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Epiphone Jack Casady VS Epiphone Viola Bass VS Zenith Bass

H

heavyguitarero

Jun 7, 2010
4
0
37
Marseille, France
#1
Hello from France, everybody ! Glad to be new on this huge community.
I've been looking at many threads which i found really interesting compared to what we can read on our french forums, and i finally decided to join in ! That's for the "worthless entry speach".

I'm trying to getting more and more close to a double bass sound with electric bass (quite funny when you know i couldn't stand vintage sounds at my beginning, playing only with brilliant marcus miller-like tones... I'm now mostly playing on my cort fretless with flatwounds !), and i came, by reading many threads, and spending hours on youtube seeing basses reviews, to wonder wich could be the best for me between an hofner-like (epiphone seems to be the best price compared to its sound), a Jack Casady (which seems to be a really good semi hollow for its price, as the viola) and an epiphone zenith.

You have to know that when i first heard about the zenith bass, i found it was the bass of my life, and even more after when i discovered its cheap price (about 600euros via thomann) ! But i'm looking for something that has really both of the two worlds, a really uprightish sound played finger close to the neck, and a good deep and precise sound played with a pick (kind of vintage sounds, it seems...) . An uprightish, woody and full tone with the "energy" of an electric. And i think the zenith could be too "acoustic" for what i'm looking for...


Which of those three basses do you think fits the more ? (or any other basse in this kind of price, if you know)

Thanks a lot for your advices !
 
#2
I'm a hollow bodied bass enthusiast so try everyone I can. That being said, I not heard of the Zenith before. I was really disappointed in the Jack Casady as he was an early inspiration for me and I didn't like the epi/hofner either. I'd keep looking if I were you unless you have a great deal spotted on one of the above.
 
#6
I *think* that a hollowbody or semi hollow body can add a bit of air under your tone if that makes sense....I find this with the Jack bass...of course it could just be the electronics....

The Jack has its own unique warts...but has a unique warm tone I am really digging now....have yet to settle on a string for it....
 
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#7
gm2_in_co said:
I'm a hollow bodied bass enthusiast so try everyone I can. That being said, I not heard of the Zenith before.
Click to expand...

The Epiphone Zenith is fairly new to the market. IT was intended to be called the "Triumph" but, for legal reasons, Epiphone had to change the name shortly before unveilling it to the public.

It comes in two versions; Fretted with nickle-wound strings and frettless with tape-wound strings for a more (up-right_ sound (the electronics are identicle in either version).

The body is chambered rather than being either semi or completely hollow.

It has a nanoflex and nanomag pickup configuration to give you warmer acoustic tones or harder rock tones.

It's wired in stereo so there are several possible ways to use the pickups for playing live or recording.

You can read a good review about it here:
Invalid Link Removed

Or check out the Zenith page on the Epiphone site:
http://epiphone.com/default.asp?ProductID=326&CollectionID=12
 
#9
I own the Jack Casady (there is a partial center block in the several I'm acquainted with) and the Epiphone Viola. A local shop has had a Zenith for a while that I've played several times.

You say your goal is a more uprightish/woody tone, I don't get close to that from any of those basses but I do get considerably closer using my Hofner Icon/Ignition strung with Labella Tapewounds on the neck pickup alone.

My next project may be to get another Icon to convert to fretless to try and get closer.
 
#10
CBgaragebassist said:
How exactly is the Jack Casady semi-hollow? Mine has no center block.
Click to expand...

From the blurb at Musician's Friend (and elsewhere):

"The body construction is unique, too. It's not a true semi-hollow or hollow body, but a hybrid that combines the best from both designs. Under the bridge is a mahogany center block that adds sustain and helps to fight feedback. This construction allows the top to vibrate freely, giving the bass guitar a more natural, woody tone."
 
#12
Try plucking over the neck with the bridge pick-up soloed with the bass you have and see what it sounds like before you buy another bass.

Totally OT, but I love my Epi Viola with D'Addario chormes. It does not sound exactly upright, but it does seem to get the "vibe".
 

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