Hi all, Newbie member here, both player (I use a Carvin semi-acoustic and a Guild Starfire), and a Luthier.
I have got the job of resurrecting an Epi Ravoli that has no hardware on it (see photo).
I would be grateful if anyone can tell me what are the specifications of the pots? I have a schematic, but there is very little info on it!
But, mostly I need to locate a bridge like the one in second photo. If anyone knows of one going spare or where I am in with a chance of getting one, please let me know.
Dave
recently i read somewhere that the Rivoli was wired the same as an EB2 but i can't remember where i read it at. maybe in here dunno (i think my oldshiemers is kicking in).
good luck on finding a Gibby choke for the "suck" switch. for the bridge i would use a Hipshot two poster bridge. mucho betterer but each to their own.
welcome to the post.
The Rivoli is exactly the same instrument as an EB-2 except for cosmetic differences. Pots are 500k. .375" bushing. Baritone switch is difficult to find.
Those bridges (pre '66) come up occasionally on EBay, they're used on EB 0, 2 and 3. This bridge is listed as a Gibson but it's NOT.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-1960S-GIBSON-EB-BASS-BRIDGE-PLATE-/320819555548?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item4ab255ecdc.
A 66-early 67 bridge will work, it's slightly different but fits the same stud spacing.
If you can't find studs, Tonepros nickel work very well. I've used them as replacements for rusty originals.
Hipshot's 2 point Supertone is designed for late '67-72 basses.
Good Luck!
Brilliant set of replies there folks, thanks very much !
Dave
making a suck circuit:
might try one of these: (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/15henrypowerchoke.jpg)
they measure 5/8" by 1.25" by 1 5/8" and are 1.5 Henry rated. it is the closest thing i could find available to an original Gibby choke and i don't know how it would fit in the Rivoli. the round bobbin type chokes are available from Curtis Novak or SGD Lutherie (?) who is a member here.
these chokes are available from Nebraska Surplus listed under power chokes light duty. (CPW) MQA-13
The actual choke switch itself is available at most hardware stores, as it is a push button on/off switch used on lamps, sconces, etc for the past 100 years. I have Ace and You Do It hardware stores locally, and both have them, although some use a plastic housing. Still structurally identical.
I mod Kahler 5 string bridges to fit Gibsons. No holes or modding of the body, but a bit of a big footprint. Scour ebay for a bit, and you can find one, or you could actually make one if you have access to a machine shop or metal casting.
Knobs for that would be insert vol and tone knobs in gold, which you can get repro via Allparts.
Tuners are work too, as most are too big for the hole. A lot of people used to just stick Schallers on there and ream it out, but that looks fugly.
gibby bridge:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-BASS-GUITAR-BRIDGE1965-EB-0-EB-2-EB-3-BASS-/140672695870?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20c0befe3e&BackToListReferer=http%3A%2F%2Fmy.ebay.com%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FMyEbayBeta
Once more, all the information I need! especially the eBay item !!
if the owner of the bass agrees, I reckon I will be bidding for this in a few days time !!
Dave
:)
BTW...I am a bit confused...is it Ravoli or Rivoli ??
the Gibson schematic has both names on the same drawing !!
dave
It's Rivoli, sometimes jokingly called Ravioli. Rarely you might see it called an EB232 which was a price list designation. The catalogs (http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/epiphone/catalogues/1966_5.php) called it Rivoli.
Quote from: Dave W on December 31, 2011, 08:54:15 AM
It's Rivoli, sometimes jokingly called Ravioli. Rarely you might see it called an EB232 which was a price list designation. The catalogs (http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/epiphone/catalogues/1966_5.php) called it Rivoli.
Phew, thanks for the Dave I was having an identity crisis there !!!
Dave
Not to be confused with ravioli...because it has soggy strings.
(http://www.raviolirecipe.net/images/Ravioli.jpg)
sold my mint rivoli about 3 months ago because the epi pickup is crappy and i have another gib eb2 shell ( really butchered up thogh) that will eventuaslly replace it. if you are doing all that work get a real gib pup or the novak version. the epi is lousy
Quote from: jumbodbassman on January 02, 2012, 09:16:45 PM
sold my mint rivoli about 3 months ago because the epi pickup is crappy and i have another gib eb2 shell ( really butchered up thogh) that will eventuaslly replace it. if you are doing all that work get a real gib pup or the novak version. the epi is lousy
Thankfully, have got a good replacement.
D
Just to be clear, the original Epi pickup from the 60s is identical to the 60s Gibson, and is not crap.
The late 90s Korean Epi pickup only looks like the originals. It's not even close in sound.
Quote from: sniper on December 30, 2011, 02:07:28 PM
making a suck circuit:
might try one of these: (http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u275/cathousemouse/15henrypowerchoke.jpg)
they measure 5/8" by 1.25" by 1 5/8" and are 1.5 Henry rated. it is the closest thing i could find available to an original Gibby choke and i don't know how it would fit in the Rivoli. the round bobbin type chokes are available from Curtis Novak or SGD Lutherie (?) who is a member here.
these chokes are available from Nebraska Surplus listed under power chokes light duty. (CPW) MQA-13
Hey, thats's good to know.
Is the original choke still under that plastic cover under the bridge?
I had an EB-2DC. I removed the baritone switch and wired in a 6 position rotary and a Varitone circuit. It was far more useful than the bass remover circuit.
OK folks. next instalment:
I finally managed to extract the choke so I could replace the wiring, which had been chopped off !!
Now, I have it in hand, and have started the new wiring loom, I have come across a snag!!
I realised, having got the wiring diagram from Gibson, that there should be a 220k Resistor in the circuit!!
Now I am not an electronic engineer so this stuff blows my mind, but where in all that's Holy does it go into this loom?
Please see photos attached, and if someone can lead me in the right direction, I will be eternally grateful !
Regards
Dave
Quote from: AxShack on January 12, 2012, 09:44:22 AM
I realised, having got the wiring diagram from Gibson, that there should be a 220k Resistor in the circuit!!
I removed that resistor from my EB-2DC. It gave me more output and a clearer tone. Apparently Epiphone did too.
One thing to realize is that the choke is always in the circuit. Without the baritone switch closed, it works as a midrange choke. With the switch engaged it bypasses the cap and removes all the low end.
What I originally did was to remove the resistor and then rewire the switch so it took the choke in and out of the circuit. I found those two tones more useful then the thin baritone setting. Later, I replaced the pushbutton with a 6-position rotary switch, and wired it up like a standard varitone, but with the caps tuned for the bass range.
I don't own her anymore, but here she is in her new home. Still with my mods.
(http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/images/Gibson_EB2DC.jpg)
Interesting! I think I might do the same, dispense with the resistor that is. Thanks indeed for this information.
Seeing how nice your old bass looks reminds me that I need to source a Scratchplate. The one and only source here in UK dried up long ago.
If there is a Rivoli owner on this forum, would it be possible for you to make a tracing of the plate so I can make one?
Dave
Nice bass and mods SGD! I used a 3-pos toggle in mine and it gives the original two filtered tones at its extremities, and completely removes all the filtering in the center position.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/eb2d/DSCF0010b.jpg)
I had drawn up that circuit at some point to show how it might be implemented in an EB-2 or Riv:
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/eb2mod/EB2-mod.jpg)
Note that I didn't bother switching the 220k resistor out of the circuit there, since I wanted to retain the original sounds. That resistor works with the .02mfd cap and the choke to form a filter (actually two types of filters, depending on the original push button position like SGD described). If you are removing the choke (inductor) permanently, then that cap and 220k resistor can come out too.
Quote from: AxShack on January 12, 2012, 12:50:25 PM
If there is a Rivoli owner on this forum, would it be possible for you to make a tracing of the plate so I can make one?
Dave, if you start a separate thread for this up in the Gibson forum, it will be seen by more people, Rivoli and EB-2 owners who don't always look in this section.
Quote from: Dave W on January 12, 2012, 01:30:14 PM
Dave, if you start a separate thread for this up in the Gibson forum, it will be seen by more people, Rivoli and EB-2 owners who don't always look in this section.
Maybe they should start ;D
Axshack, note the plastic spacer on chromium's neck pickup, I have the same on my '67. It varies in thickness from heel to bridge.
My EB-2 is not accessible at the moment. If someone doesn't have one readily available I'll try to get to it.
Just thought you all might like to see the finished article!
Just made a scratch plate for it, and finished the setup.
The hipshot bridge does NOT fit directly to the mounting posts (the spacing is slightly out) so had to drill out the holes in the bridge to give it some space to manoeuvre, but am left with the mounting bolts proud of the bridge instead of being inside the mounting holes !!!
Otherwise, I am very happy with the outcome. It sounds great - although the so-called BASS BOOST circuit is very subtle to my Tinnitus hearing !
Dave
I really like that look!
Yep, it is a real classic. Glad I don't need a new bass otherwise I might be making the owner an offer he cannot refuse !!