Epiphone
by Gibson

type	origin	year	neck	construction	headstock	zero fret	trussrod
Viola	USA / Korea	1995-	set neck	stacked plywood	symmetrical	yes	yes
notes: In several web souces, the Epiphone Viola Bass is said to have been the earlier violin bass, that means: prior to the Hofner 500/1. Well, this is total rubbish since the Viola came in the ninetees as a cheap response to the vintage hype that was caused by Sir Paul McCartney's decision to reactivate his Hofner after years of using the Rick. The Viola is said to be produced by Samick! People occasionally confuse the facts, because Epiphone's mother company Gibson had a violin shaped bass in the early fifties. Read for further information the introduction to the history of the violin bass. Epiphone had one single bass model in the early sixties (the Newport), even in the mid 70's they had only three basses (catalog picture from 1974) and none of them was the Viola.

 

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type	origin	year	neck	construction	headstock	zero fret	trussrod
	USA / Korea	1998-2001	set neck	solidbody	Gibson	no	yes
notes:  Copy of the Gibson EB-1 bass. Edges of the early model closer to the Gibson original (pics 2nd row)