Author Topic: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)  (Read 6271 times)

slinkp

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1358
    • View Profile
    • slinkp home page
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #15 on: June 27, 2015, 09:31:38 PM »
Fascinating. Does that work on EB0s as well?   One of my complaints with my 69 EB0 is the lack of output from the E string, even with the polepiece as high as I can safely raise it.
Basses: Gibson lpb-1, Gibson dc jr tribute, Greco thunderbird, Danelectro dc, Ibanez blazer.  Amps: genz benz shuttle 6.0, EA CXL110, EA CXL112, Spark 40.  Guitars: Danelectro 59XT, rebuilt cheap LP copy

Highlander

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12540
  • There Ken be only one...
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2015, 01:31:54 AM »
From what I remember of the discussion back then was yes was the answer to that question...

When I stripped mine down to do the coil split I weighed up the idea of using neodium magnets from a hard drive at either end to complete a magnetic "loop" but planned to play with that idea when I got round to gold-plating the cover... mine doesn't appear to have any sound loss on the E, mind you...
The random mind of a Silver Surfer...
If research was easy, it wouldn't need doing...
Staring at that event horizon is a dirty job, but someone has to do it; something's going to come back out of it one day...

Sven

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 43
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2015, 01:38:50 AM »




Worked on mine. It's a no cost reversable mod. Just give it a try.

Dave W

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 22193
  • Got time to breathe, got time for music
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2015, 07:11:35 AM »
I found what seems to be the first thread about this.
 
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=3047.0

No reason it wouldn't work on an original mudbucker.

Pilgrim

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9958
    • View Profile
    • YouTube channel
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #19 on: June 28, 2015, 09:33:51 AM »
Oh, I thought that was a mod for Gibson mudbuckers. Duh. I stand (or sit, at the moment) corrected!
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."

Grog

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1565
  • Low Impedance LP's
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #20 on: June 28, 2015, 10:09:11 PM »
Just noticed another similar Rivoli bass on Craigslist. The sellers main complaint is the pickup also............

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/msg/5078004095.html

There's no such thing as gravity, the earth just sucks!!

Chris P.

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5246
  • Warwickhoer
    • View Profile
    • The La La Lies
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #21 on: June 29, 2015, 04:45:46 AM »
I bought my Rivoli second hand with a repaired but clearly visibe neck break. It was dead cheap so no problem. When I came home I inspected the bass and I noticed it had a Seymour Duncan Querter Pounder Jazz Bass pickup (sawn off at both sides) underneath the chrome cover! And you know what? The bass sounded exactly as I expected it to sound:)

It now has a Darkstar in neck position and a second pickup added: a Duesenberg bass humbucker. The natural finished bass looks like a brother of that Strokes Epiphone guitar now.

It still has some grouding issues, so I need to take it to a tech.

leftybass

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #22 on: June 29, 2015, 01:55:48 PM »
I just sent a PM to an inactive member who I think owned one. Maybe he'll pop in. Also, Ronn (leftybass) may have one.

Sold mine locally a few months back for $400 including OHSC.
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2014 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2013 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2012 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2011 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2010 Austin Music Poll

Proud owner of Dee Murray's Steinberger.

Nocturnal

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1883
    • View Profile
    • Myspace page
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #23 on: June 29, 2015, 08:57:39 PM »
This one has been on Craigslist for at least 6 months, Started out at $700 IIRC.

http://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/msg/5059311188.html
TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE BAT
HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU'RE AT

Droombolus

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 568
  • Younger Old Fart
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #24 on: June 30, 2015, 07:19:59 AM »
Sold mine years ago when they were in demand  ;D 

Replaced the stock PUP with just about any replacement I could find at the time and finally settled on a DiMarzio Willpower. Later on I mounted a Supertone bridge as well and she really sounded great. Problem was that I really wanted a 2 PUPs version, which was nowhere to be found for a normal price, so I crossed over to the DeArmond Starfire. I liked the neck on the Starfire better also ( wider top nut ) so I never returned to the Ravioli.

She was a real looker though ......

Experience is the ultimate teacher

daan

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 221
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #25 on: June 30, 2015, 03:52:59 PM »
OK thank you all for all the excellent replies. So the consensus on these is, "nice bass, doesn't sound like a "real" one, easy enough to mod. Oh, and thin neck, which I hate...
So do I start a new thread about other hollow basses, or schmutz this one up?
I've been looking for another hollow bass, I sold a bunch of my music crap and I have a little $ to get something (preferrably not a project, unless that's the only way)
I used to have THIS

(Hofner 500/4) and really dug it, I got broke and had to sell it.
Ibanez ASB-140 it felt and played so nice, but sounded "meh", I got broke and had to sell it before I could even think about modding it. So I really like hollow basses but can't justify spending 4-digit prices for something. Right now Ibanez is selling THESE
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ibanez-ASB180-4-String-Electric-Bass-Brown-Sunburst-/191607035104?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9cab54e0
which I'm ASSUMING are like my old one, except 2-pups (I've searched everywhere and nobody's selling a 140 like my old one)
There's also THESE
http://www.rondomusic.com/spb11002ts.html
which looks pretty much JUST like my old IBanez, other than the headstock (which I don't care about)
So if nothing is really gonna sound like an EB-2, which I can't afford anyway, what would you experts all say of these options I see would be a good choice? (I know, opinions are like navels or whatever,) It just seems like any bass I stumble across, someone on here has had one.
Thank you guys!
If it was good enough for Danny Bonaduce, it ought to be good enough for fake bass players everywhere!

Pilgrim

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9958
    • View Profile
    • YouTube channel
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #26 on: June 30, 2015, 05:37:06 PM »
See if you can lay hands on a Gretsch 5123 - it was sold in orange as a Guitar Center special, now a current model in burgundy. The body is fairly deep - about an inch deeper than my 335-copy Univox.  But it has a pair of ThunderTrons and is a nice playing bass.  If you're a big guy, it is an easy fit - if you're a small guy, it might be big on you.

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/new-gretsch-electromatic-hollowbody-bass.713507/page-3

My bass is shown in post #49.
"A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any other invention with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila."

dadagoboi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • huh?...HUH?
    • View Profile
    • CATALDO BASSES
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2015, 11:35:15 AM »

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ibanez-ASB180-4-String-Electric-Bass-Brown-Sunburst-/191607035104?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c9cab54e0
which I'm ASSUMING are like my old one, except 2-pups (I've searched everywhere and nobody's selling a 140 like my old one)
There's also THESE
http://www.rondomusic.com/spb11002ts.html
which looks pretty much JUST like my old IBanez, other than the headstock (which I don't care about)
So if nothing is really gonna sound like an EB-2, which I can't afford anyway, what would you experts all say of these options I see would be a good choice? (I know, opinions are like navels or whatever,) It just seems like any bass I stumble across, someone on here has had one.
Thank you guys!

I wouldn't be surprised if both of them were made in the same Korean factory.  I'd prefer the Douglas since it's 32" scale and probably sounds pretty good with the single pup where it is.  I've had good luck with Rondo in general (about 20 basses) and Douglas/Brice/Agile in particular.  No problems with any of my Ibanezes either.

leftybass

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 777
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2015, 01:50:36 PM »
I had a Douglas 32" scale hollowbody. Sounded and played great but it was a righty so I didn't play it once I got my lefty Gibson Midtown.
Sold the Douglas for $80.
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2014 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2013 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2012 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2011 Austin Music Poll
"Top 10 Best Bass Players" 2010 Austin Music Poll

Proud owner of Dee Murray's Steinberger.

chromium

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2316
    • View Profile
Re: 90's Epi Rivoli bass (on the bay)
« Reply #29 on: July 01, 2015, 02:02:53 PM »
I used to have THIS (Hofner 500/4) and really dug it...

You could always go Bonaduce-warp-factor-ten and find an Ovation Typhoon.  I think they can still be found in the mid-to-upper 3-digit price range, and the bodies were sourced from Hofner as I recall (similar body as your 500/4).