Bassassin

I think I read somewhere that this system originated with Ibanez' rather cool Affirma basses - which also featured Piezos & built-in E- string detuner. I have two basses with this system - an Ibanez EDA (basically a cheap plastic Affirma clone!) and an Aria STB-GT. I find these bridges work perfectly well (and look quite cool), and I'm a fan of the hook-in string fitment, which makes removal/fitting very quick & straightforward. I don't think I'd ever choose to use this system on a build or project though - spacing & alignment could prove a right pain & errors during construction potentially catastrophic. Jon.

It has come to my attention that the lovely Mr Konig of Retrovibe also has a small quantity of basses in, err.. [i]another[/i] style, which are not available through his website. Interested parties should contact him directly, or perhaps via the "RickenFakers" FB page. Which might or might not be a bit of a giveaway. J.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1435218897' post='2806526'] Interesting. I can't help wondering what the inside of your right forearm would look like after a long gig, though... [/quote] I actually asked them that when this was posted on a local FB group. And also why it's essentially a huge Strat, rather than a bass. Jon.

Potentially even better for £70 then. '87 was the final year of Matsumoku production. J.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1435172930' post='2806265'] It is limited edition, but to how many, I don't know. Made in Indonesia. If you fancy one, get it now while stocks last at £390 notes, I'd say... [/quote] Sorely tempted. If I had the spare folding & a bit more space I would. J.

Hmm - that Emperor model might raise the blood pressure of certain jumped-up, litigious Californian CEOs... Love the fact David tries to do something different with his basses - I really wish the Super P came with the maple Vantage neck, preferably in a J width. On second thoughts, I don't, I'd be ordering one if it did. Jon.

It's no coincidence that "Vimto" is an anagram of "vomit". J.

[quote name='Fitzy73' timestamp='1435130958' post='2805657'] [i]my old tokai ,which I sold 2 years ago is wants me back . will I be able to resist[/i] [i][url="http://www.ebay.ie/itm/TOKAI-Hard-Puncher-1980s-Vintage-Bass-/291498358048?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_205&hash=item43dea7f520#ht_392wt_1344"]http://www.ebay.ie/i...0#ht_392wt_1344[/url][/i] [/quote] Do it. Fingers crossed you get it for less than you sold it for. Jon.

It may be a ludicrous C&W nightmare from the mid-70s - but I am curiously & worryingly tempted - particularly with Thomann knocking it out for $380. Given what Ibby reissues are typically sold at, that's about half what I'd expected. Anyone know any details, like where it's made (doubt it's MIJ at that price) or if it's a ltd. edition? J.

If you like it, for £70 it's hard to argue. I'd be inclined to think it's from the early years of Korean production rather than MIJ but the MIKs were decent enough. Jon.

I miss Wayne too, cool fella & from my old neck of the woods (Medway Tahns), but as is the way of such things, must now never be spoken of. This bass, on the other hand, looks like a dog's breakfast, and has been knocking around Ebay unsold for months. I think it's a much-modified (some might say mutilated) example of the natural wood finish bass you'll find [url="http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/basses.htm"]halfway down this page[/url]. Jon.

Just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Eric. I feel your pain. Still haven't got over the £25 guitar I missed on Gumtree. J.

Still a steal for £125. I'd think in good order it's worth three times that. J.

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1434658099' post='2801658'] Post it on some Facebook pages. I'd suggest the Perth music gear for sale page [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/191636460897067/"]https://www.facebook...91636460897067/[/url] And if there's similar ones around where you are too. Check your local pawn shops too (cash converters, etc). [/quote] This is the Edinburgh/Glasgow one: [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/358559090891321/?fref=nf"]https://www.facebook...891321/?fref=nf[/url] Definitely check local Crack Converters, and maybe Greenside Car Boot on Sunday as well. Hope you get your stuff back. Jon.

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1434711749' post='2802056'] $3800. [/quote] Ooof. Think I'll just look at the pictures. J.

That is all kinds of wrong but strangely alluring. Fortunately I'm often drawn to all kinds of wrong. It's like a modern take on those strange Italian Wandre oddities from the 60s. The Nuvo's pickup reminds me of the Tokai Talbo's layout. Jon.

That's a [url="http://www.odysseyguitars.ca/"]Balogh Odyssey[/url]. 70s/80s hand-made Canadian thing, Flat Eric can tell you all about them, he's got two. Me, I just have GAS for one. Where is it, is it for sale, and if so, how much? I missed out on a guitar version on Edinburgh Gumtree that was up for £25. Seller thought it was cheap rubbish... Jon.

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1434455570' post='2799694'] It was one of the many Gakkis, and now that you mention it, Fuji Gen Gakki made Tokais. Oooops! [/quote] Where did you hear that? It would be odd if it were true. Tokai Gakki is a manufacturer in its own right, in recent years even building CIJ Fenders in their Hamamatsu factory. In the early 70s, when the Tokai brand first started being exported, demand was high enough at one point that they outsourced some production to Kasuga Gakki, who were able to manufacture to the same standard as Tokai. I've never heard that they outsourced to Fujigen - or seen any crossover models that would support that - but it's not impossible. FWIW "gakki" is a general term that refers to any musical instrument-related business, whether it's a factory or a trading co. like Hoshino. [quote name='MothBox' timestamp='1434425106' post='2799407'] I picked up this Greco P, dated between 1969-1972, a few months back and absolutely love it. The signal is really hot. Very heavy though. [attachment=194370:Greco P 2015.03.20 (1).JPG] [attachment=194371:Greco P 2015.03.20 (3).JPG] There are some japanese bass demos on this youtube channel: [url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-aUxi7kJjQ&index=9&list=WL"]https://www.youtube....index=9&list=WL[/url] [/quote] Very nice, that. It's not as early as you claim (certainly not 1969 - Fender copies only started appearing around 1971), from the accurate construction & detail I'd say '73 at the very earliest. MIJ copies (including Fujigen) prior to that will tend to have small tuners, head-end truss rod covers, multi-part necks & veneered butcher-block body construction. Yours looks like the [url="http://psyco.jp/greco/c02_06.html"]PB-420S in the '74 catalogue[/url]. The "Gneco" logo dates it to '74 or earlier, but if there are codes on either the pickups or pots, you might be able to date it more accurately. J.

The entire album's available on Youtube as "Justice For Jason". No idea where audio files can be obtained though. I've always hoped they'd do the decent thing & release a proper remix one day. Jon.

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1434374195' post='2798984'] I have it on good authority that Greco are and were made by Fuji-Gen Gakki... aka Ibanez (more info available at www.ibanezcollectors.com ), as they have not only released "replica's" of famous American guitars, but variations of numerous Ibanez design guitars (Artists / Iceman / etc). [/quote] Can I get a bit pedantic here? Fujigen Gakki isn't Ibanez, or owned by Ibanez. It's an independent factory contracted by Hoshino Gakki Ten (the trading company which owns the Ibanez brand) to build Ibanez-branded guitars. Kanda Shokai, which owns Greco, dealt with Fujigen in the same way, and the reason why both brands have produced similar, and sometimes identical instruments, is because of the factory which built them. The Iceman (Mirage in Greco-ese) was a collaboration between Kanda, Hoshini & Fujigen - Kanda owns Japanese-market rights to the design, while Hoshino has the rights to territories outwith Japan. Other than the 70s copy-era stuff (where identical Fujigen copies were sold under a plethora of worldwide brands as well as Ibanez & Greco) I don't think there are any other cases like the Iceman/Mirage. Plenty of Greco stuff has very obvious shared DNA with Ibanez but the original designs are pretty distinct. One final note of pedantry - while Greco was exclusively built by Fujigen from about 1977 onward, prior to that, manufacture was shared with Matsumoku, with both factories producing versions of the same models. Possibly not relevant to Tandro's original question, because he seems to be asking more about the 80s replica-standard instruments, which were all Fujigen products. Anyway - I have droned on for far too long, as a form of recompense, here's some [url="http://psyco.jp/greco/cata.html"]delicious historical Greco porn[/url]. J.

That's pretty tidy. Is it cheap because you have to fight a polar bear for it? J.

Cool old bass, the originals hardly ever turn up any more. Which is surprising, considering that it appears they can survive being chucked under a bus. Jon.

Beautiful classic Ibanez in simply phenomenal condition - it almost seems wrong to play it! I have an RS924 Roadster which is almost (but not quite!) as pristine. It doesn't get out much! Jon.

As far as I know, Grecos were never officially imported into the UK, this makes them rare over here, and clearly that seller's trying to capitalize on the rarity. I'd say that's a pretty outrageous price! Greco is the house-brand of Kanda Shokai, who from 1982 operated Fender Japan. Greco Fender copies all disappeared immediately Fender Japan was launched - and anecdotally the earliest JV Squiers actually began manufacture as Grecos. I don't know whether this is the case, but both Grecos & MIJ Fenders were made by the same factory (Fujigen Gakki) under the auspices of Kanda Shokai. Apart from either just liking the brand or finding a great deal, I wouldn't think there was a particular reason to choose a Greco over an MIJ Squier/Fender, or another Fujigen-made clone from the same era - late 70s Ibanez for example. They're all very good. Jon.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1434052278' post='2796350'] Sold for more than I wanted to pay.. [/quote] £127? Still a stoopid bargain! Jon.