1959 Gibson EB-0, Cherry (First year)
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At a Glance:
Model: EB-0
Year: 1959 (First Year of Production)
Finish: Cherry
Body: Mahogany, slab body (Les Paul Junior shape)
Scale Length: 30.5" (Short Scale)
Fingerboard: Rosewood with Pearl Dot Inlays
Tuners: Correct Banjo Tuners
Pickup: Original Black Plastic Covered Humbucker (Neck Position)
Controls: 2 x Black Bonnet Knobs (Volume & Tone)
Bridge: Original Nickel
Electronics: Original Pots, Solder appears correct
Nut & Frets: Original
Pickguard: Single-Ply Black
Case: Original Brown Card Case with Red Flannel Lining
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.
1959 Gibson EB-0, Cherry (First year)
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1959 Gibson EB-0, Cherry (First year)Description
1959 marks the very beginning of Gibson’s solidbody bass story, and examples from this first year are increasingly hard to find, especially in this sort of condition. Introduced as Gibson’s answer to the growing popularity of Fender’s Precision, the EB-0 took a very different approach: shorter scale, mahogany warmth, and that unmistakable neck-position humbucker delivering deep, authoritative low end. This is a rare first-year example.
Finished in Cherry that has aged and faded beautifully over time, this early slab-body version shares its outline with the Les Paul Junior. The finish retains a lovely faded quality, sitting against the black plastics perfectly: black pickup cover, black bonnet knobs and the correct single-ply black pickguard.
The 30.5" short scale length gives the EB-0 its unique feel. There’s a suppleness and immediacy under the fingers that sets it apart from long-scale basses, and paired with the substantial but lightweight mahogany body it produces that thick, woody fundamental these early models are known for. The black plastic-covered humbucker, positioned right up at the neck, delivers huge, rounded lows with a warm, almost upright-like character when played softly, yet it will happily growl when pushed. It’s a wonderfully expressive, studio-friendly voice that has earned these early EB basses a loyal following.
The rosewood fingerboard features pearl dot inlays and sits beneath a headstock adorned with the classic crown inlay. The banjo tuners help define the look of the earliest versions of the model adding to their collectability. The nut and frets appear original, as does the nickel bridge, and the electronics show correct pots and the solder appears undisturbed.
Overall condition is excellent. It presents as an honest, well-preserved example, and completing the package is the original brown card case with its red flannel lining, a detail that collectors will appreciate and one that rarely survives in such tidy order.
First-year EB-0s occupy a special place in Gibson history. They represent the company’s first serious foray into the solidbody bass market and have a feel and tonal character entirely of their own. For the player, this is a wonderfully vibey short-scale with huge personality; for the collector, it’s a rare and increasingly sought-after piece of late-’50s Gibson production.
A superb example of a rare debut-year model, and a bass that looks every bit as good as it sounds!
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At a Glance:
Model: EB-0
Year: 1959 (First Year of Production)
Finish: Cherry
Body: Mahogany, slab body (Les Paul Junior shape)
Scale Length: 30.5" (Short Scale)
Fingerboard: Rosewood with Pearl Dot Inlays
Tuners: Correct Banjo Tuners
Pickup: Original Black Plastic Covered Humbucker (Neck Position)
Controls: 2 x Black Bonnet Knobs (Volume & Tone)
Bridge: Original Nickel
Electronics: Original Pots, Solder appears correct
Nut & Frets: Original
Pickguard: Single-Ply Black
Case: Original Brown Card Case with Red Flannel Lining
We are not box shifters, we take your packing and shipping very seriously..!
We have to. You're considering spending a lot of money with us and you would obviously like your valuable musical instrument to arrive at your door, without drama, fuss or damage.
We have many years (stretching way back in to the last century) of packing and shipping fragile musical items all over the world - in fact the number of sometimes priceless, vintage instruments we have shipped is in the thousands.
When you buy a vintage or second hand item from us, it will be hand packed by one or more of our specialist, in house staff and then shipped in our own custom made cardboard boxes (If applicable).
We normally ship via our preferred carriers UPS, DPD, Parcelforce and Royal Mail for smaller items such as straps and leads. Tracking numbers are always provided.
Shipping prices vary by item and by location, please see the individual products for details but as a guide, prices for a guitar is usually:
UK - £50
Mainland Europe - £75
USA - £200
Rest of World (rates can vary a lot depending on country) - £250
How can I pay?
All our base prices are in £GBP Sterling and exclude delivery.
Payments can be made by bank transfer (up to any amount) or credit/debit card through our website (up to £10,000.) Due to fraud risks we do not take payment by phone. We accept and use many online payment services that work by way of bank transfer and recommend Wise.com who will in generally offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Do your prices include VAT?
All prices include UK VAT but most used or vintage guitars are sold under the UK marginal scheme for secondhand goods which means you will not get an invoice with the VAT amount shown separately, neither will you be able to claim this VAT element back if you are VAT registered, and the VAT element cannot be deducted for export sales.
For new items such as some guitars, pedals, straps, cables etc 20% UK VAT is included and if you are in an export country, which since Brexit now includes Europe and of course the US, this 20% VAT will automatically be deducted at checkout for you. You may have to pay local taxes and duties when your goods arrive in your home country, we advise you to check with your local customs office to be sure.
Can I reserve or put an item on hold?
Yes you can. Items can be put on hold for a deposit payment of 10%. This will hold the item for up to 30 days but this deposit payment is non refundable in the event of the buyer failing to complete the sale.
A further 10% payment at the end of the initial 30 day period will extend this period for another 30 days and subject to individual approval, this arrangement can be extended at our discretion. ATB Guitars holds title to the goods until paid for in full and if the buyer should change his/her mind for any reason, a restocking fee equivalent to to 15% of the total purchase price will be deducted from any refund given.
Do you have a mailing list?
The best way to get on our mailing list is to submit the form at the bottom of every page on our website. Also follow us on Facebook and Instagram @ATBguitars as most new items are posted there as soon as we buy them and before they go on the website. If you are searching for a specific guitar then send us an email and we will attempt to alert you once one has been found.