Viola Bass

[Striker1281734153]

My sister was looking at a Viola Bass. She likes the size and weight and it has comfortable feel to her. Is there any thing I should know about the bass, Pros? Cons?

[bluelake07]

My sister was looking at a Viola Bass. She likes the size and weight and it has comfortable feel to her. Is there any thing I should know about the bass' date=' Pros? Cons?[/quote']

 

It's a light weight short-scale bass that has a lot of appeal to guitarists and people with smaller hands, as well as Beatle fans. I've got light or extra-light (don't remember) flatwound strings on mine and with the hollow body the bass sounds great, the E string in particular. It's a short-scale bass, but get medium-scale flatwounds because of the shorter tailpiece. Strap locks are a must; if the strap slips off and this hollow body bass hits the floor it's likely gonna get hurt. It's not a funk-style popping and slapping bass. I wouldn't dissuade anybody from buying one.

[wardog]

i have a davison knock off. very similar to the hofner. wanted to know striker, where can i find wiring diagram for viola or a hofner so i can upgrade components

[Dylan1281734152]

Thanks bluelake07 for your thoughts on the viola bass. I've been playing around with one at a local store, and I think I'm going to pull the trigger on this bass.

 

Dylan

[pohatu771]

In my trials (I don't own any), the Epiphone is actually my least-favourite. From what I've played, the Hofner Icon, for the extra $50-100, is a much better instrument. From there, a Johnson copy is actually my second favourite.

 

The Hofner was much lighter than the Epiphone or the Johnson, and played better. The Johnson played better than the Epiphone.

 

How they feel can be adjusted in the normal way, of course, but for me, the light weight of the Hofner made it worth the extra money, were I to buy one.

[clarkuss]

 

It's a light weight short-scale bass that has a lot of appeal to guitarists and people with smaller hands' date=' as well as Beatle fans. I've got light or extra-light (don't remember) flatwound strings on mine and with the hollow body the bass sounds great, the E string in particular. It's a short-scale bass, but get medium-scale flatwounds because of the shorter tailpiece. Strap locks are a must; if the strap slips off and this hollow body bass hits the floor it's likely gonna get hurt. It's not a funk-style popping and slapping bass. I wouldn't dissuade anybody from buying one.[/quote']

 

Yes, my dad's hofner bass once fell off the stand and cracked the neck. That was a £1500 German version!! I'm looking into the contemporary series. More expensive but better resale value if I ever invest in a proper German hofner. I haven't really seen a cop that caught my eye too much.

[stevew4818]

I got my Viola about two weeks ago. It's a 1999 in mint condition. The first few times I played it,

it was not a comfortable player and even though the E, A, and D strings sounded pretty strong, when transitioning to G the sound got lost. I took it to a friend I know who did a real good job of setting it up. I had noticed that the G was grinding on the back of the wooden bridge and told him that it just didn't feel right. When I got it back I wasn't surprised to see the bridge had been set backwards! What a difference in feel and tone! I had the round wounds on it replaced with flatwounds which gve it a warmer mellower sound. It does have a unique semi-hollowbody tone to it and whether playing thumb, fingers, or pick all the tones are there. It's a "feel" bass, not a slapper. It is not a heavy bass, and I use a strap that balances it out nicely. I did not like the two Hofners I played. They felt like balsa wood and the live sound was not what I would like. It's personal preference and the Hofner just didn't suit me like the Epi does. I would love to acquire a nice EB-1, either Gibson or Epiphone. I hope that will be Epi #9 in my "family"

[KevG]

Had a Viola for 2 weeks, 2 rehearsals and 2 gigs, so far, brilliant! Used to a Precision and a Jazz [which I traded for the Viola] love it! Light enough to leap about on stage and a great sound, a very happy owner. Only problem is I don't know what case to buy!

[Golem]

.