The Parliament Funkadelic legend discusses his new album, World Wide Funk, his 6-foot pedalboard, and his lesser-known guitar playing.
What hasnāt been written about bassist Bootsy Collins?
In 1970, when Collins was just 18, he joined James Brownās band and played bass on timeless classics like āSex Machine,ā āSuper Bad,ā and āSoul Powerāāwhich for some people is enough to establish him as one of the instrumentās all-time greats. But Collins was just getting started, and two years later he joined Parliament Funkadelic.
Brown taught Collins how to interpret grooveāhe emphasized the one, which means resolving phrases on the downbeatāand Collins taught that concept to his new band. That one defined the sound of P-Funk, which in turn helped define the sound of funk, whichāthanks to sampling and the popularity of hip-hopāwas influential in shaping the next 40 years of popular music.
Collins is central to seminal Parliament releases like Chocolate City and Mothership Connection, and even his āsoloā project, Bootsyās Rubber Band, scored a number one R&B hit with āBootzillaā in 1978. Heās also a frequent collaborator and since the ā80s has worked with everyone from Bill Laswell to Fatboy Slim to Herbie Hancock to Buckethead. In 1990, he was at the top of the charts as part of Deee-Liteās mega-hit, āGroove Is in the Heart,ā and in the early 2000s performed the Monday Night Football theme with Hank Williams Jr.
And thatās just part of his curriculum vitae.
Collinsā tonal wanderlustāin addition to his innovative playingādefined the sound of funk as well. Eddie Van Halen has the Phase 90. Jimi Hendrix had the Uni-Vibe. And Bootsy Collins has the Mu-Tron III envelope filter. That watery thump isnāt just a Collinsā trademarkāthatās what funky music sounds like.
Collins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame two decades ago, but he not only shows no signs of slowing down, he shows no signs of becoming a has-been. His new album, World Wide Funk, is surprisingly fresh. āI was trying to intertwine some of the young energy,ā he says. āThatās kind of what I hang around now, a lot of young musicians, and being around that inspires me even more. I tried to incorporate that into the album.ā
World Wide Funk features guest appearances from fellow bassists Victor Wooten, Stanley Clarke, Manou Gallo, and Alissia Benveniste; guitarists Eric Gales and Buckethead; drummer Dennis Chambers; rappers Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D, Dru Down, and the Blvck Seeds; singers Kali Uchis, Musiq Soulchild, and October London ā¦ and many others.
But this is Premier Guitar, so when we got Collins on the phone, our first order of business was gear. We got the lowdown on his early instruments and the history behind what eventually led to his iconic star-shaped basses. We also discussed his never-ending obsession with pedals, collaborating with other bassists, the recording of World Wide Funk, andāthis may even be a firstāwe even got him to talk about his little known, yet very impressive, guitar playing.
Youāre known for your distinctive star-shaped basses, but obviously, thatās not what you started with. I read that your first instrument was a guitar strung up with bass strings. Is that true?
Well, it didnāt have bass strings at first. It was a regular $29 job, a Silvertone guitar. The reason I put bass strings on it was because I wanted to play with my brother [Phelps āCatfishā Collins]. He played guitar and he was developing a good reputation. Heās about eight years older than I am. He was a teenager and I was, like, 9 years old. And from the beginning I wanted to play with him. So, I figured if I got a guitar, I could at least learn how to play and then the next step would be to play with him. When that next step came up, he didnāt need another guitar player, he needed a bass player. I didnāt have a bass, so I was like, āOkay, well, what do I do now?ā I asked him if he would get me four bass strings. He got me four bass strings, I unwound the thickness of it at the end, I put them on the guitar, and voilĆ !āthat was my bass guitar.
World Wide Funk, the latest album by Bootsy Collins, was mostly recorded in his Bootzilla Rehab home studio. It includes an intro by Iggy Pop and appearances by Victor Wooten, Stanley Clarke, Eric Gales, Buckethead, and Chuck D, just to name a few.
Did you still have that when you joined James Brown?
Yeah. He loved my playing but he was really done with that guitar. The color of it was beat and at that time Fender was the main thing on the market. Everybody had to play a Fenderāeither a P bass or a Jazz bass. I wanted one for the longest time, but I couldnāt afford it. He dogged me out about my little bass, man, like, āYou canāt come up here on my stage anymore with that thing.ā He wound up getting me a Fender Jazz bass.
Did you prefer the Jazz bass as opposed to the Precision?
Yes, especially at that time because I just loved the way the neck felt. It wasnāt wide all the way up the neck. It was just a perfect fit. And the sound of itāI loved the P-bass sound, too, but I liked the body shape of the Jazz. It fit real good.
Did you have a Vox bass with James Brown as well?
Yeah, Iāve still got that Vox bass [an Apollo IV] and I played it on one of the songs on the new albumāI canāt think which one it was off the top of my headābut I played it on one of the songs and man, I mean, nothing sounds like that. Itās like a dead-string soundāthose old flatwound strings on top of that hollow Vox bass guitar. Itās got a built-in fuzz on it and a built-in tuner. It was incredible. I used a lot of different things on this record to try to give me a facelift. Iām still keeping the old stuff, but Iām adding a little newness here and there. On different songs, I use different pedals as well.
Were you still playing the Jazz bass when you joined Funkadelic?
No, I went back to the P bass. Thatās what everybody was into, back at that time. I was like, āI got to get myself together to play the P bass,ā because the neck is different. I started playing itāand I started loving it. The first recordings I did with Parliament Funkadelic were with that P bass. And that P bass is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame now [laughs].
Bootsy Collinsā first Space Bass was made in 1975 by a guy named Larry Pless at Gus Zoppi Music in Warren, Michigan, which was an accordion shop. Bootsyās current signature Warwick star basses have five pickups with four outputs, each wired to different amps and cabinets. Photo by Ebet Roberts
When did you get your first star-shaped āSpace Bass?ā
The first Space Bass was made in 1975 by a guy named Larry Pless, at a place called Gus Zoppi Music in Sterling Heights, Michigan. I took a drawing in there and he was a young and up-and-coming guitar maker. Wouldnāt nobody make it. I was up on 48th Street in New Yorkāall up and down thereāand I was telling them about this star bass that I wanted, and nobody was interested. I had to find somebody that would do it because, first of all, I didnāt have no money [laughs], and second of all, nobody was interested because it wasnāt hot on the market. Nobody had a star bass. Nobody was talking about a star bass. I was like, āIāve got to find somebody thatās just into doing stuff.ā And Gus Zoppi Music store was an accordion storeāit wasnāt even a guitar store where I found this guy. I just happened to go in there, I started talking to the owner, I asked him if he had any suggestions, and he said, āYes. Iāve got a young guy thatās working for me in the back that might be interested because heās always been wanting to make guitars.ā So thatās how I found this guy.
Is the neck modeled after the Fender P?
After the Fender, yeah.
What about the pickup configuration? It has both the Jazz bass pickups plus other things. How did you design that?
That was designed originally off the Fender Jazz. Then I added the P-bass pickupsāthat and a couple of other pickups as well. It had a combination of the Fender P bass and then what I threw up in there that I liked myself. But itās been a lot of upgrading since then.
What about the multiple outputs?
That multiple output allowed me to not use so many cables. It was just one cable that went to the pedalboard and thatās where the signal got split up. When I first did it, it was just 2-way out. Then it became 3-way and until, I would say, up until the ā90s, it became 4-way out. Thatās what it is now. Every pickup has an output. There is one pickup unit in there that has two on one output, which is designed like the Fender Jazz bass. So, the guitar actually has five pickups.
Those outputs go to different amps?
Yes. They go to different amps and different cabinets onstage. Itās a whole wall of different tones, different sounds. The pedals go to different amps as well. It kept growing. It started with a small, maybe 3-foot pedalboard case, and then it grew up to around 6 1/2 feet. Thatās where itās currently at.
Whatās on there?
I got everything and its mother [laughs]. You got maybe four to six pedals on what I call the high end and the same thing on the midrange. Theyāre different pedals, but theyāre the same amount of pedals. You got three rows: you got ultra-high, you got high end, you got mids, and then you got the low end that goes direct, which goes to my sub-woofers. Itās a lot of configurations. People said, āCanāt you just plug the thing in and play?ā But I was hardheaded and I wanted to always be āin search ofā and ālet me find these different sounds,ā you know? Iām glad I did. It was very confusing to the engineers that started recording me first, because nobody was used to that. All they were used to was, āPlug that thing in and letās hit it.ā And, I donāt know, that era was changing. Synthesizers were coming ināit wasnāt in yetābut it was coming in. I guess I wanted something different. I didnāt want just the same old bass sounds that everybody got. So, I took a dive for it.
In the studio, do you use that whole pedalboard or do you just isolate what you need?
When I do outside studio work, that pedalboard goes with me. Whatever is in the pedalboard pretty much stays. When Iām recording myself in my own studio, I got the pedalboard plus a gazillion pedals if I want to throw something in or take something out. Itās easy for me at my studio where I can record things the way I want to. But when I go out doing stuff in other places, I just take the main pedalboard and those are usually the sounds I usually use. But on this new album, I was reaching for different things on different songs. I had access to any and everything, which was great. It helps fuel me as well. Uplifts me. Give me different soundsāwhen I hear different sounds, it motivates me. Either theyāre goodāthey do something good to youāor itās, āI donāt like that sound, let me try this other one.ā Those are the kind of things I like to deal with. Itās kind of like painting. Itās like, āI donāt like that color. Let me try another color.ā That is part of my creative process and itās been that way forever.
Do different pedals and sounds inspire different types of riffs or make you play differently?
Yes, and that goes mainly for bass. But I found out even with Bernie Worrellāwho was the keyboard playerāI noticed any time he would do a different sound, it would make him play different. So, I didnāt feel so bad when I saw him doing it because he was really legit [laughs]. [Editorās note:Ā Worrell studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in the 1960s and was awarded an honorary doctorate just before his death in 2016]. Here I was from the James Brown school and we didnāt know nothing. I didnāt know how to read. All I knew how to do was hear these sounds and I wanted to play them.
Nowadays, do you experiment with computer modeling, plug-ins, and things like that?
I donāt. But I donāt knock it. It just seems like everything is kind of āpre-ā now. I like the fact of having to find my way through different things. You can compare it like this: You know how they used to tell you to get lost? Well nowadays, you canāt even get lost because youāve got the GPS. But getting lost was part of the experience. That was the part where you had to figure out how to get backāor how to get there. Thatās being taken away and, to me, that was the fun part. I donāt want to take that away. All those old pedals, the old stuff, I love itāanything you can step on.
Check out one of Bootsyās Rubber Bandās earliest concerts from 1976.
This is the mother lode for Bootsy fans. Collins takes a film crew on a tour of his home studio and shows off his huge collection of classic instruments.
Collins is known for his colorful costumes, but it doesnāt stop there. His bass tonal colors helped define the funk genre. āItās kind of like painting,ā he says. āItās like, āI donāt like that color. Let me try another color.āā Heās shown here in 1990 with
his 1969 Ampeg upright bass. Photo by Ebet Roberts
How much does that original Space Bass weigh? It looks like it weighs a ton.
Well, you know, the first one actually did weigh a ton. I donāt know exactly what it weighed, but it was all solid wood and it was heavy. I never really paid it that much attention because I guess I was so young and energetic and I didnāt care. I just wanted to play that star bass. I didnāt care what it weighed. I was really concerned with how it sounded and what it looked likeāand thatās pretty much it. If I could play it, then thatās what I wanted. The one I got now thatās made by Warwick, itās much lighter. I notice it now because I put the old one onāthe 1975 oneāand itās heavy. But I never noticed that before.
People donāt know that youāre also a guitar player. I interviewed George Clinton and Blackbyrd McKnight a few years ago [āParliament Funkadelic: A Funk Guitar Roundtable,ā March 2016] and they said your guitar playing is ādangerous.ā
[Laughs]. Thatās pretty deep. Nah. I just play what I hear in my head and thatās usually when weāre coming up with stuffālike a track and a riff. Iām pretty good at that because those are things I just hear. Thatās probably why they said it. But being amazing and dangerous and all that? No, I doubt that very seriously.
Do you play the rhythm guitar parts on the new album? Is that mostly you?
A lot of it, yeah. And then Keith Cheatham, who was playing a lot on the road with us. He took Catfishās place. Iād never found nobody that had Catfish locked down, other than Keith. He used to play with Sun [ā70s/ā80s R&B group], and he plays on a lot of this new album. Itās hardāitās almost becoming a dinosaur thing to be able to do that, because thatās not the emphasis nowābut for me, itās always about that groove, that lock, that riff, that hook. You get that going and then you space out. But of course, thatās the idea from back in the day. Now itās like everything is outer space. But I can dig it.
Are your guitars recorded direct to the board or do you have guitar amps and effects set up in your studio as well?
I got amps and I got direct. I got the old 50-watt Ampeg with the two 12s. I mean, you name it. The old Epiphone, the old Gibson, the old Fender Twin Reverbāall that old stuff, I got it. I got the B-3 organ. I mean, fully blown. Musicians come in and have a field day. Itās like having a studio with things you can touch. These are things you can actually get on and play. And I donāt care what era a musician was brought up in, when heās able to sit down, jam, mess around, and experimentāwhen he can do thatāthatās when he fully gets a chance to open up with his own self-expression and beat it out of himself. I think itās very important to be able to beat it out, because otherwise you sit there and play with yourself. And I just donāt like playing with myself like that [laughs].
Do you play guitar with a pick or do you strum with your fingers?
With a pick. Just like my older brother Catfish. I learned from him and he was the greatest at it.
You feature a lot of other bass players on the new album as well. How do you arrange that?
It was about coordinating it and putting it together in a way that doesnāt step on anybodyās toes. This was like a team kind of thing. I didnāt want to do it where it all just sounds like a whooof. You know how you can put a lot of comedians together who are all great on their own, but when you put them together it just aināt happening? Well, thatās the same idea. I wanted it to be where you had your own space and wasnāt nobody stepping on that. Thatās you. Itās your turn.
You travel with a second bass player in your live act as well.
Yes. I started doing that because it kept getting more difficult for me to perform and take care of all the crazy business. It was just nuts. Iāve always loved to play, but to play and take care of all the airportsāI mean, the road is just so stupid nowāand itās like I needed somebody I could rely on. I play and sing the songs and that was getting difficultāplaying, singing, and trying to entertain the people was a little bit much for me. If it was just getting up there and playing, okay, I can do that. It was a lot of pressure lifted off when I added that. It made playing and being onstage a lot more fun.
When you play bass, does he lay out or do you just have two basses going?
He drops his volume or he leaves the stage, it just depends on what song it is.
How was the album recorded?
I engineered all the analog stuff. We did about 65 to 70 percent of the album here in the Bootzilla Rehab [home studio]āand the other parts we had to send out. Iggy Pop did the intro at a studio in New York. Dennis Chambers was on the road, so this time he had to record the drums where he was at. A lot of the musicians that I used were on the roadābecause it was the summer time and everybody was out. I took off to do this record. I had time to do whatever I needed to do. But the people that I wanted to get, I had to see if it fit into their schedule. Some of them came in and then had to leave right out. Some I had to send the files to, and me and my engineer, Tobe Donohue, interacted with the other musicians through Pro Tools.
When you record in the studio, do you sit in the control room or do you sit with your amps and play?
Iām in the control room, because once I pretty much got my sound, it always stays set up. Thatās a good thing because when I used to have to tear it down to go out on the road, it was really draining to have to set it all back up. Through this album, it was always set up. All I had to do was turn it on and if I needed to put a different pedal or different thing, itās all sitting right there in the control room.
You didnāt slap at first. When did you start doing that?
Well, when I first started, I was playing with my thumb. Then the new thing was the fingerstyle. When I saw Marshall Jones, of the Ohio Players, doing it with the fingerstyle, I was like, āWow, thatās the new way of playing.ā I jumped on practicing like that and I got good at it. And the next thing, Larry Graham came on the scene playing the slap, and I wanted to pick that up and infiltrate that with what I was doing. And thatās where it all started.
Many years ago, I was backstage at a P-Funk show and you showed up wearing an amazing jacket that had an American flag on one side and a Soviet flag on the other. Do you still have it?
Actually, Iāve still got that jacket. I mean, I probably wouldnāt wear it right now. [Laughs.]
Bootsy Collins' Gear
Assorted Warwick Signature models (star-shaped and double-horned) that are equipped with DR Strings BZ-50 Bootzilla Signature Bass Strings (.050ā.110)
Amps:
Warwick PR 40 Jonas Hellborg Preamp (3), Hughes & Kettner BassBase 600, SWR MoāBass, Mesa/Boogie M9 Carbine, dbx 120XP Subharmonic Synthesizer, Monster Power PRO 2500 Rack PowerCenter, Mesa/Boogie Subway D-800 with matching cabs, Ampeg Portaflex with matching cab, and assorted custom cabs with stars.
it motivates me.ā
Bootsyās Pedalboard
Electro-Harmonix H.O.G.2
Electro-Harmonix H.O.G.2 foot controller
DigiTech Bass Whammy (blue)
Eventide H9
Mesa/Boogie Flux Drive
Boss BF02 Flanger
Boss DD-7 Digital Delay
Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
Beigel Sound Lab Mu-FX Tru-Tron 3X
Darkglass Duality fuzz
Electro-Harmonix Metal Muff
Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synth
DOD FX25 Envelope Filter
Panda Audio Future Impact I. Bass Synth
DOD FX59 Thrash Master fuzz
Pigtronix Mothership 2 analog synthesizer
DigiTech Whammy
DigiTech Space Station XP300
Lovetone Ring Stinger
Mu-Tron III
Korg ToneWorks G5 bass synth
Amptweaker FatMetal Pro
Xotic Robotalk 2
Radial Firefly DI
Pedalboard Overflow: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, Stone Deaf FX Fig Fumb V1 fuzz, Darkglass MicroTubes 900, Chunk Systems Octavius Squeezer analog bass synth, DigiTech Bass Synth Wah, and Eventide PitchFactor.
An amp-in-the-box pedal designed to deliver tones reminiscent of 1950s Fender Tweed amps.
Designed as an all-in-one DI amp-in-a-box solution, the ZAMP eliminates the need to lug around a traditional amplifier. Youāll get the sounds of rock legends ā everything from sweet cleans to exploding overdrive ā for the same cost as a set of tubes.
The ZAMPās versatility makes it an ideal tool for a variety of usesā¦
- As your main amp: Plug directly into a PA or DAW for full-bodied sound with Jensen speaker emulation.
- In front of your existing amp: Use it as an overdrive/distortion pedal to impart tweed grit and grind.
- Straight into your recording setup: Achieve studio-quality sound with easeāno need to mic an amp.
- 12dB clean boost: Enhance your tone with a powerful clean boost.
- Versatile instrument compatibility: Works beautifully with harmonica, violin, mandolin, keyboards, and even vocals.
- Tube preamp for recording: Use it as an insert or on your bus for added warmth.
- Clean DI box functionality: Can be used as a reliable direct input box for live or recording applications.
See the ZAMP demo video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJp0jE6zzS8
Key ZAMP features include:
- True analog circuitry: Faithfully emulates two 12AX7 preamp tubes, one 12AX7 driver tube, and two 6V6 output tubes.
- Simple gain and output controls make it easy to dial in the perfect tone.
- At home, on stage, or in the studio, the ZAMP delivers cranked tube amp tones at any volume.
- No need to mic your cab: Just plug in and play into a PA or your DAW.
- Operates on a standard external 9-volt power supply or up to 40 hours with a single 9-volt battery.
The ZAMP pedal is available for a street price of $199 USD and can be purchased at zashabuti.com.
Mooer's Ocean Machine II is designed to bring superior delay and reverb algorithms, nine distinct delay types, nine hi-fidelity reverb types, tap tempo functionality, a new and improved looper, customizable effect chains, MIDI connectivity, expression pedal support, and durable construction.
Similarly to the original, the Ocean Machine II offers two independent delay modules, each with nine different delay types of up to two seconds, including household names such as digital, tape, and echo delays, as well as more abstract options, such as galaxy, crystal, and rainbow. A high-fidelity reverb module complements these delays with nine reverb types, as well as a shimmer effect. Each delay and reverb effect can also be āfrozen,ā creating static ambient drones, an effect that sounds particularly impressive considering the pedalās DSP upgrades.
While the original Ocean Machineās looping capabilities provided just 44 seconds of loop storage, the new addition features an impressive 120 seconds. To experiment with this feature, along with OceanMachine IIās other sonic capabilities, users can use an intuitive LCD screen along with 12 knobs (four for each delay and reverb module) to easily adjust parameters within the deviceās āPlay Mode.ā Three footswitches are also provided to facilitate independent effect toggling, tap tempo control, looper interfacing, and a preset selector.
Once the guitarist has crafted an interesting effect chain, they can save their work as a preset and enter āPatch Mode,ā in which they can toggle between saved settings with each of the three footswitches. In total, the Ocean Machine II provides eight preset storage banks, each of which supports up to threepresets, resulting in a total of 24 save slots.
The pedalās versatility is further enhanced by its programmable parallel and serial effect chain hybrid, a signature element of Devin Townsendās tone creation. This feature allows users to customize the order of effects, providing endless creative possibilities. Further programming options can be accessed through the LED screen, which impressively includes synchronizable MIDI connectivity, a feature that was absent in the original Ocean Machine.
In addition to MIDI, the pedal supports various external control systems, including expression pedal input through a TRS cable. Furthermore, the pedal is compatible with MOOER's F4 wireless footswitch, allowing for extended capabilities for mapping presets and other features. A USB-C port is also available for firmware updates, ensuring that the pedal remains up-to-date with the latest features and improvements.
Considering the experimental nature of Devin Townsendās performances, MOOER has also gone above and beyond to facilitate the seamless integration of Ocean Machine II into any audio setup. The device features full stereo inputs and outputs, as well as adjustable global EQ settings, letting users tailor their sound to suit different environments. Guitarists can also customize their effect chains to be used with true bypass or DSP (buffered) bypass, depending on their preferences and specific use cases.
Overall, Ocean Machine II brings higher-quality delay and reverb algorithms, augmented looping support, and various updated connections to Devin Townsendās original device. As per MOOERās typical standard, the pedal is engineered to withstand the rigors of touring and frequent use, allowing guitars to bring their special creations and atmospheric drones to the stage.
Key Features
- Improved DSP algorithms for superior delay and reverb quality
- Nine distinct delay types that support up to 2 seconds of delay time: digital, analog, tape, echo,liquid, rainbow, crystal, low-bit, and fuzzy delays
- Nine hi-fidelity reverb types: room, hall, plate, distorted reverb, flanger reverb, filter reverb,reverse, spring, and modulated reverb
- Freeze feedback feature, supported for both delay and reverb effects
- Tap tempo footswitch functionality
- New and improved looper supporting up to 120 seconds of recording time, along withoverdubbing capabilities, half-speed, and reverse effects.
- Customizable order of effects in parallel or series chains
- Flexible bypass options supporting both true bypass and DSP bypass
- Large LCD screen, controllable through twelve easy-to-use physical knobs for real-time parameter adjustments.
- Adjustable Global EQ Settings
- Full stereo inputs and outputs
- Synchronizable and mappable MIDI In and Thru support
- USB-C port for firmware updates
- External expression pedal support via TRS cable
- Support for the MOOER F4 wireless footswitch (sold separately)
- Designed for durability and reliability in both studio and live environments.
The Ocean Machine will be available from official MOOER dealers and distributors worldwide on September 10, 2024.
For more information, please visit mooeraudio.com.
MOOER Ocean Machine II Official Demo Video - YouTube
You may know the Gibson EB-6, but what you may not know is that its first iteration looked nothing like its latest.
When many guitarists first encounter Gibsonās EB-6, a rare, vintage 6-string bass, they assume it must be a response to the Fender Bass VI. And manyEB-6 basses sport an SG-style body shape, so they do look exceedingly modern. (Itās easy to imagine a stoner-rock or doom-metal band keeping one amid an arsenal of Dunables and EGCs.) But the earliest EB-6 basses didnāt look anything like SGs, and they arrived a full year before the more famous Fender.
The Gibson EB-6 was announced in 1959 and came into the world in 1960, not with a dual-horn body but with that of an elegant ES-335. They looked stately, with a thin, semi-hollow body, f-holes, and a sunburst finish. Our pick for this Vintage Vault column is one such first-year model, in about as original condition as youāre able to find today. āWhy?ā you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fenderās eye. The real competition were the Danelectro 6-string basses that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere and were suddenly being used on lots of hit records by the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, and other household names. Danos like the UB-2 (introduced in ā56), the Longhorn 4623 (ā58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (ā58) were the earliest attempts any company made at a 6-string bass in this style: not quite a standard electric bass, not quite a guitar, nor, for that matter, quite like a baritone guitar.
The only change this vintage EB-6 features is a replacement set of Kluson tuners.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Gibson, Fender, and others during this era would in fact call these basses ābaritone guitars,ā to add to our confusion today. But these vintage ābaritonesā were all tuned one octave below a standard guitar, with scale lengths around 30", while most modern baritones are tuned B-to-B or A-to-A and have scale lengths between 26" and 30".)
At the time, those Danelectros were instrumental to what was called the ātic-tacā bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the āclick-bassā tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
āWhen the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fenderās eye.ā
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button āTone Selector Switchā that engages a treble circuit for an instant tic-tac sound. (Without engaging that switch, you get a bass-heavy tone so deep that cowboy chords will sound like a muddy mess.)
The EB-6, for better or for worse, did not unseat the Danelectros, and a November 1959 price list from Gibson hints at why: The EB-6 retailed for $340, compared to Dano price tags that ranged from $85 to $150. Only a few dozen EB-6 basses were shipped in 1960, and only 67 total are known to have been built before Gibson changed the shape to the SG style in 1962.
Most players who come across an EB-6 today think it was a response to the Fender Bass VI, but the former actually beat the latter to the market by a full year.
Photo by Ken Lapworth
Itās sad that so few were built. Sure, it was a high-end model made to achieve the novelty tic-tac sound of cheaper instruments, but in its full-voiced glory, the EB-6 has a huge potential of tones. It would sound great in our contemporary guitar era where more players are exploring baritone ranges, and where so many people got back into the Bass VI after seeing the Beatles play one in the 2021 documentary, Get Back.
Itās sadder, still, how many original-era EB-6s have been parted out in the decades since. Remember earlier when I wrote that our Vintage Vaultpick was about as original as you could find? Thatās because the modelās single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul āBursts. So as people repaired broken āBursts, converted other LPs to āBursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a āGolden Eraā sound and look ... they often stripped these forgotten EB-6 basses for parts.
This original EB-6 is up for sale now from Reverb seller Emerald City Guitars for a $16,950 asking price at the time of writing. The only thing that isnāt original about it is a replacement set of Kluson tuners, not because its originals were stolen but just to help preserve them. (They will be included in the case.)
With so few surviving 335-style EB-6 basses, Reverb doesnāt have a ton of sales data to compare prices to. Ten years ago, a lucky buyer found a nearly original 1960 EB-6 for about $7,000. But Emerald Cityās $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Baconās āDanelectroās UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Bassesā Reverb News article, Gruhnās Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheelerās American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
An '80s-era cult favorite is back.
Originally released in the 1980s, the Victory has long been a cult favorite among guitarists for its distinctive double cutaway design and excellent upper-fret access. These new models feature flexible electronics, enhanced body contours, improved weight and balance, and an Explorer headstock shape.
A Cult Classic Made Modern
The new Victory features refined body contours, improved weight and balance, and an updated headstock shape based on the popular Gibson Explorer.
Effortless Playing
With a fast-playing SlimTaper neck profile and ebony fretboard with a compound radius, the Victory delivers low action without fret buzz everywhere on the fretboard.
Flexible Electronics
The two 80s Tribute humbucker pickups are wired to push/pull master volume and tone controls for coil splitting and inner/outer coil selection when the coils are split.
For more information, please visit gibson.com.