Reviews on Epiphone Basses?

[adam411booking]

Hey everyone!

 

It's been a while since I've been on this forum, but I have a question for anyone willing to answer.

Who all has played/owned any of the Epiphone Basses?

I'm looking for a cheap/durable bass for jam sessions with some friends. I'd like to get some feedback and see what you guys think.

I'm more so a guitar player and have had excellent experiences with Epiphone in the past (never anything bad to say the least).

 

I do play Bass as well though, and have a Fender J-Bass that I use for recordings. I'm looking for a Bass that I can jam with, that still sounds good, but if it gets damaged it's not going to completely break my wallet. I've looked into getting a Squier as well, but going by some of my experiences in the past with them, their instruments are either a Hit or a Miss to say the least (nothing inbetween). I own 3 Epiphone electric guitars and 1 acoustic-electric, and have never had a bad experience with any of them.

 

I'm horrible at asking questions but...

1) How long have you owned/played it?

2) Has it held up well over the years?

3) How's the neck feel? The body weight?

And most importantly...

4) How does it sound? How's the tone compared to other models you own/played?

 

Would you recommend this Bass to anybody? How has your experience been? Would you recommend it for just jam sessions, or would it hold it's own at a gig?

 

Any feedback would be great. Thank you!

[trapezoid]

1) How long have you owned/played it?

2) Has it held up well over the years?

3) How's the neck feel? The body weight?

And most importantly...

4) How does it sound? How's the tone compared to other models you own/played?

 

Hi Adam, hope this is of help. I just got an Epi T-Bird Classic IV Pro over the weekend. It's 200 dollars more than the base Epi T-Bird, but i think it's well worth it. It has a through body neck as apposed to the bolt on neck of the base model. The pickups are Gibson ceramic humbuckers.

The weight of the bass comes in at close to nine pounds, that's not bad. No noticable neck dive - with a good strap.

The neck is thin and fast with a solid feel.

The sound is clear and percussive. The tone is my favorite so far of the basses i've played - lots of bottom end. You can go from a deep warm tone to ringing brite with the controls.

Wish i'd gotten a T-Bird sooner.

 

[neepheid]

I'm horrible at asking questions but...

1) How long have you owned/played it?

2) Has it held up well over the years?

3) How's the neck feel? The body weight?

And most importantly...

4) How does it sound? How's the tone compared to other models you own/played?

 

Would you recommend this Bass to anybody? How has your experience been? Would you recommend it for just jam sessions, or would it hold it's own at a gig?

 

Any feedback would be great. Thank you!

 

I'm a bit late to this party, but I have owned a few Epiphone basses over the years (EB-0, EB-3, Les Paul Standard) but my current one is a Jack Casady Signature. To answer your questions:

 

1) I've had it since March 2013

2) It's been rock solid so far

3) The neck is chunky but not uncomfortably so. The painted back is not sticky. I find it easy to play. The body is hollow so it's very light as far as basses go.

4) The sound is thick and chunky but clear and not muddy. Moving the impedance selector up results in significant increase in output - gets quite aggressive and growly at the 500 setting. I normally have it at the half way (250) position. It is a likeable tone, I'm getting rather jaded in that I'm coming to the conclusion that any bass will be fine in a live situation as long as it can be heard, so I can't be bothered with the "sounds like this or that bass" thing. I like the sound that comes out of the amp when I play it, and I've played a large variety of basses (not only ones I've owned, but other's ones at bass meet ups etc.)

 

I would happily recommend the Epiphone Jack Casady bass to anyone looking for a great sounding (and great looking) bass that's a bit different to the norm. Just watch out for feedback, as it is a hollow body bass. I've only had feedback in rehearsal rooms if I've stood too close to the amp/cab, never been a problem in live performance. I have gigged the JC and it handles the gig just fine.

 

Also, did I say it looks amazing?

 

[RobinTheHood]

Model: EBM-5

 

1) How long have you owned/played it? Since 1991

2) Has it held up well over the years? Structurally - Yes / Electronically - not so much

3) How's the neck feel? The body weight? Awesome/Awesomer

4) How does it sound? Like active ceramics

5) How's the tone compared to other models you own/played? Not as good

 

Would you recommend this Bass to anybody? Maybe

How has your experience been? Well, I still play it.

Would you recommend it for just jam sessions, or would it hold it's own at a gig? I've done both many times over.

[trapezoid]

Update on the Epiphone Classic IV Pro - I've had this bass for three months now and just cannot put it down. Really happy with the tone and sustain, almost piano-like if that makes sense. The through body neck has alot to do with that i'd bet. The string spacing and pick up placements are totally comfortable to me. Have not had to make any adjustments to the bridge as of yet. This is a great bass

[Johnny Seven]

Really happy with my Epi EB-O SG bass. As a guitar player, the short scale is really comfortable and familiar. Nice tone as well with the sidewinder HB pickup.

 

 

 

[Gaolee]

I have had two Thunderbirds. The first was a bolt-on. I liked it a whole lot, but bought a P-Bass and gave the 'Bird to my son. The bolt-on 'Bird had a really strong, slightly scooped sound of its own. I missed it and bought a Pro IV. The Pro IV has a thinner, narrower neck than the bat that came on the bolt-on I had. It is not better or worse, just different. And, because it had a smaller neck, I figured it would make a good fretless, so that's what it is now. I din't like the active preamp, so that's gone and I rewired the whole thing with Lace Alumitone Bass Bar pickups. Those are really odd pickups, but I like them. Partly because they are really odd. The bass was just fine as it was, but it was cheaap and has been a whole lot of fun to modify. I think you are either a Thunderbird person or you are not. If you don't like that shape, then stay away from them, but if you find it comfortable once you figure out how they want to hang and how to move the strap buttons, there's nothing like a 'Bird. AS far as holding up, I'm pretty sure you could have thrown the bolt-on into the ocean, towed it to Japan behind a leaky oil tanker, and it would have arrived just fine. The finish on the through neck isn't quite so thick, but it seems like it is just about as tough. I like the stock hardware on the through neck better. It has a flush mounted bridge instead of a three point. There's nothing wrong with a three point once you figure it out, but they do take a little time to understand.

 

That's my long and rambling two cents worth.

[ih8law]

I've got an Epiphone EB-0 and a Gibson SG Special bass. The Epi has a slightly thinner neck and feels substantially heavier. The Gibson has a brighter tone and some better tuning machines. If you're adventurous, you can mod an EB-0 to add a second pickup by the bridge to brighten it up. The Epi is a solid bass for sure, and with an extra pickup you can have yourself a pretty versatile bass for not much money.

 

[Goingdownslow]

I have an Epiphone Elite short scale EB3. It feels like my old '64 Gibson but with better intonation. I tried a Gibson SG bass but couldn't get to like the thin neck.

The Epiphone has Nickel hardware compared to the cheap looking (my opinion)chrome on the SG bass.

 

 

[lordraptor1]

sadly I don't own any epi basses because I couldn't find an epi les paul I liked with 24 frets, I instead went with an Ibanez sr400QM which I found in a music store that was a NOS discontinued color ( heritage cherry sunburst). maybe one day I will find an epi lp bass with 24 frets that I like and can afford ;)

 

update I found me a nice near mint EBM-5CH just need to repair the preamp to make it louder :D.

[OldPlucker]

1) How long have you owned/played it?

2) Has it held up well over the years?

3) How's the neck feel? The body weight?

And most importantly...

4) How does it sound? How's the tone compared to other models you own/played?

 

Would you recommend this Bass to anybody? How has your experience been? Would you recommend it for just jam sessions, or would it hold it's own at a gig?

 

Any feedback would be great. Thank you!

 

1. 1967 Rivoli Bass in Cherry I purchased new in 1967

2. Outstanding, I played it professionally for 3 years

3. Short scale, narrow like a guitar

4. It has incredible deep bass sounds (I use flat wounds on it), good sustain and it has the mute/dampening bar at the bridge.

 

It's not for everyone. You need to like deep resonating bass though the switch does cut the real lows. Hard rock and metal fans will want more brightness. Classic rock fans will seek it out. Look at the groups from the 60s who used the Gibson/Epiphone hollow body basses. It a classic; but, now I predominately go to the J bass and EB so I don't accidentally damage the Rivoli.

 

[old mark]

I own 2 Epiphone basses, both bought in the last year - a new EB3, SG style body, long scale 2 pickups.

 

A used and no longer made Epiphone Zenith bass...an odd bass, with very different pickups - a piezo and a small German shadow just below the neck. Very woody sounding, good for playing with acoustic of low volume music.

 

I have not played either of them much, but I plan on recording with them sometime later this year.

 

I have never had a problem with any Epiphone instrument but one, and that was a guitar, not a bass.

 

They are both very different, both great players and I'm glad to have them.

[Gaolee]

1. 1967 Rivoli Bass in Cherry I purchased new in 1967

2. Outstanding, I played it professionally for 3 years

3. Short scale, narrow like a guitar

4. It has incredible deep bass sounds (I use flat wounds on it), good sustain and it has the mute/dampening bar at the bridge.

 

It's not for everyone. You need to like deep resonating bass though the switch does cut the real lows. Hard rock and metal fans will want more brightness. Classic rock fans will seek it out. Look at the groups from the 60s who used the Gibson/Epiphone hollow body basses. It a classic; but, now I predominately go to the J bass and EB so I don't accidentally damage the Rivoli.

I don't use my EB-2 much any more for the same reason. I won't ever sell it, though. It looks similar to your Rivoli, except the red is darker and mine is a two pickup version. And, mine isn't bone stock like yours is. Yours is a very nice one indeed.

[OldPlucker]

I don't use my EB-2 much any more for the same reason. I won't ever sell it, though. It looks similar to your Rivoli, except the red is darker and mine is a two pickup version. And, mine isn't bone stock like yours is. Yours is a very nice one indeed.

 

Thanks. The switch doesn't always switch between the tones; bit, it's been that way since 1969. The dampening on the bridge was alway an interesting effect.