1973 Gibson EB3 Bass
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The fretboard changed from 21 frets to unbound rosewood 20 frets with pearloid dot fret markers. However there were some 21 fret 1973's leftover from 1972 stock. Sometime after April the bridge began transitioning from a two pole tune-o-matic with metal intonation saddles to a three pole with no mutes, still including a chrome bridge cover.
Other 1973 EB3 characteristics: Larger headstock including gold silkscreened Gibson logo with "i" dot connected to the "G" and open "o", two screw plastic truss rod cover with no model name, unbound rosewood fretboard with pearloid dot fret markers, short scale glued in neck, "MADE IN U.S.A." stamp on back of headstock beneath the serial number, Schaller M4-S open gear tuners, volute on headstock back, large chrome four pole humbucker pickup with black plastic surround positioned away from the neck butt plus a second four pole chrome mini-humbucker pickup with black plastic surround near the bridge, black/white/black/white pickguard with curve at bottom end, four position varitone chicken-head selector switch, four silver top/black witch hat shaped knobs with numbers, volume/tone words and metal position pointers, CTS potentiometers, small "red drop" capacitors, input jack on body front, strapholder on body back, five screw plastic controls access cover on body back, molded black hard case with purple interior or chipboard case with red interior.
Gibson shipped a total of 1160 Cherry, 10 Ebony, 24 Natural and 572 Walnut EB3's in 1973. For 1973 serial numbers see the "Gibson Serial Number Chart". For more precise dating cross reference the serial number with the instrument's potentiometer codes.