Epiphone Eb 0 Bass Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

got one used in good condition but discounting the minor scratches and a minor ding near the strap button the quality of the workmanship was excellent for a bass in this price range. Plays really well and only a minor bit of fret buzz which was easy to get rid of by raising the bridge a bit. Action was really low when i got it so it could easily stand to get raised a fraction. The sound is very bass heavy on the neck pickup by itself. You can dial in a bit more treble by using setting 2 and mixing the volume level and tone of the two pickups. The bridge pickup is very treble sounding – almost too thin. If you turn down the tone on the bridge pickup it sounds better. I am not using the bridge p/u by itself ever – seems to be good for maybe only a few songs. Going forward I could see routing out the cavity and putting in a MM type pickup. Other than that the sound can get very close to Jack Bruce/Cream sound along with good Hard Rock to Heavy Metal sounds. You can dial in an acceptable jazz sound or R&B sound but it's not quite there so I'm using this baby for mostly Cream, Steppenwolf, CCR, etc. Works good for old-time R&R. Nice sleek black finish and chrome hardware gives it a nice dark appeal. Pots and controls work well and are smooth. Tuners are good but make the neck a little heavy so maybe replace with ultralights at some point. The neck does tend to dive so I'm moving the strap button nearer to the neck – almost at the end and move the strap button at the end of the body up an inch. I would also recommend a thick strap with rough leather on your shoulder to keep it from slipping – don't use a web strap as this will just let it neck dive when you let go. I'm hoping once i get lighter tuners and move the strap buttons the issue goes away but i can live with it for now. Well worth the asking price but if you can get one in good condition used it will still be a good deal even with minor cosmetic flaws.Bones

The Epiphone EB-3 cherry Bass is one beautiful guitar, but has cosmetic quality issues: The mahogany laminate on the face of the body, was glued on at a very "VERY" slight perpendicular angle, and not parallel with the neckline. (the back laminate IS straight). The fret markers are beautiful pearl, but the ninth fret marker is "blatantly" FLAT WHITE, and stands out like a neon light among the other markers. I can't understand how the person installing them, fail's to do a simple "match" of the inlays (either make them ALL white, or else ALL pearl!)(or REJECT a mismatched one!). (in comparison, my Epiphone Les Paul, has excellent matching pearl fret markers). I ordered a second EB-3, to see if I could get a better one, and had the chance to compare the two within the 45 day grace return period. The second one was worse, and had "TWO" mismatched white fret markers, with the other ones being "pearl". The mahogany laminate of the second guitar was not at all as deep and hypnotically mesmerizing as the first one they had sent, with the second guitar's mahogany appearing very flat, or dead/dull looking. (even though both guitars have polished clear gloss finish).(mahogany wood grain usually looks like a "natural mile deep 3D hologram iridescence", and the grain "dances and changes shapes" in the light as you move it around). Also the red tint on the sides of the second guitar appeared to be a shade lighter, and slightly mismatched appearing to the tint of the laminate tint to me. The first guitar's sides were slightly darker, and matched the laminate beautifully. On the second guitar, the bridge pickup holes were all half misaligned upon the poles with the cover tightened down anyways, right upon the poles permanently crimping each hole distorted over up on the pickup cover. The cover holes are half covering the poles. I kept the first guitar. It had a bit of fret buzz, but my technician fixed it in about 15 minutes. It plays perfect, sounds great!, and looks beautiful!Sir Ripstring

Overall: First of let me say this- the photos on zZounds website, while perfectly fine and acceptable, do not do this bass justice. It is absolutely gorgeous. The quality is high and there are no sharp frets or concerns anywhere. The first thing I did was fiddle with the pickup selector, and the volume and tone knobs to see what I could get out of it. There is a wide spectrum of sound. At it's brightest, it's not super bright, but then again, the first thing I did was put flatwounds on it, so that was expected. But let me tell you- this is one fat bottomed girl! The lows are expressive and the sustain on every string is amazing. There have always been the old Squier vs Fender and Epiphone vs Gibson debates. Epiphone, with this bass, has made the differences a lot harder to spot.Bruce

Good quality. Mine was made in Indonesia. Plays better than my 70's Gibson EB-3. There's nothing wrong with the bridge; read the forums to learn how to set it up. There is mild neck dive, but the bass is light so it's manageable. Don't expect it to sound like an original EB; that can be a + or – for you. The tuners are adequate but a little sloppy. If you are going to play live regularly you'll want to upgrade these. It does not sound like an original EB. The pickup has plenty of high end. The low mids are unfocused, and the low end is excessive and unusable. You might have to turn your amp's bass knobs way down compared to your other basses. Before I replace the pickup, I might change the tone control to a passive bass cut. Make sure your A & E strings are heavy enough for adequate tension. I like it a lot but it's not my primary. Play any bass first acoustically, then compare that sound to it amplified. The EB-0 is evenly resonant; that's why I say it's an excellent foundation.Paco

Years ago I owned a Gibson EB-3 short-scale bass. This Epiphone has a familiar feel, but it is not the same animal. However, other than a drilled hole slightly out of place (holds the pickup cover), the fit and finish is very good. The fret ends are smooth and the truss rod functions properly. The nut is cut well, and the cherry color is attractive. Other than intonation, the bass came basically set-up. I was glad to see that the fretboard is still made of Rosewood. Yes, there is very little tonal range to this bass, but I like the way it sounds, with a deep, punchy rumble. The neck is only 1 1/2" wide (like a jazz bass), but the contour fills my hand and is comfortable to play. Some folks may object to the high gloss finish on the neck, but that can be easily subdued by using Scotchbrite or 0000 steel wool. The tuners on mine work well. One common complaint is neck dive. Although it is present, I don't find it to be a problem. Another complaint often heard is a muddy pickup. You can swap out a more expensive pickup, but I happen to like the sound of the original if I roll back the tone control and dial in the right setting on my amp. This is rapidly becoming my favorite bass! I was intending to install flatwound strings, but I think I'll give the roundwounds a chance. This Epiphone is fun to play, and will rock the house.Jimmy J

I bought my first EB-O in 2016. I still have it today, and it sounds awesome with the same short-scale flat-wound strings I put on it back then. I also changed the bridge with a Hipshot replacement for a more solid sound and easier string changing (which I still haven't done). Now then, one review writer mentioned that having a drop-D on this bass doesn't sound quite right. I agree. I miss the B-string as I am mostly a five-string player and use the B a lot, soooo, In 2021, bought another EB-O and put B-E-A-D flat-wound strings on it. The results were amazing. I still have good tone and voice on the B-string. I don't use the G-string all that much, so I got the best of both worlds on a short scale bass. It might be the answer to the other bassist's preferences. It might be worth a try. Worked very well for me. The only thing now is, I wonder if I could find an 8-string version.Jeff, Young Old Timer

Good quality. Mine was made in Indonesia. Plays better than my 70's Gibson EB-3. There's nothing wrong with the bridge; read the forums to learn how to set it up. There is mild neck dive, but the bass is light so it's manageable. Don't expect it to sound like an original EB; that can be a + or – for you. The tuners are adequate but a little sloppy. If you are going to play live regularly you'll want to upgrade these. It does not sound like an original EB. The pickup has plenty of high end. The low mids are unfocused, and the low end is excessive and unusable. You might have to turn your amp's bass knobs way down compared to your other basses. Before I replace the pickup, I might change the tone control to a passive bass cut. Make sure your A & E strings are heavy enough for adequate tension. I like it a lot but it's not my primary. Play any bass first acoustically, then compare that sound to it amplified. The EB-0 is evenly resonant; that's why I say it's an excellent foundation.Paco

Years ago I owned a Gibson EB-3 short-scale bass. This Epiphone has a familiar feel, but it is not the same animal. However, other than a drilled hole slightly out of place (holds the pickup cover), the fit and finish is very good. The fret ends are smooth and the truss rod functions properly. The nut is cut well, and the cherry color is attractive. Other than intonation, the bass came basically set-up. I was glad to see that the fretboard is still made of Rosewood. Yes, there is very little tonal range to this bass, but I like the way it sounds, with a deep, punchy rumble. The neck is only 1 1/2" wide (like a jazz bass), but the contour fills my hand and is comfortable to play. Some folks may object to the high gloss finish on the neck, but that can be easily subdued by using Scotchbrite or 0000 steel wool. The tuners on mine work well. One common complaint is neck dive. Although it is present, I don't find it to be a problem. Another complaint often heard is a muddy pickup. You can swap out a more expensive pickup, but I happen to like the sound of the original if I roll back the tone control and dial in the right setting on my amp. This is rapidly becoming my favorite bass! I was intending to install flatwound strings, but I think I'll give the roundwounds a chance. This Epiphone is fun to play, and will rock the house.Jimmy J

I bought my first EB-O in 2016. I still have it today, and it sounds awesome with the same short-scale flat-wound strings I put on it back then. I also changed the bridge with a Hipshot replacement for a more solid sound and easier string changing (which I still haven't done). Now then, one review writer mentioned that having a drop-D on this bass doesn't sound quite right. I agree. I miss the B-string as I am mostly a five-string player and use the B a lot, soooo, In 2021, bought another EB-O and put B-E-A-D flat-wound strings on it. The results were amazing. I still have good tone and voice on the B-string. I don't use the G-string all that much, so I got the best of both worlds on a short scale bass. It might be the answer to the other bassist's preferences. It might be worth a try. Worked very well for me. The only thing now is, I wonder if I could find an 8-string version.Jeff, Young Old Timer

Overall: This is a long term review of this bass. I didn't get mine from zZounds but have bought from them before. I want to mainly go over how this bass holds up and how it works in a band long term. When it was new it was good quality out of the box. Just needed a set up. I've used this bass on countless gigs over the years. If you play rock then it will definitely get the job done. Finish quality is good and durable. It doesn't like to chip but will if it takes a hard hit. Scratches are only really cosmetic, the poly is pretty thick. Keep it clean and don't abuse it and the bass will look good years down the road. The neck is pretty stable, I rarely need to adjust the truss rod. The three point bridge is fairly solid too, Paint on it is durable as well. The posts for the bridge can pull out the bushings but mine has not. The tuning keys are starting to get worn out. I'd replace them if possible. They still hold tune but not as well as new. Pickups and electronics are good too. No scratchy pots. Output Jack is still solid. Frets are pretty worn as well. Still got a lot of life but will wear faster than a more expensive bass. Overall a very durable bass considering what it's been through.Dominic

I read many glowing reviews of this bass on the sites of MF and GC, so I decided to buy one. Huge disappointment. Maybe I got a stinker or maybe the writers of the reviews don't venture beyond the 7th fret…who knows. Mine looks and sounds GREAT. However, the fret finishing beyond the 12th fret is essentially non-existent. Frets 15 and 16 are completely dead unless you keep the action at factory height, which is just not practical. The old-school three-point bridge looks great, but it's time to retire this dinosaur, even at this price point. It would be functional if Gibson/Epiphone would replace saddles 4 and 5 with additional 1 and 2 saddles for the E and A strings respectively (three-point bridge users will understand that lingo…). Even an inexpensive Gotoh bridge would improve the function immensely; a Hipshot would send it through the roof. I've played both professionally and casually here in Nashville since 1999, and have played bass for 30 years. I've owned some Gibson USA basses in my time (vintage G3 and Victory), and currently have two USA guitars (SG and LP). Gibson simply doesn't design basses for bassists who do anything more than play the root. I considered having the frets dressed by a service center, but have elected to simply return it to GC. Again, if you subscribe to the Dusty Hill Doctrine ("I promise to play the root, the whole root, and nothing but the root."), then this bass is fine. If you like to do ANYTHING more, then look elsewhere. I really wish Gibson would re-evaluate their approach to bass design, because I love to support local business. They're missing a huge market share by choosing to offer poorly designed and poorly executed instruments. Even a Babicz bridge can't correct a flawed blueprint…M

While this is my second Epiphone bass, this one is a bit disappointing. It is very eye catching but the style comes with a price: it does not hang well standing no matter what strap type or size I try. Not just neck drop but also the guitar casts away from your body like it is attempting to crash face first into the floor. Was supposed to be inspected and setup when purchased but was not. One tuner was mis-aligned, the bridge was improperly set, and the neck was back-bowed. The inspected by Epiphone sticker is a real joke! After a real setup, it plays well and sounds fine but then so do a half dozen other bass guitars I own. Just had to try one and did not want a thru-neck design so the cheaper Epiphone seemed like the choice. Guess I was wrong. I have to wonder if a Gibson would be any better – especially these days with Gibson almost on the rocks as a company…. Buy it to look pretty but do not expect much more than a barely passable bass guitar after you fix the issues it comes with. I would not recommend this for any bass player, even a beginner.cibulajb4

The Squier Bronco Bass delivers exactly what I expected. It's a 30" scale bass with a body shaped like the Fender Mustang bass; it has a single pickup (I believe it's a strat pickup), is fairly light weight (mine weighs in a 7 pounds 10 ounces), and it's a fun little axe. It's also the lowest-priced bass by an actual musical instrument company. How do they keep the price down? One way is that this is the only bass I've owned that has no fingerboard. It doesn't affect anything, but the front of the neck IS the fingerboard. The hardware is okay quality. But here's the thing – it sounds decent, feels great, plays well. There's going to be a little luck of the draw in a lower priced instrument, but my tuners stay in tune, intonation was on, everything is good. There was a little too much neck relief, but that was easy to adjust. If you're realistic about your expectations, the Squier Bronco Bass is an awesome value, looks good, and it gets you playing. It's not going to sound like a Stingray or a Geddy Lee Jazz Bass, but it doesn't sound bad, either – I would do a show with one without worrying about it. I have other basses, but wanted to add an inexpensive short scale to my stable, and this bass was exactly what I wanted. I may upgrade the pickup later – I may not. For now, it falls between my 34" scale and 28.6" scale basses, and it's fun to play. I'm very happy with it.Pcake

I ended up using this bass for songs where long scale can be a bit difficult. My main bass is an imported '54 P Bass copy, Alder body and maple neck/fingerboard. It had to go into a local shop for some major nut repair, and I needed something to play around with. Off the rack, it was a pretty great bass for the price. The neck is very well crafted, no sharp fret edges like some imported instruments. It's an agathis body, so the tone can be kind of bland, but compared to older Squier Broncos, it seems that all of the bridge and neck contact one piece of wood on the multi-piece construction, so sustain isn't too bad. The bad: The tuners are pretty sorry and are an oddball size, which makes replacement with good tuners very difficult. My E and A tuners rattle some, but all four do hold tune pretty well for cheap tuners. Also, the stock pickup is a six-pole ceramic Strat pickup, so it can sound…odd when bending strings. The other bad is the bridge: although it intonates pretty well, two saddles can make proper intonation difficult to achieve along with proper radius. Also, the bridge mounting pattern is almost impossible to replace with another bridge–four hole lock-down and quick-release style bridges DO work, but the bridge is mounted a little too far forward, and intonation is almost always sharp on the upper end of the fingerboard. Gotoh 201's are also very difficult to adapt to fit. But for its price point, some of these cons are easily fixed. I have a Mojotone Alnico V lipstick Strat pickup in mine with CTS 500K pots. It sounds excellent–it fools some of my buddies about how cheap it is. This bass could probably also benefit from a bar retainer near the nut. It went from an around the house beater to a mainstay for certain songs.Isher

my dad, a professional and extremely experienced bass guitarist, bought me this for christmas last year, and i love it. this is the first bass i've ever picked up and it's easy to play, is well built, has a nice feel to it, etc. i highly recommend it for beginners. i play it in my school band class and it fits in very well with the rest of the instruments. however it can fall out of tune easily and the pickup isn't the best, but ultimately it's the most perfect beginner bassout there, especially for the low price, it's high qualityace

I have been looking at Thunderbirds for a while now. All the Epiphone and Gibson versions. Realized quickly the Gibbys were out of my price range although I wanted the Heritage Cherry version bad… My son spotted this one when it first came out.It was a stone cold copy of the original T-Bird that came out in '63. Had some Backstage points so I scooped this one up in Tobacco Sunburst. I was nervous because of the T-birds I had played in the past were neck heavy. Mine arrived after the typical lightning fast shipping by MF. It arrived in perfect shape. The finish was flawless, not a blemish or buffer burn anywhere. Hardware was classy. All the chrome from the tuners to the the pickup covers is perfect. Plugged it in to my Acoustic 600 W combo amp and went to town! Sound was great! Simple to dial in and the sustain is incredible. Put a strap on it and the afore mentioned neck heavy problem was non-existent! This bass is moderately heavy but not unbearable by any means. I played my first gig with it today, Thanksgiving 2019! It felt so natural to play, like I have been playing it forever. I could not be happier with this bass! It is everything you could ask for without a different name on the head stock. I have not played the Gibson but I can't imagine how it could sound or feel any better. Buy without hesitation! I am bummed it took me this long to decide on one. I have a lot of basses but this one is now my go to…. I can't think of a bad point to mention. Again, buy it! You will not be disappointed! As a side note, it fits in the EPI T-bird case like a glove. Plenty of room for that massive head stock!Hood's Creek bass 17

Anyone who's ever gone on the hunt for a good Thunderbird bass that they're pretty much awesome or awful with little middle ground regardless if it carries an Epiphone or Gibson name badge. I have a pretty big bass collection myself, but have never found an attainable T-Bird that I found appealing. Even among vintage models of Gibsons, dogs are as common as players, and few are truly worthwhile to me. What I discovered while searching for a good Thunderbird was that I favored vintage models with a separate tailpiece and pre-Bicentennial pickups: the intonation is superior and the tone fuller while still having that characteristic Thunderbird snarl. Since most of those are prohibitively expensive because of age and rarity and I don't care for the modern Gibson versions' TB plus pickups and three point bridge or the bolt-on Epiphones with their TERRIBLE pickups, I had pretty much resigned myself that short of finding a screaming deal on a 60's Thunderbird IV or becoming a rock star, my T-Bird itch would go unscratched. …enter the Epi Vintage Pro. It has literally everything I love about the old 60's 'Birds with some modern improvements in finish durability (I love nitro lacquer as much as anyone, but let's be honest, poly is WAY more durable) and intonation since the bridge is moved to its proper scale location. Add in the vintage "oversized" headstock, the neck-though-body construction and the AMAZING recreations of vintage Thunderbird pickups, and you have one monster of an instrument! I really can't say enough good things about it, and just to be clear, I would take this instrument OVER a US-made modern Gibson Thunderbird ANY day! I value quality and tone in my instruments over investment value and this bass has both in spades. If you're looking for an amazing bass for a great price, look no further!Anthony

First and foremost props to American Musical for their help with shipping, the company they used had a delay, and my Tbird went missing for a bit. American musical went above and beyond to help figure out the problem and i got my bass with very little frustration. Out of the box the bass is set up, action was a little high for me, but a simple 1/4 turn and it was playing great. The pickups have a great rock vibe, punchy, but not to high. Big difference between the Gibson and this Epi. Is the weight. It’s a lot lighter, and there isn’t as much neck dive, but be warned, the headstock is a whole inch longer than the Gibson, or the other Epiphone options. So far i absolutely love this bass, for less than half the cost of a new Gibson, this bass delivers. I’ve played Gibson’s, Fender USA’s, Spectors, and several others. For the money, this bass has been amazing.Jansen

Value: This guitar and others in the Epiphone line at this price point to $100 more are excellent value for money. If you need a set up and want to replace something, you still come out well under the price of the Gibson equivalent. The Wow Factor: It's different. It has character. It's sexy in It's own way. Just like me, haha 😉 Overall: It's been long years since I had an Explorer, mostly playing acoustics and Teles for a long time. I wanted humbuckers and a flatter fretboard than what Fender typically supplies, so I tried just about every Gibson and Epiphone model I could get my hands on. There were some contenders: LPs, 335s/Sheratons, even SGs which I never really cared for but was pleasantly surprised. None really felt comfortable to hold or play, all other factors being equal. Nostalgia called me back to the Explorer. It's big, drips with character and attitude, and is so easy to play sitting down or standing. If Gibson had a korina-bodied reissue model, I would have gone with that. The Olive Drab Green stood out to me, not positively at first, but I kept coming back to it. At this price, I could afford to upgrade everything from pickups to tuners for less than the price of a Gibson model. So, I pulled the trigger with zZounds because of their payment plan and great customer service.That being said, I had a few QC issues with the first one zZounds sent. It was shipped only in the box Epiphone packages them in, which got squished and shorted out the selector switch, and the neck was VERY bendy, like rubber spaghetti. zZounds was very cool about everything and I got a replacement in short order. It came with a box around the Epiphonr box, everything worked, and the neck was much more stable. It had some minor fret sprout in the upper frets, but that was the only issue.The guitar itself plays great, and the ProBucker pickups really push my amps. The bridge pickup is especially nice, but I plan on replacing them down the line with something with more clarity and definition like I've grown accustomed to from playing twangy Telecasters for so long. The ProBuckers are NOT muddy, dull cheap pickups like you would expect from an affordable sister company. The neck is probably the least articulate, even for a neck pickup, but it can still put out some great tones when pedals and amps are dialed in. Suitable for rhythm parts. Middle position is probably my go to, with the neck rolled back to 6-7, the bridge at 8-9, and tone at full tilt. The bridge pickup is excellent at driving leads and solos with the tone at 7-8 or at maximum. My first non-maple or ebony fretboard, I was well pleased with the Indian laurel. A bit of lemon oil conditioning was needed to bring it from Sahara dry to non-gritty playability. A couple of frets need some polishing to bring back in line, but nothing makes it unplayable. Just a little TLC and refinement, like any new guitar, and you're ready to rock and roll. So to speak. About versatility, the Explorer is a dark horse. Decades of hard rock and metal guitarists using them gives them a stigma, but they can play anything from blues and jazz to rock to metal if you fiddle with the knobs and get your pedals and amps dialed in correctly. My tastes are eclectic, and I wouldn't have bought or kept this guitar if I couldn't get the sounds I wanted out of it. Things I would like to see: push-pull coil splitting, a quieter selector switch, regular pickup soldering instead of quick connects, and a better-cared-for/out-of-the-box fretboard. Honestly, it was dry enough to be used for kindling.What I really liked: playability, fit of parts, very decent ProBucker pickups, Tusq nut, and the color. The Olive Drab Green gives a military/Cold War vibe that I love, and the poly finish is going to be able to handle years of my clumsiness and abuse and still look good. Say what you will about poly finishes, but they will survive the nuclear apocalypse.Jefferson

I bought this guitar 8 months ago and now have run it thru it’s paces. What a great instrument this is. I compared my Epiphone to my Gibson Explorer and honestly the sound on the Epi is right there. My Gibson is mahogany as opposed to the Limba on the Epi but the Epi still holds its own. The Epiphone is lighter and has a sweet, solid attack with a rich mid range that sings. The neck is super straight, the fit and finish is beautiful and hardware is great. The pickups are very sweet however I replaced mine with Pro Buckers to darken the sound slightly. The original pickups are great but with my rig I like the darker Alnico 2 sound. In my opinion the difference between the Pro Bucker and Classic pickups are the magnets. Not a lot of difference in output. Other changes I made were a white pick guard, CTS pots and bumblebee capacitors but upgrading these guitars is the best part. Stock it’s fantastic and adding a few new parts is just a joy ride. I consider this guitar completely ready for professional performances all the way.Roger

I have been looking at Thunderbirds for a while now. All the Epiphone and Gibson versions. Realized quickly the Gibbys were out of my price range although I wanted the Heritage Cherry version bad… My son spotted this one when it first came out.It was a stone cold copy of the original T-Bird that came out in '63. Had some Backstage points so I scooped this one up in Tobacco Sunburst. I was nervous because of the T-birds I had played in the past were neck heavy. Mine arrived after the typical lightning fast shipping by MF. It arrived in perfect shape. The finish was flawless, not a blemish or buffer burn anywhere. Hardware was classy. All the chrome from the tuners to the the pickup covers is perfect. Plugged it in to my Acoustic 600 W combo amp and went to town! Sound was great! Simple to dial in and the sustain is incredible. Put a strap on it and the afore mentioned neck heavy problem was non-existent! This bass is moderately heavy but not unbearable by any means. I played my first gig with it today, Thanksgiving 2019! It felt so natural to play, like I have been playing it forever. I could not be happier with this bass! It is everything you could ask for without a different name on the head stock. I have not played the Gibson but I can't imagine how it could sound or feel any better. Buy without hesitation! I am bummed it took me this long to decide on one. I have a lot of basses but this one is now my go to…. I can't think of a bad point to mention. Again, buy it! You will not be disappointed! As a side note, it fits in the EPI T-bird case like a glove. Plenty of room for that massive head stock!Hood's Creek bass 17

Anyone who's ever gone on the hunt for a good Thunderbird bass that they're pretty much awesome or awful with little middle ground regardless if it carries an Epiphone or Gibson name badge. I have a pretty big bass collection myself, but have never found an attainable T-Bird that I found appealing. Even among vintage models of Gibsons, dogs are as common as players, and few are truly worthwhile to me. What I discovered while searching for a good Thunderbird was that I favored vintage models with a separate tailpiece and pre-Bicentennial pickups: the intonation is superior and the tone fuller while still having that characteristic Thunderbird snarl. Since most of those are prohibitively expensive because of age and rarity and I don't care for the modern Gibson versions' TB plus pickups and three point bridge or the bolt-on Epiphones with their TERRIBLE pickups, I had pretty much resigned myself that short of finding a screaming deal on a 60's Thunderbird IV or becoming a rock star, my T-Bird itch would go unscratched. …enter the Epi Vintage Pro. It has literally everything I love about the old 60's 'Birds with some modern improvements in finish durability (I love nitro lacquer as much as anyone, but let's be honest, poly is WAY more durable) and intonation since the bridge is moved to its proper scale location. Add in the vintage "oversized" headstock, the neck-though-body construction and the AMAZING recreations of vintage Thunderbird pickups, and you have one monster of an instrument! I really can't say enough good things about it, and just to be clear, I would take this instrument OVER a US-made modern Gibson Thunderbird ANY day! I value quality and tone in my instruments over investment value and this bass has both in spades. If you're looking for an amazing bass for a great price, look no further!Anthony

First and foremost props to American Musical for their help with shipping, the company they used had a delay, and my Tbird went missing for a bit. American musical went above and beyond to help figure out the problem and i got my bass with very little frustration. Out of the box the bass is set up, action was a little high for me, but a simple 1/4 turn and it was playing great. The pickups have a great rock vibe, punchy, but not to high. Big difference between the Gibson and this Epi. Is the weight. It’s a lot lighter, and there isn’t as much neck dive, but be warned, the headstock is a whole inch longer than the Gibson, or the other Epiphone options. So far i absolutely love this bass, for less than half the cost of a new Gibson, this bass delivers. I’ve played Gibson’s, Fender USA’s, Spectors, and several others. For the money, this bass has been amazing.Jansen

I bought this guitar after a long time away from playing. I was looking for a reasonably-priced, full-featured instrument that would serve as a good re-entry to my music practice, and this fits the bill. It's compact, has an onboard tuner, sounds great acoustically with the option to plug in an amp whenever I decide to go that route. I'm going to enjoy getting back up to speed with this mini bass.Stephen

Long-time guitar player, first-time buying a bass. I purchased the Cordoba after contemplating another brand with rubber strings. I never could get my hands on one to try. Guitarcenter in my area stocks the Cordoba. I like the more traditional wound strings on the Cordoba, the scale length and the overall construction. This Cordoba stays in tune really well. It sounds good acoustic but sounds great amplified. I love this little bass – a blast to play. The onboard tuner is a big plus. Cons – action was a big high, but no string buzz, a fair trade off – and I would expect the higher action with a bass with a short scale. I will adjust the truss rod with the included tool. Bridge saddles feel plastic, but at this price it isn't an issue.Matt J

Absolutely love this bass. The EMG pickups have great attack for fast metal that I play but still allow diverse dynamics and play styles. I also love the style, it feels like a Fender but plays more like a modern bass, so it has the best of both worlds. Only downside is the weight, to me it seems heavier than most other ESPs or Ibanez basses I have played.MICHAEL

I have used this bass (gold top) in small clubs, large theaters and church worship. The bass is extremely well put together , great finish excellent fret work and a wonderful fast neck. in appearance this bass is a work of art. (I know it is a remake of the 70's les paul). The pick up has an amazing definition that allows the noted to ring true with out muddiness. Over all it is a spectacular bass.Bassblast

Initially I was very hesitant to buy this bass. But it's found a permanent place in my bass lineup. It has a real warm tone and kind of hangs around the p-bass vibe as far as application. I put some Thomastik Infeld round wounds on it. Sounds great! The look of this thing is amazing, so it's nice that it's a real player as well. Only and only complaint I have is where the strap connects at the base of the neck. The weight isn't distributed rightand the bass tends to tilt away from you. I haven't seen anything that compares to this bass today. Love it.finorama

After taking 3 weeks to review this Bass, take some time to get it's feel this is what I think. Looks wise, very nice. I did not like the strings that came on it and switched them out for D'Addario flat wounds. This gave me the warm mellow sound I was looking for, and also gave me the action and feel I am comfortable with. While changing out the strings I came across 2 tuning gears that where very rough, but after taking them apart and lubing them they got better and the gear quality is exceptable for the price range of the instrument. Over all I am pleased, think it is a cool instrument with many possibilities.Judy

I play in a Scottish-folk band as well as a rockabilly/Americana band. Band mates in both groups like my JC better than my J-Bass. They say the tone cuts through better, and they are better able to hear me. I find the three-way switch is great for a quick change, though the tone control itself (as other reviewers have noted) is kind of quirky and best just left dimed. Out of the box, the action was fine, but with modest fret buzz on the D & G strings, and the intonation as poor (measurable at the third fret and ear-detectable above the fifth fret). My luthier (a great guy and genius) raised the treble side of the nut and set the intonation so playability is really good. As others have noted, there is a bit of neck dive, but I'm learning to live with it given how much I enjoy the bass overall. By the way, I got the Chicago blue finish. It's a head turner – really nice looking. Got the correct case with it. The latches are not quite as heavy duty as I like, but the fit is perfect and the overall construction seems solid.Big Jim ATL

It arrived needing very little setup. I've been playing it for two weeks and I haven't adjusted anything. I work on my own guitars so I measured everything and it's all very close to specs. Nut height is good, relief good, really the only adjustment I might make is to lower the bridge just a hair, but it's by no means necessary. This is an instrument that inspires you to play and actually makes you a better musician. The pickup is so clear and can get so many different tones. With the impedance switch you get tones ranging from upright bass to heavy rock bass. It's also very responsive to different styles of playing and attack, or how hard you pick/pluck. It's like having three basses in one. On the impedance settings, the lowest is very open, acoustic sounding, very musical and sensitive to dynamics. The middle position is similar to a Fender bass, P or J bass etc. The high setting can add some beef to your tone and is good for distorted or heavier rock sounds. For reference, the bass can get Paul McCartney tones, 60's 70's tones, really versatile bass. My only complaint is that it is not as comfortable as something like a P-Bass. Where I rest my arm on the body has a hard edge that I am getting used to. Like an acoustic, where your right arm gets uncomfortable resting on the edge of the body. I'm looking at installing an arm rest and I made a foam cushion that I taped on the body that helps some. It's not an issue sitting down, so maybe this is more of a studio bass.Chris

I discovered this at Bass Northwest on an all day excursion playing everything they had. The JC had just been released. The first thing I noticed is that it felt broken in already even as brand new. The full scale neck was assuring I knew I was playing the real thing. The pickup and the way it interacts with this semi-hollow/hollowbody hybrid is just amazing. The woodblock under the bridge is very satisfying so I know it's going to last. The fret edges are smooth. It's like having something familiar yet different. Love it.The Nashville Texan

This, as others have mentioned, is a beautiful bass. Simple and elegant design, and the wine red with the gold fittings seem perfectly matched rather than "gaudy", at least to my eyes. The instrument feels solid without being heavy, and has probably the most comfortable bass fretboard I've played on. The chambered body sound reminds me of a glass bottle being blown across its lip – slightly glassy, slightly hollow. In that respect, and along with the neck-favoring pickup placements, gives the bass a distinctive rather than a flexible tone when compared to the little Gretsch Jet II that I also play. The Gretsch is also a louder bass. I also own a Hofner Ignition violin bass, and while that is my go-to instrument and cannot be beaten for lightness and the way the small body encourages melodic playing by making the upper frets so accessible, the Allen Woody certainly does better in the sustain department. I would almost buy this instrument just to stare at it in the early evening sun, when the wine red glows translucent, but it also plays like butter and sounds great live or for recording, so, unless you're looking for a tonal jack-of-all-trades (and assuming you like its tonal signature), it would be hard to regret investing in this instrument.Dreaming Chris

This is my first bass so take this with that in mind. The fit and finish and setup were very good. I had read others complain but mine was perfect. This bass is a neck diver (it will not stay in playing position, neck dips toward the floor.) I added 31 oz of lead shot to the guitar strap and now it stays put. I understand this is common with some guitars, especially bass guitars but I own dozens of electrics and acoustics and this was a surprise. Overall I like the bass and with Rotosound 77 strings it has a mellow pleasing tone. I'm mostly rock and folky stuff so if you are a djenerate you should listen to one first. It is light weight compared to a full size bass like a P-Bass. It is almost as big as a 34" though measuring only 1.5 inches shorter than a P-Bass. I also picked up a Ibanez Mikro which is several inches shorter and lighter and the scale length is 2 inches shorter (28.6 vs 30.5 for the Epiphany). If you want tiny (but still acceptable tone consider the Mikro, it would be better for kids. If you want a bass that is short scale but otherwise a contender for performance playing the Allen Woody is fine. I also tried on a Fender Mustang (30 inch scale length) and it did a neck dive too. If this is an issue for you I do not know what to tell you.Michael

Have been interested in this bass for quite awhile, and finally bought one. I like the way the neck feels and plays. The pickup configuration is different than any others I've played, which I think makes it different and unique than the old repeated p/j type basses. Mine was set up quite nicely upon purchase, maybe a tweak here and there. I love the gold hardware and the finish is awesome. The only thing I've found is that my forearm needs to get used to the body type, as I've always played basses with contour right there. Pretty minimal problem. I play mostly blues/rockish type stuff. It's great for that. I recommend checking this bass out.Grover71

I've played and owned many different basses over the years, but this one is hands down the most comfortable bass that I've ever played. The neck is fast and easy to play, the fret work was superb, and the sounds that you can dial in are very versatile for just about any style of music. I was also surprised that as a bass it was almost as light as my Ibanez S61AL electric guitar (and that thing is feather light). Overall, I'd gladly recommend this bass to anyone from beginners, experienced players, and especially anyone wanting a short scale bass.Brittany M.