Bassassin

Pretty wood on the FB, alright. Not familiar with the brand but it's a US ad, so that's not unusual. Also can't put a builder to the bass - quite an interesting one with a bunch of uncommon & contradictory features. Seller claims it's Fujigen, I'm pretty sure it's not - although the 3-part neck was used by FGN. The body has me a bit concerned that it's a big old slab of ply - literally a slab as it has no discernable contours. Pics are a bit coy about showing what's under the ashtrays - but what you can just about see under the pickup cover looks like a little chrome Tele-type single coil, not uncommon on low-end 70s MIJ. The bridge looks brand-new and is probably a replacement for what I expect to have been a rusty 2-saddle BBOT. The tuners are similarly low-end. That neck is nice though, I like the 3-part build and it's a very attractive piece of rosewood - also pretty uncommon in an era when most Fender copies had maple boards. There are several accounts of early 70s MIJ production being shared between different manufacturers, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the neck on this came from a builder of a somewhat higher standard than the body & hardware. J.

[quote name='tom skool' timestamp='1470603823' post='3107086'] On trickier sections I work out what syllables land on particular notes. For example you might need to hit an f as you sing the 'lo' part of the word 'hello'. If that makes sense [/quote] This. You need to look a the vocal part from a rhythmic perspective and work out where syllables, pitch changes, pauses etc fit in over & around the notes you're playing. When I first started trying to sing & play, I found it easier when I didn't look at what my hands were doing. Dunno why! Jon.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1470464762' post='3106131'] I'd love to see a decapitated Fender (P [i]or[/i] J) with Steinberger bridge done by someone who cares. [Ducks behind flameproof sofa] [/quote] Turns out Cort were reading this thread for inspiration, then jumped into their time machine and popped back to 1985 to create this: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/Random/CortHeadlessP_zpsgrgxb6eb.jpg.html"][/url] Including genuine Steinberger-licensed bridge! But yes, looks are very important. Fortunately I like basses in general so can find something to love in most styles, colours and designs. Not seen too many singlecuts that I like, but I think that's down to trend-led aesthetics rather than the underlying concept. There is no intrinsic need for a singlecut to look like the misbegotten offspring of Snoopy and a sperm whale. But most of them somehow do. Jon.

They seem to know it's being discussed on BC... [quote]... And it is located on low-pitch site...[/quote]

Just had a quick Google of Tom Clement basses & my god, he's made some horrors. Now I'm sure as musical instruments they're impeccable, but he appears to have made an art-form of that wonky, cock-eyed, slightly queasy wrongness that usually typifies the home-made bass. Taste is a curious and unquantifiable thing, innit? Jon.

[quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1469880310' post='3101712'] I know!! The interesting thing about this bass is I don't think it's a Teisco or a Guyatone or even Japanese at all. [/quote] Agree with this - it's not MIJ. I don't know a whole lot about early American instruments, but this could just as easily be 60s Italian or Cold War-era Eastern European. That maple fretboard's curious. You don't see that on many early basses. Jon.

Don't think there was ever a Westone like that. I'm with the Precision-meets-bandsaw theory.

[quote name='razze06' timestamp='1469712386' post='3100554'] You're not wearing road leathers underneath that - you should! [/quote] My character prefers military fatigues under a combination of BoS & legendary Synth armour. None of your trashy Raider rubbish for the formidable Diarrhetica Buttocks!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1469704194' post='3100436'] It's a bit more difficult when you're going for a post-apocalyptic style vibe [/quote] This sort of thing?

It's a pretty colour. For a gruter.

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1469444786' post='3098287'] Very informative! Thanks again J [/quote] I need to get out more...

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1469432319' post='3098118'] Pedant away J It's all good!!!! Here's a little thing that confirms your right! [url="http://www.music-trade.co.jp/tokaihistory.html"]http://www.music-tra...kaihistory.html[/url] It does mention lawsuit era guitars meaning all of the Japanese copies at the time. Whether or not fender sued these companies is Moot as fender employed them all at different stages to make Japanese fenders. thanks for the info J [/quote] With Fender Japan instruments the rule of thumb is the "Made In Japan" refers to instruments built by Fujigen (basically from JVs right up to the mid 90s) and subsequent "Crafted In Japan" were products of Dyna Gakki & Tokai Gakki. The "lawsuit era" refers to the period from about 1971, when Japanese manufacturers began flooding the market with Fender, Gibson (and the occasional Rick) copies, up until June 1977, when Gibson brand owner Norlin made a proposal of intended legal action against Elger Hoshino, the US branch of Ibanez brand owner Hoshino Gakki, over the use of their copyrighted "open book" headstock profile on Ibanez Gibson copies. No legal action ever took place because Hoshino had already changed their heastock profile to a non-infringing shape the previous year. Fender never threatened legal action against anyone in the 70s and basically dealt with the MIJ copy threat by setting up Fender Japan, in co-operation with Greco brand owner Kanda Shokai.

[quote name='lee650' timestamp='1469383343' post='3097880'] Don't discount the Tokais either! They IIRC they were made by matsumoko and created the infamous "lawsuit" fenders. [/quote] Hope you don't mind me being a bit of a pedant here but Tokais were made by, erm, Tokai. Tokai Gakki is a manufacturer in its own right and MIJ Tokais were, and are made in their Hamamatsu factory. Apart from in the early 70s when they briefly sub-contracted to Kasuga Gakki in order to meet increased demand. There weren't any lawsuit Fender copies - in fact to be properly pedantic (a failing of mine - or is it a virtue?) there were no MIJ lawsuit guitars at all. Ever. Anyway, you're right, 70s & 80s MIJ Tokais are excellent, replica-quality instruments. J.

I remember seeing one of these at a music show in Birmingham probably 12 years ago. Presumably it's a big blob of moulded plastic rather than any actual craftsmanship.

If you're interested in JVs & 80s MIJ Squiers in general, do check out [url="http://www.21frets.com/"]http://www.21frets.com/[/url] - more info about these instruments than you can shake a stick at. Unless it really. really has to have "that" serial number, don't get hung up on JVs, though. The later MIJ SQ, E and A - serial instruments are excellent quality and will cost you a few arms & legs less than a JV. I don't think it's the case that the late 80s MIKs were actually Japanese. These were initially built by Young-Chang and many are fundamentally identical to Young-Chang's own Fenix brand, which they built simultaneously. And why Fender took their business elsewhere... They're excellent quality and worth a look - as are Fenixes. It's also worth considering other 80s MIJ Precisions, unless it has to have Squier on the end. Anecdotally the very first JVs actually began manufacture as Grecos. Fender did a deal with Greco's brand owner to form Fender Japan, and one of the conditions was that manufacture of Greco Fender copies should cease. So basically an 80s Greco P is very closely related to a JV - the same factory (Fujigen) if nothing else. There are also various 80s MIJ replica-standard brands to consider - Fernandes & Tokai are the best-known brand & likely represent excellent value compared to JVs. Jon.

Quite relieved it's structurally sound and looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Re refinishing. I'm not certain but I think these were Cort builds. A couple of years back I grabbed a bargain Cort headless (close relative of Hohner B2A & Jack) which badly needed a refin. Upon removing the knackered black paint with a heat gun (it peeled off really easily), I found the wood underneath to already be clearcoated (presumably a grain sealing/levelling coat) - not perfect but completely acceptable. I left mine natural but it would provide a ready-made basecoat for a respray. And here's a random thought. If this was my project, I might feel inclined to take a hacksaw to the sharp end, a hammer & chisel to the blunt end and buy this to bolt onto it: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Headless-bass-bridge-for-4-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar-High-Quality-NEW-T1K0/162083449544"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K0/162083449544[/url] Could be a £450 payday in it... J.

Are you on the [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/78514186083/"]Rickenfakers FB group[/url]? David (Retrovibe) Konig does a Rick-tailpiece styled bridge with standard BBOT - type saddles, and also does upgrade saddles for Chickenbacker tailpieces which allow proper individual string adjustment.

Call me a sick freak, but I do sort of like it. Sort of...

Never ceases to amaze me how much money people seem to want for this sort of squalid, ineptly butchered junk. Wonder if it's always wishful thinking or are there really mugs out there that buy this stuff?

That sounds positive! Not just £15 worth of firewood, then?

It's not helping my appetite.

I truly despair at the standards of literacy these days. [b]Base[/b] gruter. As any fule kno.