Two things make me prefer my Viola to my Hofner; The body is heavier and balances better on a strap, and, probably because of the heavier construction, it's never had a feedback issue on a loud stage. I can't say it sounds better or worse than my Hofner Contemporary, just different. Oh, and it cost me $150 used😜
I was watching a video of Ringo's band doing a live show around 10 years ago, their bass player was playing this Epiphone and man did it sound good. Great little bass. Thanks Jonathon. Cheers from Utah
My gosh, thank you so much! I love the simple, methodical, sequential way you move through the available settings of the given instrument! It's so simple and obvious - it seems - but so few reviews do so in such a clear, concise, and comprehensive way. I really appreciate that and feel better informed about my purchasing decision. Thanks again.
Hi Jonathan. Another great review. I have a Viola bass and it has some of the sweetest sounds. I chose it over the Hofner Ignition because it felt like it has better quality and it does. The controls make it easier to tailor the sound to whatever you're playing. I have flatwounds on it like all my basses. This is always my go to bass..
Excellent review. You covered all the important(to me) points. The neck pick up sounded great. I grew up with an EB-1 Gibson and I prefer a skinny and thick neck. I got the Hofner Shorty bass and love it. I would like to to test an ignition.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I’m sure a good tech can slot the saddles to keep the strings from sliding sideways. Otherwise pretty solid!
I treated myself to one of these for my 70th. birthday as its it feels better quality and more solid than the hofner, also the price is more wallet friendly. As you pointed out the strings do slide about on the bridge, a quick mod with some files fixed that, plus flatwounds that really improve the tone and you have a winner!
Thanks for watching! I think the Epi viola is probably the best value Beatle style bass. Has better tuners and VVT! Better made compared to the Hofner Ignition /Icon
Would really like a semi hollow body bass , Ive tried some Hofner ignition basses in a store and i didnt like them too much. I think the contemporary Hofner has a more German Hofner feel might be worth the money. Ive tried the Viola bass but I prefer the single coils on the Hofners Thanks for your review 😊
Thanks for watching! I quite like my contemporary Hofner club bass! The tight string spacing takes some getting used to and I find I can’t play it for too long as a result, but it has ‘that’ sound.
Great review. I am surprised by the bridge saddles though. I have one of these Viola basses, but I bought it in 1996. My saddles are indented for the strings. They must have changed the design over the years. I see they are a lot cheaper (now) to buy than when I bought mine too, so I guess that is some of the cost cutting. That being said, I have a Hofner as well. I think they have a bit of different tone as my Hofner is not a semi-hollow bass. I personally like that they have a bit of different sounds (especially if you are going to record with them).
Thanks so much for watching! The current saddles look similar to fret wire, so it should be relatively easy to make a slot with a fret file. I could feel the G string wiggling around when I had the bass for this video, and it made annoying noises. I prefer the shape of my Hofner Club bass (Contemporary series), but if I absolutely had to have a Beatle-shaped bass, I'd take the viola over a Hofner Ignition. I hate the tuners on my Hofner.
Great video, very well done. I'm looking at picking up one of these, but I plan to tune it to D-standard. I imagine that might worsen the string sliding on the saddle issue. Do you think a heavier string gauge would compensate for that?
Thanks so much for watching and for the encouragement! If you are going for D standard, I would definitely go with heavier strings. Here's a video I did on this very topic: th-cam.com/video/ZqAvH_6SBEI/w-d-xo.html However, I don't think heavier strings would fix the string slippage issue (but I also haven't tried) as it may not necessarily give more downward pressure at the lowered tuning. On my Hofner, the bridge saddles look like fret wire and it appears that the factory had slotted it. I don't get the same string slippage on my Hofner. I think a good tech could probably slot a shallow channel, only deep enough to keep the string in place. That's probably the best solution. Not sure why they didn't do that at the Epiphone factory. Cost and time, I guess. Are you going with flats or rounds? Best of luck!
Hi Jonathan, Great review! I might return my Gretsch Junior Jet and look into one of these or the Hofner Ignition. I've only had the Jet for about a week or so, but I'm just not feelin' it. I don't really find the tones I'm getting particularly inspiring or interesting. It's a good instrument for the price, but a violin-style bass is more in line with the kind of music I play (mostly 60's rock and folk). The strings slipping on the saddles is a little concerning though because I play with a pick (and use flatwounds). Hmm...
Thanks so much for watching! I found the Gretsch to have a weird balance on my lap. Made it less comfortable to play. If violin/beatle basses are where your heart is, I’d take the Epiphone over a Hofner ignition. I had a few quality control issues with the Ignitions I’ve tried. I own a contemporary series Club bass, which is cool, but tonal variation is limited and I HATE the tuners. The Epi has way better and robust tuners and it’s VVT making it more versatile in my mind. The bridge saddles are essentially fret material. They are slotted on my Club bass, so I’m sure a qualified tech could put a small slot in it to keep the string in place (on the Epi viola). Good luck!
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks for the recommendation! I have a few Epiphones (IBG J45, Casino & Dot), and overall, the quality really good for the price point. So, I guess I'll go with another Epiphone :) I'd love to see a review/demo of the Eastwood Airline Map or Rivolta bass if you ever come across one!
I’ll see what comes my way! I did film something with the Eastwood semi hollow classic 4. Here’s a link should you be interested: Eastwood Classic 4 Short Scale Hollowbody Bass - Demonstration of sounds and review th-cam.com/video/-v-b4_6kqdo/w-d-xo.html
@@jonathanwong458music So I got the Epiphone Viola the other day. I noticed only the E string is touching the zero fret, even after lowering the action. The D string is the worst with about a 1 mm of clearance. How was the Viola that you demoed? Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the zero fret was there for aesthetics and to look more like an original Hofner, or if it’s actually supposed to function as a zero fret.
@@brian.f09 just to ensure we are talking about the same thing: by zero fret, you mean the fret right up against the nut? If so, as you know, the strings must sit on the zero fret, as the nut is supposed to only provide string spacing - Is your nut slot cut too high? If you purchased it from a store, I'm sure their tech can help sort it out. (I'm also assuming you've removed all the styrofoam/packing stuff that's typically shoved under the bridge feet for shipping) The one I demo'd was a rental and I surprisingly didn't need to do much to it to get it playing alright. I hope yours gets sorted out.
@@jonathanwong458music I was JUST about to order a Hofner Ignition, and somehow didn't even know Epiphone even makes this bass! I like it much better than the Hofner. Thanks again!
Maybe this video will be helpful: Epiphone Viola Bass vs. Hofner Club Bass (Contemporary series) - Sonic, neck and pricing comparisons th-cam.com/video/dMDuJWtXbi4/w-d-xo.html
I'm no snob regarding the Hofner models. I had the Hofner Contemporary for several years (IMHO, it's much better than the Ignition). My friend owns the Epiphone Viola. Beyond the visuals, there's a big tone difference between the Epi and Hofner. I prefer the shorter scale Hofner and its sounds (only two of them in my opinion) get you in McCartney territory. I think the Epi is over-priced but attractive compared to Hofners. I like Jonathan's videos and his reviews are excellent.
Thanks so much!! I’ve done a Epiphone viola vs my contemporary club vid and the midrange on the Hofner is more complex and rich. But it’s also 2x the price! Feels more upscale too. Thx for watching and commenting!
Great question. Practically speaking, anything beyond the 17th fret is difficult to play due to the body shoulder/bout. If you really wanted to venture up there, you would need to use thumb position/technique similar to upright bass or cello. The other issue is that most of these hollow/semi hollow basses are difficult to intonate in those high frets and often will play out of tune. Thanks for watching and asking!
Thanks for watching! Your question is a tricky one….the earlier ones were indeed made in Korea. However, as I understand it, in the mid 2000s. Epiphone changed their place of manufacture to factories in China. The bass in the video was a rental, so I am unable to compare the quality between the countries.
Thanks for watching! The weight difference may depend on which model of Hofner you're looking at. The Ignition series Beatle basses tend to weigh a bit less than the contemporary series as the Ignition is fully hollow while the contemporary ones have a centre block. If you compare the Epi viola to an ignition Beatle, they are pretty similar but the Epi feels more solid, substantial and robust in my hands. The Hofners all feel more fragile, including my contemporary Club bass.
I’d love to! At the moment, my very small channel start-up is limited to borrowing friends’ axes or renting instruments. But if I can get it, I’ll record/film it!
Yes! This rental instrument came in one. Here’s the link: www.long-mcquade.com/12051/Guitars/Cases---Gig-Bags/Yorkville-Sound/Hardshell-Viola-Style-Electric-Bass-Case.htm
I have heard that some short scale strings don’t fit due to exactly what you said- due to the length between the saddle and the tailpiece, you can end up with silk over the nut. I can’t however tell you what each brand’s ball to silk length is, as I’m sure there is variability there.
I only have experience with the one example in the video, so I’m not sure if it’s a problem across the board. The one I shot the video with had poor string contact at the bridge saddles. They weren’t slotted, so the strings slid back and forth sideways. They look like fretwire, so a tech could potentially replace and slot them properly. Would also look for the usual suspects: how well the bridge is seated on the top and pickup height. Changing to flatwounds may also help.
I tough that I was the only one with this "problem". While playing with fingers I can manage to control it better but man when I need to play some melodic phrase on the E string using a pick is always very difficult to get the dynamics right
Its a much better bass than the Hofners...which sound like toys in comparison. Its has a much heavier body and feels more solid...heavy tuners give it more sustain. With both pups on max you couldn't ask for a better tone.
Two things make me prefer my Viola to my Hofner; The body is heavier and balances better on a strap, and, probably because of the heavier construction, it's never had a feedback issue on a loud stage. I can't say it sounds better or worse than my Hofner Contemporary, just different. Oh, and it cost me $150 used😜
150 is a great deal!! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I just picked one up for $40 at a garage sale today. Thanks for the good words, I’m stoked.
I was watching a video of Ringo's band doing a live show around 10 years ago, their bass player was playing this Epiphone and man did it sound good. Great little bass. Thanks Jonathon. Cheers from Utah
Yeah it’s pretty solid. For the price I find it more robust than a Hofner ignition. Thanks!
My gosh, thank you so much! I love the simple, methodical, sequential way you move through the available settings of the given instrument! It's so simple and obvious - it seems - but so few reviews do so in such a clear, concise, and comprehensive way. I really appreciate that and feel better informed about my purchasing decision. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for watching and for the encouragement! Much appreciated!
Hi Jonathan. Another great review. I have a Viola bass and it has some of the sweetest sounds. I chose it over the Hofner Ignition because it felt like it has better quality and it does. The controls make it easier to tailor the sound to whatever you're playing. I have flatwounds on it like all my basses. This is always my go to bass..
Thanks for watching! I’m quite a fan of V-V-T!
Excellent review. You covered all the important(to me) points. The neck pick up sounded great. I grew up with an EB-1 Gibson and I prefer a skinny and thick neck. I got the Hofner Shorty bass and love it. I would like to to test an ignition.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! I’m sure a good tech can slot the saddles to keep the strings from sliding sideways. Otherwise pretty solid!
I treated myself to one of these for my 70th. birthday as its it feels better quality and more solid than the hofner, also the price is more wallet friendly. As you pointed out the strings do slide about on the bridge, a quick mod with some files fixed that, plus flatwounds that really improve the tone and you have a winner!
Thanks for watching and sharing! Yes, the viola does feel more robust and solid than a Hofner! Way better tuners.
Thanks for reviewing this Sponsor free Jonathan! Convinced me I don't NEED a Hofner, I really like the extra distance between strings ✌
Thanks for watching! I think the Epi viola is probably the best value Beatle style bass. Has better tuners and VVT! Better made compared to the Hofner Ignition /Icon
Would really like a semi hollow body bass , Ive tried some Hofner ignition basses in a store and i didnt like them too much. I think the contemporary Hofner has a more German Hofner feel might be worth the money. Ive tried the Viola bass but I prefer the single coils on the Hofners Thanks for your review 😊
Thanks for watching! I quite like my contemporary Hofner club bass! The tight string spacing takes some getting used to and I find I can’t play it for too long as a result, but it has ‘that’ sound.
Brilliant review. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the encouragement and for watching!
Great review. I am surprised by the bridge saddles though. I have one of these Viola basses, but I bought it in 1996. My saddles are indented for the strings. They must have changed the design over the years. I see they are a lot cheaper (now) to buy than when I bought mine too, so I guess that is some of the cost cutting. That being said, I have a Hofner as well. I think they have a bit of different tone as my Hofner is not a semi-hollow bass. I personally like that they have a bit of different sounds (especially if you are going to record with them).
Thanks so much for watching! The current saddles look similar to fret wire, so it should be relatively easy to make a slot with a fret file. I could feel the G string wiggling around when I had the bass for this video, and it made annoying noises. I prefer the shape of my Hofner Club bass (Contemporary series), but if I absolutely had to have a Beatle-shaped bass, I'd take the viola over a Hofner Ignition. I hate the tuners on my Hofner.
Always wondered about this bass, I think it actually sounds better than my Hofner Ignition; maybe an upgrade in pickups . . .
I just recorded viola bass vs my Hofner club…stay tuned!
excellent review. i have one on order!
Thanks so much for watching! Hope you like the viola when it arrives!
Great video, very well done. I'm looking at picking up one of these, but I plan to tune it to D-standard. I imagine that might worsen the string sliding on the saddle issue. Do you think a heavier string gauge would compensate for that?
Thanks so much for watching and for the encouragement!
If you are going for D standard, I would definitely go with heavier strings. Here's a video I did on this very topic:
th-cam.com/video/ZqAvH_6SBEI/w-d-xo.html
However, I don't think heavier strings would fix the string slippage issue (but I also haven't tried) as it may not necessarily give more downward pressure at the lowered tuning. On my Hofner, the bridge saddles look like fret wire and it appears that the factory had slotted it. I don't get the same string slippage on my Hofner. I think a good tech could probably slot a shallow channel, only deep enough to keep the string in place. That's probably the best solution. Not sure why they didn't do that at the Epiphone factory. Cost and time, I guess.
Are you going with flats or rounds? Best of luck!
Excellent vid!
Thank you so much for your encouragement and for watching!
Great demo of this bass
Thanks, as always, for watching and commenting!
Nice review. Thanks.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Hi Jonathan,
Great review!
I might return my Gretsch Junior Jet and look into one of these or the Hofner Ignition.
I've only had the Jet for about a week or so, but I'm just not feelin' it. I don't really find the tones I'm getting particularly inspiring or interesting. It's a good instrument for the price, but a violin-style bass is more in line with the kind of music I play (mostly 60's rock and folk).
The strings slipping on the saddles is a little concerning though because I play with a pick (and use flatwounds). Hmm...
Thanks so much for watching!
I found the Gretsch to have a weird balance on my lap. Made it less comfortable to play.
If violin/beatle basses are where your heart is, I’d take the Epiphone over a Hofner ignition. I had a few quality control issues with the Ignitions I’ve tried. I own a contemporary series Club bass, which is cool, but tonal variation is limited and I HATE the tuners.
The Epi has way better and robust tuners and it’s VVT making it more versatile in my mind. The bridge saddles are essentially fret material. They are slotted on my Club bass, so I’m sure a qualified tech could put a small slot in it to keep the string in place (on the Epi viola).
Good luck!
@@jonathanwong458music Thanks for the recommendation! I have a few Epiphones (IBG J45, Casino & Dot), and overall, the quality really good for the price point. So, I guess I'll go with another Epiphone :)
I'd love to see a review/demo of the Eastwood Airline Map or Rivolta bass if you ever come across one!
I’ll see what comes my way! I did film something with the Eastwood semi hollow classic 4. Here’s a link should you be interested:
Eastwood Classic 4 Short Scale Hollowbody Bass - Demonstration of sounds and review
th-cam.com/video/-v-b4_6kqdo/w-d-xo.html
@@jonathanwong458music So I got the Epiphone Viola the other day. I noticed only the E string is touching the zero fret, even after lowering the action. The D string is the worst with about a 1 mm of clearance. How was the Viola that you demoed? Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the zero fret was there for aesthetics and to look more like an original Hofner, or if it’s actually supposed to function as a zero fret.
@@brian.f09 just to ensure we are talking about the same thing: by zero fret, you mean the fret right up against the nut? If so, as you know, the strings must sit on the zero fret, as the nut is supposed to only provide string spacing - Is your nut slot cut too high? If you purchased it from a store, I'm sure their tech can help sort it out. (I'm also assuming you've removed all the styrofoam/packing stuff that's typically shoved under the bridge feet for shipping)
The one I demo'd was a rental and I surprisingly didn't need to do much to it to get it playing alright. I hope yours gets sorted out.
GREAT video! Thank you! :)
Thanks so much for watching and for the encouragement!
@@jonathanwong458music I was JUST about to order a Hofner Ignition, and somehow didn't even know Epiphone even makes this bass! I like it much better than the Hofner. Thanks again!
Maybe this video will be helpful:
Epiphone Viola Bass vs. Hofner Club Bass (Contemporary series) - Sonic, neck and pricing comparisons
th-cam.com/video/dMDuJWtXbi4/w-d-xo.html
What I like about my Epi over the Hofner, the viola bass is slightly larger and slightly heavier. It's feels better to me and ON me.
The Epi viola is a solid bass! It’s chunkier, but doesn’t feel as fragile as my Hofner. Thanks for watching!
I'm no snob regarding the Hofner models. I had the Hofner Contemporary for several years (IMHO, it's much better than the Ignition). My friend owns the Epiphone Viola. Beyond the visuals, there's a big tone difference between the Epi and Hofner. I prefer the shorter scale Hofner and its sounds (only two of them in my opinion) get you in McCartney territory. I think the Epi is over-priced but attractive compared to Hofners. I like Jonathan's videos and his reviews are excellent.
Thanks so much!! I’ve done a Epiphone viola vs my contemporary club vid and the midrange on the Hofner is more complex and rich. But it’s also 2x the price! Feels more upscale too. Thx for watching and commenting!
Hi I have a question about the design
It’s difficult to play the last frets on the bass or it’s good?
Great question. Practically speaking, anything beyond the 17th fret is difficult to play due to the body shoulder/bout. If you really wanted to venture up there, you would need to use thumb position/technique similar to upright bass or cello. The other issue is that most of these hollow/semi hollow basses are difficult to intonate in those high frets and often will play out of tune.
Thanks for watching and asking!
Great review! Are these made in Korea?
Thanks for watching! Your question is a tricky one….the earlier ones were indeed made in Korea. However, as I understand it, in the mid 2000s. Epiphone changed their place of manufacture to factories in China. The bass in the video was a rental, so I am unable to compare the quality between the countries.
@@jonathanwong458music thank you very much for the quick response, and the information.
have a great day!
My pleasure!
Great video - amp?
Thanks for watching! The bass was recorded direct through a Line6 Pod Go
What is the weight difference between the Epiphone and Hofner?
Thanks for watching! The weight difference may depend on which model of Hofner you're looking at. The Ignition series Beatle basses tend to weigh a bit less than the contemporary series as the Ignition is fully hollow while the contemporary ones have a centre block. If you compare the Epi viola to an ignition Beatle, they are pretty similar but the Epi feels more solid, substantial and robust in my hands. The Hofners all feel more fragile, including my contemporary Club bass.
@@jonathanwong458musicgood to know, thanks
Have you considered reviewing an Epiphone Allan Woody and Jack Casidy basses?
I’d love to! At the moment, my very small channel start-up is limited to borrowing friends’ axes or renting instruments. But if I can get it, I’ll record/film it!
Can you get a hard case to fit this Bass?
Yes! This rental instrument came in one. Here’s the link: www.long-mcquade.com/12051/Guitars/Cases---Gig-Bags/Yorkville-Sound/Hardshell-Viola-Style-Electric-Bass-Case.htm
I have the Epiphone hard case for my Viola bass. I don't know if they are still made, but they are out there somewhere.
Yes, it's a nice rectangular shape and good fit, however it's not as robust as a flight case.
What kind of strings on this bass?
They were the stock roundwounds that came from the factory. Not sure what the epiphone house brand is, sorry.
@@jonathanwong458music thanks. I’m trying to find an appropriate set of nylon flat wounds for my new to me Epi Viola
Cool! I think D’addario makes a short scale tapewound set.
@@jonathanwong458musicaren’t you supposed to use medium scale strings on it due to the bridge being so far back?
I have heard that some short scale strings don’t fit due to exactly what you said- due to the length between the saddle and the tailpiece, you can end up with silk over the nut. I can’t however tell you what each brand’s ball to silk length is, as I’m sure there is variability there.
I've been looking at these. We all tend to forget that back in Macca's day the Hofner was a cheap bass.
I quite enjoyed this viola bass. Thanks for watching!
Just like mine, anytime you play on the low E it just sounds over loaded and unusable. I literally avoid that low E so much.
Oh man!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@jonathanwong458music
Thank you for your work. Do you recommended anything for the low E notes sounding overloaded?
I only have experience with the one example in the video, so I’m not sure if it’s a problem across the board. The one I shot the video with had poor string contact at the bridge saddles. They weren’t slotted, so the strings slid back and forth sideways. They look like fretwire, so a tech could potentially replace and slot them properly. Would also look for the usual suspects: how well the bridge is seated on the top and pickup height. Changing to flatwounds may also help.
I tough that I was the only one with this "problem". While playing with fingers I can manage to control it better but man when I need to play some melodic phrase on the E string using a pick is always very difficult to get the dynamics right
@@leonardoaraujo1139 is the saddle slotted on yours?
Its a much better bass than the Hofners...which sound like toys in comparison.
Its has a much heavier body and feels more solid...heavy tuners give it more sustain.
With both pups on max you couldn't ask for a better tone.
Definitely agree the Epi feels more robust. I’m kind of scared to take my Club bass out! I’m also a fan of V-V-T!