Epiphone EB-0 to sub for a Rivoli?

[tomhanzo]

I'd like to find a Rivoli, but I haven't had any luck finding one.

I got to thinking about the Epi EB-0. It's basically a Rivoli that isn't hollow body right? Would it sound closer than most other instruments?

How about a Rumble cat? I played one in a shop and thought it sounded fairly close.

$125 for most of them on eBay makes them sound like a cheap risk.

My second bass was an SG bass but that was so long ago that I can't remember the sound.

 

[tomhanzo]

Bump

 

[MAJOR METAL]

Any interest in an Epiphone Jack Casady? Its a hollowbody and the pickup in the Casady is far more versatile than the Rivoli, for my playing at least.

 

[fenderslaper]

I would think a EB-O would get you close enough, if that's the sound you need. The Cassidy would be for me, a much better fit.

 

[petrus61]

I would look at a used Ibanez Artcore. Closest you'll get on that budget. The EB isn't going to sound anything like a Rivoli....mainly because the pups are NOT what they used to be. The JC was a good recommendation.

 

[tomhanzo]

I have played the JC and it is the best sounding bass I've played in person. I just figured I could buy an old Gibson pickup and put it in the EB0 to get the short scale same pick up going for me.

 

[tomhanzo]

Is the famous Rivoli sound more about the hollow body than pick up and short scale?

 

[johnp352]

Is the famous Rivoli sound more about the hollow body than pick up and short scale?

great question.

short scale, pickup ..and don't forget STRINGS, depending on what sound you are going for, which is the key to your question...Also amp to finish that off. Do you use a pick? fingerstyle?

These are the group of variables that determine things a lot more than a hollow body.

I have been looking at eb2's and Rivs a lot lately, trying to answer your same question..Guilds too.

 

[LordRyan]

I wanted something like a Rivoli, too. The closest I found was the Italia Torino and I'm very happy with it. Semi-hollow, short-scale, and large neck-position pickup.

 

[Calexia13]

Hi,

I recently got my rivoli out of it's case in almost a year ( I had put it away as I was not happy with it). The person who said string choice matters, was not kidding. When I bought it, it had chromes on it, which I have never liked. I bought some sadowsky flat wounds on it and changed the pickup to a gibson modern "mudbucker" which is nothing like a sidewinder mudbucker, but I left the choke in, and it sounds awesome. I almost got rid of it too. Anyway, with that set up I can get the Animals tone, the Yardbirds tone, and pretty much any british invasion tone, even some motown. The Casady for me, while a great bass, can not get that tone, I think because of the scale, the strings aren't as "bouncy" for lack of a better word. What tone are you going for that you have your heart set on a rivoli? Mine is 90's and is red. It's a one or two trick pony but sometimes that's all you need. Let's you concentrate on your playing instead of flicking switches.

Good luck, I think if you keep looking you will find one!

By the way mine is sort of heavy, I saw one as sam ash in torrance a few months back, and it was lighter than mine, way lighter, say maybe 2 lbs.

 

[gollygeeswell]

Great thread. I too have been looking for the magical Animals/Yardbirds bass sound
Answers to my on thread on this subject have come up like this (the most voted or well described basses (I woul still like to hear opinions on Eastwood and Waterstone and Italia:
Hofner - Violin, Club, Verythin
Guild Star bass
Framus Wyman model (Framus Star Bass))
Epiphone Allen Woody
Vox Sidewinder (PRICEY)
Warwick Rockbass Star

 

[Dr Improbable]

I have found the Epi Eb 0 to be a lot brighter than I think it should be. I had a late 60's EB-0 back in the day, and with roundwounds it still grunted and groaned vintage style. IMO the Squire VM Precision TB has a better humbucker than an EB-0 reissue: