Bassassin

Terribly sad news, Pulp were the one band from that 90s scene I really enjoyed.

RIP.

4 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

Its a faker innit?

 

The shark fin inlays would go all the way to the edges of the of the fingerboard on a real one wouldn't they?

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YAgAAOSwkbdkALwS/s-l1600.jpg

 100% real. No Fakers ever accurately copied the inlay material, that's always a dead giveaway. The elongated string holes on the tailpiece are another Rick identifier. I think this is mid/late 70s from the Hi-Gain pickup & black ferrules - full width inlays were discontinued in 1972 & reappeared on the 4003 in the mid '00s.

Even if it's stolen, the seller's just robbed themselves. Look forward to seeing this pop back up with a £2000+ price tag.

...it's what I'd do...

Never seen one before & don't think I've heard of Synsonics but the details (tuners, headstock shape, neckplate style etc) say it's Korean, early 80s & made by Samick. Close relation of stuff branded Hondo from the same era.

Cute little thing!

These were weird plasic bodied things, if I remember. I recall a local Crack Converters having a red & yellow one in the window for ages. Was tempted because it was dirt-cheap but obviously not tempted enough!

Not sure but Mavericks might've been related.

6 hours ago, Paddy515 said:

http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/1976-2/03.jpg

 

This is the very same, 1976.

Cheers - much better pic, didn't dig enough to find it. Ibanez introduced serial numbers in late 1975 & the pics of your singer's bass don't show a serial - on a set or through-neck instrument it should be stamped into the wood on the back of the headstock, so unless the number's not showing on the pic, that would date the bass to '75 at the latest.

Ibanez/Fujigen used Maxon pickups and these usually have dateable serial numbers, which is useful on the pre-serial instuments - however I haven't seen these codes on P or J units so it's possible they may have been from a different supplier. Might be worth having a look, though.

I think it's a butchered Ibanez Blazer or Roadstar II RB630. The only original parts are the neck, body & neckplate, which dates the remains to January 1983. I get the impression whoever did this probably didn't have the original parts.

It's still sh!t, though.

3 hours ago, Paddy515 said:

More info

Made by Fujigen Gakki, model number 2387, the set-neck P/J version is referred to as 'Custom' in the only catalogue I can find it in - Fujigen model number conventions suggest it's likely the proper designation's 2387B/DX.

http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/file.php_n=1974-2&p=&y=1974.html

Looks like there's no serial number which means it's pre 1976, and a quick look in the catalogues suggest this version appeared around 1974. There may be dateable codes on the pickups or possibly stamped on the back of the scratchplate but '74/5 seems likely.

Interestingly these pre-date actual Gibson Flying V basses by 9 or 10 years.

I think these are pretty rare - I suspect a lot of people on the Ibanez Vintage Guitars FB group would like to see it, and might well want to buy it off you.

Quote

The Telecaster Thinline is a high-output powerhorse.

Black, black scratchplate & cream covers. Proper 70s rock monster look.

20 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

Oh so quick to criticise, I bet none of you could produce and damage such a unique Bass and have time to author 3 bestsellers?

Let's not overlook his towering genius as both songwriter and performer. Warning: if you have any insecurity around your own abilities - don't watch this!

I've washered a few metric rods and it tends to be the outer diameter that's tricky. Having a garage full of random bike bits, I found caliper brake shoe washers to be a good fit. Don't know the size offhand but I'll measure one up tomorrow.

That's a stunning Rick, always liked the black hardware/binding combination & it looks great with the blue.

Tuner's an easy fix if you're careful. If you have access to a bench vice, remove the tuner from the bass and clamp the leaf in the vice. Protecting the finish, perhaps with a piece of thin card, would be a good idea. You'll be able to hold the tuner body and bend it straight. Don't worry, it won't break! If you don't have a vice, an adjustable spanner will do the same. I'd still recommend removing it from the bass.

The string mute is adjustable, the screws should lower the foam away from the strings. Having said that, it does look as though someone might have put an extra bit inside the mute assembly - if so you should be able to just pull it free, no need to cut anything.

Rickenbacker truss rods (even on 4003 models) can be temperamental things, hopefully one of our Rick specialists will be along in a minute!

10 hours ago, NikNik said:

When I was a teen, I got roped in by my old man to teach the kid of an acquaintance bass rudiments. That was the bass the kid had, and it was branded 'Shaftesbury'.

What's interesting (to me, anyway!) is that the near-identical Shaftesbury versions were Italian & made by Eko.

https://reverb.com/uk/item/4524297-shaftesbury-telecaster-bass-early-seventies-butterscotch

This is interesting - it turned up on the FB Westbury group a week or so ago. It's someone's £10 (or thereabouts) car boot find, & appears to be a Track 4 which has been re-shaped for upper fret access, repainted & had a bodge defret. The reshaping's been nicely done to maintain the German carve, but the blue Dulux & hack defret are probably later. It also seems to have an additional microswitch, no idea why, should be v/t, selector & 2x series/parallel.

As a cheap car boot blag it'd be worth sorting out & getting re-fretted - the Track 4 was the top of the line Westbury bass and good condition examples go for decent money - but Ebay being Ebay it could get silly.

I think you should go full Type O with that. 🤘

31 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

Interesting Tele style 60s bass. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/364143493743?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_SvdKf_RSyy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=3arTyUkpQE-&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Early 70s MIJ no-name Tele type. Not an Ibanez (although they did do similar basses) & looks to be the same as the ones that come up with names like Columbus & Grant. Looks like the same bass as this one in our own @FlatEric's blog:

http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.com/2010/11/columbus-telecaster-bass.html

I've built/assembled/constructed tons of guitars & basses. Obtain the necessary bits, nail them together, some mild fettling might occasionally be required. However I lack the necessary skills (or time & motivation to learn them) to actually make/create a functioning musical instrument from scratch. Projects like my headless Rickish mess and, for example, @Andyjr1515's incredible Psilos bass are on completely different planets.

I am in both awe and envy of the creativity displayed in BC's' Build Diaries folder.

First slap line I ever learned to play - or at least tried. I might have to accept I was playing it spectacularly wrong...

Not a super bargain then but still a reasonable price, especially if that's a DiMarzio in it.

Headstock & body proportions don't look right for an Ibby. Likely one of the numerous similar basses that were around when SRs were new & exciting.

Looks like the basis of a cool project for £65.

11 hours ago, dyerseve said:

Except that isn't a veneer. It's actually painted believe it or not. 

I did not know that!

I think the idea was to approximate a 60s/70s-era instrument that had been tweaked or upgraded as many were back in't day. Ther Vintage Modified fretless Jazz (the only VM I've had) was basically a Jaco copy - lined, no pickguard, siver knobs etc.

Had an SR800LE the same as this in blue, and a fretless SR800FL in this stunning colour. For a long time the only basses I gigged & I often wonder why the hell I sold them! GLWTS!

On 06/02/2023 at 11:28, tauzero said:

How twisted is the neck? The headstock looks as if it's at 90 degrees to the camera, the body doesn't.

Didn't notice that. Might explain why there's only one crap pic.

Not an Aria & not worth £450, never mind the £800 it apparently previously was.

As it's unbranded the factory's the only way of IDing it - the offset neck dots are usually a Matsumoku trait, but the truss cover, wooden bridge & pickups look like late 60s/early 70s Sakai, as do the metal knobs. Collaboration between factories was a thing at this point in Japanese guitar manufacture so that's possibly what this is.

Looks in OK condition for its age, if it was £200-£300 it might be worth a punt if it's your sort of thing. Personally I think it's vile, as are all fiddle-shaped basses.