The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Dave W on September 25, 2008, 02:44:16 PM
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Rivoli or EB-2?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP3YCZvuB6A
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Looks like a Rivoli to me, thought I saw the Eppi E on the pickguard too. Not an expert though but I did own an EB-2 a while ago and hopefully will own another one.
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It's a Rivoli. You can see the headstock when they pan across the front of the stage.
I've always liked this pretty pop ditty...
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Those guys could sing, especially live, I've never seen this clip before.
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Rivoli! :mrgreen:
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Ought to be a Rivoli, since the EbII:s were seldom seen on the British music scene of the 60's. At the moment I can only remember Keith Grant of Downliners Sect playing one, though there of course must be some other players, too. The Rivolis were very popular amongst British bassists in those days. Did Epiphone have better ways to take care of business, than Gibson? If so, how come? Anyone in the know?
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There was for some reason an effort by Gibson to ship Epis over there. They were actually pretty rare in most parts of the US, as Epis were for music shops in areas where larger shops had the Gibson authorized dealership. I don't really know why, but that was the way it went. Just an odd thing, kind of the way Rickenbacker shipped odd variants of their stuff, and Fender shipped most of the slab P-basses over to the UK. One of which was in the hands of the Tremeloes bass guy seen here.
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and I thought this was about Uwe being AWOL...
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I figured it was more likely to be a Rivoli since they were so much more common than EB2s in the UK in the 60s. I just couldn't see well enough to be sure.
Why more Epis back then? Remember Gibson had only bought Epi in the late 50s. It's quite possible that Epi had a much bigger dealer network already in place in the UK and Gibson just kept those dealerships, going with what they had until they gradually merged the two networks. But I'm just guessing.
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No matter what, it's quite interesting to watch the changing habits when British groups hit the charts after The Beatles break-through. About the only group I can remember using Fenders, between The Shadows and Hendrix, was The Swinging Blue Jeans who used a Stratocaster, and a Jazz Bass. Everywhere else it was Gibson, Epiphone and Gretsch all over the place. And some Guilds, too. It also seems like the guitar of (economic?) choice, before these brands, where Hofners. But very seldom Fenders. So one can ask why? Was it the connection to the old school, Ventures, Shadows, and so on?
All right! Let's divide into small groups, and discuss the matter. Start.... Now!!!
- Hmmm, interesting... but what about Duane Eddy? Wasn't he into Gretsches?
- Now, that's correct. But remember, he was an American artist.
- Yeah, right... But what about Terry Dene?
And so on...
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Didn't the Alan Howard, the bassist in the earlier version of the Tremeloes (Brian Poole & the Tremeloes) use a Fender Precision?
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Brian Poole & The Tremeloes were an altogether different proposition from the later Trems. And with solid body guitars like The Shadows and The Ventures.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmtUN-9m4Is
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I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures of Chas Chandler with an EB-2 before.
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Chas did have an EB-2. He sold most of his basses to help finance Jimi's first LP.
If it wasn't for the weak E string output I wouldn't mind having another Rivoli, but till then the Casady scratches the hollowbody itch.