Bassassin

I think there are some articles out there about the whole Yamaki/Daion/Joodee/Yamada etc link-up & what the relationships between the brands & companies were. I'll have a dig around later on & see if I can find them. J.

Daions weren't made by Matsumoku - like Chaypup says, Yamaki appears to have been the factory. There's some confusion possibly based on the closely related early Washburns - these were originally sourced from Yamaki but it seems around 1982/3 production of the same models moved to Matsumoku. If you compare the two, the level of attention to detail on the early ones is almost anal - check out the brass ring board inlays (which you'll see on early Washburns & Daions, as well as identical hardware), grain-matched & lacquered wood control cavity covers etc. My first expensive bass was a 1981 Washburn B20 Stage Series, the thing was a work of art. I presently have a Matsumoku-made Washburn SB40 from a year or so later, and while it's a beautifully made & very playable bass, the level of detail & finish is a lot more standard than my old Stage. Anyway, vintage Daions are incredibly rare, particularly over here - in fact I don't know if they even had a UK importer - and when they do come up tend to be wildly expensive. Jon.

Very good link, but yes, predominantly acoustics. It's worth remembering that acoustic guitar manufacture was the background of most of the Japanese factories prior to the "copy era" in the 70s, and most guitar factories jumped on that bandwagon. There are a good few electric guitars & basses there but you do have to dig! Jon.

Total bitsa, and quite a curious one at that. As has been pointed out, the pups are (unmatched) 80s Aria units but oddly enough, the neck's off one of these: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/bass/a-100_200.html"]http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/bass/a-100_200.html[/url] Having seen 'round the back of one, they sometimes have a 6-screw plate like this bass too. These basses appeared with many different brand names so it ain't necessarily an Aria neck but it's fair to say there's a connection. They're roughly early/mid 70s. No idea what the bridge is from, it's a tad too wide for the string spacing the neck needs IMO, and isn't aligned spot-on. The body looks quite nicely made - perhaps a bit too nice for a garden shed job - and I'd say it's been part of a different bass, looks like there are holes for another bridge visible just in front of the existing one. Could be a nice little bass if the neck's a good one - even more so if it doesn't get many bids. Jon.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1218599' date='May 3 2011, 02:09 PM']Nice one Jon. Let's hope she can erase all that other stuff (incl. the bit about it being a real Fender) and just have your contribution up.[/quote] I imagine she'll use my contribution but if an Ebay item's had a bid, I don't think you can edit the listing beyond adding comments at the end. Also just because I do know what it is (and you lot probably think I know what I'm on about!) doesn't mean it holds much water in Ebay Fantasy Land, where everyone's an expert. Worth a go though. FWIW I said this: [quote]Hi - your bass is an early 70s Japanese copy of a Fender Jazz Bass. I'm a collector of these instruments and can tell you yours was made in approximately 1971 at the Matsumoku factory - the neck plate inscribed Steel Adjustable Neck was only used by Matsumoku. These instruments are actually quite rare & becoming collectable these days, Matsumoku was regarded as one of the best Japanese factories, and despite some of the comments you've had, this is a good-quality instrument, as were many of the Japanese copies from the 70s era. The Fender headstock logo has been added by a previous owner (this is very common with these old copies) and it would originally have had a brand name such as Aria, or a UK importer's name like Eros or Kimbara.[/quote] J.

Thought it would be a good idea if someone who had a clue contacted her and told her exactly what it is, rather than bickering about what it ain't. So I did. J.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='1218055' date='May 2 2011, 09:00 PM']somekind of cheaper jap-crap?[/quote] Rather nice early (71-ish) Matsumoku J copy. I'm watching. Jon.

A red one of these is about the only thing I'm getting GAS pains for at the moment. Jon.

[quote name='Steve_nottm' post='1215275' date='Apr 29 2011, 08:05 PM']peavey t40[/quote] Looking for a new home for mine - lovely bass but just too heavy for me. If you're interested, there are some pics & stuff [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=88904&view=findpost&p=979260"]here[/url] - drop me a PM. On-topic, I think I'm finally all outta GAS right now, really comfortable with my Washburn SB40 as my main bass at the moment, and love my GK/Hartke rig. It's a good position to be in, but it never lasts... Jon.

[quote name='Ross' post='1212421' date='Apr 27 2011, 11:00 AM']Wrong, everyone knows you go to a graveyard miles away from your home in the dead of night, dig a predug grave slightly deeper. Then bury the body, cover with soil to bring to it's original height. They'll put a coffin on top, bury that, and no one will ever find it. Pity cremation is becoming so fashionable these days.[/quote] I suppose so, but one has to adapt to changing social circumstances. That's a sound method right enough, but what with the proliferation of CCTV these days you're really a lot better off sticking to somewhere less public - your back yard, or if you're lucky enough, your own basement. And the question of course was [i]rotting[/i] bodies - unfortunately with no embalming or other preparation, your stiff-under-a-coffin is going to whiff pretty bad after a few weeks and the visiting mourners of the 'host' are going to start asking awkward questions. I think your method has merit, but I'll stick with my 6 foot of impermeable concrete - well, until I run out of space downstairs. J.

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1212392' date='Apr 27 2011, 10:37 AM']"Kay did make some decent gear but IMO anything with the coat hanger wire string retainer is not worth the bother.All my opinion." These are not the same quality,by any stretch of the imagination as the early Kay models,which are collectable like the ones you posted links to,which are much better quality than any of the late sixties to seventies plywood models.[/quote] Quite so. Kay was originally an American manufacturer, after US production ended, the brand was sold & ended up slapped on any number of execrable plywood cheapos, mostly made in Taiwan. There were some OK-ish Precision, Strat & Les Paul copies in the mid-70s, also from Taiwan, and in the late 70s/early 80s production went to Cort in Korea. Some of the Cort Kays are pretty good - particularly the through-neck basses & guitars, which can be close to MIJ qiality if you get a good one. Unfortunately if it's SG-shaped & made in Taiwan, it's likely to be a bit rubbish & more of a novelty these days than any kind of serious musical instrument. Jon.

I'll be at Glasgow SECC - seen every tour since Moving Pictures & it would be a shame to miss out. Still wish they'd gone back into the studio & finished Clockwork Angels instead, though. Jon.

Does anyone else keep catching the title of this thread & seeing "[b]Rotting[/b] Bodies"? Just me, then. Anyway: polythene rubble bags, 2m depth hole, fill with concrete. Jon.

[quote name='cycrowave' post='1208839' date='Apr 23 2011, 01:12 AM']if this was left handed, it wouldnt still be for sale. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-THUNDER-11-ACTIVE-FRETLESS-BASS-/220773790950?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item336724b4e6"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-THUNDER-11-A...=item336724b4e6[/url][/quote] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1982-Westone-Thunder-II-Fretless-Bass-Japanese-/320691055741"]Flip-tastic[/url]. J.

[quote name='Fat Rich' post='1210849' date='Apr 25 2011, 01:40 PM']It could probably do with some better acts but it's still probably one of the [b]only[/b] music shows on telly at the moment.[/quote] In the tradition of lesser forums - fixed that for ya! You're spot-on about Hugh Laurie. [i]And[/i] he used to be funny. J.

I have a Boss DR660 - great little box, very versatile, millions of editable sounds & kits, assignable individual outputs, onboard FX, OK preset patterns & kits, all of which can be edited. The subsequent DR770 lost a lot of functionality and broadly doesn't appear to be as good. However DR660s are knocking on a bit now - had mine since 1995 and it wasn't new then. Looking at Ebay, there aren't very many around & prices seem to have gone batsh!t mental. Very strange. When it was launched the main competition was the SR16, and these are very sensibly priced by comparison, probably because they're still available. Get one of them! Jon.

[quote name='son of frog' post='1210218' date='Apr 24 2011, 06:30 PM']Yet still its quite nice for that price... I wish i had a bigger wallet.[/quote] I'll sell you a filthy, smashed up piece of junk for a tenth of that. J.

[quote name='Paul S' post='1210263' date='Apr 24 2011, 07:26 PM']Hence the band name - Maya - should have picked up the clue there. I have developed an interest in Mexican history and culture (and food!) as a by-product of visiting the country several times on 'plant hunting expeditions' (a long story) (actually, several long stories). It is hard not to get caught up in the magic of the place - have you visited any of the archeological sites there? Awe inspiring. In my travels I've called into Teotihuacan just north of Mexico City, Palenque in Chiapas, Monte Alban in Oaxaca and El Tajin in Veracruz. The anthropological museum in Mexico City is a study in how modern museums should be set out - absolutely magnificnt! I think it is such a shame that the only press Mexico gets these days is all the drug cartel related killings when the place has so much more to offer (10% of the planet's flora and fauna on 1% of it's area!) I've not read that book so I've just ordered it from the library, plus his others - thanks for that. Have you read 'Mexica' by Norman Spinrad? Similar - set at the same time but observes the period through the eyes of a slave who starts off with Cortez but ends up befriending Moctezuma. Anyway, all pretty way off topic....[/quote] Keeping it OT - no, sadly not yet travelled to Mexico, but when I do finally get to visit Teotihuacan I'll be a step closer to being able to die happy! Interestingly, while I certainly like the association the band name has, it was actually taken from the title of an erotic novel by Alice Joanou which (if I remember rightly) was more to do with sexual obsession than Pre-Columbian Mexico! Still, I suppose the band & music are a bit different now to when we started, so the name's historical connotations are a bit more appropriate. I haven't read the Spinrad book - thanks for the recommendation, just off to order a copy! J.

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='1210226' date='Apr 24 2011, 06:36 PM']What the hell do you do to a bass to make it look like this????? [/quote] Plus a substantial helping of mental retardation. Jon.

It says basswood in the specs, should've given you the links before: [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expansion.php?cat_id=102&now=2"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expans...d=102&now=2[/url] [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expansion.php?cat_id=119&now=12"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expans...=119&now=12[/url] J.

[quote name='Paul S' post='1209079' date='Apr 23 2011, 12:04 PM']Jon, I was having trouble with your Facebook player - once I started playing a track it was reluctant to stop and I think I had 3 playing at once. Or was that supposed to be what it was like? Can never be sure with Prog rock You definitely have an individual sound - I don't like what I heard as much as that first track (and that studio version is excellent) but it is a class above any other 'Prog Rock' originals I have listened to - usually (IME) it is tuneless self indulgent nonsense. What's the Mexican thing - a particular interest?[/quote] Thanks Paul - really appreciate the positive comments! Certainly sounds like a problem with the player, it should be one song at a time! Yes, it is a bit of a geek thing for me - I've long been fascinated by the ancient Mesoamerican cultures, and how they evolved such an advanced civilisation completely isolated from cross-cultural influence. The story element of the songs is loosely borrowed from a book called Aztec, by Gary Jennings - it's a superb historical novel depicting the Mexica empire at its peak, the arrival of the Spanish & subsequent overthrow & conquest, viewed through the experiences of a single character, from boyhood to old age. Obviously we had to streamline it a little for a 45-minute song cycle, but we've tried to retain that basic story-arc. The lyrics have a lot of influences & references to Aztec poetry, and when (if, at this rate) the album's properly recorded & finished, there will be short rhythmic/spoken word interludes between several of the pieces to maintain narrative flow & link the separate songs. It was important to me when composing this (it was all put together by myself & vocalist Karen) to make each section work as a stand-alone song, while maintaining continuity with instrumental & lyrical themes linking the songs. The way Pete Townshend achieved a similar thing with Quadrophenia was a big inspiration. Anyway I am delighted you like it, it's always good to get positive feedback - cheers! J.