Bassassin

[quote name='mike257' post='625922' date='Oct 14 2009, 12:48 PM']Looks an awful lot like those Stagg Jag copies, I'm sure they've got the big-polepiece pickups on em too. Hmmm....[/quote] They have - they are very, very similar. Realistically the main difference is likely to be quality control. Oh, and about three hundred quid: [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/stagg-bm-370-vintage-m-series/68744"]Stagguar[/url] The Silverado reminds me of this a little: [attachment=34467:stbgtfull.jpg] Just checked out the price list - I have to say that I think £689 for a probably Chinese-made bolt-neck bass which has a cosmetic resemblance to a Rickenbacker is pretty much redefining the phrase "outrageous rip-off". Jon.

[quote name='LeftyJ' post='625841' date='Oct 14 2009, 11:28 AM']I also quite like Fernandes' take on the RIC. Not quite sure how old this is though. [/quote] Early 80s, Japan-only unless you can find a dodgy import! Fwiw like most MIJ brands, Fernandes isn't an actual manufacturer, these would have been made by Kawai or Tokai. Happily Fernandes still produce Rickenbacker copies, not exactly accurate but I'd make a few allowances for the paintjob: [url="http://www.rakuten.co.jp/gakki-genki/674604/838925/899155/"]Fernandes Sw***y Spider[/url] (can we PLEASE sort out the fukking autocensor?? ) [quote name='Jigster' post='626146' date='Oct 14 2009, 04:25 PM']Have been reading some intresting feedback about the Chinese Gibson/Rickenbacker/Fender headstock branded guitars on this site.. I guess you don't need Anniversary or Tokai and the like when yu can get the 'real' thing with a Made In Usa stamp to boot [/quote] [url="http://www.dhgate.com/original-rickenbacker-4003-in-nature-electric/p-ff8080812295ac8a01229655464d1f23.html"]They're stunningly realistic![/url] J.

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='624718' date='Oct 13 2009, 09:16 AM']The really good copy is the Tokai "Rockinsbetter" model. They are excellent basses if you can track one down.[/quote] Again - over to hooky6stringbass on this, he had a Rockinbetter & as far as I can tell subsequently judged his Anniversary to be a better bass. I have no experience of either but based on hardware it would appear the Anniversary is a more accurate copy - realistically the Rockinbetter is just a bass with a Rick-shaped body & headstock. There's a special mystery prize, by the way, for anyone who can find solid & indisputable evidence of a link between these basses & Tokai. And I don't just mean retailers' website listings. Jon.

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='623331' date='Oct 11 2009, 07:00 PM']Any Squier Experts? Can you confirm that the bridge pickup is non-original? Enjoy Trav[/quote] 99.9% sure it is - what serial number prefix does it have? Jon.

[quote name='yorick' post='623488' date='Oct 11 2009, 09:31 PM']nowhere near as good as the INDIE brand and definately over priced.[/quote] I played an Indie a few years ago and it was pretty horrible considering the list was £499. Vile melted-looking headstock too. J.

No experience of them myself but from what I gather these are the best of the current copies, certainly as they come out of the box. Not entirely certain but they might well be made by Shine. Drop hooky6stringbass (Ian) a PM - or failing that he'll probably see this thread & fill you in. I got the impression he was very pleased with his, on the whole. Jon.

It's unlikely that they'll be a perfect fit, but the great thing about wood is the way you can file bits off & stick other bits on & [b]make[/b] things fit. Make sure the scale is the same or you'll end up having to reposition your bridge too. Jon.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='622697' date='Oct 10 2009, 09:19 PM']That's what I was going for. I guess it IS how you tell 'em then. [/quote] Sorry mate! :blush: Maybe it's how you spell 'em! J.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='622312' date='Oct 10 2009, 10:58 AM']Hammerite? [/quote] What a missed opportunity for a coat-grabbing pun! That would be a cool-looking bass without all that goop all over it. Jon.

[quote name='Musky' post='622593' date='Oct 10 2009, 06:56 PM']And there was me thinking that it was safe to call any '75 to '87 Aria a Mat. That's a lovely looking guitar, regardless of who made it.[/quote] It is, isn't it? I've actually got horrible, insistent GAS pains for a 70s LP copy with a maple board & black blocks. The alarming thing is that the guy who's selling the bass which kicked off this thread is selling just such a guitar too - and he's about 20 miles down the road from me. So far, the fact it's a Hondo and he wants £85 have successfully held me back... :ph34r: [url="http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/62/46698562.html"]http://edinburgh.gumtree.com/edinburgh/62/46698562.html[/url] At least this one's not a Mat. Probably. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='619360' date='Oct 7 2009, 10:09 AM']Now there's a weird thing - 6 bolt Arias. And from '77, when I thought Mat were exclusively producing for them. Or does that mean Mat were knocking out some basses with 6 bolt necks... I think I need a lie down. They don't like making IDing these things any easier do they. [/quote] Here's an interesting thing, taking the Aria-but-not-Matsumoku idea a bit further, and of course dragging the thread even more off topic! Careful with this, I have to warn you, it's a g*it*r: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170392904930"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170392904930[/url] It's a old & pretty Les Paul copy with an original mid 70s Aria logo. It's also a Kasuga. OK, there's a possibility it's a bitsa with some Kasuga parts, but I don't think so. The big giveaways are the tuners, which are actually Kasuga logo'd. It also has a distinctive shaped truss rod cover which matches the ones used by Kasuga, and a plain MIJ-stamped neckplate, which we don't tend to find on Uncle Mats. There's a precedent for this too. Kasuga did use their own branded tuners (made by Gotoh) on other off-brand instruments - these appear on the Canadian "Northern" brand, which Kasuga built. Anyway, as you were. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='621274' date='Oct 9 2009, 08:16 AM']It wouldn't take much to ... erm ... "modify" your 2366B. Trouble is, that's such a nice bass as it is. [/quote] Wouldn't dream of desecrating that under any circumstances! But realistically, even top-end early 70s Jap copies like that are only cosmetically similar to real Fenders. That's one of the things I love about 'em. J.

I havent bought anything off Luke yet, but he deserves a feedback +1 for offering to give me (as in free) an old Kay SG copy! Jon.

Bought a cracking Ibanez Blazer project off Rob today. Great deal & a lovely feller. Jon.

[i]1) What kind of maintenance do you carry out on your instruments at home/gigs?[/i] At home absolutely everything - cleaning, fret levelling/crowning/dress, setup, wiring, truss adjustment, neck shims, refinishing etc. The only thing I've not yet done is a refret/defret but that's only a matter of time. At gigs the worst I've had to deal with is changing a string. [i]2) What position is it easiest to have the instrument in for these actions? (vertical, horizontal, at an angle?)[/i] Flat for the most part. I have a workbench in my basement (actually a big, old, heavy desk I "liberated" from an office clearout) with carpet glued to the top. Generally just lying an instrument on it is fine, if necessary I can clamp the body to the bench. For fret work I have a rubber-jawed vice to hold the heel and a polystyrene block to support the neck at the correct height. Truss adjustments generally require holding the instrument upright to apply necessary physical pressure. [i]3) Are there any tasks you currently carry out where you find it hard to securely orientate the instrument in an ideal working position?[/i] Not really. Fret work on set-neck instruments can be fiddly but you really just have to be more careful & patient. Jon.

£999? Y'know - I'm not proud to say the pikey in me is sorely tempted to have a go at some "creative relicing" of my own... :ph34r: J.