u/eachfire

New to me Epiphone Viola and my gosh ... I am just smitten.

• Added pickguard
• Upgraded tuners
• Swapped stock rounds for LaBella flats

I had always pooh-poohed these instruments because I felt they made a player look like they're trying too hard. If you're not in a Beatles cover band, what are ya doing, right?

Wrong. The second I picked this baby up, it felt like it'd always been part of me. It's light and small and short scale—my main bass is a 2016 American Standard P—and the thin neck makes playing so easy and comfortable.

My band plays a mix of southern rock and country, with Dead and Neil Young vibes in the air, and I try to bring lots of McCartney and Lesh influences to the bottom; since we're a four piece, and one of those pieces is a pedal steel, my parts have lots of rhythmic and melodic opportunities that the mix of a larger ensemble wouldn't. Phil is probably my all-time favourite player and I was shocked at how capably the EpiHof can slip into his percussive, sinuous role—flitting around the neck, finding little holes, never play it the same way once.

This bass is a bumping, thumping, grooving monster. With the flats added, it sounds almost like an upright when clean—and when you push the drive, it brings some NASTY, crunchy tones to the table. All I use for the signal is a SansAmp DI and the sound is just gorgeous. You should hear the way this machine holds down the bottom of Ramble On Rose, for example.

It wouldn't work as my only bass, or a daily driver—but it does a very specific thing very, very well.

We're working on a version of I've Got a Feeling for the next gig, and I get to do my best Paul rooftop impression! So much for no Beatles covers!