugging some of the controls, etc.  I ended up removing the preamp and rewiring the guitar as close to stock as I could.  The rotary switch was returned back home along with adding back one of the volume controls.  The tone choke was also long gone so I replaced it with one courtesy of Curtis Novak.  The original 2 point bridge didn't allow enough adjustment to lower the action, so a new Hipshot 2 point Supertone bridge was installed.  I will eventually group this project into one blog post, but in the meantime you can follow up here:  #eb3mystery

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Slip sliding bridge :: 1957 Gibson ES-175 [5.7 lbs]

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This nearly 60 year old beast came in strung with 10s which was not enough tension to hold the floating bridge in place during bends and heavy strumming. We switched to 12s that added roughly 40 lbs of tension and locked the bridge down solid. The frets are pretty chewed up so when this guy gets new ones in the future it will play like butter. Love, love this guitar.

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The serial number dates this gorgeous Gibson ES-175 to 1956, but it's most likely a 1957 since research tells me Gibson switched from P90's to humbuckers in 1957.

Setup video from the daily vlog.

Another broken Gibson neck :: 1996 Gibson Les Paul Studio

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A habitual issue nearly as iconic as the brand itself is a Gibson Les Paul with a broken headstock.  This is the classic hinged break where the headstock is still held to the neck by the face overlay.  These are the easiest of head breaks to repair since the headstock remains aligned during the gluing and clamping process.  Just inspect the joint for anything that will prevent a tight joint, make the necessary adjustments, apply glue (hot hide glue is my preference) and clamp.

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My 2 cents on why you see these breaks most often on Les Pauls versus Gibson acoustics or even SG's is that the Les Paul bodies are so damn heavy (SG's tend to break at the heel).  When the guitar falls with such a huge counterweight it easily leverages against the short grain in the headstock and pops them open like a can of beer.  Again, just my 2 cents.

Headstock glue-up from the vlog.

Setup :: 2002-03 Fender Precison Bass Special [9.2 lbs]

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An early 2000's P bass in for a setup.  No major issues, just a few tweaks.  Love this semi-transparent seafoam-ish finish.

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Hipshot to fix a 2 point leaner :: 1970s Gibson EB-3

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Ah, more on the heavily modified 1970s Gibson EB-3.  A combination of a low neck angle and poor design of the original 2 point bridge made it the ideal candidate for a modern upgrade.  As you can see from the photo above, the two maple wedges were an attempt to keep the bridge from leaning forward.  But leaning issues aside, the action could not be lowered any further.  In comes a Hipshot 2 point Supertone bridge to help out.  It has a lower profile and it's machined with far greater tolerances to maximize sustain and allow for proper action and intonation.  I agree that it does change the vintage vibe of the bass, but if you value playabilty over vintage-correctness, this is the way to go.