Bassassin

That'll be me! Cool little thing - have wanted one since a much younger & poorer version of me saw one in the old Wapping Bass Centre back in 1980-something. Its future may hold a refinish - the black's not original anyway, and I always fancied a pink one... I'm also vaguely curious to find out if the wood/build's like this under the paint. But I bet it's not. I have read a bit (old MIJ basses/guitars are sort of my thing) about the background of Headway/Riverhead & it's likely the info on the current Headway/Deviser website is a pretty reliable overview. https://www.deviser.co.jp/en/headway/about/history Prog nerd factoid - Fairport Convention/Tull bassist Dave Pegg played one of these, & liked it so much he named a bass instrumental piece after it. And presumbaly it's the bass he's playing here: https://youtu.be/iC_GmZzfq8M?si=lowA6MZInIv5wWKm

There was someone on the Rickenfakers FB group a while back who got a Chinese builder to make them a one-off Kip Winger Spectorbacker copy. I think they mentioned that it was subsequently available as a 'standard' model! I'm strangely OK with the gold bling!

Much as I didn't want to think this was a cynical, last-ditch cash grab, the screen grabs I've seen of prices for some of the different 'packages' tickets are being flogged in, with prices going into the multiple thousands, do lead me to the uncomfortable conclusion that my once-favourite band whose principles as artists I once admired, are quite happy to gouge like there's no tomorrow.

Probably not all of them! I do know Aria's MB range of pickups used in the SB, RSB, TSB etc basses did include P-style coils in a soapbar case. Some even had exposed poles.

That may well be the single w@nkiest thing I've ever seen, musical or otherwise.

Apropos of nowt, there's a very early live bootleg (I think Peart's second or third gig with them) where they jam bits of what became By-Tor in the instrumental bit of Working Man. 😎

Hi Dazzer, welcome to BC! If the serial's a little silver sticker, unfortunately there's no known way of dating them, as I mentioned upthread. There is a pattern, but cleverer minds than me haven't worked it out yet! Best guess is late 70s/early 80s, as it seems Moridaira carried on making copy guitars fro a few years after most Japanese manufacturers stopped. Hohner production went to Cort in Korea around '82 so it's unlikely to be later than that. Post some pics if you can, always good to get a look.

Yeah - that's kind of my hope/fear! Fear in that I won't buy a ticket if they announce any UK/EU shows, because of the greatest hits/nostalgia thing - then they'll go "by the way, we recorded these ten new songs we'll be playing for the first - and very last - time on this last-ever tour!"

Likewise. Upper bout looks like a huge, pointless expanse of unnecessary bulk. Looks like it could be shaped into something with a bit of coherence but that ain't it.

Fair enough. On a quick count, I saw them 14 times between 1981 & 2013, and I think I'm fine with all those memories. Doesn't mean I can't be a tiny bit disappointed by the way the band which I have to acknowledge has been my single biggest musical influence has decided to bow out. Assuming that's what they are doing - if they were to announce some new music alongside these gigs I'd feel quite differently, I think.

This - but new music, in a studio, Not bloody Tom Sawyer & Spirit Of Radio for the 578478547854785784th time.

The Peart Era - everything from Fly By Night to Clockwork Angels? 😉

Thread no. 3...

Peart retired after the R40 tour (which I recall he only did on sufferance), several years before he became unwell. Clockwork Angels was their final album and as far as anyone - band or fans - were concerned it was over. And that was a shame but their choice - so fine. Lee & Lifeson said they'd maybe work together again at some point but it wouldn't be 'Rush'. The assumption was it'd be new music in some form. The Taylor Hawkins reunion thing was quite unexpected, and I do remember reading that afterwards they said the phone "hadn't stopped ringing". They were highly dismissive of the idea of going out as Rush with a different drummer. Lifeson went off to do his Envy Of None thing, and Lee's written three books - it sort of looked like they'd found new outlets. Personally, as I said, I hoped they might get the bug to make some new music together, but instead they've done the very thing they seemed pretty adamant they weren't going to do. For musicians who I always admired for making their own decisions & not succumbing to commercial pressure, or doing anything the easy way, this feels pretty sad.

If they were going out as 'Geddy, Alex & Friends Perform The Music Of Rush' or something, it'd seem a little bit less - I don't want to say it - but cynical. I don't think I'll be going.