Bassassin

[quote name='fingerz' timestamp='1420462211' post='2649538'] Good answer!! Great stuff [/quote] Ta! Possibly my only use in life is to identify (or not) obscure basses and in so doing, create confusion. My work here is done. Unless anyone else knows better... J.

Dan Armstrong shaped body with a P-type neck, might be a bitsa but probably more likely to be a one-off build. Pickup looks like a Gibson Mudbucker type, which you won't find on a Dan or any of the various 70s copies, as far as I know. Most of the copies had twin humbuckers, but there's no routing visible for these so I don't think the body's from an old copy. The base of the neck extends beyond the heel of the board so it can fit to the body, I would guess this neck's been made specifically to do this. Cool bass but I think if you want one you'll have to make one! Jon.

[quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1420293625' post='2647623'] What would it be worth if it hadn't been owned by God??? [/quote] £600. [url="http://eastwoodguitars.co.uk/eub-1-black/"]http://eastwoodguita...uk/eub-1-black/[/url] So used (& a bit grimy) that'd be what - £350 - £400? Jon.

Sounds somewhat suspect to me. I'm inclined to think it's nothing to do with Lynott other than a "tribute" based on the fact he is known to have used a version of this bass. As far as being a collectable MIJ rarity is concerned, all those non-original & non-spec parts just detract from its value. As far as I know, Roland guitars & basses were made by Fujigen Gakki, I think through Kanda Shokai (Greco, Fender Japan etc) rather than Hoshino Gakki, who own the Ibanez brand. Jon.

Could happen, unless some sharp-eyed gyppo grabs it first.... But if that happens, I'll flog it to you for £175. J.

It makes perfect sense to me. I've never owned a Fender-branded instrument but I've had several Squiers, including 80s MIJ, 90s Korean & a current Indonesian VMJ, all of which have been very good to excellent. Fenders are as basic as it gets, I struggle to understand why such a simplistic mass-produced instrument should ever cost more than a few hundred quid. Jon.

It's a slightly depressing reflection of the current market value of MIJ stuff that this has been on for 3 days & is still there. I'm still amazed by the Washburn Force 40 which sold for just £124 a few days ago, and there's been a slew of those Matsumoku-built, DiMarzio-equipped Hondo Professionals which have failed to attract any bids despite starting at £99 or less. It's a rubbish time to be trying to sell JapCrap. J.

Buy a used SR500 for the same money as a new 300. They come up all the time. Jon.

Neck-dive is really just an inherent feature of any 34" scale symmetrical body bass - the reason your Ps, Js & other asymmetrical basses don't dive so much is just the way the weight's redistributed by sticking the top button out near the 12th fret. It's much less of a problem on shortscale basses. I've got a couple of lovely symmetrical-body basses that hardly ever get out because I find supporting the neck awkward. Perhaps I should copy Mr Simmons & build something into my clothes to support it. And maybe get some Godzilla boots, too... J.

I can answer a couple of your questions Gregdach - it's a good-quality bass, it's an original design, and it's well worth keeping and re-fretting, in my opinion. Does the bass have a serial number anywhere? As far as I know, the earliest IGBs (and presumably ASBs, since they appear to be identical) were MIJ & possibly Matsumoku. Matsumoku closed down in '87 but higher-end Aria products were, and still are MIJ, utilising other factories. I'd say it's quite likely this is a Japanese-made bass. It's interesting that this bass has the same bridge unit used on many MIJ Arias (including the SB series) since the late 70s. I'm by no means an Aria expert however, I'd try dropping a PM to [b]noelk27[/b], who's set me straight about various Aria & MIJ-related facts in the past! Jon.

[quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1419922034' post='2643925'] I am a huge Kiss fan but really do not like the design of this bass and think it is over priced I would rather have a Punisher [/quote] I think the Punisher (especially the original through-neck) is a really good-looking bass. Ironically the only reason I wouldn't have one is that I'm not a huge Kiss fan. That & the neck-dive. Jon.

Don't know what this specific "bass" is, but it's plainly a 70s/80s budget cheapo that's been treated with the level of contempt & abuse that this kind of thing genuinely does merit. It's Oriental in origin, although unless a country is stated on the neckplate I couldn't say where. Korea, Taiwan & even Japan turned out this sort of trash in abundance between the mid 60s & mid 80s, and designs & hardware were pretty much interchangeable. I really hope it's not MIJ, though. Unfortunately this level of "instrument" probably discouraged a lot more people from playing than those who went on to pursue music more seriously. I started out on something similar, & probably wouldn't have persisted if a schoolmate hadn't sold me a halfway decent bass. Jon.

Me too. Never seen a Yamaha SB-35 before, didn't see the £78 Ebay one - would've been all over it if I had! Jon.

Someone came on last week asking about an old Commodore Semi. Where were you lot then, eh?? Eh??? Hopefully buying the bass in question for the £60 it was listed at: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/251367-mystery-commodore-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...commodore-bass/[/url] Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1419704034' post='2642081'] Looking at the Daisy Rock site, it appears that this bass has been discontinued. Their guitars and basses mostly seem to be only available in spangly finishes now. Which IMHO is a rather odd business decision. Isn't Daisy Rock a sub-brand of Cort? EDIT: They used to be part of Schecter, but have been independent for over ten years now. [url="http://www.daisyrock.com/products/electric-guitars-basses/rock-candy-bass/rock-candy-bass"]http://www.daisyrock...rock-candy-bass[/url] [/quote] Looks like there's just the two bass models now - that one looks like a glittery Ibanez SR wannabe, and [url="http://www.daisyrock.com/products/electric-guitars-basses/rebel-rockit-bass/rebel-rockit-bass"]this one[/url] - a pink glitter P/J thing. I like the colour but it's otherwise not very adventurous. It's a massive shame they discontinued the Stardust Elite: I think that's a great-looking bass - but then I'm lacking a shortscale set-neck & that would fit the bill! Jon.

That Jolana looks for all the world like they took a Flying V & hacked the points off it! Poor man's Burns Flyte? Not surprised Eric's had one! Jon.

Pretty guitar. If it's consistent with its era, all that fancy marquetry should be real inlays & not the transfers you see on contemporary cheapo Classicals. Can't really go far wrong for £25. Don't know anything much about DIA, not a UK brand as far as I can tell, always assumed they were a random EU importer brand. I've seen Matsumoku Rick copies, not sure about LPs, some are definitely not Mat. J.

T-Cut. Brings lacquer & frets up like new. Jon.

Something old & blue - Aria Pro RSB Deluxe II, from 1984. Bought this new in December '84, was my main gigging bass until the original neck went like a corkscrew in the mid 90s. Neck's been replaced with a similar (but not identical) RSB Straycat version, which is straight but doesn't feel quite right. Still looking for a proper MIJ RSB replacement, then it might gig again! Jon.

Registered trademark headstock profile, registered trademark logo = counterfeit. That'll be the law, that will. Jon.

[quote name='BassmanPauly' timestamp='1419378485' post='2639468'] Awesome. Thx for the info. So basically its like a pre sb-40? [/quote] I think it's an SB-40, just an earlier version. Hard to put a value on it as these are rare basses - and unfortunately that doesn't seem to make 'em worth more. The "Vulture II" models with tihe 2-a-side headstock was superceded by the Force 40 series - essentially the same bass with a 4-inline headstock & various permutations of electronics. One of these sold on Ebay just a few days ago: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Force-40-bass-guitar-/321612815116"]www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Force-40-bass-guitar-/321612815116[/url] IMO £124 is a derisory amount of money for a bass of comparable specification & quality (and made on the same production line) as the Aria Pro SB series, which can sometimes command prices approaching 4 figures. That said, it's worth what someone will pay, and I'd say yours, being a Yamaki-built example, is more desireable than mine, having an associaton with Yamaki's highly collectable & often very expensive Daion range. J.

Washburn SB40 Vulture II, made by Yamaki in 1981. I have a Matsumoku-built SB40 which, while broadly he same bass, has a few differences in build, hardware & dimensions: The most obvious difference with the Yamaki-made Washburns is the use of matched timber veneers for the control covers & trc, but bridge, tuners & pickup positioning is different too. I think Washburns were made by Yamaki up until '81, after which, production went to Matsumoku for the remaider of MIJ manufacture. There's no real history of these, or many other Japanese-made basses from the 70s & 80s, but the quality of these is on a par with the best of any MIJ brand of the era. Jon.

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1419354180' post='2639093'] [attachment=179211:Hovercraft_leaving_Ryde.jpg][attachment=179212:eels.jpg] [/quote] Babelfish translation from Urdu? Jon.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1418206001' post='2627872'] Washburn Force 40 - I think these are ok aren't they? [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Force-40-bass-guitar-/321612815116?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4ae19e1b0c"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4ae19e1b0c[/url] currently £40 [/quote] Sold for a miniscule £124. Phenomenal bargain, hope it was someone on here. Seems there's no logic in the world of JapCrap any more - the same seller sold a poxy (by comparison) & common-as-muck Westone Thunder 1a for £148. World's gone mad, I tell you. J.