Gibson EB2d - 1965 - Sunburst, with Case. Pos.trade or offers? Price drop - Now £2,200.00 - *WITHDRAWN* £2500 Southend, Essex.

[Leon C 2]

Gibson EB2d sunburst semi-hollow bass for sale. Vintage 1965 (or possibly 1967?). In generally decent condition for it's age. Neck is very good, plays really nicely and feels very comfortable. There are of course a few scuffs and scrapes and a little buckle rash, but nothing serious. It sounds exactly as you would expect - massive low end from the mudbucker, punchy and bright mini humbucker and lots of tones in between. String damper works fine. Comes in it's own fitted case. Some of the pots have been replaced sometime in the past, but the original parts are included in the sale. It is stamped with a "2" under the serial number which indicates a Gibson factory 2nd, which would signify a slight flaw in the finish. Indeed there is a slight issue with the varnish on the bass side of the headstock, but it's pretty insignificant and has zero effect on playability or sound. I have priced the bass accordingly, as these would normally go for £3 - £5k or more. Here's what I found online; 

 

"I was a Gibson dealer throughout the 70s and 80s. Here is how it worked. Mid 60s through mid 70s they used a stamped "2" under the serial number to designate a second. All it meant was something cosmetic, not structural, that did not quite meet their standard for a first-quality instrument. Color, maybe something in the grain, etc. You could not order them, but your factory rep would sometimes offer them to you. The wholesale price was 10% below normal wholesale."

 

Reason for sale - I am a pro player of 40+ years experience and have been collecting basses throughout my career. But I am now - how can I put it - quite advanced in years, and have decided to sell off a substantial part of my collection. This is the first one to go and a feeler for the current market. I wouldn't want to ship this bass, so local collection only. Any trial welcome. I could meet up somewhere within 20 miles of Southend.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Leon C 2
Price drop.

[Woody1957]

A thing of beauty for sure!

[3below]

The one bass I do regret moving on was my EB2 of a similar vintage which cost me £80 in 1974.  Mine was also a second but I could never find what the flaw was.

[Leon C 2]

Well apparently Gibson sometimes marked instruments as 2nds just to clear stocks by offering them to dealers slightly cheaper. There may not be a flaw of any kind! 

[Stingray5]

Another ex-EB2d owner here, I bought mine from Sound City (in Shaftesbury Avenue) back around the early to mid-70s. I brought it back to the store a while later to have it completely refinished in blonde with black binding. Their luthier Sam Li did the work. As much as I was pleased with the result I did move it on a short time after to fund another bass. I don't have the serial number but I often wondered what happened to that bass...?

The bass for sale here looks every bit as nice as I remember mine when I bought it. GLWTS. 👍

[von Braun]

I couldn't stretch to an EB2d but I did have the Epiphone sister bass a '64 Rivoli which I sold during a skint period in the 80s to my regret!

 

[Leon C 2]

We've all done it mate, you're not alone...