Bassassin

The Roadstar series was the successor to the humble Roadster. I have an RS924 - Steve bleedin' 'Arris played one of them, you know... Anyway, still in IbbyLand, there's a rather nice first-series Blazer, if you're in Derbyshire: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190280470814"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190280470814[/url] Nice meejum-scale Aria Cardinal: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180320146884"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180320146884[/url] Kawai Aquarius - seriously rare, [i]very[/i] serious project: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270327663528"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270327663528[/url] Ain't much JapCrap around, this weather. J.

[quote]1) What do you look for in a music shop?[/quote] Predominantly a good selection of affordable, decent quality [b]interesting[/b] used stuff - as somebody said earlier, Ebay has killed this market and that's the main reason I barely see the inside of a music shop these days. I'm neither interested in £900 US Fenders, or £85 "starter kits". [quote]2) What would you ideally like to see in a music shop?[/quote] One of those "No Stairway/Sandman/Teen Spirit/Sweet Child etc" signs. I miss them. [quote]3) How far would you travel?[/quote] I think I'd happily go 20 or 30 miles to a shop which had a decent stock of stuff you don't see, never mind get to play every day, where a friendly & knowledgeable staff were happy to let me muck about on anything that took my fancy, possibly for several hours, and even walk out without buying anything. Because I'd go back often, and would go out of my way to give them my business. [quote]4) Am I mad to consider this?[/quote] Very probably. But I mean that in a good way. As far as new stock is concerned, something you might consider is importing your own range of instruments, built to your spec - check these out: [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Electric-Guitars_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ2QQftidZ2QQtZkm"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Electr...2QQftidZ2QQtZkm[/url] This is a guy in South Shields who imports these from Korea, built to his specs, apparently the factory he uses also makes ESP. I read about these on a different forum, a semi-pro guitarist (plays in a touring Rush tribute) on there raving about the quality for the money. It's worth bearing in mind that half of the old JapCrap brands from the 70s were UK music shops' own labels. I think a good selection of well-priced & decent quality unbranded parts would be a pretty good idea too, as well as the usual strings & picks type "consumables". Jon.

All the Ibanez-branded Rick copies I've seen have checked binding, through-neck or otherwise - although I'm not sure about this one - it isn't plain; looks more like w/b/w pinstripe. I've seen that before, but not on a bass with a brand name. Interesting... This is a late (1978, by the serial) example with accurate hardware, as opposed to the Gibson-style pickups the earlier ones had. These also have smaller triangular MOTO markers, rather than the lovely full-width sparklies on the older versions. It will be interesting to see what this goes for - until recently Ibby copies commanded the highest prices, often around £500 - but that recent [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Elmayer-4001-electric-bass-made-in-Japan_W0QQitemZ190275371858"]El Maya 4001S[/url] went for over £650. That said, the guy's limiting himself severely by not posting it. Jon.

First bass - Grant medium scale plywood Jazz-ish horror, like this: [attachment=18654:grantsmall.jpg] Which was bought new in 1978 from Unisound In Chatham High Street, cost £59. Which would now be £252.52!! Pedant note: Satellites were Korean, not JapCrap. Jon.

"Original" means the first definition, in this context it can't mean anything else. And it is impossible to tell, the best an (honest) seller can do is say it appears to be, or is believed to be original. If it's Ebay, it's always best to assume the seller's lying, though. Jon.

[u][b]SEPARATED AT BIRTH:[/b][/u] Salmonella .047µF Caps [/coat] Jon.

Rick bass & guitar toasters are exactly the same apart from the mounting holes. The toasters on my 70s Jap copies also have 6 poles. [quote name='Bassmanc' post='377136' date='Jan 11 2009, 08:52 PM']A couple of comments, one of my first basses was a Pearl Rick 4001 copy and it was so accurate, apart from the bolt on neck, that once I'd glues the neck in place, made a new neck heel, painted her black and added an original Rickenbacker headstock logo, the Bass Centre in London thought it was a vintage original! So I'm not so sure about the comments on Rickenbacker protecting their designs at all.[/quote] In what way does you passing off a copy as genuine cast doubt on Rickenbacker's protection of their designs? This is precisely [b]why[/b] they do so. There are no Rickenbacker copies which are indistinguishable from the real thing, but many people fob off copies as genuine because most buyers - and music shop staff - won't be sufficiently familiar with the details to tell the difference. Too bad when some poor sod finds out they've just spent £1200 on a Jap copy. J.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' post='378492' date='Jan 13 2009, 12:05 AM']What bugs me most is the body wood laminates suggest a neck through, until you turn it over and find it is a bolt-on - that's not nice.[/quote] And the neckplate looks both foul & bodged - looks like it's been snipped out of the side of a baked bean can, with random holes poked round the edge. J.

[quote name='budget bassist' post='378328' date='Jan 12 2009, 09:59 PM']What on EARTH is that?[/quote] The reason why Fender stick with 50-year old designs. J.

Jack might have a point, though. It could be argued that Fender make a lot of bad copies of their own instruments. Jon.

I find myself surprised at actually liking the Zender sig. However, no Fortress Flashback reissue means they can sod off. Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='376164' date='Jan 10 2009, 02:19 PM']Looks like the Bassassination attempt only burnt off its frets and made it more hideous: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAY-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ270328471307QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item270328471307&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]M'Kay[/url][/quote] Quick, shut the window - the light's attracting them! :ph34r: J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='375316' date='Jan 9 2009, 04:09 PM']Never even heard of Grant ... were they any good?[/quote] Depends on the Grant! My first bass was a Grant - and it was awful. However Grant was just another UK importer brand (owned by a music shop in Glasgow, it seems) and they will have sold a fairly broad range like most brands. I think the Grantson brand was probably from the same importer: [attachment=18437:headfs.jpg] And it's likely they changed their logo/brand etc when they realised that certain US companies might have issues about similarities to certain trademarks... My bass wasn't the same as either of these two - although if you imagine a Jazz-ish take on the second one you'll get the general idea - and I'm confident it could have been made somewhat more playable if I'd had a clue about setup back then. I do like that Telebass type one, I have to say. Shame its covers & thumbrest are long gone. J.

I think Ebay will eventually be superseded by something else (and no, I don't know what!) because it seems to have a plan to force out private sellers & turn itself into a shopping portal. It's already offering all sorts of freebies in the US to encourage businesses, while making it more & more expensive & restrictive for individuals. Unfortunately when it does, we can expect any company that steps into its place to start where Ebay left off, with high charges & unreasonable restrictions, and we'll accept it because we're used to it. A bit like governments, really. J.

I've had a listing pulled for saying it was advertised elsewhere, amongst numerous other spurious reasons. I despise the way Ebay behave as though they're doing you a favour by allowing you to buy their service. Anyway, on topic, the guy may have pulled the auction near the end because it wasn't meeting his expectations. I remember a guy doing that with a nice JapCrap Cimar that quite a few people on here (or it might have been the old BW) were watching & bidding on. Naturally he got a modicum of (well deserved) abuse on here - and it turns out he'd been lurking, so he signed up especially to insult everyone who'd wanted to buy his bass. Ebay, and its inhabitants, really can be sh!t. Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='374201' date='Jan 8 2009, 04:44 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Kay-bass-guitar-like-Rickenbacker-sunburst_W0QQitemZ270327637106QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item270327637106&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]Kay[/url][/quote] J.

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='372415' date='Jan 6 2009, 08:52 PM']Why are they such a paranoid bunch? How many strat/Tele/Les Paul/P-bass/Jazz-bass/PRS copy body/neck/headstock shapes are out there in legitimate guitar building businesses without the original owners getting all uptight about this homage to a great design classic?[/quote] Apparently, it seems Rickenbacker legally protected & registered their designs while Fender & Gibson etc did not. It appears that US trademark law requires the owner of a trademark - in this instance RIC's designs - to actively pursue & challenge any & every visible incidence of infringement - from mass-produced Chinese knockoffs, to 35 year-old Jap copies, to (theoretically!) a guy knocking one up in his shed! If they don't, they lose the right to exclusively use the designs, which pass into the public domain. Fender & Gibson failed to do this, (with the exception of Gibson's "open book" headstock shape, which was the basis of the whole 70s "lawsuit" thing) and therefore anyone can make a Fender or Gibson copy with impunity. This is the reason why Fender & Gibson started licensing their designs for production outside the US & introduced budget ranges - it was the only way they could compete with the copy/replica market, & it's debatable whether either company would still exist had they not. RIC has managed to evade the copyists (probably helped by the fact Ricks have never been anything like as popular) and remains a tiny, family-owned business, with no intention of outsourcing/expanding, and a commitment to staying that way without compromising their product. Which means that while their antics may be an irritation to Jap copy enthusiasts (like me) & other people who'd like a Rick but can't afford a real one, it seems it's a necessity for RIC if they wish to continue in their current form. In real terms you don't have anything to worry about - about all RIC can do is pull Ebay listings, I don't think they can take legal action outside the US. There are quite a few Rick copies in current & ongoing production - most notably the John Birch RB 4001 which has been around since the early 1970s and is still available new today. Jon.

Well, I'm not suggesting there aren't crazy bargs to be had - but they're few & far between & usually the seller doesn't appreciate that they're perhaps underselling their item a little. I've had a few g*it*rs off the Bay for car boot prices - usually very old & tatty JapCrap copies that take a bit of renovation (not to mention flattering photography & hard-sell copy! ) before they realise their true "potential". It's not an exact science & ultimately you really can't tell what will get low attention & what will go mental - that El Maya Rick copy was a perfect example - the seller spelled the name wrong, massively reducing its searchability, I put on a low early bid (basically to stop him correcting his error), & there was every potential likelihood it would get low traffic as a result. It sold for almost exactly 10 times my max bid. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='371540' date='Jan 6 2009, 12:10 AM']The name on the headstock has never been a problem for John Hall - he's trademarked all the Ricks distinctive features. However the clue to his legal rights lie in the name - TRADEmark. And of course you're creating this as a gift, so there's no trade involved .[/quote] Well, I'd recommend [b]not[/b] going on RickResource or the official Rick board looking for approval & compliments, like a lad who'd built himself a rather sexy 4005 copy did! He was told in no uncertain terms to smash it & burn it - a course of action soundly endorsed & recommended by Kommandant Hall himself, who was of the opinion it would inevitably end up being sold as a genuine Rickenbacker anyway. Jon.

Strange how few players are associated with such a high-profile instrument! A few more: Paul D'Amour, original Tool bassist Nicky Wire, Manics Chris Glen, SAHB etc Rob Trujillo recently turned up playing one & there's an ancient pic going round of John Deacon with a 4001. Jon.

Excellent - can't wait to see how this one turns out. And I'd go for Hipshot all the way, excellent quality bridges, far superior to the "proper" Rick unit - and probably about half the price if you import. You'll have to watch yourself though, Al - or you'll be getting "cease & desist" letters from Big Bad Johnny Hall dropping through your door... :ph34r: Jon.

Too late. Arse. Or for those easily offended or browsing at work, @r$€. Jon.

Hohner introduced their Professional range in the mid 80s - the B2/B2A licensed Steinberger copies first popped up in 1985, and as a result of the popularity of Status & other conventional-bodied headless designs, the Jack - basically a B2 with body wings - appeared about a year later. At this point, Hohners were made predominantly by Cort in Korea, and it's likely that's where most 80s Jacks were made. I wish I'd grabbed a Jack a couple of years back when they were going for under a ton, they're lovely basses. Our drummer's brother's got one, it's a stunner & he won't sell. Jon.

I bet someone on here will be able to tell you: [url="http://www.cortguitarsusa.com/phpBB3/index.php"]Cort Forum[/url] Jon.

Starting low always gets bidders on board because everyone [i]hopes[/i] they'll get a crazy bargain - conversely a high start price, or (pointless) undisclosed high reserve puts people off, & people tend to wait before getting involved because they don't want to push the price up. I suppose it's theoretically possible that you could end up selling a valuable instrument for a pittance - but I've never seen it happen & it's certainly never happened to me. Jon.