Bassassin

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='356965' date='Dec 17 2008, 02:12 PM']Here ye go![/quote] Thankee-Sai! Knowledge +10 points. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='356856' date='Dec 17 2008, 12:29 PM']FWIW I think the neck is probably genuine albeit butchered - the binding seems to have gone AWOL, probably at the same time as the defret. I don't remember any copies with a bullet truss rod, though Jon would be the person to talk to about that. The body though could be anything. It doesn't seem to have holes for a bridge cover (which on the face of it rules out the 70's Fenders), but it could easily be a later Fender body. There's just no way of knowing on the basis of those photos.[/quote] Really hard to get much of a handle on this because it's such a mash-up, there's a mix of old & new (ish) parts which kind of makes me wonder if it hasn't been cobbled together just for Ebay... I don't think the neck's JapCrap - I don't remember seeing bullet adjusters on any basses from that era. They were used on some 80s Koreans, but by then the blocks were gone. Scratching my head over the neck, though, & the bullet in particular. I'm no Fender expert but I had a quick flick through my copy of [i]The Fender Bass[/i] (every home should have one ) and couldn't find a single picture of a rosewood board bass with one, although they're fairly common on 70s & reissue maple necks. Maybe something to do with these being one-piece & r/wood boards being separate? Can anyone with The Knowledge confirm that these appeared on rosewood board basses? A few people have said the inlays look wrong - they do but I think this is because of the defret - it simply looks odd without the visible divisions & binding. The body's probably not JapCrap unless it's from a replica-standard bass - Tokai, Fernandes, Greco etc. Most burst finish Jap bodies have overspraying on the contours to disguise the fact they're either ply or butcher-block/sandwich with decorative front & back veneers. Jon.

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='355732' date='Dec 16 2008, 10:39 AM']I suddenly feel very young.. [/quote] Looking at that, so do I... ...and trust me, I'm really not. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='354990' date='Dec 15 2008, 01:26 PM']Hideous beyond belief. BUT. It's a bolt-on neck. Assuming everything else is original and un-butchered, all you need is a Grabber body salvaged from somewhere and I suppose you could do quite nicely out of this. They must come up occasionally. Probably.[/quote] Unfortunately it's had the inevitable prise-'em-out-with-a-cold-chisel defret too. There's no point, just burn it. Preferably with the f*ckwit that did this tied to it. Jon.

[quote name='sgt-pluck' post='354108' date='Dec 14 2008, 11:00 AM']I'm amazed ( and annoyed, was hoping to pick it up cheap!) at how much [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=370124642362"]this[/url] fetched, as a non-'name' piece of japcrap - especially as prices seem to be coming down a bit just now. It's probably worth it though, I have Westbury g****r and it's excellent by any standards. Pluck[/quote] I was watching that too, funnily enough... Westburys are pretty sought-after among JapCrap enthusiasts - in fact it was finding a rather lovely Westy Standard g*it*r in a charidee shop a few years back which reawakened my interest in all things Jappy & crappy. Paid £60 (was looking for a new g*it*r & remembered the name from yonks ago), was blown away by the quality, checked it out online to find the Fleabay price at the time was about £120 - £150. I then put 2+2 together & discovered most of my favourite basses & guitars past & present were from the same era & mostly the same origin. I've always fancied a Track series bass to go with the Westy Standard, would prefer a Track IV - set neck & 2x P pups - but I'd settle for a Track 2. For £60... J.

The Indie's the only recent Rick copy I've actually played - unfortunately I thought it was horrid, particularly considering it had a £500+ price tag. Didn't feel (or sound) anything like a Rick, and there was just something cheap & tacky about it. I really felt the body shape & control layout were all it had in common with its "inspiration" (doesn't even have a through-neck) and it just seemed like a generic low-midrange Chinese/Indonesian nondescript to me. I'd like a proper look at a Shine or a Rockinbetter, they at least try & look the part. J.

Really good to hear it in isolation, interesting that tonally it doesn't sound the way you would expect when you hear it in the mix. Also a good illustration of how straightforward a lot of his parts actually are - but also how it's all in the detail. Another enthusiast, in case you hadn't guessed. Jon.

[quote name='molan' post='352857' date='Dec 12 2008, 04:10 PM']Actually, wasn't Geddy a Rick player for quite a while? I can't stand Rush either so maybe my theory is falling apart already![/quote] He's associated with playing a Rick during the period which sort of defined his playing, but it seems he didn't use it in the studio as often as most people think - a lot of the time it's a Jazz or a P, even on the 70s & early 80s stuff. Whether or not you like the band or his playing (bit of a fan, me) he's an adventurous & technically gifted player. Very influenced by Mr Squire in his early days too, so that's probably a lot to do with it. To answer your original question, I think the cutting tone & upfront nature of the Rick sound made it the obvious choice for music where bass wasn't constrained to root-note plonking, back in the days when bass & amp technology wasn't quite as versatile as it is now. I've always loved them, although it's undeniable that they're awkward, uncomfortable, crude and generally feel "wrong" - but maybe that's part of the appeal... J.

Sorry for my lack of attention last night - lost about 8 hours playing [i]Fallout 3[/i]. Anyroad up, as has been explicitly pointed out, it could be anything [b]but[/b] a Yammy! Interesting suggestion that it might be German, I have seen the occasional Marlin-branded P copy made in the DDR (the old East Germany, kids) and there's an old Str*t copy on Ebay at the moment which the seller reckons to be German - so it seems they exist. Otherwise I'd say Hondo, or a different Samick rebrand, or go with Andy67's Kay suggestion - the later plywood KB24s were very much like this. Anyway, can't hang around, I'm presently trapped on the roof of ruined building, beseiged by Fire Ants... J.

According to a reply to a question, zero-feedback seller reckon's the other listing's his mum. But the reserve on both listings is the same - so I guess that's OK, then! Jon.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='352227' date='Dec 11 2008, 10:30 PM']Think we've discussed this style of tuner before, but this has a logo. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-collectable-Ibenez-MIJ-60s-70s-Bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ190273516875QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item190273516875&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rare-collectable-Ibe...%3A1|240%3A1318[/url][/quote] Yep, that's a proper 60s/early 70s Ibby, or "Ibenez", as the seller would have it: And with any luck its original burst is waiting to be revealed, once the tacky rattle-can gold all flakes off, or it gets chucked in a handy barrel of acetone. That interesting bridge - or the saddles, at least - are unlikely to be original. J.

Damn - that's tempting. Someone put me off by telling me they don't do much Dennis Dunaway era stuff! Jon.

That looks like this '68 Teisco: In which case the crooked P-pup's not original. I can't quite tell from the pic but I think it's not the neck pocket, but the scratchplate that's a poor fit. These turn up quite often, either as Teisco or Woolies (RIP) Top Twenty brand - considering how non-original this is, £130 is far too much. J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='351160' date='Dec 10 2008, 07:51 PM']'Nother Rockinsbetter: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROCKINBETTER-BASS-UNUSED-RICKY-REPLICA_W0QQitemZ150315373227QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item150315373227&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ROCKINBETTER-BASS-UN...%3A1|240%3A1318[/url][/quote] If it's "unused" as the listing says, why has someone binned the pup cover? And "best copy ever"? J.

Jazz copies identical to mine were also sold as Cimars (it's that Ibanez connection again) and these are fairly common in Europe, and with any luck there will be some knocking around in Iceland - keep your eyes peeled! J.

[quote name='zbigniew' post='350933' date='Dec 10 2008, 04:04 PM']Agreed on the colour! I wonder what it sounds like - does anyone have an idea how close those are to a good Jazz? Z[/quote] My main squeeze just happens to be a CSL Jazz: However: it's not the same as that one - it's quite a lot later, about 79/80, built by Fujigen, solid mahog body, Ibanez Blazer shape headstock. I'm not convinced the one on the Bay is Fujigen (early Sumbro & CSLs weren't) it might be ply under the finish - which I don't think is original - and I really don't like that hole in the neck - if that really is an imperfection in the wood, not damage, I'd be a bit concerned. Also the round-end JapCrap pups can be variable - I've had a few basses with these, they can be weak & insipid, loud & unsubtle (wish I'd kept those! ) or generally well-rounded, punchy but pleasantly mellow like my CSL. The body routes match the pups so you'd probably have to do a bit of modification to get a standard set to fit. J.

Oh yes - that's one to turn up to a jazz or country gig with! J.

Weird coincidence alert: Hayman 40/40 now on Ebay: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-Hayman-40-40-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ180312903689"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Original-Hayman-40-4...emZ180312903689[/url] :ph34r: Jon.

He does seem to be in a bit of a mood, doesn't he? For £35 postage will he be teleporting the bloody thing? Jon.

Yeah - he seems to punt a lot of instruments: [url="http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZceptfurcuscus"]http://search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZceptfurcuscus[/url] And nothing else there seems to be remotely bargain-basement. Which actually makes me wonder if we're getting the full story about this HondoBacker. J.