Epiphone Rivoli

[oh.my]

Anyone know anything about these basses?

Saw a used one in a store the other day, and I keep thinking about it. Not familiar with this model -- there was a PUSHBUTTON switch on it, which I'm not sure was original, and I'm not sure what it was supposed to do. Was that supposed to be a toggle switch???

Also, the pickup might have been microphonic; tapping on the metal cover made loud, high-pitched clicks through the amp. Is that normal?

 

[jgsbass]

The push button was to activate a tone change. Maybe it had a capacitor hooked up to it but it went from a normal tone to a deep bassy tone. Since the bass is not active, my guess is capacitors or a choke, not unlike the varitone that was available on some of the Gibson hollowbodies of the day. And yes, it sounds like the pickups gone microphonic

 

[scotch]

Yeah, the switch places an inductor coil into the circuit. The original intent, as I understand it, was to use the switch for more of a baritone-esque sound. I disconnected mine as it was of little use to me....

My stock pickup was also a little microphonic, I ended up replacing it with a DiMarzio Model 1 and have been very happy with it ever since!

 

[oh.my]

Excellent; thanks guys!

 

[fretlessman71]

Yeah, the switch places an inductor coil into the circuit. The original intent, as I understand it, was to use the switch for more of a baritone-esque sound. I disconnected mine as it was of little use to me....

My stock pickup was also a little microphonic, I ended up replacing it with a DiMarzio Model 1 and have been very happy with it ever since!

Can you elaborate on what an inductor coil does? I've been wondering about these basses for a while now...

 

[chromium]

Can you elaborate on what an inductor coil does? I've been wondering about these basses for a while now...

I can't speak for the 90s Rivoli reissues, as I haven't owned or had experience with one yet, but on the original Rivolis (and Gibson EB-2 and EB-2D) the inductor works as part of a passive filter circuit. When the push-button switch is closed, the circuit filters out the lows and low mids (high-pass filter) - leaving a nasal "baritone" sound. Sometimes the baritone filter is referred to as a "choke", in reference to all the lows being "choked" out out of the sound.

It is interesting to note that when the push-button is open, the inductor actually remains in the circuit, which then acts as a low-pass filter - filtering out the upper-mids and higs, and leaving that billowy, ground-shaking, low-hovering-cloud sound.

Based on some info presented in another forum, I had modified the circuit in my EB-2D to incorporate a three-position toggle in place of the pushbutton switch. The third position cuts the inductor out of the circuit completely - leaving the wide-open, unadulterated frequency response of the neck pickup. The additional midrange response in this setting really helps the bass punch thru the mix in a live setting - and the 3-position switch lets me preserve the original two settings as well.

If you are interested, here are the schematics for the EB-2D (the Rivoli and EB-2 are similar, minus the bridge pickup and related controls)...

Original schematic: (note that red highlighted connection to ground is a goof on the original )

My modified (photoshopped) schematic - w/three-position switch:

 

[Dave Bassincus]

The Epiphone Rivoli I had went back when the bridge mounting studs started coming out in less than a month. I wish it had been put together a little better

 

[fretlessman71]

I can't speak for the 90s Rivoli reissues, as I haven't owned or had experience with one yet, but on the original Rivolis (and Gibson EB-2 and EB-2D) the inductor works as part of a passive filter circuit. When the push-button switch is closed, the circuit filters out the lows and low mids (high-pass filter) - leaving a nasal "baritone" sound. Sometimes the baritone filter is referred to as a "choke", in reference to all the lows being "choked" out out of the sound.

It is interesting to note that when the push-button is open, the inductor actually remains in the circuit, which then acts as a low-pass filter - filtering out the upper-mids and higs, and leaving that billowy, ground-shaking, low-hovering-cloud sound.

Based on some info presented in another forum, I had modified the circuit in my EB-2D to incorporate a three-position toggle in place of the pushbutton switch. The third position cuts the inductor out of the circuit completely - leaving the wide-open, unadulterated frequency response of the neck pickup. The additional midrange response in this setting really helps the bass punch thru the mix in a live setting - and the 3-position switch lets me preserve the original two settings as well.

If you are interested, here are the schematics for the EB-2D (the Rivoli and EB-2 are similar, minus the bridge pickup and related controls)...

Original schematic: (note that red highlighted connection to ground is a goof on the original )

My modified (photoshopped) schematic - w/three-position switch:

These are BEYOND cool. Is this enough information for someone to look at, know what to buy, and how to build one? Like an electrical engineer or someone who's a big fan of wild circuitry in basses or some such person?

 

[whoatherechunk]

That would be neat if they reissued this bass again.

 

[oh.my]

I think I'd be pretty tempted to buy a new reissue. The used one I saw is becoming less appealing -- especially if I'd have to replace the pickup!

 

[chromium]

The Epiphone Rivoli I had went back when the bridge mounting studs started coming out in less than a month. I wish it had been put together a little better

That seems to be a pretty common deal with the 3-point bridges, like they used on the 90s Rivoli. Having the back studs adjusted up higher than the front/center stud can aggrevate it. If it happens, reinstalling/reseating the stud anchors with the help of a little CA/superglue helps hold them in place, and if you keep the front stud slightly higher than the rears, it's usually stays stable IME.

Most of the Gibson bridges are a, errm..., acquired taste!

These are BEYOND cool. Is this enough information for someone to look at, know what to buy, and how to build one? Like an electrical engineer or someone who's a big fan of wild circuitry in basses or some such person?

Yeah it should be enough info. I *think* the value of that inductor/choke that they used was 1.5 Henry, IIRC - but don't hold me to that. They didn't note it on the schematic.