Bassassin

I have an unbranded guitar version of this - it's actually pretty good, bass is probably not too bad either.

FYI that's a Jedson Scimitar Bass, model 4454.

Jon.

So, so glad the fretless neck isn't lined - I'd end up in desperate financial trouble if it was - twin-neck prog heaven!

Washburns from this era were extraordinarily high-quality, this was probably made by Matsumoku, although it's possible Yamaki were still building some Washburn models around '84/'85. I've seen a couple of these come up over the years, but it's an incredibly rare bass. Good luck with the sale!

Jon.

If it had the original pre-litigation Fender headstock I probably would.

Picked up a Fenix Strat at my local car boot a couple of years back. Paid £30 and thought I could probably flip it for maybe £150 - £170ish. Still have it - it's the nicest Strat I've played and p!sses all over my '84 MIJ E-serial Squier. Fenixes were seriously good.

J.

Hi - like most of the brands you see on old 60s & 70s cheapos, it's not a "make" at all, just a brand name chosen by the importer/distributor. In this instance the distributor was John Hornby Skewes Ltd, from Leeds.

Without seeing the bass I can't tell you definitively whether it's junk or not, however Zenta was JHS' low-end starter range, so quality is unlikely to be great. However, like all of these brands, there was a price/quality range and the dearer Zentas will have been better instruments than the rock-bottom ones.

Any chance you can show a pic or two? It might be possible to tell whether it's Korean/Taiwanese (very ropey quality back then) or MIJ (generall more likely to be useable).

These old instruments can have a sort of kitschy collectability, and if you are lucky enough to get a decent one (quality control was pretty much non-existent) it might be fun & sound interesting. Whatever you do, don't pay much - these don't have any real value as such so around £50-£60 should be the ballpark.

Jon.

Literally just round the corner from me.

Must.... resist.....

Jon.

Had to dig a bit to find your feedback thread Graeme!

Just bought a very pretty bass from Graeme, delighted with the bass & the deal couldn't have been smoother or easier.

Bass arrived promptly, well-packed and Graeme even included a diagram to indicate which holes the different-length neck bolts go in.

Highly recommended, would be happy to do business again.

Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1399970696' post='2449371']
I have a vague suspicion that my lowball bid will not be enough to win it. And I have a vague suspicion that if by some freak of economics I did win it, that I wouldn't be in the slightest bit inclined to sell it on
[/quote]
That's saddeningly uncharitable of you but perfectly understandable. It's OK though, robbery is always an option.

J.

Blimey, that's extraordinarily rare and lovely.

Someone in Watford - buy it & sell it to me!

Jon.

Cort through-neck (Korean), sensible start price of £50:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bass-guitar-/261476776943

Bonus if the Precision pup turns out to be a DiMarzio Model P.

J.

[quote name='rubis' timestamp='1399734489' post='2447163']
There's been a purple/blue one on ebay on and off for quite a while [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hartke-XL-4-Bass-Guitar-US-made-with-Vaccaro-aluminium-neck-/191162736496?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2c822fdf70"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item2c822fdf70[/url]
[/quote]
That's our resident Weird Bass Guru, BigRedX selling that one.

J.

Interesting, but I wouldn't touch this without seeing it first. About 8 years so back, a bunch of these necks were doing the rounds on Ebay, I picked one up for a project, when I got it, it was obvious the headstock was bent forward from the wooden back component of the neck & the fretboard was delaminating.

Fair enough, returned it for a refund no problem, but I did a bit of reading about these and it appears this was a common issue - the headstocks are welded on (presumably not particularly well) and the necks are very susceptible to temperature changes - I found details of extreme examples, eg where a bass had been in the luggage hold of an aircraft, temperature changes & string tension causing the head to detach completely.

Pretty sure the neck I'd had was failing in the same way - it had signs of use and I think it was being pulled apart by string tension.

Jon.

[quote name='bh2' timestamp='1399706998' post='2446788']
I also had a bass by H Noble... he is also on the list (don't tell him Pike!), although I've heard he's a made up geezer.
[/quote]
Not exactly made up - Hayashi-san is held in high esteeem by many MIJ fans:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/nobuaki_hayashi.html"]http://www.matsumoku...ki_hayashi.html[/url]

Arguably his Atlansias are more innovative than the Aria/Matsumoku designs he's best known for.

J.

Original pup on this would've been a DiMarzio Model P - no doubt that's why it's gone missing!

Seriously good deal for £50 though - doubt it'll be around for long!

Jon.

Tidy-looking Washboard Scavenger with original hard case (and a little Carlsboro praccy "hamp") for £150 / best offer, if you're oop north:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-washburn-bass-guitar-with-vintage-case-and-carlsbro-bass-hamp-/221436059788"]http://www.ebay.co.u...p-/221436059788[/url]

Edit - needs a new nut.

J.

Hi Midleofnowhere and welcome to BC.

Unfortunately you have come to the wrong place to find advice to help you narrow your choices down to one instrument, and I'm surprised no-one's yet offered you guidance to make the correct choice regarding your dilemma.

So let me be the first. Buy all three.

The simple fact is, if you're going to hang around here, that will happen anyway. And that will only be the beginning.

One is never enough, and for many of us, neither is ten. Or twenty.

Jon.

Pretty, but a bit overpriced considering the mods & "reliced" condition.

I miss my SQ - I'm not much of a P fan but it really was special, played & sounded beautiful, and had absolutely gorgeous book-matched grain on the body.

Jon.

[quote name='fender73' timestamp='1399494227' post='2444840']
Neck is narrow and skinny, and sound wise, really flexible with the 2 band eq

Go on.......you know you want to!!
[/quote]

PM'd.

J.

Getting seriously tempted by this now, despite the potential guilt & fallout....

What's the neck like (thin, fat, Precisiony, Jazzy?) and what's it sound like?

Jon.

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1399466629' post='2444487']
- Truss rod wheel. Every bass should have this;

[/quote]
Pretty common on MIJ instruments from the 60s onwards, not sure who used it first but you see it on a lot of early Kawais and Guyatones. Same with the 6-bolt neckplate.

J.

[quote name='geoffbyrne' timestamp='1399416231' post='2444134']
These can be pretty nice if you get a good one - latterly had DiMarzio pickups fitted, I believe, but Bassassin will jump in & correct me if I'm wrong - he usually does - and I'm usually wrong!!!!

G.
[/quote]
Don't remember seeing these with DiMarzios but that doesn't mean it didn't happen, Geoff! Hondo put them in similar-standard instruments at that time, quite possible these Satellites came from the same factory Hondo was using, so it ain't unlikely.

DiMarzios were a pretty standard upgrade on loads of 70s/80s basses anyway, so on that basis I tend to pay close attention to any old cheapo that turns up with cream pickup covers!

Jon.

And lets not forget Paul Tutmarc, who made the first fretted electric bass, some 15 years earlier than that nice Mr Fender.

J.

I'd have said Rick Turner/Alembic for the reasons previously mentioned - multi-laminate necks/bodies, first graphite neck, active electronics, and anecdotally the first 5-string.

Also Rossmeisl/Rickenbacker, pretty sure the original 1957 Rick 4000 was the first-through-neck bass.

Jon.

Not had a cat for years but well remember the necessity of wearing motorcycle gloves when it was necessary to encourage Moggy to do anything it wasn't entirely convinced of doing. Had a lot of nasty scratches over the years but fortunately, never a bite.

Jon.

I'd probably still say my favourite was Machine Gun Etiquette, but Curtain Call from the Black Album is absolutely stunning - a 17 minute proto-goth/punk/prog epic! Fantastic stuff!

Jon.

Actually, this might've been something (a bit) interesting, once. Looking at the neck, tuners & 5-bolt neckplate, I'm inclined to think it got Italian, or possibly Eastern European roots. Definitely not Japanese, other Oriental, UK or US origin.

It is, however, still a ghastly mess.

J.