This is 6 years old but I'll comment anyways. I own the Gibson SG and Epi EB-0. The Gibby oozes quality in its feel and tones. The Epi is pretty good and costs about 1/5th as much. I gig the SG with confidence and practice with the band using the Epi. The Stagg I heard here has occasional tones that are outside of my preference. I rate it the same as the EB-0. It was a good video to showcase these instruments.
what about vintage Ibanez EB3 ,from lawsuit era- early 70's..where will you put this version,between ,in the middle ,maybe similar to... ??? Thanx & cheers
I went to my local cobbler (shoemaker) and had a 'folk' style strap made; it goes right to the headstock, with a sliding loop around and a padded shoulder piece. Any guitar can be balanced. You'll get teased, but have the comfort.
I’m 68 years old and I’ve had a Gibson bass in my gear most of the years since high school. Currently I play an EB-2c. Their biggest issue is the big humbucking PU sounds muddy. To get around that don’t turn the bass up over 7 1/2 or 8. Let the amp do the work and don’t have the amps bass control set to high. I’ve used tube amps, mostly fenders the whole time. Currently a brownface B’master.
Interesting review, Johan. I have the Epi myself, which I've turned into a piccolo bass (D'Addario 32-65 nickel roundwounds). The Stagg had a great vibe to it! Would be good in a Punk band. These basses are useful for playing much more than Cream or Free riffs.
Hi Milo, I have never tried a faded SG bass but usually the difference between high and low end variants of the same model is wood and build quality. The quality control is higher on high end stuff, but sometimes cheap variants turns out world Class as a result of luck
Johan Segeborn i see, but in Gibson.com foruns says that is just paint finish, and have dots markups just like in the epiphone. But the wood and others specs are the same. I bought one, and i will play it in the weekend, i'm so excited ahhaha
These are probably very similar in sound and playability. Cosmetic differences. And the faded looks like an EB bass should. Tell me how you like it when you get it! Cheers Johan
Thanks. Just a few comments. The Stagg sounded like the 'bridge' pickup was selected (with its characteristic treble presence) while the Gibson and Epiphone sounded like the 'neck' pickup was selected - with the slightly muddier bottom characteristic. It would have been nice if the pickup selection, levels, etc. had been specified and the fundamental permutations thereof had been demoed instead of simply a 'one size fits all' demo that fails to illustrate the range of responses available with the two very different sounding pickups.
Nice shoot-out. I was surprised how well the Stagg held it's own against the Gibson. The Epiphone obviously wasn't as versatile as the Gibson or Stagg, but it didn't sound bad. Between the Gibson and Stagg it's tough to pick between the two. On one hand I prefer a USA made Gibson, but I thought the Stagg cut through better. It would be nice to see how the Stagg holds up against a real Gibson EB-3 from the 60's or 70's.
+buddhamus Thanks, I think the Stagg holds up really well against an original EB3. There were some great units and some not so great units back then. Cheers
The Gibson had the the richest bottom end to my humble ears. I must say, it's also the player and what you played,(and where it was played on the instrument) the sustained notes at the beginning of the passage really showcased the bottom end tone, it is a bass after all! a lot of guys play as fancy as possible on these demos, but the less you play the bigger you sound.. Way to go sir. That's the best demo for this bass I have seen yet. Great player.
I would have liked to hear the Epiphone EB-3 compared to the Gibson EB-3/SG bass, especially since the Epi has the longer 34" scale of a standard EB-3. I've recorded with an Epi EB-0 and I found the sound didn't really need a bridge pickup but the Epi EB-3 has a set neck and the Epi EB-0 has a bolt neck, so the comparison could have been a bit more balanced if the Epi EB-3 was used for this test. Nonetheless, this is a GREAT comparison. Thanks!
Scott Campbell EB-3 is supposed to be short scale. The Epi is really an EB-3L. The Epiphone Elitist EB3 made in Japan is the closest to a Gibson EB-3 the brand has offered.
The epiphone sounded bit more tame, warmer. The gibson had more of a bite to it. I liked the stagg overall, it had the mix of both the epiphone and the gibson
I'm not really very knowledgable about basses and the tones you can get from them, but I instantly fell in love with the Stagg. So much snap and honk, tons of mojo. And that bridge pickup? Sweet! The Gibson was like the opposite - very warm and creamy, also sounding great but there was no "wow" factor involved ;)
Great shootout. I always loved the tone and playability of the EB basses. I had the opportunity to play one at band practice for 30 minutes. My only problem with the SG shape is the comfort. These basses kill my shoulder. I'm 6"2". The strap button (in my opinion) is in a lousy place. The bass leans forward when playing it. I would love if Gibson would put the strap button recessed into the tip of the upper horn.
I bought an Epiphone EB 0 7 years ago. The action was wuch too high so lowered as much as I could. Much more playable now. Sounds awsome on a Ampeg Micro VR.
Had a Gibson EB3 early 70's. Not surprized the Stagg is as good or even better. Play with a three chord rocknroll song in the background and see if it has a tone that will blend or cut through when needed. I had to really flog my Gibson to get enough presence, but no graphics or compressors on bass amps those days.
+Johan Segeborn -- Great comparison Johan. Regarding the Stagg copy bass, I've found that rolling the tone down a little greatly enhances the tone, especially because older basses get a bit more fret buzz due to non-level frets. Old basses usually need a set up. Many Japanese EB3 copy basses sound great. Would be interesting to hear the Stagg compared to a vintage Gibson EB3; my guess is very similar.
Thanks for the great review! I have an Epi EB0 "Limited Edition Custom Shop" in a satin finish which I really dig. I had a early '70s Gibson EB3 for a while years ago, but didn't play it a lot over other basses, but man the Epi is great.I started playing on a no-name extremely short-scale EB3 :) It had a 25" scale I think, ha. So I've had much EB love in my life :) cheers!
Where can you pickup that Stagg bass? I think it's a very impressive bass. Have you heard the Epi EB-0 with the Dimarzio Model One pickup swap? I wonder how that would compare.
All fairly similar sounding as you pointed out. It's a pity you didn't have a 60s or 70s Gibson EB -0/3 bass as well for testing, the neck pickup being a proper "mudbucker" unlike the modern ones which are essentially TB+ (Thunderbird/Les Paul etc.) pickups with an mudbucker cover. I think that would have sounded quite a bit different ;)
Didn't they change out the pick ups of the new Gibsons, and Epiphones as TB Plus Humbuckers instead of the original Sidewinder Humbuckers, so they are not as bright, and not as low anymore?
4:10 Stagg vs. Gibson: The Stagg is mean, growly, muddy, raw. When you switch to the Gibson the tone loses *something* in oomph and growl. The Stagg really beats out the Gibson. It has that little extra "Cream" on the cake, if you know what I mean. 4:10 is where you hear it.
+Johan Segeborn -- I agree with you. I wonder if the character of the Gibson pickups will change with age. What I like about the original EB3 style basses is the rude and aggresive tone. That same bass line you played just sounded so much better on the Stagg. The Stagg sounded like an Outlaw or Pirate and the Gibson sounded like a Gentleman with a cup of tea. Both great basses though. [I love your videos!]
Hi Johan, cool shootout ! Do you think modifying a EB-0 by moving back the side winder like Gene simmons did (seen in vintageguitar site), similar To the stingray, would je worth it? THANKS, and keep rocking!
greetings Sir Johan, all 3 electric bass guitars sounds different from each other. my personal favorite is the Stagg cause it has that Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) sound which i prefer, but they all look beautiful & sound great! thanks so much for this shootout comparison video presentation. cheers!
on it's own the Epi sounded good and maybe can be modded to be great, the Gibson was classic muddy yum if that's your bag and it is mine, the Stagg's mids stood out and probably is the most useful overall and likely can be muddied up to taste whereas clarity is hard to impose on a dark bass. I'll take all 3!
I recently got hooked on EB3 and bought a vintage early 70s Japanese Electra 2261 Tritone, and its even cooler than that Stagg. Instead of a pickup selector it comes with a 3 way varitone switch and a bridge mute for even more tone options. It sounds similar to the Stagg I think this particular model was based off of the 1969 EB3 model, cause it has an ashtray over the bridge, and the bridge mute feature. But not even the real Gibsons had a varitone like that. It was the only one for sale on the internet at the time, at least the immediately accessible internet. Really really happy with it, but the neck has been giving me some issues. It is a very used instrument so its not really that much of a surprise
People would often point to the bridge pickup and set neck being the big difference with the epi eb3, but in my experience it's the long scale which makes it the most solid sounding EB in a mix (it is actually a reissue of the EB3L, and has a very Jazz Bass style neck).
The reason why the stagg neck pickup sounds so good is because it’s a single coil pickup 🤘rated at 9.5k which is made by maxon/Greco, look under the pickup cover if you don’t believe me. These “japanbuckers” pickups are one of the best kept secrets from the era, better sounding and engineered than Gibson. Greco and any other sg type bass from Japan will have this pickup, it’s also on Greco Rickenbacker basses.
I am still playing my Epiphone Les Paul special bass and happy with it. A lot of the bass tone comes from the player, not the instrument. An average bass player will not sound better on a Gibson compared with an Epiphone with a good player. Practisce hard and often and you too can be a good player on any instrument.
I love Gibsons but I have to say the Stagg sounded much better - more volume, more clarity, more sustain, more punch. Would definitely cut through the mix more in my opinion. (Wonder what pickups those are - take them out and put them in the Gibby ha ha)
I'm tied between the Epiphone and Stagg, but ultimately I'd choose the Epiphone cause of how low the price is. They are all beautiful sounding basses though
keith ruddell Thanks! Those are great sounding basses, that I actually never have had the oportunity to try. is the jazz bass pickups on the 302? Cheers Johan
Big single coils are found in the B302. Many people consider those pickups the second best ever used in Guilds behind BiSonics. As I recall the bass sounds mostly like a Gibson of course because it's all mahogany. Also, the clean top end of a J and open midrange qualities of a Ric. They're highly underrated vintage basses and easy to find inexpensive. The bass works for nearly any style as long as dark colors are welcome. The only reason I got rid of mine was because at the time I didn't have a need to own both a B302 and a Starfire.
My EB-3, Gibson, had a 4 position selector that allowed me to work the sound to get what I was playing at the time Gospel to Heavy metal.....3rd bass in lifetime, after Gibson fire-bird before Fender Jazz leading to Gibson Les Paul recording(favorite) yee-haa I haven't found a post on my favorite yet (Les)
+Johan Segeborn The longer scale Firebird worked me while I was learning (started playing at 13), it was kinda stiff but extremely responsive. The pickup went out after 2 years and I wasn't able to replace it with a similar one. The better players I encountered rocked it like you do. The EB-3 had a shorter scale and suited me better with the 4 position selector because I was also learning the on the 1st of my 6 string Les Goldtops. When I got to the Recording Les Triumph it was awesome. I loved the short scale, phase shift, hi-lo, 3 position selector, and pickup selection. To me at 26 years, perfect stage play on any venue, outside live, or closed session with direct box through fender recording amp (440 watts) it was fantastic!!!!. Like the Black Beauty Fret-less Wonder you were playing in another vid, one of Gibson's many better productions. I have a limited Money Bass I play now that is also short scale and a limited Les Goldtop with mini humbuckers. sry so long, feel free to edit
I did some work for a band (1970s) bass player had a Gibson Les Paul®™ bass. It sounded great. Saw one for $300.00, wish I could have bought it. Would like to try a Fender Precision®™ short scale.
To me the Stagg had more upper mids, the Gibson more low end extension and less upper mids ( compared to the Stagg ) and the Epiphone was kind of middle of the road... no upper mid boost and no low end extension. Still, not a bad sounding bass. Might be easier to tucked into a mix. IDK
Great video!!! And nice little jam too! The Stagg sounds a lot like my Ibanez lawsuit SG eb-3 copy, I also own the Epi eb-0. Even though very similar, I think they all have their own distinctive sound. Thank you for posting this great video!
I really like the Gibson the best, but the Stagg is a good number two. The Gibson you play on the video has a far better sound as the old EB-3 with the old mud bucker. The Epi sounds darker in my opinion, not as fat as an old EB-0, but the best sounding one is my one 2014 SG special bass in Chocolate satin :) Very nice sounding without thick finish. Again a nice and helpful demo, Thanks Johan !
+Henry Franssen i seriously doubt gibson made a good job on this gibson "SG" reissue. It doesnt even have the old 90s baritone that everyone loved about this bass. Also the pickups are both measured under 10kohms which is pretty weak compared to the old EB3 which was called back then. (eb3 instead of sg) At least the build quality is amazing and they gave it a fair price tag compared to other gibson products.
+Jim Dragon I played a few months on a Gibson SG Bass, the tone was very nice and no weak output at all and the sound was better to juse for different styles than the old EB-3 also a nice weight and nice neck. But after searching for a few years i buyed a Wal Pro Bass like i had in the late 70's. IMO nothing can compare to this bass.
The stiletto is also a very good bas and nice to see too, i think its no mahogany so it will sound sharper and give you more high and volume too. My Wal is also active, no compare to a passive much cheaper Gibson Bass. Best Henry
Timfine I play a Gibson SG bass. Previously I had a Epiphone SG. They both tend to nose dive if you don't hold onto it. The Epiphone was way worse than the Gibson. I really love the Gibson and have gotten used to it. I think it's worth it.
the Stagg was so much better sounding to me that i had to wonder if you were using the same settings on each bass. Almost a 3D sound compared to the mud of the EBO and a nice but murkier EB3. Ratings: Stagg 10 EB3 7 EB0 2 thanks!
IMO Stagg wins, very punchy sound, I think it would cut nicely through the mix. You can hear that its an old japanese instrument, it sounds a bit deeper in comparison to the newer ones. Great playing as usual :) Cheers !!
I liked the Gibson best. I thought it had the best sound all around. The epi sounded thin, the stagg sounded good, but didn't knock me out like the Gibson. I liked the sound of the open E on the gibson
I bought the Epiphone EB0 and then put a bridge humbucker in it to turn it into a short scale Epi Eb3 - as the Epi EB3 are long scale - great demo's of all the basses and it shows there is not a lot between them all.
I have a 1971 Aria EB3 that sounds similar to the Stagg.nice bass. I also have a 1971 Gibson EB3L. Very nice also, but two completely different things! That Epi didn’t do much for me :/
Wow I hoped the Epiphone would have sounded better in this comparison. Guess I better save my pennies and dish out the extra for a Gibson. The Stag sounds great and I could only tell it apart from the Gibson on a couple of the riffs.
I might be getting a Woodward bass this spring. It'll be a 32"scale SG made by a guy who used to work in Gibson's custom shop. They are making guitars out of reclaimed wood from the Detroit area.
I think they call sounded great but the Stagg was the best sounding one in my opinion. It's a shame that Stagg now makes some of the crappiest copies of instruments I've played. My friend had two Stagg Les Pauls and they were terrible. It's a shame. That SG EB-3 Stagg sounded downright awesome.
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
If I could have the neck tone of the Stagg with the bridge tone of the Gibbo with the price of the Epi I'd be a happy, happy man
I must not be the only one who loves when you can feel the bass' vibration
+Diz Jaeger No, I love it too. Cheers!
Johan Segeborn svensk?
That Stagg sounds killer!
Yeah, those lawsuit instruments can be great
Epiphone EBO very underrated..
This is 6 years old but I'll comment anyways. I own the Gibson SG and Epi EB-0. The Gibby oozes quality in its feel and tones. The Epi is pretty good and costs about 1/5th as much. I gig the SG with confidence and practice with the band using the Epi. The Stagg I heard here has occasional tones that are outside of my preference. I rate it the same as the EB-0. It was a good video to showcase these instruments.
For whatever reason I would choose Epiphone. For the forementioned nonexisting reason I always liked the more scooped-out sounding basses.
+Márk N. Mészáros (GniQQ) Thanks Márk :-)
I like the sound of all three.
+Robert Sexton Thanks Robert
Great DEMO! Great sound of all three BASS! Thanks! But I love Gibson SG bass!
+Sergey Kirillov Thanks Sergey, Cheers!
a very nice Video - I love the Gibson SG EB Basses
Thanks! I’m glad to hear that!
what about vintage Ibanez EB3 ,from lawsuit era- early 70's..where will you put this version,between ,in the middle ,maybe similar to... ??? Thanx & cheers
+Dejan Stojanovski It sounds similar to this Stagg and to the old Gibsons. Cheers!
The Epihone seems to lose this shootout due to lack of volume, clarity and some tuning problems. The Stagg kills it IMHO.
Love it Johan. I have a Gibson sg bass myself. I have been wondering how a epiphone sounds in comparison. Now I know. Thanks.
I went to my local cobbler (shoemaker) and had a 'folk' style strap made; it goes right to the headstock, with a sliding loop around and a padded shoulder piece. Any guitar can be balanced. You'll get teased, but have the comfort.
kenokid Yeah, that train has left the station for me so I'm all for comfort.
I’m 68 years old and I’ve had a Gibson bass in my gear most of the years since high school. Currently I play an EB-2c. Their biggest issue is the big humbucking PU sounds muddy. To get around that don’t turn the bass up over 7 1/2 or 8. Let the amp do the work and don’t have the amps bass control set to high. I’ve used tube amps, mostly fenders the whole time. Currently a brownface B’master.
Wow you setup rocks, impossible see this kinda of vintage gear in Brazil...
Interesting review, Johan. I have the Epi myself, which I've turned into a piccolo bass (D'Addario 32-65 nickel roundwounds). The Stagg had a great vibe to it! Would be good in a Punk band. These basses are useful for playing much more than Cream or Free riffs.
+Reinemachefrau Thanks, they are indeed very versatile.
I don't know...but for my sound, the epiphone win. good video Johan appreciate.
Thanks Rick! Glad to hear that.
Hi Johan, I have a friend holding a very nice Burny copy of this one for 400 aud..so it was great to come across this review.
chris pollard Cool, there are some hidden treasures out there, man :-) Cheers
Hello! Nice Video! Do you have any video with Gibson SG Bass Faded ? Or is the same sound of the Gibson EB3 ?
Hi Milo, I have never tried a faded SG bass but usually the difference between high and low end variants of the same model is wood and build quality. The quality control is higher on high end stuff, but sometimes cheap variants turns out world Class as a result of luck
Johan Segeborn i see, but in Gibson.com foruns says that is just paint finish, and have dots markups just like in the epiphone. But the wood and others specs are the same. I bought one, and i will play it in the weekend, i'm so excited ahhaha
These are probably very similar in sound and playability. Cosmetic differences. And the faded looks like an EB bass should. Tell me how you like it when you get it! Cheers Johan
I love all of these Basses! I would just get them all!
that Stagg sounds surprisingly good, i bet it would sound amazing with some flatwounds and a pick
Thanks :-)
Thanks.
Just a few comments. The Stagg sounded like the 'bridge' pickup was selected (with its characteristic treble presence) while the Gibson and Epiphone sounded like the 'neck' pickup was selected - with the slightly muddier bottom characteristic.
It would have been nice if the pickup selection, levels, etc. had been specified and the fundamental permutations thereof had been demoed instead of simply a 'one size fits all' demo that fails to illustrate the range of responses available with the two very different sounding pickups.
Haha så mystisk du blir frammåt slutet med silhouetten. Fattas bara att du förvrängt rösten haha.
Bra jämförelse! Tack
Nice shoot-out. I was surprised how well the Stagg held it's own against the Gibson. The Epiphone obviously wasn't as versatile as the Gibson or Stagg, but it didn't sound bad. Between the Gibson and Stagg it's tough to pick between the two. On one hand I prefer a USA made Gibson, but I thought the Stagg cut through better. It would be nice to see how the Stagg holds up against a real Gibson EB-3 from the 60's or 70's.
+buddhamus Thanks, I think the Stagg holds up really well against an original EB3. There were some great units and some not so great units back then. Cheers
The Gibson had the the richest bottom end to my humble ears. I must say, it's also the player and what you played,(and where it was played on the instrument) the sustained notes at the beginning of the passage really showcased the bottom end tone, it is a bass after all! a lot of guys play as fancy as possible on these demos, but the less you play the bigger you sound.. Way to go sir. That's the best demo for this bass I have seen yet. Great player.
I would have liked to hear the Epiphone EB-3 compared to the Gibson EB-3/SG bass, especially since the Epi has the longer 34" scale of a standard EB-3. I've recorded with an Epi EB-0 and I found the sound didn't really need a bridge pickup but the Epi EB-3 has a set neck and the Epi EB-0 has a bolt neck, so the comparison could have been a bit more balanced if the Epi EB-3 was used for this test. Nonetheless, this is a GREAT comparison. Thanks!
Scott Campbell EB-3 is supposed to be short scale. The Epi is really an EB-3L. The Epiphone Elitist EB3 made in Japan is the closest to a Gibson EB-3 the brand has offered.
THANKS for the info! I have an EB-3 I need to a little work on to get it working.
The epiphone sounded bit more tame, warmer. The gibson had more of a bite to it. I liked the stagg overall, it had the mix of both the epiphone and the gibson
***** Thanks, Yeah that's a good description. Cheers Johan
I'm not really very knowledgable about basses and the tones you can get from them, but I instantly fell in love with the Stagg. So much snap and honk, tons of mojo. And that bridge pickup? Sweet!
The Gibson was like the opposite - very warm and creamy, also sounding great but there was no "wow" factor involved ;)
***** I agree. The Gibson is the better instrument but the Stagg has tons of character.
Thanks.. saw the epi eb3 in a local guitar shop.. after 30 plus years of playing guitar it made we want to pick up a bass..far too cool
+Rob D Cool man, then the EB basses is a great choice, since it's closer to a guitar in scale the P, T and T-basses. Cheers
Great shootout. I always loved the tone and playability of the EB basses. I had the opportunity to play one at band practice for 30 minutes. My only problem with the SG shape is the comfort. These basses kill my shoulder. I'm 6"2". The strap button (in my opinion) is in a lousy place. The bass leans forward when playing it. I would love if Gibson would put the strap button recessed into the tip of the upper horn.
Eric Reicher Thanks and I agree, the strap is very irritating. Cheers! Johan
I bought an Epiphone EB 0 7 years ago. The action was wuch too high so lowered as much as I could. Much more playable now. Sounds awsome on a Ampeg Micro VR.
Is the stagg short scale??
Hi Johan. Your videos are so useful. Thanks a lot for your time.
victorgayou Thanks Victor, I'm very glad to hear that, Cheers Johan
Cool video. I always enjoy your reviews bro.
Stagg sound good
Thanks!
Have you seen the Revelation RSGB bass with pick ups designed by Alan Entwhistle?
+Trevor Beaumont no, gonna check it out! :-)
Gracias Johan...muy buena comparativa
Cool video man, thank you!
How about Jedson SG? Is it possible to make a test video of it?
Had a Gibson EB3 early 70's. Not surprized the Stagg is as good or even better. Play with a three chord rocknroll song in the background and see if it has a tone that will blend or cut through when needed. I had to really flog my Gibson to get enough presence, but no graphics or compressors on bass amps those days.
What kind of pickup is in the bridge of the stagg?
Neck Pickup Winner: Epi, Gibson, Stagg. All very good.
* The Stagg actually sounds more like Jack Bruce's bass (very vintage sound).
Thanks!
+Johan Segeborn -- Great comparison Johan. Regarding the Stagg copy bass, I've found that rolling the tone down a little greatly enhances the tone, especially because older basses get a bit more fret buzz due to non-level frets. Old basses usually need a set up. Many Japanese EB3 copy basses sound great. Would be interesting to hear the Stagg compared to a vintage Gibson EB3; my guess is very similar.
Thanks for the great review! I have an Epi EB0 "Limited Edition Custom Shop" in a satin finish which I really dig. I had a early '70s Gibson EB3 for a while years ago, but didn't play it a lot over other basses, but man the Epi is great.I started playing on a no-name extremely short-scale EB3 :) It had a 25" scale I think, ha. So I've had much EB love in my life :) cheers!
Where can you pickup that Stagg bass? I think it's a very impressive bass. Have you heard the Epi EB-0 with the Dimarzio Model One pickup swap? I wonder how that would compare.
Hi, it's a rare vintage bass, but if you keep an eye on ebay it will turn up. Havent tried the model one yet though. Cheers
Do you have the tabs for these riffs? If so that would be awesome.
All fairly similar sounding as you pointed out. It's a pity you didn't have a 60s or 70s Gibson EB -0/3 bass as well for testing, the neck pickup being a proper "mudbucker" unlike the modern ones which are essentially TB+ (Thunderbird/Les Paul etc.) pickups with an mudbucker cover. I think that would have sounded quite a bit different ;)
Didn't they change out the pick ups of the new Gibsons, and Epiphones as TB Plus Humbuckers instead of the original Sidewinder Humbuckers, so they are not as bright, and not as low anymore?
Jeremy Ward Yeah, those are basically modern T-bird pickups in a big shiny chassis if I'm not missinformed.
If i would have the choice it'll be the Stagg... wonderful dirty vintage sound...
+modesu1 Thanks, I like that one too
Excellent! It would be great to make a review with the new ones as EB bass 2017 and 2018.We really appreciate it; therefore, thanks a lot johan.
That Stagg really stood out. Compared to the others how does it play? I know nothing about that brand.
4:10 Stagg vs. Gibson: The Stagg is mean, growly, muddy, raw. When you switch to the Gibson the tone loses *something* in oomph and growl. The Stagg really beats out the Gibson. It has that little extra "Cream" on the cake, if you know what I mean. 4:10 is where you hear it.
The Gibson has a great detailed low end but the Stagg has indeed a mildrange kick that is superior. Cheers Johan
+Johan Segeborn -- I agree with you. I wonder if the character of the Gibson pickups will change with age. What I like about the original EB3 style basses is the rude and aggresive tone. That same bass line you played just sounded so much better on the Stagg. The Stagg sounded like an Outlaw or Pirate and the Gibson sounded like a Gentleman with a cup of tea. Both great basses though. [I love your videos!]
Thanks!
Johan they all have big fat bass sound I like it , wish I could play one.
Hi Johan, cool shootout ! Do you think modifying a EB-0 by moving back the side winder like Gene simmons did (seen in vintageguitar site), similar To the stingray, would je worth it?
THANKS, and keep rocking!
The price of 1970s Stagg will be killer too.
+Manel Ramodne Yeah, I got it for 200 bucks. Cheers
There is a mint one on eBay at the moment 1998 Guitar Shangril-La 26-03-2021
greetings Sir Johan, all 3 electric bass guitars sounds different from each other. my personal favorite is the Stagg cause it has that Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) sound which i prefer, but they all look beautiful & sound great! thanks so much for this shootout comparison video presentation. cheers!
torn mask Thanks, Geezer Butler have been a favourite for over 30 years!
on it's own the Epi sounded good and maybe can be modded to be great, the Gibson was classic muddy yum if that's your bag and it is mine, the Stagg's mids stood out and probably is the most useful overall and likely can be muddied up to taste whereas clarity is hard to impose on a dark bass. I'll take all 3!
Help! im overdosing on EB bass! quickly please send the Stagg to this unfortunate starving bassist here in Argentina! ; )
+mac163 hahaha, you cant overdose on EB man. Never too much EB :-)
I recently got hooked on EB3 and bought a vintage early 70s Japanese Electra 2261 Tritone, and its even cooler than that Stagg. Instead of a pickup selector it comes with a 3 way varitone switch and a bridge mute for even more tone options. It sounds similar to the Stagg I think this particular model was based off of the 1969 EB3 model, cause it has an ashtray over the bridge, and the bridge mute feature. But not even the real Gibsons had a varitone like that. It was the only one for sale on the internet at the time, at least the immediately accessible internet. Really really happy with it, but the neck has been giving me some issues. It is a very used instrument so its not really that much of a surprise
Epiphone EB3 sg bass review?
+AndreaGaming89 It would be my pleasure. As soon as one comes my way.. Cheers Johan
People would often point to the bridge pickup and set neck being the big difference with the epi eb3, but in my experience it's the long scale which makes it the most solid sounding EB in a mix (it is actually a reissue of the EB3L, and has a very Jazz Bass style neck).
I have the epiphone and have to say it Rock's on a great budget. .
+Brandon Hupp yeah it's great value!
The reason why the stagg neck pickup sounds so good is because it’s a single coil pickup 🤘rated at 9.5k which is made by maxon/Greco, look under the pickup cover if you don’t believe me. These “japanbuckers” pickups are one of the best kept secrets from the era, better sounding and engineered than Gibson.
Greco and any other sg type bass from Japan will have this pickup, it’s also on Greco Rickenbacker basses.
Stagg sounds the best! I think the pickup must be wound a lot less than the pickup on the other two.
Hi Alan, actually it is hotter than the other two strangely enough with all that treble
Johan Segeborn Must be a different gauge of wire otherwise the inductance would kill all the highs. An amazing bass either way!
I am still playing my Epiphone Les Paul special bass and happy with it.
A lot of the bass tone comes from the player, not the instrument.
An average bass player will not sound better on a Gibson compared with an Epiphone with a good player.
Practisce hard and often and you too can be a good player on any instrument.
Need a PIO cap in that Epi and I’d be surprised if it didn’t liven up. I agree with you, though. Great comparison! Cheers!
Is it a song what you played or just a yours thing?
I love Gibsons but I have to say the Stagg sounded much better - more volume, more clarity, more sustain, more punch. Would definitely cut through the mix more in my opinion. (Wonder what pickups those are - take them out and put them in the Gibby ha ha)
I'm tied between the Epiphone and Stagg, but ultimately I'd choose the Epiphone cause of how low the price is. They are all beautiful sounding basses though
+Kai Selmser Thanks, yeah it's great value
Cool man thanks for the share! The Gibson and Stagg reminded me of a closed woolier version of my Starfire.
some qualities of a Guild B302 I once had as well
keith ruddell Thanks! Those are great sounding basses, that I actually never have had the oportunity to try. is the jazz bass pickups on the 302? Cheers Johan
Big single coils are found in the B302. Many people consider those pickups the second best ever used in Guilds behind BiSonics.
As I recall the bass sounds mostly like a Gibson of course because it's all mahogany. Also, the clean top end of a J and open midrange qualities of a Ric. They're highly underrated vintage basses and easy to find inexpensive. The bass works for nearly any style as long as dark colors are welcome. The only reason I got rid of mine was because at the time I didn't have a need to own both a B302 and a Starfire.
I always liked Roto 88 tapewounds on EB-3s to bring out their natural wooliness.
My EB-3, Gibson, had a 4 position selector that allowed me to work the sound to get what I was playing at the time Gospel to Heavy metal.....3rd bass in lifetime, after Gibson fire-bird before Fender Jazz leading to Gibson Les Paul recording(favorite) yee-haa I haven't found a post on my favorite yet (Les)
Hi Richard, I have never had an opportunity to play the Recording bass yet. How does it compare to the other Gibson basses?
+Johan Segeborn
The longer scale Firebird worked me while I was learning (started playing at 13), it was kinda stiff but extremely responsive. The pickup went out after 2 years and I wasn't able to replace it with a similar one. The better players I encountered rocked it like you do.
The EB-3 had a shorter scale and suited me better with the 4 position selector because I was also learning the on the 1st of my 6 string Les Goldtops.
When I got to the Recording Les Triumph it was awesome. I loved the short scale, phase shift, hi-lo, 3 position selector, and pickup selection. To me at 26 years, perfect stage play on any venue, outside live, or closed session with direct box through fender recording amp (440 watts) it was fantastic!!!!. Like the Black Beauty Fret-less Wonder you were playing in another vid, one of Gibson's many better productions.
I have a limited Money Bass I play now that is also short scale and a limited Les Goldtop with mini humbuckers. sry so long, feel free to edit
Cool, and it seemed like Les himself really liked the recording guitar since he used it frequently. Cheers
I did some work for a band (1970s) bass player had a Gibson Les Paul®™ bass. It sounded great. Saw one for $300.00, wish I could have bought it. Would like to try a Fender Precision®™ short scale.
That Stagg sounds a bit like a ric. I thought only my Orange O Bass could replicate that haha
My orange sounds better than my Ric...
It is because of the bridge pickup, it must be at higher volume than the one in the Gibson.
What program/track were you playing along to?
To me the Stagg had more upper mids, the Gibson more low end extension and less upper mids ( compared to the Stagg ) and the Epiphone was kind of middle of the road... no upper mid boost and no low end extension. Still, not a bad sounding bass. Might be easier to tucked into a mix. IDK
Great video!!! And nice little jam too!
The Stagg sounds a lot like my Ibanez lawsuit SG eb-3 copy, I also own the Epi eb-0. Even though very similar, I think they all have their own distinctive sound.
Thank you for posting this great video!
gilpi552 Thanks, Glad to hear! Many of those early copies are surprisingly good! Cheers
I really like the Gibson the best, but the Stagg is a good number two.
The Gibson you play on the video has a far better sound as the old EB-3 with the old mud bucker.
The Epi sounds darker in my opinion, not as fat as an old EB-0, but the best sounding one is my one 2014 SG special bass in Chocolate satin :)
Very nice sounding without thick finish.
Again a nice and helpful demo, Thanks Johan !
Thanks Henry! Yeah Gibson did a good job on the reissue.
+Henry Franssen i seriously doubt gibson made a good job on this gibson "SG" reissue. It doesnt even have the old 90s baritone that everyone loved about this bass. Also the pickups are both measured under 10kohms which is pretty weak compared to the old EB3 which was called back then. (eb3 instead of sg) At least the build quality is amazing and they gave it a fair price tag compared to other gibson products.
+Jim Dragon I played a few months on a Gibson SG Bass, the tone was very nice and no weak output at all and the sound was better to juse for different styles than the old EB-3 also a nice weight and nice neck.
But after searching for a few years i buyed a Wal Pro Bass like i had in the late 70's. IMO nothing can compare to this bass.
Hi, are you talking about the Wal pro bass go the Gibson SG bass ?
The stiletto is also a very good bas and nice to see too, i think its no mahogany so it will sound sharper and give you more high and volume too. My Wal is also active, no compare to a passive much cheaper Gibson Bass. Best Henry
This is making me want a Gibson SG bass. :P
Timfine Glad to hear that :-)
I played one at my local guitar center today, and I loved it. My only issue with it was the neck dive. Have you found that to be an issue?
Timfine I play a Gibson SG bass. Previously I had a Epiphone SG. They both tend to nose dive if you don't hold onto it. The Epiphone was way worse than the Gibson. I really love the Gibson and have gotten used to it. I think it's worth it.
S De Falco Thanks! I will keep that in mind. Would you recommend buying one used?
Sure, why not....if it feels right . One of the best basses I ever owned I bought used for 200 dollars.
the Stagg was so much better sounding to me that i had to wonder if you were using the same settings on each bass. Almost a 3D sound compared to the mud of the EBO and a nice but murkier EB3. Ratings: Stagg 10 EB3 7 EB0 2 thanks!
They actually had the same settings. I think the sidewinder of the new EB3/0 is a T-bird pickup in a sidewinder chassis, but I'm not sure. Cheers
Love my eb3, pure bass great with fuzz.
IMO Stagg wins, very punchy sound, I think it would cut nicely through the mix. You can hear that its an old japanese instrument, it sounds a bit deeper in comparison to the newer ones. Great playing as usual :) Cheers !!
rebootver Thanks! Johan
I liked the Gibson best. I thought it had the best sound all around. The epi sounded thin, the stagg sounded good, but didn't knock me out like the Gibson. I liked the sound of the open E on the gibson
+Doug Evans Thanks Doug
The ear will prefer the loudest sound, ie the Stagg..... hard to compare with such a volume contrast.
I bought the Epiphone EB0 and then put a bridge humbucker in it to turn it into a short scale Epi Eb3 - as the Epi EB3 are long scale - great demo's of all the basses and it shows there is not a lot between them all.
Hi! Have you tried them with flats?
+Jvanmax No not yet, but I have played many EB0 with flats and it's so cool. Fits in the mix like a glove and still has a detailed body
I have a great Musicman copy from Stagg. I prefer the copy because it have no active pu's and only one pot for tone and volume.
+Brian steff magnussen we got the same bass. But im planning on changing the pups. Thinking of chaching the default with Plasma pups.
It sounds like a good idea. I like a passive sound, but this Stagg are like anonymous, not weak but also no character
Gibson Eb3 twin pickup. Also better than the old one with the slotted peg head not shown here.
I have a 1971 Aria EB3 that sounds similar to the Stagg.nice bass. I also have a 1971 Gibson EB3L. Very nice also, but two completely different things! That Epi didn’t do much for me :/
Wow I hoped the Epiphone would have sounded better in this comparison. Guess I better save my pennies and dish out the extra for a Gibson. The Stag sounds great and I could only tell it apart from the Gibson on a couple of the riffs.
Defo get the Gibson bro, I have one it's awesome, get the 120th anniversary version it's the best one for sound quality, it's almost thunderbird like
I might be getting a Woodward bass this spring. It'll be a 32"scale SG made by a guy who used to work in Gibson's custom shop. They are making guitars out of reclaimed wood from the Detroit area.
Wow, that sounds interesting!
the old Stagg hands down!
+Bush Mann Thanks! :-)
I think that the Gibson sounded the most balanced of the three. I would chose that one.
AscarinVin Yeah it has a very big sound.
Bit of a Geezer Butler vibe at the end I thought.
Thanks! :-)
MAGNIFICANT basses
Proper low end better with flats
The Stagg has a lot more punch. I'll bet it would sound killer with flats on it.
nerkoids I'll put flats on it and compare, I think you might be right. Cheers Johan
Johan Segeborn careful Johan, once you go 'flat', you never go back...
I preferred the stagg sound, soured more rounded like you could had more to shape verse the gibson and the epiphone.
rockenrollbass Yeah, I liked the Stagg best too, but I was still very impressed by the Gibson. Cheers! Johan
EB-3 are long scale? No?
+Félix Deschambault This one is short scale. I think Gibson built one with a longer scale as well in the early 70s
Well i got me a EB-0 yesterday 'cause of you
Well i got me a EB-0 bass yesterday because of you
The others sound muddy if compared to Stagg. However, any active short scale bass beat all of these.
+onsese joo Hi, so which is your favourite active short scale bass? Cheers Johan
Ibanez, not sure of the exact type but it has wide range of sounds making it suitable for lot of styles.
the Gibson has the best overall tone and clarity, but the stagg sounded good too.
Most Favourited gutar...i love it
Good test,not a lot in it to my ears,all very similar in tone.
The Stagg actually sounded like it has the original Sidewinder Humbucker in it.
Jeremy Ward Yeah, I agree but it doesnt have the exact same dimensions, so its probably the original stagg pickup. Cheers
Johan Segeborn Yeah, just had more of a classic growl to it it seemed.
I think they call sounded great but the Stagg was the best sounding one in my opinion. It's a shame that Stagg now makes some of the crappiest copies of instruments I've played. My friend had two Stagg Les Pauls and they were terrible. It's a shame. That SG EB-3 Stagg sounded downright awesome.
Thanks, yeah they must have shifted strategy towards cheaper stuff somewhere along the line. Cheers
I have en Epiphone eb-3 and I love it
Stagg is not bad, but i prefer Gibson. Epiphone is not impressive at all. Thanks for the demo.
Thanks! Yeah the epi lacks a lot of the spatial definition of the other two. Cheers
You are very good, sir.
Surprised the Stagg sounded Badass!