Bassassin

Apparently so. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322197769762"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322197769762[/url] Total project condition but nothing too major as far as I can see - needs electronics, new tuners and a serious de-lousing at the very least, Half the bridge components are missing but what's left looks functional. Collection only from Manchester otherwise I'd be all over it. If the neck/body are intact it'd be a fun little project. Jon.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1468839629' post='3093629'] Anybody sitting on a goldmine ? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-THE-RAIL-Bass-Guitar-with-Case-Vintage/391492789950?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D35923%26meid%3D4cb5807ca33b4804b05e4174fd1de6ef%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D291821464385"]http://www.ebay.co.u...%3D291821464385[/url] [/quote] Oh dear. Good luck with that, then. J.

Certainly is - been watching that one, just out of interest. Very nice indeed - it's an early 70s (the nailed-on badge suggests very early) Matsumoku build and looks to be in exceptional condition for a 45-year old bass. Even still has its original bridge cover. Jon.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1468393986' post='3090574'] He did play an Ibanez too, but it was a Roadstar, I had one myself in the early 80's... [url="https://www.talkbass.com/threads/show-us-your-roadstar-basses.1149080/"]https://www.talkbass...basses.1149080/[/url] [url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-1979-Phil-Lynott-Ibanez-RS-900-Bass-Guitar-Thin-Lizzy-/261875439983?nma=true&si=JdX398jT%252B0J2Hda20Mdtlpd2E%252Bw%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557"]http://www.ebay.com/...=p2047675.l2557[/url] [/quote] Looks like an RS800 Roadster with a mirror plate stuck on it. There's one (a bit modded, mind) on BC for £150: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/288038-fs-ibanez-roadster-1979-vintage/"]http://basschat.co.u...r-1979-vintage/[/url] Anecdotally "Roadstar II" was originally a misprint. Jon.

[quote name='Moosa' timestamp='1468353839' post='3090404'] Is that a Guild B302 on the floor? [/quote] Probably. You name it, Eric's got five of 'em. J.

Absolutely stunning. I have no idea of the value - but Flat Eric will be along soon to answer all of your questions. He has two of these and won't sell one to me. Jon.

I'd guess it's early 90s from the styling, which puts it outside of the 80s Matsumoku era of your TSBs & Lasers, and 99.9% likely Korean-made. Post - MIJ Arias have never had the same kudos as they did in their heyday, but have remained consistently good quality - and there are some proper bargains out there. I quite like the green. Jon.

[quote name='nigec' timestamp='1467648964' post='3085141'] the pin strip around the edge would be my worry.. [/quote] That's a thin laminated layer between the top and the back of the body rather than a painted pinstripe. I'd leave it too - high gloss finishes on figured timber like this look amazing. J.

[quote name='funkyjimbob' timestamp='1467645775' post='3085111'] Thanks for the advice.. The only issue here is I am not very 'hands-on' with bass DIY stuff and the thought of myself going at a £8500 bass with a scourer isn't really appealing to me if I'm perfectly honest. [/quote] Understandable, that's an expensive bass. But however much or little a bass costs, it's still just a piece of lacquered wood, and to change it, someone will have to have significant physical contact with it. Using mild abrasives to dull its existing finish is a whole lot less risky than attempting to strip a finish and replace it with something different. J.

Totally does not need an expensive refin - Geek99's pot scourer suggestion will have exactly the same result, with the advantage that if you (or a subsequent owner) wants to re-gloss it, you can do that with T-Cut & elbow grease. You'll also find a matt finish - however it's achieved - will very quickly gloss up with use, meaning use of the pot scourer is a useful skill to have! Jon.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1467618208' post='3084806'] Double Double buy it!!!!!!! [/quote] At current MIJ Faker prices, it'd still be a bargain if he did... J.

If it's MIJ and in reasonable/good condition, buy it. If it actually is an Ibanez (ie it says Ibanez on the trc) then double buy it. Any questions regarding MIJ Rick copies, ask away, I do know a little about them. NB it's perfectly OK to talk about them & post pics on here, we just can't offer them for sale. [quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1467539506' post='3084315'] Great basses, very accurate copies & highly regarded amongst the Faker fraternity. [/quote] Actually the early 2388Bs were wildly inaccurate in several respects! Still top quality & gorgeous, though. Jon.

He did get back to me, surprisingly. I'm prepared to accept - implausible though it might be - that it was a genune error. [quote] [b] Thank you for letting me know. I was not aware that it was a copy, but further research after your message seems to prove it is indeed a Hohner. I will now remove the listing. Thanks again. Simon.[/b] [/quote] In fairness if he actually paid Steinberger money for it 20 years ago, he'll easily make his fifty quid back. J.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1467542802' post='3084361'] Do let us know if he replies. If he's had it for 20 years as he claims, you'd think he would know what it is, or isn't... [/quote] You would, wouldn't you? Not really expecting a response. J.

It's not just a Hohner, it's a botched, butchered Hohner that looks like it's been in a ditch since 1986. WTF is wrong with people? Edit: In the spirit of Being Nice I sent him this note: [quote]Hi - just thought it reasonable to let you know that unfortunately your bass is not a Steinberger XL5. What it is is a Hohner B5, which is a Korean-made, licenced Steinberger copy, constructed from wood rather than carbon graphite. As such, and considering its poor condition, it's probably worth about one tenth of its starting price. It's still an uncommon & good quality bass but even in A1 condition its value would only be around the £300 mark.[/quote] Jon.

Last year I gave an as-new Cort T-34 bass (with a quite amazing finish) and a not-too-reliable Behringer head to a builder/aspiring bassist, in part-payment for a (bodged) concrete garage base. Otherwise I've actually made money on stuff I've sold, or just lost a few quid. I currently have a silly number of instruments sitting around and getting neither played or sold, because I know I'll lose money if I sell them now. Do need to bite the bullet, really. Jon.

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1467289691' post='3082546'] Why do the pawn shops around here never have anything like that?!?! [/quote] To be fair, the ones near me have things that look like this: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/CSL%20Jazz/CSLoriginal%20upscale_zpswmli7jh0.jpg.html"][/url] Bought it to give it a wipe, stick a scratchplate & new strings on it & flip it. Couldn't believe how well it played when I got it home. That was about 13 years ago. J.

Not really my sort of thing, but - blimey. That's a piece of history right there. Could've given it a clean though! Every time I see an old Wal I'm reminded of the time I saw one sitting in the shop window of Round Sounds record shop in Wishaw, with a £200 price sticker on it. But that was 1981, I was very young, very poor and a long way from home. Jon.

Good opportunity to point out once again that my £60 pawn shop MIJ Jazz copy is the nicest bass I've ever played: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/CSL%20Jazz/CSLresize1_zpskufavwxd.jpg.html"][/url] If I was ever in the position to spend silly money on a custom bass, most of it would be a replica of this thing! J.

That's a Laser Electric Heritage, Matsumoku build. Nice bass and easily a bargain. Welcome to the world of Vintage MIJ! Jon.