Epiphone Viola Bass

see epiphone for details. I'm not going to repeat what others have said.

I play a lot of Beatles- I'm a beatles freak (specifically paul, i imitate him a lot) so this guitar suits my style. Sound is very Paul McCartney- ish. It has that classic fat round vintage 60's sound- good for both stage and studio. mine's not really noisy at all- no buzzing etc. its very warm and rich in sound. I really like it. I don't see any reason why I shouldn't like it.
I'd give it an 11 out of 10 but you'd know I would be lying because you can't go any higher than 10 if the scale is only up to 10 so i'd say its 10 out of 10.

I don't know why people complain about the action, fit, and finish. i got mine brand new so i think that's the reason why it didn't have any flaws. action was a bit high but i think its ok because it's trying to imitate the hofner. bridge is not glued but again hofner's bridge isn't glued either and its supposed to be an imitation so i dont see why some people would need to complain about this. some people complain about pickups but mine sounds good and flawless, and theres no buzzing on the frets. i guess if you buy it in a second hand shop, it's probably a different story but again, i dont see why people would give it less than a 10 for having scratches etc. of course its going to have scratches and some flaws if its in a second hand store. its been tainted and abandoned by an uncaring- who- knows-irresponsible- owner. i think this bass is just perfect as it is. Give it some loving you all. Love it for what it is not for what it looks. it's a bass that looks like paul's bass. isn't that enough?

i've used this bass live without a backup and it hasn't caused me any problems. it looks pretty solid to me. I actually hit a friend with it to see if its solid enough. and yup. its made of wood. I really think it could withstand anything... well... except if i smash it on the floor of course but i guess the best advice i could give is that its durability will depend on how well you take care of it- really. if you want, you can abandon it in your wet basement in a chair somewhere for months or you could leave it in your car during the winter if you really want to test how durable it is. it's really up to you. but it think this bass is a baby and it needs a lot of spoiling so if i were you id buy the hard shell case, keep it close to your bed at room temperature, and give it some loving with daily cleaning and polishing.
reliability, i think this baby is very reliable. it wont leave you hanging that's for sure- unless you go out of bounds and experiment this baby for what it was not created to do (punk, fusion, metal etc.)- especially slapping. who would slap a baby anyway. you dont slap a baby furiously, you handle it with care.

to tell you the truth they're not the smiling type but again you cant really judge a person just because they're not the smiling type- or can you? well, i really never had to deal with them so i have nothing to give. i'm loss at this one.

my main instrument is really the guitar. i've been a guitar player for 9 years. I've just recently learned how to play the bass. I'm 21 but I play mostly oldies like the beatles and I play a lot of gigs. anyways, I may not have a lot of experience playing the bass just as i have with guitar but I know a very good bass when i hear one. It still puzzles me how you people could give this bass such a bad review. I think it deserves a 10. anything lesser than 9.9 is a blasphemy! remember that you have to judge the bass on the context of what it was made for. It was made to look like Paul McCartney's bass, to sound like Paul McCartney's bass, and to play Paul McCartney songs. I don't know why you have to complain about the bridge not being glued. It's supposed to be an imitation of the hofner 500/1 right? isn't the hofner's bridge detached too? I don't know why you have to bring punk and heavy metal music in the scene. It's clearly not intended for that kind of music so its unfair to deduct marks just because it cant do it. it's like deducting marks for a porsche just because it cant cross the pacific ocean. i think this is a totally perfect bass. the best sounding bass I've ever had. i love everything about it. you should all be thankful that epiphone was nice and generous enough to give us such a beautiful looking and sounding bass at such a cheap price. i wonder when would they start selling those nice gibson les paul for around the same price... but again i think thatys asking too much and i better silence myself before they wake up and raise the price of this viola bass.

Not sure what year. 99 or 00. Flamed Vintage Sunburst Finish. 1 tone knob and two volume knobs. 2 mini humbuckers, set neck. Came with really nice hardshell case and padded strap with strap locks.

What more can I say? Its the best sounding one ive heard. (no lie) well compared to $1000 basses and lower. Not noisy at all. Nice full sound. Sounds really good for any style.

Everything great accept for the bridge. I wish they would have attached it to the guitar. Mine is still with the original strings after 2 years and the bridge is not connected to the body. That can be done easily however.

Its Epiphone and has a lifetime warranty. I would take a backup if I had one because you always need 2 guitars in my opinion. Very dependable. Love It.

Never had to deal with them

Love it. If it was stolen or anything happened to it I would buy it all over again.

Same as all the other Epiphone Violas, a detailed page of the bass will give you a better spec. pic. Bought in 2002...assumedly released the same year. No case, not even a box. It was a "new" floor model. Whatever that means.

Stripped down, just like its role-model.

The bass is perfect for me. I am a singer-songwriter and I just need something to lay down basic bass tracks with (I play guitar and piano). Being a big McCartney fan I decided if I gotta have a bass it's gotta be this one.

I'm sure it will rock out live. I have no worries. It's so warm and inviting. When played along with Sir Paul the tone can be almost identically matched. If you're good enough you'll have difficulty telling apart Paul from yourself.

Just play "Jet" over and over and over and over!!!

The two volume knobs are kind of annoying, I miss the old Hofner switch. I belive the Rogue has that. Otherwise, who cares.

My bass buzzes on the third fret (G) first string and every once in a while elsewhere. However, I'm not a bass player and I tend to be a little rough. Needless to say, it needs a good set up.

Don't pick too close to the bridge or else you'll pull the string out of it's notch. Well, if you play like an idiot like me.

This sucker is solid. Sure it's lighter than your typical GRAPHITE neck bass, but it's still a little hefty. I don't mind though...it's built to last!

The finish is so shiny and perfect. I can't keep myself from polishing it after every use. I hope I can keep it that way forever!!!

The strapbuttons seem just dandy, however I am having them replaced with security locks for, ummmmmm, extra security.

I would totally gig without a back-up. Mostly, because it's my only bass. I see no problems wandering in a gig with just this sucker.

Now hear this folks!!! I got this baby at Guitar Center. As previously stated I am not a pro bass player, I just coulden't help buying this for my particular needs. After discovering the Rogue Viola (and after reading rave reviews about that!) I decided to bring back my Epi and buy the Rogue. Saving myself over $200 (Rogue $229 vs. Epi. $450). On my way out the manager said, "Hey man...those basses are built in the same factory." I said, "So what man...get outta my way." He said, "I'll give you the epi. for the same price as the Rogue."

I didn't hang around. I bough the Epi. back for $218 (ASCAP discount). I don't know what that's all about, but try to make a price comparison with the Rogue. Maybe you'll get lucky like me.

I did, however, order the case too. It has been over a month and they still don't have it in!!! ANNOYING!!!

I love this bass! It's always sounding the way I want it to sound. Very user freindly. It's cozy and gorgous and unique!

If (God Forfend) it was stolen I would buy a Rogue. Sorry, it's supposed to be great and it's cheapo as hello. Especially after going throug what I went through.

It's a great instrument, considering it's manifacturing origins. It's light, the distance between the frets it's short, that makes it easier to play( at least for me).

looks a lot like Hofner bass, excellent for Beatle fans.

Maybe I would change the head, and the tuners, it would look better with old-style looking tuners.

it is great for rock'n Roll blues and maybe jazz. it's not a slapping bass, estrictly for smooth playing.

It can last for years, of course depends on how you treat it.

until now, I haven't need assistance, but I live in Mexico, so it's hard to find Specialized Epiphone assistance here.

In general it's great, one of my most preciated objects, I'd never sell it, except perhaps if someone trades it me for an original Hofner with Paul McCartney's signature.

Hollow-body,violin shape. Vintage sunburst finish with cream binding. Two mini-humbucker pickups. Floating bridge and short scale neck.

This bass suits my style, Beatles, early Stones all the 60's stuff.I generaly use my front pickup with my tone turned down to replicate this sound, but you can get a bright funky sound by turning up the bridge pick up and turning the tone up. I also put flat-wound strings on, which is what this bass needs to shine! Some reviews have mentioned feedback but I have yet to experience any myself. The only thing you can't do with this bass is slap, but I'm not a slapper so it ain't no thing.

It came set up pretty good, but I made a couple changes to suit my style. As I mentioned I put a set of Dean Markly flat-wounds on, which I belive is the way it should be shipped. I also lowerd my action down the 3/32.Turners are great,stays in tune very well.

I belive this is a very solid bass. I do use it without a back up and I'v had no problems. I did put strap locks on though.

When I first got it the front pickup did,nt work, I had a new in a couple days, so far no complaints. It does have a liftime warranty.

I have been playing for 30 years and I've played a varity of bass's and owned my share of Fenders(which is a nice bass to, but that's for another time),but I truly love this bass. To me it is the classic style of what a bass should look, feel and sound like. It looks like a miniture stand up bass. It's a very comfortable bass to play, light weight, narrow short scale neck.If it were stolen I would replace it with another Viola, in a heartbeat!

See it at epiphone.com.GREAT FINISH!

The sound of this bass is very punchy and vintage,there is a little buzz with the pickups but it's not so important!Not only for classic rock,this bass is great for modern rock,punk or experimental music,maybe not for metal and the heavy things it's true...

Great!the hardware is very beautiful.Hey!This is an EPIPHONE VIOLA!!!

The strap buttons are good for me,I think I will gig with this bass!Why a backup??$$

I play bass since 4 years,this is the best bass I own,I like my epiphone viola!Not a copy of a Hofner bass!Great and Beatiful!

1997 Epiphone Viola, laminated mapel body, flame maple top. Mapel set neck with rosewood fingerboard. Two mini-humbucker pickups, chrome hardware. 30.5" scale, 22 frets, one tone and two volume controll knobs. Adjustible bridge, chrome butterfly tuners, great finish.
Came with Epiphone hardshell case.
The only two things that i would have made different would be the head design and the controll setup.
I'm also big on pickguards, since this bass hasn't one from factory i made my own from a sheet of pickguard material and a reshapped pickguard holder for a Epiphone Less Paul.

I play all McCartneys walking bass lines in all the Beatles songs, along with all their LP's, or with my fellow guitarist. I also have a reissue 63 Hofner 500/1, two 2000 Rogues, 60's Univox Lectra, 60's green Greco w/F holes, 70's Crestwood.
The Hofner of coarse when played along with the Beatles albums has the exact vintage sound that only a Hofner can produce. But with the string change i made on my Viola to a better stainless steel flatwound, the Viola does a very good job when played along with the Beatles albums.
My Viola when being played has never had any static or any other sound problems.
This bass in my opinion is just as good either in the studio or on stage.
The amp i'm using for the basses is a vintage 1970 Fender Bassman 135 piggy-back.

Factory setup works very good, authough i did lower the bridge just a bit as i like a low action. Pickup adjustment was good, overall condition of the bass i found to be very good. No flaws, nothing loose, good chrome plating, great slick finish. Controlls work smooth with no problem.

Everything about this bass, hardware, finish, electronics, body and neck in my opinion will last a lifetime----again that depends on how well you take care of it ???
This is a bass that you can depend on without having to have a back-up bass.
As far as having the neck adjusted----i've never had to !!!

Never had any problems.

I've been playing 30+ years.
Other gear i have is another vintage 1968 Fender Bandmaster piggy-back amp. Six string guitars, 97 Epiphone Dot 335 in sunburst, 99 Epiphone Less Paul in sunburst, 65 Rocket Harmony 3 pick-up arch top style in red, 2000 Crestline 335 in maroon, 2001 Johnson acoustic in blueburst.
If anything ever happened to the Viola---even though i have other basses i'd replace it, its just as much fun to play as my other violin basses. Authough the Viola is a bit heavier than all the other copys its still comfortable to use. The Hofner is a much lighter weight bass than ALL COPY'S, also a Hofner is much more delicate bass.
Theres nothing i can truly say that i hate about this bass.
As far as comparing it to other basses----i have the other violin shape basses to compair it to----JUST AS WELL MADE----SOUNDS JUST AS GOOD !!!!!!!
The only other bass that i'm currently getting is a reissue 1961 Hofner Cavern.

Recently manufactured. Retro-Violin (Hofner) shape.
No markings as to where or when it was made.
Four string, hollow body, short-scale, fretted, set neck.
Two mini-humbucking pickups, two volume, one tone control(s).
Mother of Pearl inlays on Logo, Dots and control panel.
Maple with a tobacco burst finish with body binding.
Rosewood fretboard and bridge. Thinner neck syle.
High quality sealed tuners. No hardcase available!!! :(
It would be nice if it had on/off switches for the Bass and Treble
pickups like the Hofner and Rogue versions.

I generally play classic rock. Alot of Beatles, Apples In Stereo and such. I also play modern Jazz. It has that classic McCartney/Hofner sound down cold! Nice deep bass, a bit darkish though and it
can be made to sound 'snotty'. Flatwounds are silky smooth, but are
probably keeping it from making any top end. However, Flats are what
this bass needs in order for it to sound 'right'.
The pickups are a bit noisy with some low level hum and buzz.
I think a different capacitor value on the tone pot might be a tweek one should investigate as well.
I mainly use a Acme B-1 Bass Cabinet and a 300 watt Acoustic Image
Class-D Amp. They make for a great, small full-range combination.

I purchased this used, so I am not sure how well Epiphone originally
set it up. The intonation and neck were perfect. Slightly floppy,
but evenly so across all four strings; right for this type of bass.
There was absolutely no dead spots or any fret buzzing at all.
Neck pickup was a little to low. Slight re-adjustment improved
bass response on Low-E. Finish was flawless, save for one light
surface mark on the back by someone's belt buckle and one very
small dimple on the side of the neck. Note here that my bass'
headstock was stamped as being a factory '2nd'. :/
All hardware was first rate and everything was tight and well-made.
I did replace the 1/4" cheapy jack with a USA Switchcraft piece.
All guitar companies seems to overlook this one important area.
Given the low price these things sell for, they are a bargain!

Live playing reliability...hmmmm...that is a tough question.
Well...since Gibson/Epiphone has stupidly decided to not offer a hardshell case for this, I dunno.
The hardware seems to be first rate.
The strap buttons are okay, but could be better.
The wood-stains and assembly are first rate.
The final finish on the wood seems even and fairly thick.
So far the neck hasn't moved around on me. Yes, If I could secure a
good hardshell case for it, I would take it with me on a gig without
a backup bass.

I haven't had any personal experience with Gibson or Epiphone's customer support departments. However, I've been told it's not good.

I have been playing bass since 1971. I also own a early 80's Fender
P-Bass (Candy Red-Pearloid pickgaurd) with a butterscotch maple neck.
The Epiphone makes a great option to the Fender. Totally different
feel and sound between the two of them! :)
Would I buy another one? In a heartbeat!
I have always wanted a Hofner but didn't want to let loose of the
big bucks to buy one. I'd be afraid to play it! ;)
This fits the bill nicely, thank you!

Check it out at www.epiphone.com

Came together with a cable.

Basically, it sounds good when my group plays old school stuffs such as songs from the Beatles, Led Zep etc. We're not really a hardcore/punk/thrash metal outfit, so the sound of the bass really kinda suits what we play. I'm using it through a 90watt Marshall amp, sometimes with a Fuzz effect (sounds good for that 70s rock sound!!).
It has a very fat and plummy sound...yup, a la Mccartney. Been using it for studio recordings and several performances on stage. Sounds REALLY great if you're into retro stuffs. Applicable for modern music too, alternatives and stuffs...but certainly not for the heavy ones.

Everything seems to be in perfect order. Typical Epiphone features.
Great instrument ....what can I say?

YEAH.....if you can lock the straps. You see, with a heavy neck and headstock, you'll probably have to adjust your bass position every once in a while....it'll make a good stage instrument. The finish is marvellous....the sunburst finish will last long. I would certainly use it in a gig....with a backup.

Nope. Never contacted the company.

I've been playing the guitar/bass for 2 years already. I also own another bass, the YAMAHA ERB 300 (great for heavy metal!!). I should've asked about the availability of the hardcase, since it's very hard to find a suitable case for the Viola here in Malaysia. I'll definitely buy it again if something happened to it. This bass suits people who has small hands like me and it is a very huge advantage for people who has bigger hands due to the small frets and neck. The bass always slant towards the headstock...plus the handrest makes my arm numb. I like every feature on it, simply excellent. Nothing compares to this one...except the Hofner 500/1( But seriously/ honestly it sure beats Hofner in terms of sound, durability, feel, looks...as it is the the modernised version of the Hofner bass) ...but then again, it's perfect for those who want a Hofner but couldn't afford the real thing.

I had the opportunity to play my friend's Viola bass both onstage and off and can attest to what everyone else says about it. For a Korean instrument, it is well-built and looks great. The hard case is a recommended optional purchase as this is not an instrument to drop or leave leaning on an amplifier. I'd also recommend a humidifier for those living in dry climates because the bass is light enough to be affected by climate changes.
I can't tell you what wood it's made of, and I suspect if I opened it up I'd find lower-quality electronics inside, but once you plug and play this instrument, I tell you none of that really matters - the SOUND is THERE!
What else? I measured the scale at 32 inches, not the 30.5 inches claimed in the literature, but this is a plus for intonation purposes as tuning a 30-30.5-inch scale bass is an exercise in patience and persistence.

It does Paul Mc Cartney and Jack Bruce very, very well! This is a 60s-sounding bass but the quality of the electronics and the lightweight body makes this sing. Beats out my '69 and '71 Gibson EB-3s without a hitch, and it's inexpensive enough to own a spare to leave at home. I've also used it with a Zoom BFX-708 to fatten up the tone a little and compress the sound a little, but it's not necessary. No noise, no f-holes to feed back (sorry, Hofner fans, this is why I can't handle a Hofner at any price). Speaking of the EB-3s, there is "THAT sound" that I used to think only came from a vintage EB-3 on overdrive (the growl that Bruce gets on the Wheels of Fire live cuts) but I was able to duplicate it onstage using a little compression from the Zoom pedal and a little extra bass tone from an SWR Workingman's 15 combo. Surprises a LOT of bass players, especially the Fender-cats.

Action is fine, but I'm not crazy about a wooden bridge that uses little metal fret-pieces to set intonation - kinda limits your string choices there. I made the mistake of removing all the strings at once to do a good polish job and spent the better part of an hour trying to get a new set of strings to hold the bridge in place. It is NOT RECOMMENDED you do this! I replaced the Korean-string set (speaks for itself, but it did deviver some good tone) with a set of Dean Markley light groundwounds, and that worked very well - I got better intonation on the E and A strings than with the original set.
Flaws? Couldn't find any, except for the non-intonabloe retro-bridge, but this is surprisingly a very tunable instrument.

DEFINITELY an instrument that sings live! I'd swap the wooden bridge for one that can be fine-tuned, but that might spoil the retro-look and sound. I'm not a fan of Korean guitar hardware but you get your money's worth. I'd change the strap buttons to Schallers or Straploks as insurance - I've dropped too many instruments im my time not to do that.
I own a few Epiphones, and although they're not Gibsons they're built to hold up to roadwork and storage. If Gibson built one of these it'd have to sell for $800 up and you'd get some incremental upgrades, but hey, this baby rocks as it out of the box!
My gigs are a combination of retro and new tunes, and I'd still bring a slap-bass with roundwounds anyway, but this baby is a pleasure to wear and light on the shoulders - you working stiffs know what I mean.

I've learned in my time that you don't expect much help from a company once you buy an import instrument - you're on your own. I'd locate a good local guitar tech (ask around, there are too many adequate ones making a living in guitar stores these days) and have him/her check it out for neck twists and other nightmares. As most states have a "lemon law" that gives you a few days to get your purchase examined, I'd have the guitar tech lined up before I bought the bass. Also I'd recommend you play 3 or 4 of the same instrument at the store (never mind the salesman, he's paid to sit there and help you and if he doesn't, go to another store!) because chances are the floor-demo model isn't the best one in stock.

Let's see - 29 years of weekend gigs, about 9-10 working basses and another 30 in storage, a dozen amps of all sizes... if I kept everything I ever bought I'd have my own music store! Despite the obvious limitations and risks in buying a foreign-built instrument, Epiphone has better quality-control than most out there and this is one of their best basses out there.
I own some nice Alembics, Fenders, Gibsons and Pedullas but I work with Ibanez, Yamaha and a '76 P-Bass that's ready for retirement - I don't make enough to hire a roadie and I've had a few pieces of gear "grow feet and run away" if you know what I mean. I'm sold on this one!