Bassassin

It's hard to find a definitive answer when "truly awful" is quite so open to interpretation. Realistically there aren't too many technically incompetent professional bassists - by which I mean players who are unable to play well enough to execute a bassline appropriate to their specific musical context, so as usual we are left with the vagaries of personal taste. And I'd happily say that even my biggest influences have been responsible for some truly horrible crap in their time. J.

This one? A bit better but it still looks like a 3rd year woodwork project. J.

Looks like one of these shonky, lumpy knocked-up-in-a-shed things that turn up on Ebay from time to time. Yes I'm shallow. Jon.

There's a ZZB body on Ebay at the moment if anyone fancies a project: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320573957099"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=320573957099[/url] I've got a neck that would suit that down to the ground... J.

Just so's I'm not getting implicated in the Myung-bashing, I think his playing is entirely appropriate for his band. It's just that the band is not appropriate for a discussion about music. For fear of turning this into a merits-or-otherwise of DT thread I have to point out that I've heard a lot of their music for a long time, dating back to 1994 when a guitarist mate forced a copy of Images & Words on me because "if you like Rush - you'll [i]love [/i]these guys!". Wrong. I've subsequently heard lots more, (including a boot of their early demos as Majesty with their original singer) and even sought out newer releases (most recently Octavarium) in case I'd misjudged them. But I still think they're f@cking awful. Anyway - this is very off-topic and I'm actually hard-pushed to think of a "truly awful" bassist. To me that suggests inept rather than over-busy, or lacking taste, or overly simplistic, or overrated because they possess breasts, or any of the other criticisms that have been levelled at the contenders. The closest thing to truly awful would be poor old Sid, but he doesn't qualify because he was only ever a gimmick, not a bassist. J.

[quote name='derrenleepoole' post='924095' date='Aug 13 2010, 04:24 PM']My all time most awful bassist ever though is John Myung! How is it possible that someone so completely unoriginal and lacking in technique gets so much devotion and attention as being a 'special bassist!' Saw him live with Dream Theatre, and that has to be the worst gig I have ever seen - period. Talk about a band comprised of egos instead of musicians! sh*t![/quote] Speaking as an unrepentant, dyed-in-the-wool prog rocker, I agree with you 100%. Dream Theater are a horrendous celebration of seemingly endless simultaneous instrumental masturbation, topped off with caricature 80s cheese-rock histrionic squealing. Never before in the course of musical history has any band quite so roundly failed to get the point of the "music" they endeavour to create. Unrelentingly wretched. I'm sure they're all lovely people, though. Jon.

What a great live band - loved it. Makes me want to go & form a ska band. Jon.

Vintage JapCrap such as this doesn't have a specific value - it's really worth what someone will pay for it. So that being the case, I think whatever you paid for it might be an excellent starting point. Jon.

[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='923253' date='Aug 12 2010, 09:43 PM']The only other thing I've seen in this colour was a glorious "SnotGlo" 'faker that I recall as having an Aria TRC. [i]That[/i] I'd give a home to any day of the week, except Wednesdays [/quote] These are even better than the "Greco" - being a green/yellow SnotBurst! There was one for sale on here a year ago, branded as "Vorg", which curiously turned out not to be an alien race from Star Trek after all: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56466"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56466[/url] This is a Matsumoku, and the same bass as the Aria version. Shame it was quite so pricey! J.

I remember trying a Hondo Alien in a local shop when they first came out - it seemed pretty horrible, actually & sort of put me off headlesses for a while. Got over that when I saw a Riverhead Unicorn - still want one! Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='922856' date='Aug 12 2010, 03:29 PM']Antoria Jazz bass sold for £103, pickup only. Doesn't seem a bad price for the buyer, is it? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150474677665&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url][/quote] Pretty good, but that looks like how things are going at the moment. A year or so ago that probably would've been £150+, despite the refin, bits missing & non-orig parts. J.

Funnily enough I could probably get by with that. If I had to choose just one of the seemingly hundreds of cheap tat basses I've amassed it would be my CSL JapCrap Jazz so an upgraded VMJ is actually quite close. If it was my choice of upgrades it would be a Schaller 3D bridge, vintage DiMarzio Model J pups (cream covers) and passive electronics - possibly uprated pots, Sprague Orange Drop cap (for the pretty colour) and some switching options. Or maybe stack knobs. And can I have one of the new black VMJs with maple/pearl block board? And a white pearl scratchplate? Cheers. Jon.

[quote name='Kye' post='920872' date='Aug 10 2010, 06:30 PM']Bummer, love the look of the bridge cover, but hate the peice of tin that comes with the fenders, stick with the badass![/quote] There are other bridges. Jon.

Already discussed in the JapCrap thread, starting [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=7473&view=findpost&p=914383"]here[/url] & continuing randomly. Basically though it's a rebadged Kasuga Scorpion. Not sure Allexperts is 100% right about the Pro Martin brand. Prior to launching their own MIJ Sigma range in 1970, there was an association between CF Martin & Kasuga - it would appear Martin were importing & distributing Kasuga acoustics - many of which were dead-on Martin copies: [attachment=56337:Kasuga_M...in_label.jpg] Possibly Kasuga (or some random importer) had the bright idea of selling Martin replicas with a slightly cheeky name, and eventually ended up selling Kasuga original designs under same the brand. I dunno, but I've seen a few Pro Martins like this one but never a Kasuga Scorpion in the UK. Anyway - buy it. Jon.

Very interesting. I've read about these but never seen one before - and here's where I read about 'em: [url="http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1032"]http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/bran...ls.asp?AID=1032[/url] This should also answer your Fresher question better than I could, and is where the guy selling the guitar has lifted the entirety of his sales pitch! Shame he didn't read the whole article. As far as the truss rod's concerned, I'm voting incompetence - the only way this would have no truss rod would be if it had graphite or some other neck reinforcement, and if that was the case then it would be mentioned in the instrument's specs & overview. Did a quick Google of the model no. and there's another one, branded JHS discussed [url="http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24680"]here[/url]. I'd say £150-odd was a good score for whoever got it - these are clearly seriously rare. That said, it wasn't exactly the £350 BIN he wanted in his original listing, although it's still £125 profit over what I'd guess he paid for it at the car boot... J.

[quote name='grumble' post='920131' date='Aug 9 2010, 10:04 PM']Well guv I will be happy to give you a ton or so for the Talbo, purely for scrap value you understand [/quote] Aww. Tell you what - If I ever get dragged down an alley & mugged by the Charity Fairy, I'll keep you in mind! J.

I spotted this last night - now, I have seen one of these before and I can't remember where, which is incredibly irritating. It's not in the Tokai Registry catalogue archive, or any of the Japanese catalogue collections I have links to. It's possible it was an old Ebay listing (or even someone on here) but I'm 99% sure that it's 80s, MIJ and isn't a Frankenbass It stuck in my mind because it's quite similar to my cheap-but-sexy Aria STB-GT - bound flamed maple top, maple fretboard etc. The pics are poor so there's no telling what kind of state this one is in, but it might well have the potential to be a significant bargain for one of youse lot. Jon. *EDIT* Found it - it's a 1982 Hardpuncher Limited Edition. Here's one on TB (bottom of the page): [url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=542180"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=542180[/url]