Bassassin

[quote name='4 Strings' post='721222' date='Jan 22 2010, 02:28 PM']But these two guitars aren't the same. The one on its own has lost more finish than the one Jaco is playing and so could be a later photo. However, if you look at the top of the body, underneath the divine forearm, you see that there is more wear on guitar His Jolly Self is playing. Can't be both.[/quote] Plus the frets seem to have fallen off the one he's playing! For the record I like Schaller 3D bridges. Easily adjustable string spacing is a useful option - and they look cool. Jon.

If you want the gig, play the lines as they were written. And I suspect if you want to keep it, do the same thing. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='721937' date='Jan 23 2010, 09:17 AM']Is this Vantage bass really worth much more than a Westone Thunder might go for? (This is a simple question, rather than a rhetorical one. I have no idea how much the bass is worth). [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vantage-VS-695B-Bass-Matsumoku-Japan-early-1980s_W0QQitemZ390146867447QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item5ad690c0f7"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vantage-VS-695B-Bass...=item5ad690c0f7[/url][/quote] Definitely not in terms of quality & components - Mat stuff from this era was consistently good, & construction & parts-wise this is near-identical to a Thunder 1. Vantages are a lot less common that Westones & that's likely the basis for the higher BIN. Not convinced that bridge is original, either. J.

An amp the size of a matchbox & it's still just [i]way[/i] too much trouble to stick it in a box & take it to the PO. This seems to be more & more common on ThiefBay lately. Jon.

Nothing to do with Ebay, but I think I've found the origin of the Anniversary/Jayro/Dillion copy: [url="http://www.wfhongyun.com/english/photo.asp?n=hp-b-35"]http://www.wfhongyun.com/english/photo.asp?n=hp-b-35[/url] Made by Weifang Hongyun, in China. Their range is worth a browse - I do think this might be popular in certain BC circles: [url="http://www.wfhongyun.com/english/photo.asp?n=hp-b-09119"]http://www.wfhongyun.com/english/photo.asp?n=hp-b-09119[/url] I think I feel an import business coming on... :brow: J.

This looks sufficiently amateurish that chances are he's just squirted that green crap (Halfords rattle can, I expect) on top of the original finish. If so, a bit of fine wire wool & very fine grade sandpaper will get the spray off, and T-cut & elbow grease will get the gloss back on the original finish, assuming it's poly. The pup covers will probably clean up in the same way. Jon.

[quote name='BassJase' post='712436' date='Jan 14 2010, 12:09 PM']Well I finally got round to finishig this book last night, and it's really good in a non-bassist kind of way. It's much more about him and his life in London than anything else, but a great and inspirational read. Who's next on the list? PM me you address whoever it is and I'll get it sent off within the next few days. [/quote] I think that'll be me - PM'd. Anyway I've extrapolated a list for future reference: Bassjase [b]Me[/b] BassKS Rich Bassmonkey Baboom MacDaddy Jon.

I think it's a bitsa - the neck's from an LP type guitar and the headstock's been reshaped to approximate a Flying V's, which leads me to think neck & body do not have the same parents. Body's a V, alright - possibly the original neck had a break & this one is a replacement - which would explain the refin & headstock mods. It's definitely not home-made. The neckplate isn't much of a clue because it could be from either the body or replacement neck. It's no Ibanez, and I'm afraid not a "lawsuit" guitar - although the body could be from the right era. You might get some clues or potential confirmation of origin from the hardware - have a look at pots, backs of pickups, bridge etc to see if there are any markings, logos or country of origin. Those 3-screw pups (single-coils in humbucker cases?) do appear on a number of 70s MIJ guitars and might have an identifying name or number on the back. Is the body ply or solid timber? J.

Once you get some pics up you'll be more likely to get an accurate ID - but from what you're describing, it doesn't sound much like an Ibanez, although it might be. Ibby have broadly done two versions of the Rocket Roll, which is their take on the Flying V. The 70s version was a full-on copy, which like all their other copy instruments was dropped in favour of original designs in the mid/late 70s. [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/359/3.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/359/3.jpg[/url] [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/4/2.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/4/2.jpg[/url] When hair metal & pointy guitars became fashionable in the mid 80s, they reintroduced a stylised Rocket Roll which featured a typical angular Ibanez 6-in-line headstock, similar to the Jems & other shred guitars. This doesn't appear to have stayed in the line-up for very long, though, and it appears with an asymetrical body as well as the more normal shape. The standard one does have shaped body edges which might be like yours. [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/90/1.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/90/1.jpg[/url] [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/7.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/130/7.jpg[/url] If it is an Ibby it will most likely be a variation on the 80s design - all of Ibanez's 70s copy guitars were made in Japan, and I think most of the 80s versions were too, although production of lower-end stuff started to move to Korea from the late 80s. Really interested to see some pics. Jon.

1989 means this is a Korean example. He doesn't mention how it came by that ugly great control plate on the front - presumable the wood's smashed underneath it - the controls on these are rear-mounted. Top strap button's been moved too. Nice colour. Jon.

Good to see him back - a very useful & informative resource. Plus Graeme's a nice guy & fine bassist - hope he's forgiven my band for pinching his guitarist! Jon.

I've seen that odd skinny-looking control plate somewhere before - I don't think this is built around a particularly great copy. Bin the (plywood?) body & guitar pickup, & stick the J pups, neck & bridge (Schaller 3D) on a decent body. Preferably a sunburst one. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='712697' date='Jan 14 2010, 04:04 PM']Was the Aria Pro II XXB (Flying V) any good? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-XXB-Bass_W0QQitemZ320472345797QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item4a9da3ecc5"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-XXB-Bass_W0...=item4a9da3ecc5[/url] Anyone know how heavy it was? Pickup only from Harlow is way inconvenient, but will keep the price low I imagine.[/quote] I'd expect it to be on a par with the other early 80s bolt-neck Arias - my old RSB was a peach until it developed a severe neck twist. Weight-wise probably similar to the ZZB Explorer-shape - our man Bloodaxe has got a couple of them so it might be worth dropping him a PM. So that even has a fitted hard case & it's still too much effort for the lazy sod to drag himself to the PO. His loss. Twit - hard to be specific although they don't seem to command the same prices as other Matsumoku basses - possibly because of the crossover with MIK versions, or perhaps because they just don't get advertised well. I'd think you could pick one up for under a ton though, if you're patient. J.

I only noticed 'cos I've got an RSB Deluxe II! J.

[quote name='paul h' post='712249' date='Jan 14 2010, 09:04 AM']I bought a brand new "Cat" in 86/87. Not sure how long they had been around by then. Only found one on google images so I don't know if that implies something about their rarity...or popularity? [/quote] I don't think the pic's a Cat - looks like an RSB Deluxe II to me - a Cat would have standard P/J pups & a bent-tin bridge, I think. The only pic of a Cat bass I can find on the Mat site is this one: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/ads/adpages/pg13.jpg"]http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/...dpages/pg13.jpg[/url] But there were versions with no scratchplate & a rosewood board. Forgive the inadvertent poetry but not all Cats are Mats - the model stayed in the range post-86 and there are Korean-made ones, the only immediate difference is that they don't have Made In Japan on the neckplate. I got a good look at an MIK Cat at a car boot a while back, & it looked like a decent enough bass - but not for the £70 the nutter wanted for it! J.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='711735' date='Jan 13 2010, 06:50 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280450646770&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123"]Here[/url]'s a fixer-upper.[/quote] And it's actually a Kay, made in Taiwan & absolutely nothing to do with Teisco, Jedson or Japan. Probably wouldn't even burn very well. J.

Really rapidly going off our drummer. Lazy, unmotivated, uncommunicative, delusional, pompous little gonk. Jon.

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='711146' date='Jan 13 2010, 12:03 PM']Jon I`ve ordered a blue set from the above guys for £29.16, plus the inport tax of course. Thought the other ones were too expensive, around £90 to take a chance on something that might just be a fad. Going to stick them on my P bass. As soon as I get them on, I`ll post piccys. Jez[/quote] Cool - maybe I should hang fire & see what yours are like! Nah - think I'll just buy 'em anyway! J.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='710873' date='Jan 13 2010, 08:27 AM']there's an amazing midnight blue rickenfaker on ishibashi ubox at the moment, it's a bolt on neck, and mono, but it's mega. About £250 as well![/quote] That's a Korean-made "Rocknroller"! [attachment=40140:3264534013.jpg] [attachment=40138:3264534015.jpg] One of those turned up before - I think it was an Australian guy on here picked one up - I kept a pic 'cos I'm sad: [attachment=40139:G32001.jpg] That one on Ishi looks brand-new - if so, it's by far the most accurate modern copy in terms of hardware. J.

My favourite attempted trick is to play an entire set without screwing up catastrophically. Never got that one right. Jon.

I'm considering a punt on the [url="http://www.fretlord.com/fretoptix.htm"]FretLord fibre optics[/url] for my new Lace Helix, which has tiny side-dots & no front markers. Looks like they'll come in at about £35 for the set plus a second LED module (for a different colour) - including delivery & import tax. Not too much cash wasted if they turn out to be guff. Jon.

[quote name='Prosebass' post='707777' date='Jan 10 2010, 03:39 PM']Bugger, Sussed !!! I was thinking of making one for myself.[/quote] You'll change your tune when you find out that John Hall from Rickenbacker bought the rights to Roden bass designs after the fall of the Soviet Union, and currently has a pack of legal attack dogs scanning this thread for the first hint of copyright infringement... :ph34r: Seriously - an updated take on that design would certainly be intriguing - so go for it! [quote name='Mog' post='708149' date='Jan 10 2010, 08:35 PM']could be cool with a different headstock. its just too plain and nicely contoured for the body shape.[/quote] Headless. Apart from anything else, it would make it more stable - the original design must have neck-dive from hell. J.

[quote name='karlfer' post='708111' date='Jan 10 2010, 08:18 PM']Hi guys, this is the little beauty from Leeds. I mailed Will, the seller last night but unfortunately didn't get a reply until this afternoon. Too late for a trip over the Pennines today. It's different but very nice. Checked the headstock shape against photos of the Kasuga I had in very early 80's, and the shape is exactly the same. Re-introducing Obi-Jon-Kinobi. Over to you Jon. Oh, this was still for sale about 3pm.[/quote] Definitely a Kasuga - and an absolute stunner, too. I would've had both his arms off for that, despite the fact I already have a Kasuga Rick copy & two others! I'm pretty sure I've seen that odd black/white/natural finish once before, and I admit I'd have had a hard time resisting the temptation of refinishing the neck in black, with a white-faced headstock. Lovely! Anyway, lowering our horizons a little - a Hondo: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180454877189"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180454877189[/url] Wonder what it sounds like with that MM-ish thing in it? J.

[quote name='guybrush threepwood' post='706720' date='Jan 9 2010, 04:41 PM']Rickenbacker copy on Leeds gumtree [url="http://leeds.gumtree.com/leeds/74/52130874.html"]Rickenbacker copy[/url][/quote] That's very nice for £260 - I think it's a Kasuga but can't be 100% from the pics. Colour might be original - the Canadian "Northern" brand had a Kasuga-built 4001 copy in white, so they did exist. Jon.

Anyway - what's the story here? Do you own this, are you thinking of buying it, have you just been browsing Cheesyguitars.com, are you thinking of "borrowing" the style? In Soviet Russia, bass guitar plays [i]you[/i]. J.