Mike Watt Introduction

Mike Watt with a heavily customised Gibson EB3 (2004) - Photo courtesy of Peter Whitfield

By John Fertig, March 2007 Mike Watt is a punk rock legend, carving new musical ground with his band Minutemen that was cut tragically short in a car accident with the death of the guitarist and childhood friend D. Boon. Watt went on to form the band fIREHOSE that built it's own following. Post fIREHOSE, Watt has played and/or recorded with a long list of musicians including: Porno for Pyros, J Mascis and the Fog, Banyan, Rickie Lee Jones, Dave Grohl, Frank Black, Eddy Vedder and Thurston Moore. More recently he has put out solo records aswell as playing and recording with Iggy Pop & The Stooges, Kelly Clarkson, and his own bands Secondmen, Missingmen, and his longest running band (formed in 1986); a two-bass-only band Dos.
Mike talks to FlyGuitars about his music, his Gibson bass guitars, and their many modifications...

FlyGuitars Tell me about your approach to bass playing and music in general?

Mike Watt a lot of it comes from playing with D. Boon. When we were boys (I'm 49), we were used to arena rock in the 70's, and we were too far away to see the tuners. You could see in pictures they had four tuners. We knew they had four strings, but we did not know they were bigger, so I played a guitar with four strings, 'til I saw a real bass when I was 16. I started when I was 13. I really could not hear the bass on records except for Jack Bruce, John Entwistle, Jamerson, R&B and Larry Graham - could hear the bass on that, just the way songs were written for the bass. You could hear Entwistle on the bass (laughs) and that Wheels Of Fire, that Cream, where they played Crossroads. In fact I saw pictures of Jack Bruce, I saw him playing with a Gibson EB-3. So at 16 I got a real bass. I did not know a Gibson/Fender. A lot of stuff was sold in record stores and it was hard to find Gibson & Fenders, there were no Guitar Centers back then. You had to go to Hollywood.

Punk came and that was a real mind blow for us. The club scene came back. You could stand right up there and see the bass and feel the bass. In those days the PA was used for singers, so they would have 8 SVTs with drummers, with no monitors. Punk comes and we find we should be writing songs.

Minutemen

Mike Watt in 1979 with his slotted headstock Gibson EB3 - playing with The Reactionaries (photo by Sedillo).

FlyGuitars Your first recorded band, Minutemen created their own type of music...

Mike Watt Hearing Punk Records from England like Wire, where they would have no song structure, making what they want. Music is what ever you want it to be. It was trippy too because there was a lot of women in those bands. Which the only female bass player I ever saw back then was Suzie Quatro.

With punk in the early 70's, everyone was on a level playing field, everyone was lame. The guitar was just textures with the bass driving it along. The bass was very prominent in those bands. With Minutemen we were putting our thoughts on how the band was going to be structured. He (D. Boon) would not play barre cords and played trebly. He would give me a lot of room, a three-way tie, kind of.

Building a whole from the parts, like a conversation, not just a support. Boon said we are going to have a conversation. Kinda like osmosis. We would not have to worry about trying to show each other up. Like John Coltrane, he kept practicing, so what I try to do is put myself in challenging situations.

Youtube Video Clips
Mike Watt playing with the Minutemen - click the images to view clips

Two videos by the Minutemen in which Mike uses an EB3L. Left - This Ain't No Picnic. Right - King of the Hill

Gibson bass guitars for sale

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Gibson EB-3 Cherry Mod 1969 Electric Bass Guitar Original Case Slotted Head Art

El Segundo, California, 902**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3500

Beautiful stunning EB three Gibson guitar Bass original case, one lady owner, left as found 1970s i??ll let the Pictures do the talking or the playing ! Enjoy laurence & sally of StorageWars and baggage battles currently www roundthebend tv
... more

"1973" Vintage Cherry "GIBSON EB-3" with OHSC Serial #056076 in Great Condition

Riverside, California, 925**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3795

Here we a have a Pre-Owned Excellent Condition 1973 VINTAGE GIBSON EB-3 BASS. I Just put it through the Shop to make sure everything is up to snuff. I am very meticulous when it comes to my gear, I baby my stuff. Everything is in perfect working order. I just had it completely set up with brand New FENDER FLATOUND 45-100'S so it plays wonderful. Truss Rod is in good working condition Neck is Straight action is perfect. (I like the action low) so it set perfect and plays like a dream. All the ... more

1967 Gibson EB-3 Vintage Short Scale SG Bass, 100% Original

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3200

Up for sale, a 1967 Gibson EB-3 in 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with a padded softshell case. Introduced in 1961 and crafted at Gibson??s Kalamazoo factory, the EB-3 features a short 30 1 / 2?? scale length, mute-equipped bridge, dual pickups, and gloss Cherry nitro lacquer finish
Described in the 1967 Gibson catalog as ??the ultimate in an ultra thin, hand contoured solid body Gibson Electric Bass, ?? the EB-3 sports solid mahogany construction with a ... more

1969 Gibson EB3 Bass Guitar- 100% Original with Original Case

Glastonbury, Connecticut, 060**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3700

One owner, bought new in 1969 from Quigly Music in Kansas City with original Gibson Case. One small strap rub on back with minor finish scratches on back as seen in photos.... more

Gibson EB-3 SG Short Scale Bass Vintage 1969-70 Refinished / Modified

West Chester, Pennsylvania, 193**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3000

vintage 1969-70 Gibson EB-3 SG Short Scale Bass. Refinished. Does not include a case
The varitone switch has been modified / replaced with a 10-position switch. The original "1 2 3 4" poker chip is missing. The bridge cover is missing, and those holes were filled (likely at the time of refinishing). Pot Code 1377018 indicates CTS (137) and 18th week of 1970. Wiring appears original but likely resoldered at some point. Original Schaller machines. Original pickups
Logo and Crown Inlay are ... more

GIBSON 1968-7O SLOT-HEAD EB-O EB-3 BASS CASE BLACK TOLEX RED LINING VERY CLEAN!

Berlin, New Hampshire, 035**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$349

FREE USA SHIPPING!
(for a limited time)
This month The Bass Palace will be listing 15 to 20 vintage cases from The Swami's own personal collection. Most of these are in primo condition and some are actually NOS. There are even some seldom-seen ones to be offered. These are the cream-of-the-crop if you are looking for a case worthy of your own special instrument. As an intro I am offering FREE shipping to the lower 48 thru 11 / 15 (a $40-60 savings)! But make no mistake, once the sale ... more

Gibson EB-3 Bass Guitar 1967

Horncastle, LN9***, UNITED KINGDOM

£2950

The Gibson EB-3 is a bass guitar introduced in 1961 and discontinued in 1979. It was produced at Gibson's plant in Kalamazoo, MI It features a slim SG-style body, a short 30 5" scale, and two pick up's (a large humbucking pickup in the neck position and a mini humbucker pickup in the bridge position). The electronics include a four-way rotary pickup selector switch (for Series 1 basses: neck pickup with midrange notch, bridge, bridge and neck with low end rolled off neck pickup, neck pickup with... more

1965 Gibson EB-3 Bass Guitar

Farnham, GU10***, UNITED KINGDOM

£3950

Available now is this 1965 Gibson EB3. One of only 339 shipped in that year, and one of even fewer that made it this side of the pond
The EB-3, widely known as the classic Cream bass, was used and made most famous by Jack Bruce from blues-rock pioneers 'Cream' around 1967 onwards. He had a few of them over that time period, but his main and most photographed instrument was a matching '65. The spacing between the control knobs was changed in 1965 to match the guitar line, so only a percentage... more

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