Bassassin

Oakland seems to be a non-defined (ie we don't know anything about them!) JapCrap/KoreaDiarrhoea brand from the early 80s. Yours is the first neck-through I've noticed, but I've seen a few basses & g*it*rs go through Ebay which were very closely based on Ibanez Blazers. One of the Blazer-esque basses was indeed glittery metallic pink - and I was gutted when I was outbid! Anyway there's a bit of info - although this thread on ICW doesn't help much: [url="http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/vintage-and-custom-electrics-and401970s-onlyand41/oakland-ibanez/"]http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/vint...oakland-ibanez/[/url] But I think we can reasonably assume they "borrowed" some Ibanez-esque designs rather than actually being connected in any way. This thread on the Mat board seems to be fairy certain they're Japanese, and possibly Matsumoku: [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1408"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic...f=19&t=1408[/url] The thread's about 4 years old & there's been a [i]lot[/i] of research in the JapCrap field since then - we know a lot more about Japanese & Korean manufacturing & quality standards now - and the way both designs & building techniques were "borrowed" so liberally - and likely wouldn't jump to the same conclusions so quickly. The more you know the less you understand. Anyway - it's a very nice bass, I would definitely leave it fretless, both from the perspective of learning the technique, and leaving a very unusual vintage bass in original condition. Jon. Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='417527' date='Feb 23 2009, 03:31 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hawkwind-custom-Westone-Paduak-Thunder-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ160317714743QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item160317714743&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]Most expensive Westone ever[/url][/quote] Oh dear. This is more like it, though, a Thunder 1A with very reasonable BIN: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230327289621"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230327289621[/url] Unfortunately collection only though. J.

Story of my wasted, underachieving life.... Wanna buy my band's new album? Want a free copy? Anyone? Please? (Well, sort of...) Jon.

Right on cue - here's another one: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NECKTHROUGH-V-BURST-ACTIVE-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ140303387967"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NECKTHROUGH-V-BURST-...emZ140303387967[/url] 24-hour listing. J.

[quote name='mathewsanchez' post='415592' date='Feb 20 2009, 05:23 PM']If you look carefully at the pictures you can see his has better tuners. Just thought i'd mention it.[/quote] I think his is one of the full-scale versions - you can see several with full-size tuners like the one he's holding. This looks like a basic mass-produced cheapie to me, not really anything to distinguish it from the low-end Ibbys & Yams etc - apart from that name on the sharp end.

And there he goes, trying to give Tokai Gakki a reputation for manufacturing plywood garbage. What did they ever do to him? J.

Some early 70s Alice Cooper: Gutter Cat Vs The Jets Halo Of Flies Billion Dollar Babies Blue Turk Anything from the pre 1974 stuff really - fantastic bass parts. Jon.

[quote name='gafbass02' post='414579' date='Feb 19 2009, 06:31 PM']Ah ha, I was spelling it wrong! No wonder I never found any cheers dude.[/quote] No - the Septics are spelling it wrong, as usual! $19 from Singapore? I know which one I'd go for... J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='413809' date='Feb 19 2009, 12:40 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hondo-II-Bass-Guitar-Rickenbacker-style-1981_W0QQitemZ180330112045QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item180330112045&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]Hondo II[/url][/quote] Just down the road from me, presumably. It can stay there. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='413579' date='Feb 18 2009, 08:18 PM']That's one of those Wesley thingymabobs. I think Jon picked up one of these (well, the four stringer) and was a bit underwhelmed.[/quote] It was pretty decent for the money (£99 brand new) - would have been better if mine hadn't needed its active preamp replaced. It's a lot of bass for a ton though - neckthrough, decent hardware, 3-band EQ (if yer lucky!), wood binding & 2-way trussrod. The downside is the cheap finish - thin matt black on the back which rubs off on your clothes and a nice flamed top - finished in MeconiumGlo! Any resemblance to a Rick ends with the body shape - it doesn't feel, sound or play like one but it's a solid & well equipped cheapo. If you check the seller's completed items, he's sold about 5 of these in the last few weeks (amongst a lot of other instruments) for prices between £60 - £100 odd - all on 1-day listings. Likely he's got a few more if anyone's interested. Jon.

[quote name='LWTAIT' post='413385' date='Feb 18 2009, 05:22 PM']any pics of it with the big scratchplate bassassin? i like basses with big scratchplates. oh, and sorry for re-hijacking your thread gafbass02, it was lukeFRC's fault for bringing it up in the first place, blame him. EDIT: wait, i think i can see where the original pickguard would have gone[/quote] 'Ere we go: I don't mind a full-size scratchplate - I just thought that was unsympathetic to the body styling, particularly the top half. J.

I read this a few years ago - an excellent read & fine addition to the BC "library"! Jon.

[quote name='LukeFRC' post='412594' date='Feb 17 2009, 11:40 PM']out of interest what is the pic in your aviatar?[/quote] That's some fairly obscure/weird JapCrap - a Kawai Sleekline (or X-II in Japan) from around 1980: It originally had a huge & inappropriate scratchplate which did nothing for its already eccentric looks, so I replaced that with the control plate it has now, & added the perspex thumbrest/ramp because I didn't get on using the angled pup end. I do like obscure vintage JapCrap - anyone know where I can get a Guyatone EB-9? Sorry for hijacking your thread, Gafbass! Jon.

[quote name='Kev' post='412484' date='Feb 17 2009, 09:43 PM']he was the first replier [/quote] Thanks for that Kev - I had a worrying existential moment there when I questioned my own existence. Fortunately I'm OK now, normality has been restored & I appreciate that I'm real, and you lot are merely the ravings of my own diseased imagination. J.

No idea what that is but it looks pretty decent from the pics. It's probably not a Sumbro. Sumbro was Summerfield Brothers budget brand, which pre-dated the better quality CSLs that came from the same factory as Ibanez & MIJ Fenders. I'd expect to see early Jap traits & cheap ply construction on a Sumbro - but this looks both accurate & quality from the pics. Tbh I couldn't even say if this was JapCrap or not - maybe the letters & numbers will ring a bell for somebody. Jon.

I think this is a Peavey C4 - I have the 5-string version (imaginatively called the C5) & it appears identical except mine has a darker wood top. These were from about 6 or 7 years back & predate the Grind range, but are fundamentally the same. No complaints at all about the quality of mine, (although it doesn't get much use - the B string's just a long thumbrest to me ) and I'd say that would be a decent amount of bass for £150. Jon.

Really looking forward to seeing how this one comes out. I vote for blue! Jon.

This is what you want: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=39574"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=39574[/url] Jon.

Made oi larf, but then I don't have the most sophisticated sense of humour. There's no way that's accidental. Jon.

I have seen a solid maple bodied Hondo - didn't look much like that, though. I've only ever seen FG finish ones with ply bods. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='406972' date='Feb 11 2009, 09:05 PM']Oh, that's really sad. I rather liked the idea that something as crap as that Hondo had actually sold for £560. I feel all let down now. I think I'll go and have a bit of a weep. [/quote] Could happen again - after all, three people were willing to bid it to £500 & beyond last time. Jon.

Dresden Dolls were one of my favourite bands of the last few years, & unlike most of their too-kool-for-skool bassless contemporaries, they genuinely didn't need it - having a phenomenal pianist & an even phenomenaler drummer. Jon.

[quote name='2x18' post='406250' date='Feb 11 2009, 01:32 PM']Hondo Copy [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HONDO-II-BASS-GUITAR-1970s-vintage_W0QQitemZ200309038782QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HONDO-II-BASS-GUITAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Will.[/quote] The £560 sale fell through, then: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200302879566"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200302879566[/url] Not really surprised, I guess the buyer woke up. J.

Yes. I may dabble & flirt occasionally with lesser forms of music but it always, always comes back to The Riff. Jon.