Epiphone Viola Bass Cavern Burst 4-strenget basguitar

Epiphone Viola Bass Cavern Burst — British Invasion Short-Scale Hollowbody

The Epiphone Viola Bass Cavern Burst is a hollow-body short-scale electric bass that revives an iconic bass design of the early British Invasion era. Inspired by the violin-shaped basses that defined the British Invasion sound, this model pairs a fully hollow laminated maple body with a set-in maple neck and dual mini humbuckers. The result is a lightweight, balanced instrument with the warm, woody resonance that made short-scale hollowbody basses a staple of pop, rock, and indie recordings. At a 30.5" scale length, the bass offers a compact playing feel that suits players seeking vintage character without the weight or price of a vintage instrument.

What Sets This Hollowbody Bass Apart

What makes this model distinctive in the short-scale bass category is its fully hollow laminated maple construction paired with two Bass Mini Humbuckers. The compensated, height-adjustable floating wood bridge and Viola Scroll trapeze tailpiece reflect the classic design, while the Graph Tech nut with a zero fret and the Kalamazoo-profile 2x2 headstock refine it for today. Open-frame tuners with clover buttons and gold top-hat control knobs round out a hardware package that matches the instrument's classic visual language.

Hollowbody Construction and Body Materials

The body construction is the defining characteristic of this bass. A fully hollow laminated maple body produces natural acoustic resonance and a warm, woody tonal foundation. The maple neck is glued in as a set neck.

• Body Material: Laminated Maple — fully hollow construction for resonant, airy acoustic character
• Top Material: Laminated Maple — matched laminate top with multi-ply binding for classic visual depth
• Neck Construction: Set-in (glued-in) — classic set-neck construction

Short-Scale Neck and Playing Feel

The short-scale neck geometry makes this bass approachable for players who find long-scale instruments physically demanding. A Medium C profile and medium-jumbo frets provide a fast, modern playing surface across the rosewood fingerboard, while the 12" radius supports comfortable chord work and lead lines alike.

• Scale Length: 770 mm (30.5") — short-scale tension for easier bending and reduced finger fatigue
• Fingerboard Radius: 305 mm (12") — comfortable radius for both chord work and single-note lines

Mini Humbuckers, Controls, and Hardware

The electronics package is built around two Bass Mini Humbuckers in the neck and bridge positions. Passive electronics with individual volume controls and a shared master tone give players straightforward tonal shaping without batteries or active EQ. The compensated saddle bridge and Viola Scroll tailpiece anchor the strings with vintage-style hardware.

• Pickup Configuration: Bass Mini Humbucker (neck) / Bass Mini Humbucker (bridge) — warm, articulate tone
• Controls: Neck Volume, Bridge Volume, Master Tone — passive circuit with independent pickup blending
• Bridge & Tailpiece: Compensated Saddle bridge with Viola Scroll tailpiece — vintage-style hardware for accurate intonation and authentic visual identity

Who Should Play the Epiphone Viola Bass Cavern Burst

The Viola Bass Cavern Burst is the right choice for players who want the warm, woody tone and distinctive visual identity of a British Invasion-era short-scale hollowbody bass at an accessible price point. It suits indie, pop, rock, and roots musicians who value vintage character and a lightweight playing feel over the aggressive output of modern active basses. Its shorter scale also suits players with smaller hands or those seeking a more compact instrument. The included gig bag makes transport to rehearsals and gigs straightforward.