Jack Bruce's bass sound

[honza]

Hi everybody!

Does anyone know how to achieve that sweetly distorted sound of Jack Bruce while he was playing in Cream?

I'd like to make a fuzz pedal for our bass player (I am guitarist myself) but I really don't know which one choose. Something similar to JB's would be nice...

                                                             Honza

[RDV]

Old Marshall amp on 10. Same as Clapton @ the time.

RDV

[PB Wilson]

I'd also heard that the short-scale Gibson bass (can't remember the model) with the neck pickup contributed to the sound.

[RDV]

I'd also heard that the short-scale Gibson bass (can't remember the model) with the neck pickup contributed to the sound.

Gibson EB-0(SG-style with 1 pickup)
He also used a Fender VI 6 string bass.

RDV

[Fret Wire]

"Sitting on Top of the World" off the Goodbye album is a classic example of Jack through a Marshall.

RDV: are you sure he used an EB-0? Everything I've seen, he's using an EB-3 with two pickups. I just double checked the "sunshine of your love" and "Crossroads" videos.  I have an Epi EB-0, and it's fun to play. AllParts lists the bridge pickup for $50, so I might put one in mine. Plenty of room for the pots and switch, so it'll be an easy upgrade.

[RDV]

RDV: are you sure he used an EB-0? Everything I've seen, he's using an EB-3 with two pickups. I just double checked the "sunshine of your love" and "Crossroads" videos.

You're probably right. Those things break so easy, he probably went through a bunch of em' on the road.

RDV

[Fret Wire]

It's wierd, Epiphone's EB-3 is a 34" scale, but I'm sure Gibson was recently making it in a 30" short scale. My fingers are too short to play a 34" bass, and the Gibson EB-3 was way to much money for an instrument I don't normally play. I just checked Gibson's site and I don't see it now. I always thought the EB-3 was short scale.  :?:

[RDV]

I really like the Epi. Does it play nicely? It's definitely a looker!

RDV

[Fret Wire]

Plays real nice, but needs two things out of the box: new strings and a good setup. I replaced the original crap strings with Fender short scale, and gave it a good set-up, now it's sweet. The bridge takes a bit to set up, and the neck is very sensitive to truss rod adjustments. The thin neck makes it great to play, but also very weather sensitive. I gave the frets a level and polish, which really helped. The control cavity on mine came shielded (paint), nice touch.

With it's pickup placement, it has some serious thump to it. Not muddy at all, like you think it would be with the pu right up to the neck.
With the thin neck, you can do some serious lead runs on it. When you plug in, it begs you to play lead style, great for tapping too. Great upper fret access.

I just think it needs the bridge pickup so it's sound will match it's playability and lead capabilities. It's the same body as the EB-3, so adding in the bridge pu will be easy. The control cavity is already the proper size. When I do it, I'll use a SG style toggle switch for the pickups instead of the rotory selector Gibson used. All in all, the Epi is a good bang for the buck. A Jack Bruce "starter kit". Massive chops not included. lol

[jsleep]

Old Marshall amp on 10. Same as Clapton @ the time.

According to Jack in an interview I saw, he was describing how it was stolen and many years later a guy showed up at one of his shows with the bass (Gibson EB-?).  They way he checked to see if it was his, was that he opened it up to see if it had the "diode that was install by Dan Armstrong".  I think he went on to say that the diode was what gave the bass that sound, like on the FZ Apostorphe solo he did, etc.

JD

[Fret Wire]

I wonder when that mod was done? Can't get enough of his playing. I was listening to the " sittin' on top of the world" cut again, that tone just kills.

[Fret Wire]

Just checked.....Epiphone is making the EB-3 in a short scale, the Elitist Series. Not cheap though, $950. It has a set neck. Being top heavy, and prone to breakage, I think a bolt on would be better in this case.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=040504114431069166041121585932/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/518411/

And they still have the EB-0, a great buy at $230. About $75 in parts, and you have an EB-3. When I get to it I'm also going to add string furrules for through the body string mounting.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=040504114431069166041121585932/g=bass/s=electric/search/detail/base_pid/518523/

[RDV]

My bass player uses a 5-string version of the Epi EB-3. Just thought I'd throw that in. He, however, sounds nothing like Jack Bruce.

RDV

[Marcus Dahl]

It's wierd, Epiphone's EB-3 is a 34" scale, but I'm sure Gibson was recently making it in a 30" short scale. My fingers are too short to play a 34" bass, and the Gibson EB-3 was way to much money for an instrument I don't normally play. I just checked Gibson's site and I don't see it now. I always thought the EB-3 was short scale.  :?:

Jack Bruce played EB-0's and EB-3's. Gibson made the EB-3 in 2 different scales. The EB-3 and the EB-3L.

[Fret Wire]

Jack Bruce played EB-0's and EB-3's. Gibson made the EB-3 in 2 different scales. The EB-3 and the EB-3L.

Thanks for the info Marcus. Now, it looks like the situation is reversed. Gibson isn't making it period, and Epiphone is making the short scale EB-0, a long scale EB-3, and the Elitist Series short scale EB-3.

[DaveTV]

Just wanted to add that one of my favorite bass players, Mike Watt, has recently switched to playing an old Gibson EB-3 for it's smaller neck...easier on his middle-aged hands he says. Sounds great live.

[WGTP]

The neck EBO pickup has a huge resisitance like 20K.  What few highs are there don't have much of a chance.  I think paralleling the coils rather than running them in series might have a nice effect.  Brighter FWIW.  

[Fret Wire]

Gibson lists the EB replacements at 8.0k for the neck pu and 10.0k for the bridge pu. DiMarzio lists their bridge replacement, the model P at 11.3k, so that makes sense.

[Marcus Dahl]

Jack Bruce played EB-0's and EB-3's. Gibson made the EB-3 in 2 different scales. The EB-3 and the EB-3L.

Thanks for the info Marcus. Now, it looks like the situation is reversed. Gibson isn't making it period, and Epiphone is making the short scale EB-0, a long scale EB-3, and the Elitist Series short scale EB-3.

If I can help. I can. I love the sound and playability of the EB-0's and EB-1's & 3's. I don't own one because I haven't found the right price for one, but I love them. The bottum end is beautiful on them. Oh & I'm a left hand upside down player too. I've been considering one of the Epiphone EB-3's not the EB-0. The feel and tone is a little different than the originals. Primarily because of the bolt on neck and not being strung through the body. My goal would be to find and old Gibson one beat to 7734 for a good price and moding it for my use.