A fascinating and exceptionally rare piece from Epiphone's early '60s catalogue, this 1962 Newport EBS-6 is one of only 17 ever produced - an elusive six-string bass from the golden era of Kalamazoo-made Epiphones.

Built at the Gibson factory alongside its Gibson-branded counterparts, the EBS-6 shares much of its DNA with the EB-series basses of the time, but was desinged as a six-string instrument tuned E-to-E, an octave below standard guitar aki to Fender's Bass VI release a year earlier. This is a fantastic tool - playable, intuitive bass with a full, rich tone and a very pleasant vintage thump!

This example featuers a solid mahogany double-cut body with a set mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. The scale length is short, making it easy under the fingers and wonderfully slinky to play. The single Pat no. mini-humbucker placed at the neck position, deliveres fat, rounded lows with heaps of vintage warmth and a strong fundamental presence.

It retains its original hardware and electronics, with honest vintage wear throughout that only adds to the vibe. The finish has faded and there are knocks and dings as you can see from the photos. Two exposed holes remain from a removed thumb rest and there is some superficial separation to the treble side headstock wing. It has a very comfortable chunky/round C profile that fills the hand and gives the bass a robust feel. It's a great playing bass that covers a lot of ground, and overall it's really inspiring to play.

Whether you're a vintage collector chasing rare production runs or a studio player looking for a seriously cool secret weapon with real character, this Newport EBS-6 is an exceptional find! Comes complete with a period Selmer case.