Elliott Tone Master (Jazzmaster-style with P-90s); 1964 Gibson SG Special; 1967 Trini Lopez (semi-hollow ES-335 style); TQR (Tonequest Report) Strat-style; Gibson Sheryl Crow Acoustic. Optional: Rickenbacker 660/12; National Resophonic Tricone; Jerry Jones Baritone; Duesenberg Double Cat with Multibender.
Amps:
65amps London head and 2x12” speaker cab; 1966 Fender Deluxe Reverb; 1969 Ampeg G12 Gemini; 1960 Gibson Ranger.
Pedals:
(mounted on Pedaltrain pedalboard): Boss TU-2 Tuner; Moollon Active DI; Moollon Wah; Ernie Ball Volume Pedal; Carl Martin Compressor/Limiter; Baja Tech Custom Da Squeezer compressor; Pro Analog MK I overdrive; 65amps Colour Boost treble booster; Xotic Effects RC Booster; Z.Vex Fuzz Factory (Vector series); Electro-Harmonix Polyphase; EH Electric Mistress chorus/flanger; EH Echo 1 Digital Delay; Boss DD-3 Digital Delay (Robert Keeley modded). Optional: Electro-Harmonix POG; EH Memory Man with Hazarai.
 Recording overdubs with artist Marius Westernhagen. |
Above is my checklist for the gear I’ll take to a typical album recording session, plus or minus a handful, depending on the project. I try to cover all bases with the guitars: I bring along single coils, P-90s and humbuckers, solidbody and semi-hollow, “twang” vs. “fat,” and at least one guitar with a vibrato arm. For acoustic guitar when recording, I always prefer mahogany back and sides for the midrange character and the way it sits in the mix. Rosewood acoustics tend to be more bass responsive and too boomy for recording support parts. Most always, the low end is rolled off of my acoustic tone.
 Peter with guitarist extraordinaire Larry Campbell. Photos by Romney M-Westernhagen. |
The pedalboard is loaded with way more pedals than I’d ever use at once, and they’re never all hooked up, but they’re there to cover anything that might be asked for, or cool to add. Pedals that are almost always in the chain are the Moollon Active DI (a buffer to keep the input signal strong to the amp when using pedals or a long cable run), a compressor for occasionally beefing up the tone, and a delay for a little slap or echo during a solo.
Most recently, I recorded with German superstar Marius Westernhagen for his forthcoming release due out by end of year. This week-long session took place in Brooklyn at the way-cool studio facilities, Mission Sound Recording. Along with working with Marius, it was an opportunity to record alongside some of NYC’s absolute finest: Larry Campbell on guitars, mandolin, violin and pedal steel; Jack Daily on bass; and Andy Newmark and Shawn Pelton, who shared drum duties. Flying to recording sessions requires much thought to keeping the gear list lean. Working within the confines of travel, I took the smaller Pedaltrain 1 pedalboard in a roadcase that fell within the 50-pound baggage weight limit, two electrics (the Tonemaster and SG Special) in a dual gig bag that I carried onboard, and my acoustic checked with baggage. A backline company in NYC provided a 65amps London, and Mission Sound had an ample collection of cool amps to choose from. Marius’ producer, Kevin Bents, also made his Gibson ES-335 and Fender Strat available to me. It’s always unlikely you’ll use everything you take to a session, but every time I leave something at home, I’ll wish I’d brought it: “Hey did you a bring that Doppleganger tape delay that’ll chorus, flange and fuzz?”… “Errr, no. Left it at home.” And no, I don’t use a cartage company… just my Honda Odyssey van.
Cheers!
Peter Stroud
Peter is co-founder of 65amps.
sherylcrow.com
65amps.com
Gibson originally launched the EB-6 model with the intention of serving consumers looking for a “tic-tac” bass sound.
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 you’re able to find today. “Why?” you may be asking. Well, read on....
When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s 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 ’56), the Longhorn 4623 (’58), and the Shorthorn 3612 (’58) 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 “baritone guitars,” to add to our confusion today. But these vintage “baritones” 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 “tic-tac” bass sound of Nashville records produced by Chet Atkins, or the “click-bass” tones made out west by producer Lee Hazlewood. Gibson wanted something for this market, and the EB-6 was born.
“When the EB-6 was introduced, the Bass VI was still a glimmer in Leo Fender’s eye.”
The 30.5" scale 1960 EB-6 has a single humbucking pickup, a volume knob, a tone knob, and a small, push-button “Tone Selector Switch” 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
It’s 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.
It’s 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? That’s because the model’s single humbucker is a PAF, its Kluson tuners are double-line, and its knobs are identical to those on Les Paul ’Bursts. So as people repaired broken ’Bursts, converted other LPs to ’Bursts, or otherwise sought to give other Gibsons a “Golden Era” 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 isn’t 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 doesn’t 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 City’s $16,950 asking price is closer to more recent examples and asking prices.
Sources: Prices on Gibson Instruments, November 1, 1959, Tony Bacon’s “Danelectro’s UB-2 and the Early Days of 6-String Basses” Reverb News article, Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, Tom Wheeler’s American Guitars: An Illustrated History, Reverb listings and Price Guide sales data.
Billy Gibbons is an undisputable guitar force whose feel, tone, and all-around vibe make him the highest level of hero. But that’s not to say he hasn’t made some odd choices in his career, like when ZZ Top re-recorded parts of their classic albums for CD release. And fans will argue which era of the band’s career is best. Some of us love drum machines and synths and others don’t, but we all love Billy.
This episode is sponsored by Magnatone
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.
Gibson Victory Figured Top Electric Guitar - Iguana Burst
