Bassassin

Didn't do anything much for me, I quite liked the staccato unison intro to one of the songs but it didn't sustain my interest beyond that. The problem for me is that I don't really get the point of going to such lengths to make a bass sound like an overdriven guitar, when simply using an overdriven guitar would be a lot simpler - and to be entirely honest, work better. I thought the drummer was pretty good, so not really getting the White Stripes comparisons! Jon.

Hope it never happens, I was never a fan but I kinda like Noel & would like to hope he has a bit of pride & integrity alongside his razor wit & negligible songwriting skills! Liam & the other original members were a bunch of neanderthal knuckledraggers who would have struggled to get a gig in their local boozer if not for Noel. Jon.

Correct explanation for the bridge cover, but the pickup cover was originally intended as a hand rest - the idea being that the side of the palm lies on the cover, fingers anchor on the thumb rest (or "tug bar" in its original position) and strings are plucked with the thumb. This was because it was assumed most electric bassists would be coming from the double bass - so I wonder who originated "conventional" fingerstyle technique? Jon.

[quote name='Si600' timestamp='1398498037' post='2434633'] Is the seller our own BigRedX? [/quote] Be surprised if it's not - he does like the occasional unconventional bass. Jon.

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1398465926' post='2434538'] I never understand those Lawsuit basses that copy the bass and neck perfectly from the original designs but substitute the original headstock design with a gimpy alternative with terrible tuners. Why do that? Throw your heart and soul into 90% of the instrument, cheap out on the bit that holds it all in tune. [/quote] Well, to be pedantic, they're not "lawsuit" basses - there never was a lawsuit - probably because John Hall wasn't in the instrument business back then. However, there was a threat of legal action, made by Gibson's then parent company Norlin, against the US distributors of Ibanez, Elger, taking issue over the "open book" headstock proifile used on Ibanez Gibson copies up until 1976. No legal action was taken because the threat came a year after Ibanez headstock shapes had been changed to a non-infringing design. However, the upshot of that was that other US & UK importers & distributors followed suit with their subsequent orders, so as not to be on the receiving end of actual litigation. Hence the gimpy headstock shapes. Regarding the tuners - properly tightened & lubricated, the closed-back Gotohs with the cast buttons (as seen on this Columbus) are actually not bad - they also turn up on British basses of the same era, like Shergold Marathons. Usually on the MIJ copies they are on the more budget-oriented examples, such as Columbus, but higher-end copies from most major Japanese factories used good-quality open-back tuners. J.

[quote name='Ktmman' timestamp='1398410484' post='2433752'] , THESE ARE AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE NEW SO GRABA BARGAIN!! On what planet ? [/quote] On Planet 1977, when £86 was a lot of money. A [i][b]lot[/b][/i]. Jon.

Shot? Should've been burnt. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1398272428' post='2432354'] I've never heard of a Vega bass before. Based on what I see in this listing, I don't think I've been missing anything. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Vega-power-bass-guitar-1978-made-in-japan-/261460975840?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3ce049e0e0"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3ce049e0e0[/url] [/quote] Generic MIJ P copy, probably nothing much wrong with it beyond filth, water damage & missing saddles. Never heard of "Vega" either, and pretty sure the seller just making up random crap about a Martin connection. Which isn't a good way to sell an item. J.

My hovercraft is full of eels! J.

Dodgy comedy translation aside, that's a really striking-looking and interestingly put together bass, imo. Most of these old Eastern Bloc things tend to look like agricultural folk-art, but I really like that. Jon.

£65 for a shagged plywood P copy body? This is making all those £200 Hondos look like good value! Jon.

Looks like a home-made parts bin special to me. Don't think there were any Westone P copies - if there were, I've never seen one. And Westones tend to say "Westone" on them, that being what makes them Westones. Jon.

Not for me, either - no cheat lines for a start. Yes, these were Mats, according to all the sources - and I'd say this one looks it, maybe a bit of shared Westone Thunder DNA in the control layout & hardware? J.

Nice refin if it's not original. Never seen a bolt-neck SB600 before, price seems very fair. J.

[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1398097638' post='2430420'] I have a 2xp Thunder II with xlr input that I could be tempted to trade for one of your goodies [/quote] Hmm - consider me interested... Any particular goody you have in mind? J.

Interesting, you hardly ever see these, and the licensed Hondo (Korean, likely) versions are way more common than the US originals. Not a through-neck, though, these are actually bolt-on with a very long heel/tenon section that (as far as I remember) the pickups are mounted onto. I have growing GAS for a 2xP bass (probably the only pup configuration I've never owned) and this isn't helping! If I was in bass-buying mode I'd be all over this, a properly rare & unusual vintage bass for what I think is a highly reasonable price, considering how uncommon they are. Jon.

[quote name='alyctes' timestamp='1398073274' post='2430031'] unlike this one: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vox-Standard-Bass-Guitar-with-Rockbag-/261458099773?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3ce01dfe3d"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3ce01dfe3d[/url] It's had a lot of stripping done to the body and headstock, and the seller doesn't mention it. it would be better with the headstock stripped entirely, IMO. [/quote] Agreed - and the body too, if the back's anything to go on, it's a nice bit of timber. Jon.

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1398010846' post='2429501'] THA Grammar Nazi's [/quote] Of corse - sory! J.

Clearly that's a stealth ad looking for new members to join the well-known Yorkshire pub covers act, Thee Grammer Nazi's. Jon.

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1397997450' post='2429323'] I'm sure they'll find a ready market with the irritating hipster crowd - if ukeleles can become popular then it proves that some people really will buy any old sh*t. [/quote] Funnily that's exactly what I thought. Then I started to be concerned that I might be turning into a right miserable, bitter & judgemental old sod. Then I realised that sometimes, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Jon.

Looks pretty decent for the money - shame someone's nailed that rubbish bridge cover on, hopefully the original cast Gotoh bridge is still underneath - although I do wonder if the cover would fit over it. Might be hiding a rusty BBOT someone's bunged on. These later Roadstar 2s don't seem to be as popular as the Blazers & Roadsters they replaced, not really sure why. Top quality Fujigen bass, either way. Jon.

Satellite, Korean, 80s. This one's been defretted so the board's probably a bit of a mess. There was a fretless version but it didn't have lines. There's a thread on these here: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/162312-satellite-basses/"]http://basschat.co.u...tellite-basses/[/url] Includes an old review of this very bass, a Satellite 91. I had one and mine was pretty poor. Jon.

Does anyone understand the point of a secret reserve? I've never understood why sellers set them, or why, when asked, they won't disclose. Having bought & sold (highly successfully) on Ebay for years, I've never understood the point of this practice, & obviously never done it. From what I've observed previously, I won't be surprised if this bass doesn't even reach its mysterious - and likely eye-watering - reserve. A lovely bass but the reserve would put me off in a big way. Jon.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1397515358' post='2424810']Will YOU - set yourself up as THE person to decide what is or isn't a legit Rick and accept responsibility for BCs legal costs should JH decide he does want to sue???? [/quote] You, and you alone, have decided that a single individual would have sole responsibility for every aspect of overseeing Rick sales on BC, including fighting and financing legal ripostes to an imaginary army of legal rottweilers. This is an entirely implausible hypthothetical invention of yours, and I don't understand the relevance of answering silly questions about daft fantasy scenarios, regardless of how often I'm bludgeoned with them. Keep on asking, and you'll keep getting the same response, but if this is a game of "let's see who gets bored first", you won. Three hours ago. And if my failure to give the reply you desperately want to squeeze out of me makes you feel smug - well I'm happy to have brought a little pleasure (of a sort) into another person's life. J.