Bassassin

Always a good idea to drop them a note as soon as you see the listing, that way you get a record of the name, & often they'll message you themselves if a bass gets tugged. J.

In a straight fight bass would have guitar, no sweat, just on sheer physical bulk & strength. I've played guitar for only a couple of years less time than bass, & I'd say in periods when I've been out of bands or am very involved in composing, it's pretty much been my main instrument. I've never entertained the idea of playing it live apart from one band where the guitarist & me would swap for one song (didn't play that one very often!), and a pretty abortive go at busking. I think I can play well enough to get my ideas down credibly - in fact if anyone wants to hear me playing guitar (dunno why you would, mind) it's me on [url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya29/190452804313584?sk=app_2405167945"]all my band's demos here[/url]. Never wanted to do it live - I suppose that while I like playing guitar, I don't have the affinity, passion or love I do for bass. I've always been intrigued by the antipathy there sometimes seems to be towards guitar from some bassists. OK, we all do lighthearted guitar/guitard-slagging banter, but genuine dislike for the instrument perplexes me a little. I suppose my perspective though is that of someone who's at heart a metalhead/rocker - and to love that music you really have to love the guitar. Jon.

Just bought knobs & backplate from a Hohner B2 Steiny copy from Keith, great fella to do business with! Jon.

Agree with Truckstop - wait & see if it's just a mistake. However the definition of "used" on Ebay's item descriptions reads "The item may have some signs of cosmetic wear, but is fully operational and functions as intended". This, minus it's PSU plainly does no such thing, so if he doesn't have a PSU to send you, then yes, you do have a complaint. J.

Fair enough - I'll try not to be quite so restrained & diplomatic next time! J.

Even if it ever was a "Morris" the fakey refin, cheap stickers & crap new Chinese parts utterly destroy any collectability (and associated value, if any) it might have had. The fact the useless, ham-fisted idiot was too lazy to even re-align the bridge would strongly suggest to me that the rest of the "work" will be a similar cack-handed, half-arsed bodge - which he actually gives away in his description, if you read it & think about what he's saying! J.

Cool - hope you get it mate. J.

Runs out in an hour and a half, link provided on the understanding you won't try & flog it to me for twice what you paid for it: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220763623302"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220763623302[/url] Jon.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1188979' date='Apr 5 2011, 01:33 PM']Buy a real Ric then. Seriously though, sounds like you need to fill then re-drill the screw holes more perpendicular but you could try putting foam/sponge under the side that dips first to see if that helps.[/quote] Rick (& Faker) neck pups dangle on 2 screws from a big tin surround - I'd guess it's to do with how the springs are compressing, presumably at an angle, so I'd mess around with trying different size springs, or maybe softer ones. A block of foam at the bottom of the pup route might well work, though. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1188986' date='Apr 5 2011, 01:38 PM']Didn't the listing actually mention the "R" word? I certainly don't have any problem with the company in question defending the use of its own trademark. For the same reason I don't like 'fakers with fake branding on them.[/quote] The listing had "4001" in the title, which would have drawn the Evil Eye, if nowt else. The fact is that Rickenbacker own the actual physical design of the 4001/4003 bass as a trademark, meaning that a picture of a copy is as much an infringement (under US law, of course) as using the brand name. This is why people who sell little Rick bass badges or t-shirts with a picture on get busted by RIC. Personally I'm not too keen on any of the modern copies (although I wouldn't say no to a red/black Retrovibe) and have no problem at all with RIC taking action against them. The vintage MIJ ones are a different kettle of worms (and should probably be a different conversation!) because Rickenbacker International Corp, run by John Hall did not actually exist when they were made - and neither did their current registered trademarks. Arguably they've succeeded in keeping ownership of the designs where Fender & Gibson failed simply because their instruments were never as popular, so were never copied as much. J.

Don't stop looking - the trick is to stop buying. I'm OK at the moment, haven't bought a bass for about a week. My personal cure is New Motorbike GAS. Jon.

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1188402' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:57 PM']It's getting ridiculous and I wouldn't be surprised if he has one eye on this thread/site given how easy it comes up on a "Rickenfaker" google search.[/quote] I've said this before: John Hall/Rickenbacker can think what they like about people flogging copies on BC - it's completely, 100% legal. As in fact it is on Ebay. Rickenbacker have auctions closed down & legally pursue copies because it's a requirement of US trademark law, & if they don't they will lose the exclusive ownership of their designs - as has already happened to Fender & Gibson. Ebay comply because it's easier to appease companies like RIC than to run the risk of getting slapped with lawsuits themselves. J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1188096' date='Apr 4 2011, 06:30 PM']Shafty thru-neck. Looks nice to me. Like the case. Surely it's not worth £595 though. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-4001-Replica-Bass-Guitar-not-Rickenbacker-/280654092983?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4158499ab7"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-4001-Rep...=item4158499ab7[/url][/quote] A bit ambitious I think - I'd expect it to fetch closer to £400, maybe a bit more because it looks in great nick for its age, & still has its bridge cover, original case & truss tool. J.

[quote name='artisan' post='1188080' date='Apr 4 2011, 06:21 PM']hi Jon if you click on this link [url="http://www.bassgear.co.uk/bass-guitars/shuker/"]http://www.bassgear.co.uk/bass-guitars/shuker/[/url] then click on the picture on the bottom you'll see 2 blokes holding Satinlines. the ugly bloke on the left ,Phil from bass gear,is holding the prototype (my actuall bass) where as t'other bloke is holding a production model which has a different bridge to mine & different tuners. mine certainly doesn't have adjustable string spacing & i've no idea what the bridge is but it looks cool. the production model has black clover leaf Hipshot tuners where mine has modern style Schaller units. it is certainly a fantastic bass though,i'd rather part with my balls than this 'ere bass.[/quote] Right - that's your bass used for the publicity shots, then! The specs say the bridge is a Gotoh, and the one on the production model could well be a Gotoh 203. No matter, if I had one I'd probably bung a 3D on anyhow. I'm fighting unnecessary GAS really hard here - that's a great-looking bass, somehow looks even better in the pic you linked to, I absolutely love the finish! J.

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1187840' date='Apr 4 2011, 03:01 PM']If it comes with a signed (and preferably laminated) copy of this picture... ...then yeah, screw it, I'll scrape together £9.5k.[/quote] Who exactly is PoodleBoy, anyway? And did he have a dodgy kebab before the photoshoot or what? The 80s, eh? Jon.

[quote name='iconic' post='1187402' date='Apr 4 2011, 09:05 AM']...I keep seeing no name cheap bass bodies making more money than a complete bass, often more than a playable budget Squier P bass. ...necks sometimes seem to attract generous bids too... ...maybe the smart money is in buying up cheap old chinese tat and simply breaking them out in pieces? this is an example with days to go. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P-BASS-PROJECT-BODY-/270728738189?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f08b0b58d"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P-BASS-PROJECT-BODY-...=item3f08b0b58d[/url][/quote] The magic words with this one are "1970s Japanese". Most Ebay buyers are gullible idiots, that helps. And no - it's not me selling it, you can always spot my ads from the absence of txt-tard spelling. Jon.

That's a lovely bass and if I was in the market for a J spec bass in that price range, it would be the first one I looked at. The bridge is interesting, not seen that design before - looks like it's heavily derived from the Schaller 3D (my usual choice of bridge on Fender-style basses) - does it have adjustable spacing? Jon.

Personally I'm amazed that apart from the cords that need repacing, and its overall resonable condition, it appears to be neither accoustic nor a guiter. Or indeed an acustic gitar. Jon.

[quote name='daz' post='1186676' date='Apr 3 2011, 01:01 PM'][b]Krohurte:[/b] If you go to [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=270&st=1640&start=1640"]this thread [/url]and put up a pic and details and ask [b]bassassin[/b] he will help, im sure. He knows his [i]Rickenfakers[/i] inside out. (PS the thread is over 80 pages long so unless you have a spare 4 hours just zip to the last page )[/quote] It's a pity I didn't see this earlier, hopefully Krohurte will check this thread out. The bass is a through-neck 4001 copy made by Matsumoku in Japan, unless there's a serial number it's hard to put a precise date on this because these were made from approximately 1973/4 until the early/mid 80s. It is probably mid 70s because Japanese manufacturers broadly stopped exporting copies from about 1978 onwards, due to a move towards original designs, and the rising costs of manufacturing meaning "cheap" instruments were more likely to be sourced from places like Korea. Anyway I have a Matsumoku-made 4001 copy, almost identical to this one (mine has a rosewood board) so I know a bit about these: These are pretty much the most accurate Rick 4001 copies made, right down to the twin truss rods and accurate copies of the "wavy" Grover tuners featured on many 70s 4001s. Reviews at the time actually claimed the Matsumoku 4001 was built to a higher standard than the genuine article - certainly the modern truss rod design & poly finish are much less prone to self-destruction than those used on the real 4001, these elements being unevolved since the 1950s. They were also very consistent, Matsumoku was one of the first guitar manufacturers to use CNC routers so they all feel & play the same, unlike proper Ricks, which can vary in shape, weight & neck proportion depending on the time of the month, seemingly. Unfortunately, being a very accurate copy, it also inherited some of the 4001's design flaws - an unadjustably high action is common, due to the vast neck pickup route situated at the very end of the fretboard. Combine this & the very thin body with years of being strung with high-tension roundwound strings, and the neck simply pulls forward at this natural weak point - and there's little one can do to fix this. On real 4001s, delamination of the body wings is a common side effect too, although much less frequently seen on copies - one assumes this is down to use of more efficient modern adhesives. I have encountered the "DIA" brand name before - I post of a few vintage guitar forums & have seen instruments with this brand come up. I don't know which country Krohurte's from but it will be a domestic importer's own brand, I'd guess most likely the company's initials, much like CMI or CSL in the UK. These brand names on old MIJ copies are very seldom connected to the actual manufacturer in any way. Anyway here's my Unholy Trinity: The Mat is on the left, the other two are The Frankenbugger, assembled from numerous desecrated bass-corpses, and The Rickenbugger - a somewhat pimped Kasuga EB-750. They're all very much at home in this thread because what I paid for 'em wouldn't cover half a real Rick. Just as well I have no wish to own one - besides, these are massively more interesting & individual. Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='1185496' date='Apr 2 2011, 02:34 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-JOHN-BIRCH-Vintage-Custom-Bass-Guitar-70s-/250797910419?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a64b86993"]John Birch.[/url][/quote] That's bloody lovely, that is. Plus better-made & 100 times more exclusive than any poxy Rickenbacker. J.

[quote name='kurcatovium' post='1183927' date='Mar 31 2011, 09:13 PM']I don't know whether it is bargain or not, the seller wants about 100 pounds for it. I think I should give it a try...[/quote] Good plan - I think I'd be sorely tempted to drop £100 on that - looks lovely. J.

Looks a lovely bass to me, aesthetically at least. Depends what you want to know, it's likely mid-80s to mid-90s, probably Korean, it's active, I'd expect the controls are the same as the Jack & later versions of the B2A - 2x volume, and coaxial treble/bass. Can't be 100% sure from the pic but it looks like a single-piece neck rather than a glued-on board - nice! Does want a setup, though. The serial is probably on the neckplate - these are hefty cast metal with the Hohner Pro logo & stamped on serial number. A C prefix will almost certainly mean Cort in Korea, sorry but I don't know how to date these from serials. Anyway, in my experience the Hohner Pro range is consistently very good, & if this bass is any sort of bargain I doubt you'd go far wrong. Jon.

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='1183442' date='Mar 31 2011, 03:32 PM']It is a P J,Pile of Junk.[/quote] You know what - you're dead right there. My first bass was identical to this, apart from having two pickups & "Grant" on the headstock. Bought new in 1978, so bollocks to this being from 1969. I'm the first person to try & find merit in even the worst JapCrap - but this was pure, unmitigated & unrelenting sh!te. In a perfect world it would have completely put me off playing bass or any other instrument, and my life would undoubtedly have been much more simple, straightforward, stable and fulfilled as a result. J.