Bassassin

Being in the position of watching my band's gig schedule dwindle to the point that we have played twice in the last year, and there being little or no prospect that things are likely to improve particularly without major (and potentially catastrophic) trauma within the band, I feel like I'm viewing this from the wrong end of a telescope. Bands are supposed to gig, doesn't much matter if the experience is good, bad or indifferent, if you're not playing you have no right to call yourselves a band. I can't find words for how much I miss it. It feels like I've lost a limb, or part of me's been cut out. Jon.

[quote name='noelk27' post='958413' date='Sep 16 2010, 03:16 PM']This model was never produced at the Matsumoku factory complex. (He also seems somewhat confused about the history of Matsumoku - the Singer Corporation didn't buy the complex post-Matsumoku, it owned the complex and Matsumoku, and the complex consisted of more than one factory. The unit in which guitars were made was neither destroyed by earthquake or fire, simply closed as it was not economically viable at the time - the time being a world recession.)[/quote] Noel - I'm constantly impressed by the depth & detail of knowledge you have about Matsumoku instruments. Is there a particular source it's drawn from or is it a cumulative result of investigation/research? Hope you don't mind me being a nosy git but as I'm sure you know, accurate information can be hard to track down amid the suppositions & speculation. Jon.

[quote name='Golchen' post='958153' date='Sep 16 2010, 11:17 AM']I don't watch it as much as I'd like to, but I still think that it's a fascinating window through which you can view a multitude of different styles, approaches and degrees of talent. There was a time years ago when I couldn't stand all the 'cr*p' (my perception at the time) bands that went on. But now I find even the woeful performances have points of interest. Boy are my opinions of music mellowing out in my old age![/quote] Have to say I agree with this 100%. It's fair to say they never feature artists representative of my personal taste - but it's worth watching anyway, and there's always something to appreciate. Jon.

[quote name='Johnston' post='957736' date='Sep 15 2010, 09:44 PM']a " Cort" Vintage Fretless Bass Dunno is it vintage or not or indeed a cort? [url="http://belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/21/65562621.html"]gumtree[/url][/quote] It's a Cort - you can just make out the logo in the 3rd pic, and probably quite old by the looks of it. Nice Schaller 3D bridge, and the pups could be Seymour Dunks. Looks like it's been de-fretted, so it's anyone's guess what the neck's like. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='957694' date='Sep 15 2010, 09:04 PM']Tino, I've just worked out the subtitle to this thread. I think the name you're looking for is Bassassin ... [/quote] Maybe, but I'm bugger-all help here. That Fleabay thing looks like a Strat copy with a re-shaped headstock, & if so I'd bet GMI's the initials of whoever re-shaped it. Never heard if it otherwise. Jon.

She isn't at it, I think she just has no idea about pricing - I guess she thinks it's an old "Fender" so it must be worth a fortune. She's unlikely to get any bids at that price. The pics are terrible but it's a bitsa alright. If I remember rightly one of the issues with the BA1 bridge as fitted to this was that it was way too high for Ps & Js, hence the BAII being much lower-profile. It's hard to tell from the pics but it does look like the neck's been shimmed so it stands very proud from the body, presumably to get a playable action. That and the novelty bridge angle makes it look like a proper bodge job. And what's with the two metal doorhandles (I hesitate to call them strap buttons!) sticking out of the bottom of it? Jon.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='957064' date='Sep 15 2010, 11:52 AM']You guys might be able to help [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=102894"]here[/url]. [/quote] Saw that. I'd just assume the neck route's a modification by a previous (Sheehan-fan?) owner. You don't often tend to find dates on JapCraps - one of the reasons dating 'em accurately is so hard. J.

[quote name='daz' post='956822' date='Sep 15 2010, 05:42 AM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64JX-DHzbX8&feature=related"]'Peaches'[/url] is one of my all time favourites, its the first punk single i ever bought and it turned me onto the bass sound. Lately i have been playing it several times a day, its become my party piece [/quote] First single I ever bought, first bass line I ever learned - JJ's got a lot to answer for! J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='956378' date='Sep 14 2010, 06:55 PM']Jarock made in the same factory as Ibanez? Jon, you said before that you thought the 6 string Jarock blazer was not a Fujigen made instrument. I presume the same applies to this bass? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970-80s-Vintage-Jarock-Roadster-Bass-Made-Japan-/280561181940?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4152bfe4f4"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970-80s-Vintage-Jar...=item4152bfe4f4[/url][/quote] I think they're Blazer copies - close but not quite right, and lots of details that don't say Fujigen. Still pretty cool though - I bid on a pink sparkly version of this bass a couple of years back & I'm not exactly averse to this blue one! J.

[quote name='Lozz196' post='956421' date='Sep 14 2010, 07:23 PM']I also think the "guitarist playing bass" bit adds to it, as in general, guitarists play nearer the bridge. At one of our band practices, me & the guitarist swapped instruments, and the drummer commented on how much like JJ he sounded, using my set-up, no eq/settings changes. I was quite envious. Funnily enough, just been watching The Stranglers on youtube quite a bit, and bought their last cd - quality band, must get round to going to see them when they`re next playing.[/quote] Wasn't JJ a trained classical guitarist rather than the egocentric fretw@nk sort, though? Jon.

No need to go over there. El Maya and Maya were brand names owned by the Rokkomann trading company based in Kobe, Japan. The brand and company names are derived from mountains local to Kobe. It's thought (but unconfirmed) that Rokkomann had their own factory in Kobe which produced these instruments, as well as OEM rebrands for various importers all over the world. It's also suggested that this factory was destroyed in the Hanshin earthquake of 1995, but clearly this is unconfirmed too. Rokkomann is still trading but no longer produce Maya & El Maya guitars. It's generally accepted that El Maya was Rokkomann's high-end brand and Maya was the budget range, however high quality guitars appear with the Maya brand as well as the more mass-market stuff. There doesn't appear to be any budget-level El Mayas. As well as copies of popular US instruments, the El Maya range included some very exotic original designs, such as these: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52746"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=52746[/url] [attachment=58691:El_Maya_..._cutting.jpg] Maya/El Maya were one of the few Japanese manufacturers to build unbound/dot-neck 4001S copies, this is the first black one I've seen, as far as I can remember all the others have been natural finish. These are very good quality basses, & the differences between these & the genuine articles are pretty negligible - it will have a single truss rod rather that the 2 in a real Rick, and the fretboard wood is darker than the original. Sound-wise they tend to be quite authentic and often Rickenbacker copy components (the tailpieces particularly) are significantly better quality than the American-made originals. But don't tell that to a Rickenbacker owner. As you will have seen by now, here on BC we've spent a good few years scouring Ebay, the web & beyond for vintage JapCrap Rick copies, and a natural finish El Maya 4001S, identical to your dad's apart from the colour, holds the record for the highest price achieved in an Ebay auction, at £656. For this reason I'd strongly recommend looking after this bass, don't alter anything ([u]especially[/u] the logo!) and keep it in good condition. Jon.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='954613' date='Sep 13 2010, 12:34 PM']i have no idea what you are talking about :blush:[/quote] That bit about lawsuits is b0ll0cks and I'm sure you know it! Btw best of luck - you know I'd do exactly the same myself! J.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='954644' date='Sep 13 2010, 12:51 PM']Is that a DFA switch? Amazing job on the headstock btw. [/quote] Incredibly, it's actually a fully functional series/parallel switch! I have a Westbury Track II with a DiMarzio Model P wired in the same way & I like the slightly brighter & thinner tone, works better in my band than a standard P thump, so I thought I'd bung one in this. Too bad the bloody thing makes my left arm go numb after 2 songs - back to the gym then! I was absolutely made up with how well the headstock worked - re-shaping it was very rewarding & good fun too, and the paint worked out much better than I had any reason to think it would. However, if I try & do another glitter/flake finish (and I think I will), I'll be trying this: [url="http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz"]http://www.specialistpaints.com/product.php?p=flakes-canz[/url] So much less stress! J.

Quite right - and he'd definitely do better if he started at a realistic price. Such as a quid. Ebay last night seemed to be chock-full of chancers trying to flog ropey JapCrap at eye-watering prices - some of whom really ought to know better! J.

[quote name='tino' post='953330' date='Sep 12 2010, 08:50 AM']That one looks like a real beauty and I wish I had a 1965 Jaguar like the one hangin in the picture [/quote] Maybe you should make him an offer! Fella should definitely sell the Ricky handrest separately - that way he could knock £50 off the start price... As I've said before - gorgeous example. J.

There's no great technical virtuosity to what Hooky does, but stylistically he's an innovator. I think that makes him good. Jon.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='950833' date='Sep 9 2010, 05:14 PM']I think it may very well be a DiMarzio - it has the hex pole pieces and the patent applied for sticker on the underside. I've changed the cover as it was a tad funky and the poles were a bit rusty to reveal that it is a humbucker with 4 wires[/quote] Red, black, white & green wires? That's a DiMarzio Model J alright. Finally got a matched pair of these in my CSL Jazz & it sounds lovely. Looking forward to seeing this scrubbed up. J.

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='951245' date='Sep 9 2010, 11:00 PM']Look like dugongs. [/quote] Snoopy: [attachment=58513:snoopycut.jpg] Really can't see the point, apart from additional ugly & heavy. Jon.

Nice, that. I was watching that one - just curious, no intention of pulling the trigger. Anyway K77 prefix on the serial makes it November 1977 - these were from Fujigen, identical to the equivalent Ibanez/Greco etc models. Antorias have the same model numbers as Ibanez too, I think they're originally factory designations, and this will be a 2367B. It would once have had a nice tort plate - and no J pup! Speaking of which, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that turned out to be a DiMarzio. Jon.