Bassassin

Most people aren't fantastically good a tidying things up to sell them, I would be surprised if the lines wouldn't clean off. Depends how they are marked, if it's some sort of ink, then a bit of acetone will sort it out, won't damage the lacquer either. Failing that, T-cut & elbow grease! That's a very nice bass btw - light-years ahead of my Maya P. J.

Worth pointing out that the neck pickup cover is designed to be a hand rest - used in conjunction with the "tug bar", you place the side of your hand on the cover, curl your fingers over the bar & pluck with your thumb! You'll find exactly the same arrangement on Gibson & Rickenbacker basses of the same era. Jon.

[quote name='silddx' post='1109675' date='Jan 31 2011, 04:41 PM']No, just delicate I wonder what Basassin knows about this superb pair of Jap girls [url="http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/guitar/dominocalifornianguitar.htm"]http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/gui...rnianguitar.htm[/url][/quote] 60s beardy-weirdy JapCrap isn't really my area, but these are actually quite well-known. Apart from bein Vox Phantom looky-likeys, these are re-badged Teiscos, the guitar is an [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Teisco_Del_Rey_EV-3T_on_Bench.jpg"]EV3-T[/url], dunno what the bass' model number is but I'd bet it involves a B (for bass) & a 2 (number of pickups). EV2-B, perhaps? If they are '67, which is undoubtedly the right era, they may technically be Kawais, not Teiscos, as Kawai bought Teisco out in 1967. Anyway - these are gorgeous, absolutely stunning condition. For a moment I thought it was £545 for the pair - that might've almost been tempting... Jon.

[quote name='cheddatom' post='1109249' date='Jan 31 2011, 11:47 AM']I thought they were plastic until I bought one, then I realised it was too heavy.[/quote] My perspex P is about 14lbs. I can't play it for more than 10 minutes standing up! J.

I've played bass since I was 16 - the people who inspire me have largely been up-front, aggressively melodic players - JJ Burnel, Foxton, Dennis Dunaway, Geddy Lee, Entwistle, Tony Butler etc. I've also played guitar since I was about 18 - I'm not great but good enough to be able to record my song ideas adequately. This meant that, apart from my very first gigging band I've always been the main writer in any project I was involved in. I'm not therefore at all good with stereotypically arrogant guitarists. As a writer I like to think that my bass parts do what the song requires, rather than being upfront & showy for the sake of it - however my chosen musical idioms do give me the opportunity to be quite flamboyant, when necessary. I've always loved the dynamic of the bass/drums/guitar/vocal line-up and always attempt to make the bass a necessary bridge between the rhythmic & melodic elements, supporting & complementing both ends. It's not for me to say whether I succeed or not but it feels like it works. Make up your own mind [url="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maya29/190452804313584?v=app_2405167945"]here[/url]. Jon.

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1108783' date='Jan 30 2011, 10:13 PM']amazing. how dare he? he obviously does though, and respect for that. my only worry would be the weight. gotta wiegh about 10kg[/quote] Exactly what I though. One of the reasons I like the other one is that it looks like it should weigh next-to-nothing. On the other hand, this thing doesn't work aesthetically or practically on any level, but I do approve of the spirit of experimentation! Jon.

Heartfield site here: [url="http://heartfield-central.com/"]http://heartfield-central.com/[/url] The basses look quite generic early 90s Japanese - very Ibby Soundgear/Tune Bass Maniac-esque. J.

[quote name='Shambo' post='1109164' date='Jan 31 2011, 10:33 AM']Some attic fayre here, and surely too 80's looking for most, but I think it's so garish I'm quite drawn to it. Worth a punt? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330522373948&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url][/quote] Westone Raider in 2-colour metalflake? Oh, my word! So far sticking to my self-discipline resolution here. It's not easy. J.

I can tell you Heartfield started as a Fujigen Gakki R&D project, it wasn't initially anything to do with Fender. However, Fender's attempts to introduce more modern instruments under their own name had failed consistently, so they subsequently adopted the Heartfield brand (designed in partnership with & built by Fujigen) as a vehicle for bringing less traditional designs to market. Dunno owt about Heartfield basses though. Anything interesting? Jon.

[quote name='Paul S' post='1108335' date='Jan 30 2011, 05:18 PM']Does the scratch plate hide any routing or is it just been plonked on? And is it the same neck as the other Mats - 40mm at the nut-type thing?[/quote] There's a bit of a gap around the pup - a couple of mm on the sides & straight across the top of the screw lug - but there are no routes or channels. If I binned the plate on mine I'd buy/make a black surround to cover the gap. Nut width is 40mm. Prices of these are weird - I've seen them go for over £200 but I snagged mine for £60 - admittedly it was a bit of a project. I wouldn't be surprised if this one sat without any bids for a week & then just got a couple in the closing minutes. J.

[quote name='TheGreek' post='1107508' date='Jan 29 2011, 06:55 PM']You've confused "Steinberger" for "Steinberger Spirit" - made in Japan I believe - sort of "entry" version. The Steinberger equivalent of Warwick Rockbass... I may be wrong but if so I invite offers for my 4 string..[/quote] You're wrong about Japan - it'll be China, Korea, Taiwan or somewhere like that - none of the wooden Steinberger spin-offs were JapCrap, not even the Hohner Cricket Bats! Speaking of which, I'd take it off your hands for a tenner, quite like mine & it'd be nice to have a spare! Jon.

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1108293' date='Jan 30 2011, 04:43 PM']did you make the perspex body yourself? if so how? is it just like working with wood (generally speaking)[/quote] Nah - I just bolted the bits together, plus a bit of painting & headstock-reshaping! Having said that, I have worked with Perspex, not on that scale, just scratchplates, truss rod covers, ramps & such. If you're conscious of the fact it's a fairly brittle material, it's actually very easy to cut, shape and achieve a good finish. With the right tools I think making a body would be quite straightforward. J.

[quote name='Paul S' post='1108193' date='Jan 30 2011, 02:56 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westbury-Track-2-Bass-/250765848308?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a62cf2ef4"]Westbury Track 2[/url] popped up on eBay - I think you are a fan, Jon?[/quote] Definitely - very typical good Matsumoku quality, the tort plate & German carved edge gives it more character (IMO) than similar Westones, Washburns & Vantages from the same factory, and they're fitted with a DiMarzio Model P as standard. Neck dive's not as bad as you'd expect with that body shape & they do look cool as f@ck. The only thing to watch is the 3-point bridge - some of them have a base plate that can be prone to warping & cracking and a replacement (an Epiphone one will fit) can be hard to find & potentially pricey. Apart from that, what's not to like? J.

I've got two placcy basses - an Ibanez EDA900: [attachment=70417:EDA900.jpg] And a see-through P wot I made: [attachment=70418:pink800.jpg] Makes a change from plywood... Jon.

Tail lift is part of the Rick character - it's just something they're prone to. Basically it's a design fault of the bridge & has been this way since the early 70s, when the solid aluminium "gap tooth" tailpieces were discontinued. I think Mr Foxen's exaggerating a bit about the sheet of paper, 2 or 3 mm shouldn't make any difference in real terms, there should still be an adequate break-angle over the saddles to keep the strings securely seated. Of course, a man with replica (and bend-resistant) Rick tailpieces to sell might be prone to exaggerate... Tail-lift's sometimes attributed to overtightening the screws underneath the saddle assembly - this part of the tailpiece sits in a body route but doesn't make contact with the wood so tightening the screws tends to pull the metal down & encourage bending. RickResource guys often recommend a wooden shim in the hole, or a stack of washers around each screw so it seats down tight. Personally I think Rickenbackers choose you - I absolutely love the sound & the look, but have never owned a real one. I have 3 Japanese copies, which were of course quite modestly-priced compared to the real thing, and being accurate copies they have many of the foibles of the original as well as the good things. I suppose this makes me think that I'm paying 4 figures for a bass - I'd really expect to want to play it [b]all[/b] the time - and this isn't my experience with my Fakers! Having said that, if the right Rick came along at the right time I probably would go for it... J.

Used to play along to this when I was learning - that would have been when Strangers In The Night was just out! Just had a go, there are about 10 different live versions on Spotify, and Way doesn't seem to play it the same every time - sometimes he plays the first triplet bit in unison with the guitar & sometimes he doesn't. The clearest one was a BBC in Concert from 1975 - sounds like he plays what KevB put, without the second G: AGF DCA FDC AGFG D Any good? Jon.

[quote name='Marvin' post='1107495' date='Jan 29 2011, 06:48 PM']They only grow on the banks of the mouth of the River Ply hence the name. All real genuine plywood comes from Plymouth, it's a well known fact.[/quote] They must've exported a f*ck of a lot of it to Japan in the 70s, then! J.

Love it - a really striking & imaginative piece of design, really the only thing that spoils it as far as I'm concerned are the messy-looking inlays on the front. Jon.

My first bass was made from wood. From the Ply Tree. Jon.

[quote name='bartelby' post='1107198' date='Jan 29 2011, 01:55 PM']Hmmm, shame not even all that stuff covers his mistakes when playing...[/quote] You can count his clangers by the number of filthy looks he gets from Adam Jones in the course of each song! Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1106961' date='Jan 29 2011, 07:39 AM']Edit: Headstock of much cheaper Hondo II Professional sold a few days ago actually says "Professional" on it. The headstock in the bass in the first link in this post doesn't. [url="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290524333124&nma=true&rt=nc&si=3expLSfhf26wtbGKaY2vmVx0M64%253D"]http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...Y2vmVx0M64%253D[/url][/quote] It also says "Made In Japan", which realistically is what a Hondo needs to say in order for it to be considered not to be Korean, and probably plywood! That's actually a lovely bass, if a bit beat-up & well worth what it went for. The other one's just your standard Samick-made Korean cheapo, as are the overwhelming majority of Hondos. Pretty much everything else I know about Hondos is already in the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=80013"]other thread[/url] you mentioned. J.

[quote name='Count Bassie' post='1106931' date='Jan 29 2011, 02:00 AM']I was referring to the Hamer 2-Tek that BottomE mentioned- quite a massive piece. But you're right, I actually emailed Schaller for a new saddle piece for my bridge a few months ago- after 30 years it's still the same! Pretty cool.[/quote] Right - didn't realise you were talking about a different bridge! The 3Ds are excellent, I've currently got them on 3 basses, I really don't get the fuss about Badass & such. Sorry for derailing the discussion - as you were! Edit - just checked out 2Tek - looks like you can still get them: [url="http://www.the2tek.com/"]http://www.the2tek.com/[/url] Bloody hell - not what you'd want if you're looking for a lightweight bass! Jon.

[quote name='Count Bassie' post='1106906' date='Jan 29 2011, 12:35 AM']I agree that Hamer has put up some real nice work over the years. That bridge is quite a piece of hardware.[/quote] That bridge is a Schaller 3D. Jon.

Guy reckons the Ebay one's an Egmond, made in Holland. It's rough & ready but I did wonder at the £225 BIN - the Eko ones can push 4 figures! J.