KK Jale

Alas the Funk Machine is almost definitely gone, to all intents and purposes. There's a huge thread on his various basses over on TB. The scratchplate pattern might get you close to an ID but since his son James Jr sadly died in 2016 there's nobody left who could authenticate it via the inscription supposedly carved on the back. JJ is probably my favourite player. What an incredible talent.

Thanks for sharing in my madness. Roger Giffin was certainly working in the right period. There is a bit of a similarity in the horns.

Another one. Mahogany neck with possible inlaid maple headstock facing? Partial upper frets? Looking more handmade-y, maybe.

This came up on a Facebook page and I'm foxed, so thought I'd throw it out there… This is John B "Sparko" Sparks in one of the Dr Feelgood line-ups, circa 1981. The body looks a bit like a Washburn SB-40, later the Force line (below). But the pointy 2x2 headstock's completely different, as are the controls, and the pickup looks more Aria-ish than Washburn. Obscure Japanese? Handmade? Any clues?

Wine Red was a Fender colour in the 70s. It's probably that. Here's a Strat: https://reverb.com/ca/p/fender-stratocaster-maple-wine-red-1979

Those looked like licensed tuners to me not USA. No "USA", different Hipshot logo, a shorter cover, less bevel on the teeth. Bargain if so, not so much if not.

I hate hate hate the out of tune bass on that. But funnily enough I love this.

Soooo, I bought these. They're good. First impressions... very smooth and slightly finger-grabby in that La Bella/ Pyramid way, as opposed to glassy like Chromes or satin-fast like GHS. Nice even response, with no dead E. Black silk at both ends is a nice touch. Pretty firm-tensioned at 45-65-85-105 - easy enough on my 32" Precision, but on a 34" scale they'd probably feel a lot like the La Bella 760FS (same gauges, so no surprise there). In fact in terms of feel, tension and sound – which is very much in the Motown camp to my ears – I reckon I'd be hard-pushed to tell them from Deep Talkin' Flats in a blind test. Whether they settle down like DTF's remains to be seen. At £24 posted via Bass Direct I'd say these are a snip for the more trad-minded. UPDATE FOR POSTERITY SEPTEMBER 2021... I fell out of love with the Maruszczyk flats eventually. I actually lost confidence in the bass they were on and nearly decided to sell it but as a last resort went back to my favoured Labellas and they transformed it - better feel, a lovely groovy bounce, a softer touch, far more even tension across the fingerboard and, dare I say it, more richness and "musicality". They're still on and I play the bass every day. Worth the extra dosh many times over. So after a year or so of use I feel justified in downgrading these strings from "really good" to "bit harsh overall, D and especially G pretty high tension, sound okay, didn't break, adequate I s'pose if you're strapped for £20". Thanks for tuning in.

Hard to see clearly, but the oblong shadow above the bridge is slightly odd. It's in roughly the place where a factory handrest might well have been, but it's a little too long for that, and there's no sign of the handrest "ears", nor the two screw holes. Worst case scenario would be a patch where an added pickup had once been, which would affect the value... quite a lot. Of course it may just be a mark from a sticker, or even a glitch in the photo.

Not often in my experience! I looked for a Squier PB-331 on and off for about a year before I found one for sale in France. As for modern 32" P-basses around £500, I don't think so. Unless you can find a s/h History SPZ-2M or a new "Cool Z" ZBP-M1R (basically the same thing) from Japan. http://store.shimamura.co.jp/shop/g/gst0074903/

A search reveals @NBGuitar bought some of these a while ago, so I'm gonna tag 'im. Hi NB!

Aha! Excellent, thanks. (although I think you're selling the wrong scratchplate )

Those scratchplates are nice @sblueplanet, are they from Jack's?

I see Maroooochzeck flats are available nice and cheaply in medium scale and in the gauges I'd like to try (45-105). Who actually makes them? Whaddathey like? Can you compare them to a summer's day, or more usefully the middly parp of a TI, the nasal boing of a Chrome or the plummy thonk of a La Bella?

I think what you MIGHT need is a 3/16" (4.4mm) "bantam" jack plug. These are not only thinner than a normal 1/4" jack, but also shorter (which might possibly be why Jim Burns chose them, because of the shallow depth of the Sonic body). Found this on the net: top, 1/4"; middle, a 3/16" which fits some guy's old Burns; bottom, a modern 3.5mm. Here's a possible source for a new plug: https://www.canford.co.uk/BANTAM-JACK-PLUGS-4.4mm-Economy or maybe https://www.canford.co.uk/Products/43-190_NEUTRIK-NP3TT-1-B-BANTAM-JACK-PLUG-Black Can't guarantee these will fit, but maybe worth a shot? (Also, they're crimp-contact, which isn't exactly pro-audio level... but for a home-use bass there's nothing wrong with that, and it'd be nice to keep it original). Or then again, a 3/16 to 1/4 cable... this looks good... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162673758955

I should probably post this. (Bass starts at 3.29)

Erm, no. So: hefty old shed, been gathering dust for a decade, arch back, pearwood board, lam top, once modded for five strings, action pretty high, strings softish though (red silk both ends). Czech, mid-century? No clue. Playable, kinda, in a way, though terrible sympathetic buzz from headstock even after retensioning strings. I plunked it, scratched my whiskers, thanked them, then hearkened to my gut feeling and said I needed a think. Maybe it's because I had a crisis of intent, or because I live in a shoebox and don't want to turn sideways every time I walk around it. Dunno. Shuftie unpopped. I feel I've failed the tribe.

Sorry HJ! We're in the "do it" range... I do believe I'm popping over to have a shuftie later today.

Cheers Spencer. You're right about the 'board, and yes it's a very iffy finish. Good call on the Weichs, if they're indeed purple at the top, I'll know.

'Leccy player here, never even tried DB, always fancied it. Spotted not far away, and very (very) affordable. Any clues as to origin, usefulness, or potential visible? Romanian? German? Worth a gamble? Input appreciated... No more pics available alas.

TJP will probably have a different and better answer to me but a good way to play left hand harmonics is to momentarily lift the bar off the strings and touch the strings with the edge of your pinky finger. You probably know this already, but right-hand harmonics really come into play a lot - either with the edge of the palm, a knuckle, a fingertip - whatever feels easiest that lets you strike the string at the same time. I tend to use the edge of the palm, it makes picking easier and you can sweep several harmonics at once. I always found the knuckle really difficult. Check out Speedy West at 0.20!

I agree... However it's nice to see that just for once in a TV advert the band and singer are REAL, not actors - The Phobics, local to round here, who've been plugging away with garage punk for 20 years and deserve a bit of a payday IMHO.

To the OP - take a look at Joseph Kaye Guitars. https://www.josephkayeguitars.com