Bassassin

Here's a modern Shine copy - about as accurate as Rickalikes get these days - it even has Seymour Dunks & a bridge with proper intonation adjustment! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110219563355"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110219563355[/url] Funny listing - AFAIK Korean Ibanez are made by Cort & Epi by Samick, not Shine - or Saien, as the factory's called. Also these basses are not quite as rare as he thinks - especially in Sweden: [url="http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2525"]http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2525[/url] [url="http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2523"]http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2523[/url] [url="http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2522"]http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2522[/url] [url="http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2524"]http://www.tiptop.se/cgi-bin/multipage.cgi?id=2524[/url] I really like that white one - although SEK5995 is about £470! Ouch! J.

[quote name='jono b' post='130308' date='Jan 29 2008, 09:44 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/60s-Japanese-Apollo-Hollow-Body-Bass-NICE_W0QQitemZ280196618990QQihZ018QQcategoryZ118984QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]Apollo Semi[/url][/quote] I'd [i]love[/i] to know who made these. One of my first basses was a LP shaped thing from the same place as this - it had the same wooden bridge, tailpiece, big split-diamond inlay, shield-shape neckplate. The pups on this will be really beefy humbuckers, in pressed metal surrounds. My bass had no identifying marks or brand - just "Made In Japan" on the neckplate. No idea who made it. J.

Good stuff! If you do decide to part with the see-thru Axl, give me a shout! I have a P project in mind that would be great with a transparent body... Jon.

Sunday night roundup - quite a few, some of them are even interesting! Let's do the Kay P bass copies first, shall we? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110217245951"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110217245951[/url] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330207692836"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=330207692836[/url] Westy Thundahs: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160202289401"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=160202289401[/url] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150210586005"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150210586005[/url] Hofner copies: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300194265956"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300194265956[/url] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290201996904"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=290201996904[/url] A couple of Matsumokus, an Aria Cardinal: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230216767652"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230216767652[/url] And a Westone Concord: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=310017653447"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=310017653447[/url] A very white Washboard B20 with a Kahler w@nk bar: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140202439812"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140202439812[/url] Ibanez Musician MC924 - no reserve & nondescript listing, bargain? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200195440343"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200195440343[/url] Ibanez Axstar headless weirdo: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200193352709"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200193352709[/url] Antoria P bass hybrid - looks like an old (small tuners, r/wood board) Antoria/Fujigen neck on a Hammerited P body - the 6-bolt neck plate leads me to suspect it's another Kay under the paint: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230216442400"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230216442400[/url] Nice looking through-neck/brass hardware Cort, Korean, probably branded Kay, no postage: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120216053300"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120216053300[/url] And not at all Oriental, but a curiosity all the same, a Jolana Diamant LP bass, from Czechoslovakia: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330207675934"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=330207675934[/url] Happy JapCrapping J.

[quote name='barneythedog' post='128945' date='Jan 27 2008, 09:57 PM']If you do decide to turn it for a "small" profit let me know [/quote] Oi - I spotted it - I get first refusal if Sean decides to move it on! The rest of you can bugger off & wait your turn! J.

Him: [quote]Dude i have told you now actualy pay atention to this i swaped an alto sax for it 3 yers back it was up for sale at £1300 all bar one of the pics you have asked for the peices in them are exactly the same thats why i havent senjt you them BECAUSE YOU ARE A WAIST OF MY TIME![/quote] Me: [quote]You might want to accept the possibility that you were ripped off. I'm offering to help you, not 'waist' your time. I doubt you'll find Rickenbacker's lawyers quite so willing to help. But it's your choice, obviously.[/quote] I think I'll leave it at that. On his head be it. J.

I've asked a couple of times for some pics, and he's just blanked me. I'm still rattling his cage in a constructive way: [quote]Hi - I've asked a couple of times for some photos that could identify whether or not this bass is a genuine Rickenbacker. Personally, I think it's a 70s Japanese copy, but the pictures I asked for in my previous communications would clear this up once and for all. If this bass does turn out to be a copy, you could potentially find yourself in a lot of trouble for passing it off as the real thing - Rickenbacker International Corp are very aggressive in protecting their trademarks, and will take legal action against vendors of counterfeit goods - and that's as well as any action a buyer might take. If you know these instruments well, it's very easy to tell the difference between a copy & the real thing. The copies themselves are collectable, and will fetch a good price. I'd suggest that you confirm whether or not this bass is a Rickenbacker, and if it's not, re-list it as a copy.[/quote] If that doesn't work I'll set the RickResource wolfpack on him! J

[quote name='Sean' post='128514' date='Jan 27 2008, 01:29 AM']Cheers for the heads up on that one, Jon. I've just bought it. £95 + £15 for shipping? It has to be worth a look. It's worth double that all day long with a decent listing and nice photos.[/quote]My thoughts exactly - my first thought was to buy & resell - but I'm such a sucker for a nice bass I know I'd just have ended up keeping the bloody thing! Anyway, great score, & I'm just chuffed it went to a BCer rather than an Ebay dealer. Make sure you post some piccies when it turns up. J.

Give me a slap for not knowing my JapCrap - but I don't think this is one of the re-issues. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-ATK-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ320212269313"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-ATK-Bass-Guit...emZ320212269313[/url] I'm so tempted to just pull the trigger on this - but I don't, [i]really[/i] don't, need another bass. One of you lot can go get it. Now. Jon

[quote name='ARGH' post='127895' date='Jan 25 2008, 05:35 PM']Come and watch me in 6 months time... SERIOUSLY. I WILL SLAUGHTER!!! \m/[/quote] That's the point, though, isn't it? I daresay there are any number of exciting players, with bags of attitude on here - trouble is, we care about our playing & performance, we want to be the best we can be - and modern, high-profile & marketed music is [b]not[/b] a meritocracy. Jon.

I do like that - I'd quite like a bass in the LP/singlecut style, I don't have anything like that at the moment. Bit new - and expensive - for the likes of me though - I'd prefer [url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/catalogs/78_pb1500_slick/78_pb1500_slick.jpg.html"]this[/url], or even [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fujigen-Greco-Lespaul-custom-Bass-LGP-90_W0QQitemZ300193411129"]this.[/url] Jon.

[quote name='The Burpster' post='127384' date='Jan 24 2008, 10:39 PM']Seeing as tis thread is just never going to go away I've pinned it as it seems remarkably popular...[/quote] Good plan, Bob. I somehow don't think JapCrap's going anywhere in a hurry, either. J.

It is hard to be 100% sure from such a (deliberately?) unclear photo - but I'd say copy. First of all, the pinky/yellow Fireglo is very un-Rickish, genuine basses from this era tend to have darkened quite a lot, and wouldn't have been so garish to start with. Also the colour of the fretboard wood isn't much like the orangey rosewood Ricks have. Moving on, the curve of the scratchplate follows the contour of the body curve - look at a genuine Rick & you'll see the two edges don't run parallel like this. I think you're right about the tuners, although I'm not sure here - remember Ricks pre-75 (ish) had Grovers, with smaller & squarer keys. Also, the truss rod cover doesn't look like it even says "Rickenbacker" on it, does it? Anyway - I've sent him a request for more pics - I've asked to see the headstock, tuners, jackplate, truss adjusters etc. If he doesn't send them - it's a fake & he knows it! J.

Excellent price - I've paid more for secondhand ones from Gumtree ads. Too bad I don't need any more! Jon.

I suppose I can understand the prices of the Green Label range - anything built in the UK is going to be pricey. The other range is insanely overpriced for Korean (at best) mass-produced derivatives. They'd be fine if they were £200 - as it is, I've no idea who will buy either range. And the designs - yet more re-hashed, creatively & artistically bankrupt Fender & Gibson inspired drabness. I fail to see the point of these, on any level. Jon.

Sunday night roundup - not much to report: Serious bargain-basement 80s kitsch - a Marlin, in white with black/red binding. Party like it's 1983! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140199304544"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140199304544[/url] Avon EB-0 copy. Words fail me: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180208354444"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180208354444[/url] Southpaw Aria Pro Laser Heritage: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180208670765"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180208670765[/url] Nice looking Aria Pro SB-R60 fretless, buy this & find out what £18.79 worth of bubble wrap & cardboard looks like: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250208006836"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250208006836[/url] Odd little P copy with mini-Humbucker, I'd say Korean, He says Teisco. Which makes a change from Ibanez - but it's neither: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190192338829"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190192338829[/url] J.

Holy Grail of dance music, that is - they've been fetching increasingly stoopid prices since the Acid House daze of the late 80s. To think I nearly bought one back in the early 80s, just to muck about with. Jon.

[quote name='paul, the' post='123242' date='Jan 19 2008, 02:48 AM']Cheers Jon! Although the ad suggests they're not Mahogany.[/quote] I'd think they probably are - having seen a lot of basses & guitars from Fujigen, they don't tend to use ply too often. The "finished in mahogany" is probably just a peculiarity of the Japlish translation! [quote name='WishICouldWalk' post='123256' date='Jan 19 2008, 09:01 AM']Is it me or should the person who decided to put those truss rod covers on the headstock be turned into sushi?[/quote]Are we talking about the Fender copies here? Another peculiarity of the Jap factories' construction methods, most of the Fujigen/Matsumoku/Rokkoman Fender clones had this until quite late in the 70s. Tends to go hand-in-hand with 3-piece quarter-sawn maple necks on many of them. Personally I quite like them, one of the inexplicable little quirks that makes these instruments a bit more individual, like the round-end Jazz pups that turn up on a lot of them. J.