Epiphone Viola Bass Review

Quite Delightful

As a guitarist who needed a relatively inexpensive bass that still feels/sounds good, this is pretty much perfect for me. Had it for about a year now and have gathered thoughts on it. Having it be short scale ~30" is perfect because I've always felt very uncomfortable on standard scale length basses. I don't have to actively look at the neck when playing this, it just falls under… read more my fingers well. Sounds/feels great with flatwounds (I use Labella) and I mainly use the neck pickup as it sounds way nicer to me. The tuners are fine, they hold tune surprisingly well for an inexpensive bass. The only flaw in this bass is really just a flaw in the Hofner basses that this is emulating, which is the bridge. It's just a one piece bridge so one or two of your strings are going to be slightly off in terms of intonation. That being said, you can move it to the best position and if you mark around the wooden piece you'll know where it's best intonated in case it gets bumped around. In addition to that, because the bridge has the four metal pieces on it, you can move the strings slightly closer or further which helps get them more intonated as well. Probably doesn't help that I'm using year old strings but they sound amazing so whatever. All in all, totally worth getting, and is really comfortable if you're coming from guitar.

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Just excellent

I've had this bass for several months now and I have to say I love it! The neck is slim and really comfortable and easy to play. You can get a lot of different tones from it by mixing the pickup volumes. Can't say anything bad about it, for the money it's awesome. Here's a couple tracks that I used it on for the bass.

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Exceeded Expectations

I've always loved the tone from Hofners. Had a chance to play a few older ones, but they were way out of my price range. Had a chance to borrow a friends "Ignition Serie" Hofner. It was awful. In fact that's why he let me borrow it. He hated it. Horrendous fretwork, terrible intonation. Even with proper bridge placement. The electronics were unfortunate. I played a brand new Epiphone… read more Viola and fell in love. The tone was there, even with roundwounds on it. It played so well. Now that I've had it for a few months, put a set of flats on it, I can't put it down. It took a little experimenting with pickup height to get the tone, balance and sustain that the instrument is capable of producing. At first, I could not get the amazing tone that it produces acoustically to translate through amplification. Now it's there. I thought I would have to put some work in on the frets, upgrade the pickups. but NOPE. It's perfect just the way it came. It can produce that McCartney sound, that Tame Impala doink and allows for melodic playing that most basses can't match. But in addition, it can really drop down and give you punch and thump. As well as a bit of growl with hints of a kind of baby upright sound. It also takes to pedals very well and if you have access to Waves Abbey Road Saturator.... look no further for recording this thing. Longest review I've ever written!!

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Great sound, great looking.

First purchase made at sweetwater,but not the last.viola was out of stock and lsreal would send the viola as soon as possible. His word is solid gold,got it and am enjoying playing.thanks to Israel will continue to use sweetwater, thanks again.

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Unbelievable

First off I am the last guy who was looking for a "Beatle Bass". But this thing is amazing. Its finish is beautiful. luxurious actually. I am primarily an old school synthesist (Floyd, ELP, Genesis, YES, you get the idea). and was very concerned that it just wouldnt fit in my mixes. but it does, actually I'm pretty sure it can find its way into almost any role. I was primarily… read more interested in a nice low "round" sound with little mid or high pluck. And man does it deliver. But it doesn't lack in the bright plucky tones either or any thing in between. I am running it through a "PreSonus Studio Channel" then into my interface with a little bit of room ambiance reverb. Wow! If your not familiar with the Studio Channel take the time to find out about it-its the most useful piece of outboard gear for a small studio you can buy... Its a perfect pre for a bass. The short scale is perfect for a guitar player but doesn't lack in a rich bottom end. looks great, plays great and sounds wonderful. If you're worried that it looks too retro for a modern studio dont be. It will quickly stop looking old school and will soon become your studios workhorse. I cant say enough about this instrument...Its just incredible. I dont know how the marketing folks at Epiphone thought it should be priced at only $... Its worth way more.

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