1961 Gibson EB-3 in Cherry, (Used)

The 1961 Gibson EB-3 in Cherry is a solid-body electric bass featuring a one-piece mahogany body with a set mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Notable early-’60s details include a silvered bakelite neck pickup cover, a metal plated bridge pickup surround, wide-spaced controls with bell knobs, and a nickel Type-1 bar bridge. The headstock displays the original inlaid pearl Gibson logo above a raised crown, hallmarks of the earliest EB-3 design.

Electronics consist of the classic EB-3 configuration: a large neck-position humbucker delivering deep, rich tone and a bridge mini-humbucker, controlled via separate volume and tone knobs and a four-position rotary selector, including a “choke” or baritone function that cuts low frequencies from the neck pickup. This setup affords tonal flexibility despite the relatively simple control layout.

This particular bass has a repaired crack extending from the output jack area around the body edge into the control cavity, which was professionally stabilised using hide glue. The crack is now secure and the structural integrity has been fully restored. While the palm rest and string mute are no longer present, all other elements—including electronics, fretboard, and original hardware—remain intact and functional.