[catfur]

Hello,
New guy here and I just bought a Cherry '96 Epiphone Rivoli reissue with a single pickup. I read much about how bad these Korean p/u's are before I bought it and have been looking for an original to replace it. Are all the old Gibson EB series humbuckers the same excluding the early black and brown covered versions and if they are were the same ones in the original Rivoli's? Aside from Ebay, where to look?
I'm going to take it in for a set up next week but have been looking for a replacement. How are the aftermarket replacements? It seems like the rest of the bass is pretty nice but after plugging it in was kinda bummed. Was hoping to make this work 'till I could afford and original...
Thanks,
Grant

[jules]

The EB pickups are apparently not all the same - EB0, EB2 and EB3 are supposedly all a little different. Furthermore, they changed from year to year to some extent too. Slightly different thickness wire in the turns and slightly different numbers of turns. I have no information on magnets -so maybe there are differences there too.

Having said this, I have bought quite a few used EB pickups over the years, and can't say that I have really found major differences in sound. They all have had that EB mud that we all love to wallow in. There is some size difference too though, so be sure to measure the pickup rout before buying anything.

Personally i'd just buy one and check it out. They don't cost the earth. If you are unhappy you could get it rewound to EB2 specs (22000 turns of .063 wire). I recomend aaron armstrong at http://www.wdmusic.co.uk for UK pickup rewinds

[santi]

Hi, it is my first post. Well, I own a 95 Epi Rivoli; It was made in Peerless factory (Korea) and it is a very good instrument but the pickup. So, I fixed an older 1967 EB2 pickup (109$ in USA Ebay, in very good condition). Now, the sound is really good. This improve changes the instrument. BTW, these early korean Rivolis are better than newer; The mine has 3 pieces laminated mahogany neck (just like the older USA Rilovis and EB2s), and the newer has maple necks with the head glued. Well, I am sure, your instrument will be better with other pickup, and it will be a great instrument.

[catfur]

Just got the Rivoli back from Steve Soest and it plays great! still looking for a pickup...of course when I need one I can't find 'em and there were a ton on ebay in the last couple of months. Anyone have one?

[santi]

Well...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Humbucking-Neck-Pic ... dZViewItem
This one is not Gibson... I don´t know its quality...

[santi]

Hi catfur:
Still looking for the picup?
See here!
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Gibson-EB-B ... dZViewItem

[catfur]

Yeah I saw and bid on that one. Can't believe how much these things have been goin' for! Of course they were cheap when I didn't need one. I just bought a '70 P Bass and might sell the Rivoli...I don't know. I like playing it until I plug it in. I've played shows with it now and have to kick on my Big Muff to hear it. I play ALL of my stuff and I buy it for a purpose, from vintage basses and guitars to weird obscure effects and everything gets used not only at home, but at practice, the studio and on the road with two bands and I don't know where all these dudes get off paying all kinds of money for this stuff for bragging rights to only make it harder on the rest of our pockets, the musicians more than collecters. Been to a guitar show lately and you'll know what I mean, no 335 is worth $60K or any other guitar for that matter. I don't even want to know what an original tortise pickguard and pickup to replace the reissue parts on that '70 p-bass is gonna cost me...grrrrr....Sorry gotta vent.
Anyway, I'll keep looking until the market crashes.

[jules]

That one went comparitively high. I've seen (and bought several) under $50.

In fact I can't recall one going for more

[Granny Gremlin]

Originally Posted by jules

That one went comparitively high. I've seen (and bought several) under $50.

In fact I can't recall one going for more

Not recently you haven't ... have you? They've been going for US$100 +/- for about half a year now as far as I've seen (unless broken damaged or missing the cover etc).

[catfur]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/1960-70S-GIBSON-EBO ... dZViewItem

Wow, people are great!