Bassassin

Peaches - The Stranglers. Arguably I bought a bass specifically to learn to play Peaches - I had no idea how to tune a bass at the time, so when a more knowledgeable friend showed me what I was doing wrong, I had to re-learn the song... I then went on to learn the entire Rattus Norvegicus album, so that was OK. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='781024' date='Mar 20 2010, 06:39 PM']Neck through fretless precision bass with a vaguely SB1000 style colour scheme. I like it! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P-Bass-style-fretless-guitar-Early-Japan-built-classic_W0QQitemZ270550188555QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item3efe0c420b"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/P-Bass-style-fretles...=item3efe0c420b[/url][/quote] I've got a project one of these (fretted, maple board) which I bought from BCer Geoffbyrne last year. These are Satellites and almost certainly Korean, not MIJ. I'm ancient enough to remember these first appearing in the shops in 1980 and being quite impressed at a neck-through for £99! I was way too much of a snob to consider buying anything with "Satellite" written on it, though... J.

...and somebody just paid £100 for it. J.

[quote name='benebass' post='781021' date='Mar 20 2010, 06:37 PM']I reckon yours is a BX7 that was never routed for a Jazz pickup near the bridge - they did come with a maple board[/quote] I think you're right about that - the pup spacing looks like there should be something between the bridge & P route, if not the existing one would be more central. Kyron - if you have some idea of what you'd like for it, let me know! I'm supposed top be putting a bit aside for a new rig at the moment so unfortunately I'm not too flush, which means if I were to go for it, it would have to be impulse-buy cheap! Based on the fact you bought it originally, I'm guessing you have a specific minimum amount in mind... From what I've read about Brandoni they bought up all of Eko's stock when the company folded in the 80s, so this will doubtless be part of the factory's original output. Clearly it's been built up as a complete bass at some point, but it's hard to tell what kind of condition it's in & what play wear there is. Looks like a few knocks & bumps on it but that might just be flash glare/reflections. Hard to say. J.

No idea of value but I might interested if the price is going to be sensible - always loved these & fancy a bit of Italian for the collection! Here's the Eko P/J variant: [url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/eko/finalyears/bx7.html"]http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/eko/finalyears/bx7.html[/url] Jon.

If the pup in this is an old DiMarzio Model P (which it looks like) they can fetch £40-odd alone. I'm almost tempted... :blush: Edit: In the (unlikely) event anyone gives a sh!t what it was before its appointment with the bandsaw - it was an Italian Melody: [url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/recanati-castelfidardo/melody/melody70/m5000.html"]http://www.fetishguitars.com/html/recanati...dy70/m5000.html[/url] The neck's the giveaway - 3-piece, protruding heel-end truss adjuster, dots to 17th fret & that strange skinny neckplate. Shame, 'cos you don't see too many of these. J.

One for a completist Rush tribute band, perhaps? [attachment=45167:geddyteardrop.jpg] Geddy's was a 60s Precision once - wonder what this one was? Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='780133' date='Mar 19 2010, 07:25 PM']How much do they usually go for? What would you value that particular one at in its current condition?[/quote] I can't really tell much from the pics - it looks dull & grubby but the seller reckons "there's hardly a mark on it". I've had some absolutely foul guitars clean up beautifully so I think it would scrub up well. As far as value's concerned - remember this thread from around Xmas: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=71823"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=71823[/url] That one sold for £170 ultimately - I think with this one I'd cross my fingers for £120 - £150, given a good Ebay ad. J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='779749' date='Mar 19 2010, 01:41 PM']Westone Concord Bass. Collection only. BIN of £80. Starting bid of £30. Doesn't look wonderful I must admit. I'm presuming that this is Matsumoku made. Weren't the Concord guitars and basses among the first instruments released after the brand was created? EDIT: "Bought in the early 1980s". [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Concord-Bass-1_W0QQitemZ260571566933QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item3cab469355"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-Concord-Bass...=item3cab469355[/url][/quote] Yes - these are Matsumoku. Surprised it's still there at 80 squids - if I was down in That London , I'd have it [s]and probably clean it up & gyppo-flip it[/s]. J.

It's a badly put-together bitsa - I'd expect a cheap & nasty neck & hardware - including the pups. Looks to me like the pocket/heel area's been roughly reshaped - I think that fancy grain's probably hiding a multitude of horrors! £87 was probably about right... Jon.

[quote name='Pookus' post='777916' date='Mar 17 2010, 08:05 PM']I have a very nice '73 Rickenbacker Jetglow 4001. When I bought it (in 1984) the damper assembly was missing. Until now I never missed it - but recently I got into using flatwounds and a whole different vibe. I want to replace the damper. Now I can easily resource the two bolts (they appear to be the same as the strap buttons!) but I cannot seem to find the strip with the damper material. Can anyone help me find one - or fab one up? Cheers, Jamie[/quote] You should ask at [url="http://www.rickresource.com/forum/"]http://www.rickresource.com/forum/[/url] - someone will probably have one in their spares box. They'll probably want to see lots of pics of your '73 JG. As do I. Jon.

These pop up on Ebay occasionally, early 80s JapCrap, possibly made by Matsumoku (as some Vox guitars were) and might have a DiMarzio in it. Jon.

You can use anything really - I've bodged 'em with folded-up cardboard in the past. Surprisingly good acoustic properties... Jon.

[quote name='Clarky72' post='776031' date='Mar 16 2010, 10:03 AM']Aria Catalogues Just found some great clearer scans of the early Aria catalogues. [url="http://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B81O_PQg1P-uMDBjYzFjNzAtZDY0Ny00MDRiLWEwNTMtYzJjY2ViYzUwNGI1&sort=name&layout=list&pid=0B81O_PQg1P-uNGY0NzhhMjYtNWY4Yi00ODdkLTg0OGMtYTVkMzI5ZTUyZWNk"]Aria Catalogs[/url][/quote] Excellent resource - cheers for that! J.

[quote name='WarPig' post='776033' date='Mar 16 2010, 10:05 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1960s-Kay-Precision-bass-guitar-Japan_W0QQitemZ190381063215QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item2c53987c2f"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1960s-Kay-Pr...=item2c53987c2f[/url] Is it just me or does something look.....abit crooked? The back shot of the neck? Might just be the grain.[/quote] It is just the neck plate. I've had 2 of these, they're Taiwanese, early/mid 70s and if you can get them to set up OK they're not bad. Admittedly I paid less than £20 for mine from the car boot so allowances can be made! They are incredibly, ridiculously heavy and the necks (made from mahogany ply) are like fenceposts. Both of mine had very loud, & decent-sounding pups. This one looks pretty beat-up and £139 is just a bit ambitious, I think. Interesting window full of JapCrap behind the bass... J.

That wouldn't bee too hard to fix - you just need to get the broken screw out - carefully drill around it using a small bit, and then fill the hole - a small hardwood plug & a bit of epoxy would do that. If you were trying to fit this neck to a different body, that might be why the screw broke in the first place - you should always plug & re-drill the neck holes when doing a transplant! Jon

I've just lowballed a very interesting guitar, just to stop him changing the title if someone tells him what it is! Be cool if I got it for £56.67 - but I won't. J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='775416' date='Mar 15 2010, 05:12 PM']£180!!!! Did you ever get to see what happened to it after you sold it? Did it get restored? Not serious here, but perhaps the buyer thought it more valuable as with the modifications it no longer infringes on anyone's intellectual property. Edit: "Tokia" (sic) Rockinbetter, also from Bolton. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/tokia-rockinbetter-riki-style-bass_W0QQitemZ320502303133QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4a9f6d099d"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/tokia-rockinbetter-r...=item4a9f6d099d[/url][/quote] He actually sold it on (for a few quid less) a month or so later - I guess he must have realised it was a lost cause & pretty much unrestoreable. Cheeky sod even used my photos! J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='774909' date='Mar 15 2010, 07:56 AM']Is that really a good price? It's all scratched up, missing much of the electronics and various bits and pieces, and is a bolt-on rather than a set neck. And if you add on the postage, it's more expensive than my Cimar was. This is a direct rather than rhetorical question, as I don't know prices.[/quote] I'd say yes - from the point of view of a collector - or some gyppo out to make a killing - despite all the missing bits, this still has the most important part - the Ibanez truss cover. A through-neck Ibby can go for £500 - £600, while the bolt-neck counterpart can get maybe £100 less. The Ibanez brand commands a premium that other JapCrap names don't. That said, Rick copies, regardless of condition, can bring out the Ebay hordes and silly money can change hands - check this out: [attachment=44838:bodyF.jpg] [attachment=44839:headfront.jpg] Top horn hacked off, frets ripped out & badly filled, neck binding gone, Ronseal refin, plywood scratchplate, no hardware etc. I sold that for £180. And bear in mind you got a [i]spectacularly[/i] good deal on your Cimar. J.

Someone shut that window - the light's attracting them! Black through-neck no-idea-what-it-is: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190380752650"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190380752650[/url] Ibanez 2388B bolt neck project: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Ibanez-Rickenbacker-style-bass-guitar-Japan_W0QQitemZ190380711117"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Ibanez-Rickenb...emZ190380711117[/url] £229 BIN - if I had the parts to finish it (bridge, scratchplate, neck pup, electronics) I might well go for this one. Nice early Ibby copy - check out the massive square-hole tailpiece & full-width sparklies. Jon.

Usually it's the string adjacent to the one I'm playing (or the pup when I'm playing the E) but sometimes I rest my forearm on the body & my thumb floats around like a floaty thing. I always tend to find my thumb's on or above the neck pup - doesn't feel right over the bridge pup on J or P/J type basses. I've only been playing predominantly fingerstyle for about 6 or 7 years, having spent the previous 20 or so with a pick, so my technique (if you can call it that) is unschooled and doubtless very poor! Jon.

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='774151' date='Mar 14 2010, 10:34 AM']Nice looking copy. I actually have serious GAS for something similiar. I must say, looking at it, it seemed surprising it was an Ibanez. Are you sure itisn't a Greco?[/quote] Theoretically it could be a Greco, as the same bass was sold under that brand. However Greco was technically a Japan-only brand & never officially imported to the UK, so it's quite unlikely. J.