Bassassin

No worries Nick - I won't be bidding! I do like it, though, it's almost a semi-acoustic Mosrite copy. This will be Japanese, late 60s or early 70s. Bruno was a US importer/distributor & presumably Royal Artist was a sub-brand thereof. In fact this bass, or one like it, has been through the Bay before, and was discussed &, I think, lusted after right here at that time: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=7473&view=findpost&p=196039"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=196039[/url] Can't remember if it sold, and obviously the listing's long-gone, so this might be the original seller having another go. Can't help thinking a £150 start's a bit steep for such an obscure bass, regardless of how unique/original it is. J.

Basically it was crushed sufficiently hard to punch the tone control through into the cavity: I have all the little fragments of the original so I'm going to attempt a bit of scratchplate jigsaw, just to keep it original. That said, the tort's a good fit and way better looking. The scary screw ends are a bit of an issue when playing with a pick & doing palm-edge muting, which I do occasionally, but I think shorter screws and/or a shim in the neck pocket will be the way forward. A cover would interfere with pick style playing (well, my hamfisted bludgeoning) and also I'd have to drill the body, which I don't want to do. Interesting detail - SQ Squiers had scratchplates drilled for a pup cover, but no holes in the body. J.

[quote name='phsycoandy' post='326900' date='Nov 11 2008, 04:08 PM']what make of polish do u use, serious question btw? Lurvly[/quote]It's a massively thick poly finish on this - so it's T-cut & elbow grease! J.

Pictures speak louder than words: All original apart from the tort plate - the original w/b/w having been killed in transit by Royal Fail. In a way they did it a favour, though. I don't think I've seen a more gorgeous burst & grain combination than this bass, I've tried my best but these pics don't do it justice. :brow: Jon.

I do like these. I know the name but don't think I've ever encountered any before. Very interesting creatures - whereabouts were they from? Jon.

I think with the Gibson copy, what they've done is just stick an extra pickup & controls on the standard single pup EB3 copy. I had one identical - same scratchplate, cover, finger rest etc, except it just had the one big (fake) mudbucker. [quote name='Annoying Twit' post='325416' date='Nov 9 2008, 05:45 PM']Is it unusual to post in this thread when I have no intention of buying any of these ... uh ... "classics". Here's what's left of a 70s Rickenfaker. Still seemed quite popular with bidders though. I wonder what the story was behind the telecasterisation of this bass. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=230304503513"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230304503513[/url] [/quote] Have a dig through the Rickenfakers thread & you'll find there's a (fairly dull) story attached to this one. Isn't there always.... J.

[quote name='Clarky' post='325686' date='Nov 10 2008, 08:48 AM']Hondo 1974 Rickenfaker on eBay (for now!) [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rickenbacker-4003-copy-Bass-Guitar-1974-Hondo-2_W0QQitemZ220309199891QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220309199891&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rickenbacker-4003-co...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url][/quote] Quite nice in black - you can't see the plywood! Not entirely sure how he knows it's 1974... There's a Shafty as well, this might be back for a second (or third) try: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260313248054"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260313248054[/url] J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='324933' date='Nov 8 2008, 07:09 PM']Now this strangely familiar ... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lemmy-bass-neckthru-Japan-vintage-copy-lawsuit-70s-MIJ_W0QQitemZ230304503513QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230304503513&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Lemmy-bass-neckthru-...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url] [/quote] Cheeky sod even used my text & pics without asking! Anyway, I have no complaints - he paid me what he thought it was worth & was man enough not to whinge (as some do) when confronted with the stark reality... Sadly his resale has been subject to the law of diminishing returns... :ph34r: J.

Bugger! Missed it! It's been removed so obviously had a whiff of dodgy about it - so what was it? Jon.

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='323598' date='Nov 6 2008, 05:46 PM']How do you put it down?[/quote] Good question. I remember these from last time 'round and still think the conventional bridge & guitar tuners stuck on the end is a half-arsed bodge which almost makes it look like it was knocked up in a shed. J.

[quote name='Dan_Q' post='323130' date='Nov 6 2008, 12:25 AM']overpriced? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-70s-Hondo-Precision-bass-guitar-made-in-Japan_W0QQitemZ190264315566QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item190264315566&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1298%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]hondo II P[/url][/quote] Yes, very. J.

[quote name='jango' post='322224' date='Nov 4 2008, 09:22 PM']Wish this was closer to me, (I'm in Lincs) then I'd pop in to have a go on it. Seems to me that E-bay has killed off most good backstreet music shops. In the good old days there were independant guitar shops in every little town, with loads of secondhand gear to try. Fuggit![/quote] Back in those days a fakey Rick would've been about £75, not £550, though! Can't help wondering if those days will come back - Ebay is really squeezing the private sellers out, I'd say there's about half as many basses listed per week than there was a year ago & they must be going somewhere. As far as this one's concerned, I will take a wander in & give it a thrash. J.

[quote name='bremen' post='321769' date='Nov 4 2008, 01:30 PM']And a 64 page manual (as if it takes that many pages to teach someone to play guitar...).[/quote] That's in 12 different languages. Jon.

[quote name='elom' post='321498' date='Nov 4 2008, 01:50 AM']This is the only headless I've ever hankered after. Can't find any of the buggers mind you...[/quote] One of these went through Ebay a few times without selling a few months ago. I think a certain Mr Binface, from the notorious Binface.com interweb site, was the lucky snapper-upper, once it got cheap enough. J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='321386' date='Nov 3 2008, 10:15 PM']Hondo, appropriately cheap? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/hondo-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ140279540858QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140279540858&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]1302662259758[/url][/quote] I suppose for FeeBay it is. It would be £15 at your local car boot - it probably was at his... Considering the much nicer & much more not-plywood Shatellite through-neck's still at £50, I'd be looking at that if I wanted an old Korean P. I am, in fact. J.

I've always liked headlesses. I have a Hohner B2A Steinbugger copy and I really appreciate the light weight, balance - & odd looks it attracts. I do think on balance I'd prefer a full-size - or at least slightly larger body. I've had a long-held ambition to build/have built a twin-neck headless fretted 4 / lined fretless 5. In a moment of idleness I came up with this as a rough idea: Theoretically this wouldn't be physically much bigger - and therefore not that much heavier - than a conventional bass. The ultimate prog nightmare bass? Jon.

[quote name='Faithless' post='320961' date='Nov 3 2008, 02:27 PM']Can anyone help me identify this? 87' Ibanez, bought in USA... [url="http://picasaweb.google.com/kerevicius/Telefonas#"]http://picasaweb.google.com/kerevicius/Telefonas#[/url][/quote] Looks like it's a Roadstar RB700 - right in the middle of this catalogue page: [url="http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/370/2.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/370/2.jpg[/url] Also looks like it's a missing link between the Roadstars & Soundgears. Archaeologists will have a field day with it in a few thousand years! Jon.

Book now in my possession (cheers Ped ) started it today so should be back in circulation shortly... J.

With no pics, collection only & a silly-high start price, it will almost certainly attract no bids anyway. J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='319711' date='Nov 1 2008, 05:40 PM']This guy is really selling on the Matsomuku: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/EARLY-80S-THRU-NECK-SATELLITE-BASS-GUITAR-MATSUMOKU_W0QQitemZ130266225975QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130266225975&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]130266225975[/url][/quote] I suppose he can try - just as long as we can accept that these are Korean, probably made by Cort, around 1980. J.

I don't think Marlins were ever made in Japan - they were mid 80s, by which point cheap Japanese copies had long-since ceased to exist. It was a UK-based brand (Wales, I think) and they came from Korea, and, strangely enough, East Germany. I had one that was a typical plywood cheapo, I've heard it suggested that some were made of chipboard or MDF! I don't know how true that is but for that reason I'd say £30 is fair enough for this... J.