Bassassin

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.

Let's see some pics! If it's 80s MIJ & you paid £130 you probably got a bargain. Jon.

Looks to be a good price. It's an RS800, '78 or '79ish, all original apart from a missing control cover and in pretty decent condition for its age. Sensible postage too. If it was £50 less I'd probably buy it to flip it, then decide I liked it & keep it. Like all the rest. Jon.

It's true. Never met, known or worked with a drummer who hasn't, in one way or another, been a flakey weirdo. And over 35-odd years of playing music, that's a lot of drummers. I would say it's something to do with the mindset involved in making music by banging stuff with sticks, but being a flakey weirdo myself, I don't think I'm entitled to any sort of opinion... Jon.

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1466858704' post='3079402'] This doesn't happen very often, but I'll have to correct Jon The Jolana D-Bass is 34" scale, [/quote] Ta for putting me straight Chris, my info came direct from the sale thread for this very bass on the relevant FB group! No personal experience with these (despite about 15 years worth of GAS) so I'm certainly no authority. Correct me if I'm wrong - but the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jolana-D-Bass-/222162648326"]bass Paul's bought[/url] is the same one pictured on your site, isn't it? J

Hah! I nearly bought that on the Rickenfakers FB group! If the guy had been up for a trade, I probably would have... This is more a Rick-shaped bass than a proper copy, If you're OK with the uncontoured front (which I find a bit uncomfortable but bearable on my Fakers) then broadly it's unlikely to be much out of the ordinary. I've never played a Jolana so I'm no authority but clearly you won't have to contend with rubbish unfunctional bridges, clanky pickups with thumb-lacerating surrounds, chubby parallel necks and all those other Rick peculiarities. These do have a 33" scale but as far as I know that & the shape are all it really has in common with a real Rick. If it turns out you hate it, chances are it won't be too hard to find it a new home. Jon.

[quote name='Coldflows' timestamp='1466606708' post='3077191'] I have seen one on ebay that might be close : [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sanox-Sound-Creator-/272254332369?hash=item3f639f6dd1:g:5uoAAOSw2GlXHfTZ"]http://www.ebay.co.u...uoAAOSw2GlXHfTZ[/url] [/quote] Oh god, don't! Must. Not. Buy. Guitar.

Having had a few low-end MIJ EB-wannabes, I understand your scepticism! J.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1466596530' post='3077064'] '82 Washburn SB-40, not cheap but looks nice. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-SB-40-EQ-1982-Matsumoku-/182179481721?hash=item2a6abe4879:g:hqIAAOSwbYZXYFXm"]http://www.ebay.co.u...qIAAOSwbYZXYFXm[/url] [/quote] That's our very own [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/284874-washburn-sb-40eq-1982-matsumoku-graceland-ish-feeler-read-info/"]Andy Travis selling that[/url], and I hope he gets the asking price. I have the passive version (identical apart from the electronics) and these are stunning, beautifully-made basses. I'd be very interested myself if I didn't already have one. J.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1466583792' post='3076909'] My first-ever bass was a CMI SG copy in cherry, but... this may be a [i]little [/i]heavy for me. And crap. [/quote] This is a late 70s (post "lawsuit") Matsumoku build - I very seriously doubt it's crap. Most CMIs were built by Chushin Gakki and were largely at the low end of the MIJ copy spectrum, with ply bodies, microphonic single-coil pickups and usually less than stellar hardware. On the whole Matsumokus (which can be positively ID'd from the "Steel Adjustable Neck" neckplates) were good quality, particularly later examples. This has plain headstock profiles and TRC shape, which dates it to around 1977 or later so it's likely to be as good as bolt-neck 70s Gibson copies get. I'd say for what it is it's a serious bargain. It's completely original with no swapped pickups or hardware, looks in very in good condition for a 40-year old instrument and would cost a hell of a lot more if it said "Aria" on the headstock. Sadly no use at all to me - apart from for making it easier to show the guitarist what he's supposed to be playing! Jon.

Went for £91. Silly bargain, hope it was someone here. J.

And another 24 hours left on the auction. It won't sell for fifty quid, will it?

Unashamed Beggs fan from the first time I heard Too Shy - thought the song/band were rank but great bass part. The first slap line I ever tried to work out, which makes him to blame for me trying to shoehorn dodgy, badly-played & inappropriate slap riffs into far too many unsuspecting rock songs back in the 80s! Quite pleased he's found his niche as go-to prog bassist, as most of what he does these days is a lot further up my street than his best-known band. He also has his own band/project [url="http://themutegods.com/tmg/"]The Mute Gods[/url] - to be honest I found their album a bit inconsistent, although he does claim his intent was to showcase all sides of his compositional ability, including his pop roots. A few to many saccharine ballads perhaps, but the standard of playing from everone involved (including the immense Marco Minneman thumping the tubs) makes it worth a listen. Jon.

That's really cool for a P derivative! I've seen the Sanox name before but they're not too common. Got an idea it's a EU importer brand name & they were probably made in various different factories, Unlikely it's from the "Fender Factory" (which would've been Fujigen at that time) but not impossible. At least they didn't say the "Ibanez Factory". Might have a ferrule like that, I'll have a dig around. Do you have the others & the missing tuner? Jon.

I would have played it. Broadly, a booking's a booking as far as I'm concerned. We've played more ill-organized, unpromoted gigs to the soundguy and a stray dog than I care to remember - but at the end of the day, at worst it's a free rehearsal. However, if for whatever reason, a decision is made to blow a gig, for me it would have to be 100% democratic, with the assent of the entire band. Situations like this risk bands looking unprofessional & therefore jeopardising their reputations, and also risk creating schisms within the band. Speaking as someone who's been involved in booking gigs (in the past my band did a lot of gig shares & arranging our own nights) word does spread, and you soon learn which bands are reliable and who to avoid.

Although I'm the main composer in an original progressive rock band, I'd still say bass first - and it's the only instrument I'd take onto a stage with me. Also the first instrument I learned to play and the only one I pick up & play for the joy of it. However for me it's not the best compositional tool, and through necessity I'm a reasonably competent guitarist. At times when I haven't been in a band, I've predominantly played guitar and really only picked up the bass when a recording needed it. In the past I've dabbled with keys but not really in the last 15 years or so. I can drum a little, which is useful when writing but my recorded drum parts are all sequenced. I've fronted bands before, but singing these days is all just backing vocals - I can hold a tune, but my voice redefines "unremarkable"! Jon.

[quote name='rushbo' timestamp='1465939013' post='3072355'] Blimey, if that caught fire, it would burn for days... [/quote] And the fumes would put you in intensive care.

No problem - most people call me much worse! Anyway, if you bought it new in the mid-90s, that at least clarifies what it's not! Very likely it's an Elite/SB-R reissue rather than a completely different model. There's an Aria SB owners Facebook group which might be helpful: [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/196371477217872/"]https://www.facebook...96371477217872/[/url] J.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1465898298' post='3071891'] The Cadavers had completely upped their game by the time of the big gig - it hardly seemed like the same band on stage from a performance PoV. Pity that on the evidence of the two tracks shown they don't actually have any memorable songs. [/quote] The song they performed at the gig was a cover - Marilyn Manson's "Beautiful People". I thought it was a pretty dire version and was surprised that they went through. J.