Bassassin

That's great! Sticky back plastic? J.

A brief but nonetheless decisive update to JapCrap Resus. Today I put the thing together, minus electronics, to see if it will go. May I present The Hollow Bass: I rebuilt the bridge with the brass saddles from my CSL's original bridge (which I replaced with a Schaller 3-D) - the pictures I've found of other Cimar PJs seem to have these. The tuners have been stripped, cleaned, greased & rebuilt. I tightened the truss rod to compensate for string tension, bolted the bits together & stuck a set of cheapo strings on. And I'm keeping it. It played great with no real attempts to set it up at all - it will need a few tweaks, but the neck's sweet - almost identical in feel to my CSL Jazz. Stringing up has indicated a couple of jobs that need doing - just like the CSL when I got it, the bridge is slightly misaligned, and will need to be shifted floorwards by a couple of mil. The nut slots seem to be cut unnaturally close together, and the E string slot's a bit worn, (although the string still sits correctly) so this may be an excuse for a brass nut to match the saddles. To get a proper setup I'll have to shim the neck & maybe give the rod another little tweak, and also the saddles are a bit tight in the bridge, so a little bit of filing may be in order. I'm swapping the Schaller pup for Burpster's Ibby Blazer pickup - this is probably the same as the original unit from this bass. Bob's going to get the Schaller rewound, if it needs it. I'm still undecided as to what to do about the scratchplate - although I'm leaning towards a cheap tort P-alike, just to get the bass up & running. I'll be binning the old pots & wiring, and going for 2x V & T stack pots. It'll also need new screws for pups & scratchplate. However, I'm painfully skint for the next week or so, so I'll be occupying my spare time trying to restore a bit of gloss to the body lacquer. And that's about it! J.

[quote name='16Again' post='115412' date='Jan 7 2008, 01:37 PM'][/quote] H/H VS Bassamp combo! I had one just like that - loved the way the front panel glowed green in the dark! Really will have to take some pics of my 80s disasters for this thread. Jon.

Late to the Geek Party! Spinynorman's right about this one - bottom line really is it's a collector's bass now - whether or not it plays well, it won't depreciate in value - all the time you don't mod it, mess with it or do anything that you can't chage back if/when you sell it on. Good value? Well, like I said, it probably won't lose you money, & if you hang on to it for a couple of years, it'll likely make a few quid. Even better if it turns out it plays & sounds good & you like it. History stuff: these basses were made in the 70s by a factory called Fujigen Gakki. They are best-known for building Ibanez "lawsuit" guitars & basses, but like all the Jap factories back then, built to order for anyone, and also to budget - they weren't all great instruments, and some were better than others. It seems that the Antoria & Ibanez ranges were largely identical, seemingly because the instruments were stock factory designs. There were differences in the ranges - I don't think Antoria sold any Rick bass copies, for example. Antoria copies are much more common than Ibanez in the UK - two reasons - mainly because they were much cheaper, but also because of the proliferation of importers' own brands here. Even Ibanez's UK importer, Charles Summerfield Ltd, had their own CSL copy brand - also sourced from Fujigen. It wasn't until the advent of good quality & affordable original designs, in the late 70s & early 80s, that the "name" Japanese brands like Aria, Yamaha & Ibanez really started to break into the UK market. The Antoria brand itself dates back to the 60s and has had various owners - I don't know if JHS ever owned it, but at the time of the "Copy Wars" it was owned by J.T. Coppock Ltd, of Leeds. In the early 80s the brand passed to a company called JL Music, and they sourced Korean-made guitars, rather than Japanese - by this point, the likes of Fujigen were turning out high-quality original designs & building MIJ Fenders. Korean Antorias turn up occasionally on Ebay, mostly generic-looking Gibson & Fender copies, identifiable by lurid sunburst paintjobs & triangular-looking headstocks. Seems they're not bad quality, but not "proper" JapCrap. The Antoria brand has recently been revived yet again, and funnily enough - appears on a Korean-made range of Gibson & Fender Looky-likeys: [url="http://www.adamhall.com/uk/AH_K--Antoria__l--en__p--project_2__k--245__f--1"]http://www.adamhall.com/uk/AH_K--Antoria__...2__k--245__f--1[/url] And they even do a Jazz copy. Lucky us. Jon.

Shame - but needs must, I guess. Any idea who bought it? there are some serious/completist Ibanez collectors from Germany who post on the ICW forum - a southpaw 2389B would be right up their street! J.

If I add my newly-acquired Cimar JapCrap project, that's 1195. [b]ALL YOUR BASS ARE BELONG TO US!!![/b] ...sorry. Jon.

Hope it goes to someone on here. I wish I could but I need to sell, rather than buy right now. Black & red binding. Black [i]and[/i] red. None More Eighties. J.

Nice one - great bit of research & a fascinating article. I want a copy of the [i]History Of Electric Guitars[/i] book mentioned there! You ought to be careful though Musky - you'll end up as sad as me... J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='114580' date='Jan 6 2008, 11:08 AM']Why did the lacquered body have the control panel routed out, whereas the waxed body doesn't? Wouldn't that be a problem for a home-builder? (As you can guess, I have zero experience of this sort of thing.)[/quote] The waxed one has a rear rout, for rear-mounting controls. You'd just have to drill for whatever arrangement of pots you wanted to use. The lacquered one's just [i]stunning[/i]. J.

[quote name='paul, the' post='114513' date='Jan 6 2008, 01:59 AM']This thread is turning out to be unexpectedly amusing 'UNKNOWN SOLDIER' Thought I'd try again: Did any of the Japanese makes do a nice looking and sounding (long-scale) EB-3 copy in mahogany?[/quote] Yep - Ibanez 2354LB - the "L" is the long scale version. These were an early Fujigen factory design, so will be out under different brands too, likely Greco & Antoria. I think these had a slotted headstock. 1972 catalogue: [url="http://www.ibanez.ru/info/catalog/1972/09.jpg"]http://www.ibanez.ru/info/catalog/1972/09.jpg[/url] There will be others from other factories too - they were copies, after all. J.

Here's a few - Eros Jazz, looks quite early, fitted with mini-humbuckers. No postage, so might be a barg if you're near Pompey. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120206354130"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120206354130[/url] Nice-looking Roadstar II, white with black binding. Quite sensible start/reasonable BIN, compared with what some folk ask. Again, no post so may not attract many bids. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320203962397"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=320203962397[/url] Another Kay/Dog Bass Precision, silly listing means it might go really cheap. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190188163408"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190188163408[/url] And the return of the most sought-after Country & Western nightmare in all of JapCrap - the Ibanez Black Eagle. Yeehaw! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230210033297"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230210033297[/url] J.

Four lives, he perforates to you! Looks gorgeous. Jon.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='114146' date='Jan 5 2008, 04:42 PM']Did you have any idea that there would be a nice looking body under that black?[/quote] Kind of, but not really - I was hopeful that it would be something like the g*it*r in this thread on the Ibanez Collectors forum: [url="http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=10613.0"]http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/inde...p?topic=10613.0[/url] And it was. J.

The pickup's a Schaller - clue no.1 being "Made In Germany" on the underside of the covers, and then finding a wiring schematic with the same colour leads - the model's PBX & they still make it: [url="http://schaller-electronic.de/hp31873/PBX.htm?ITServ=CY796117abX1174a3c3344X1d39"]http://schaller-electronic.de/hp31873/PBX....174a3c3344X1d39[/url] I even sussed out that it's post-1990, otherwise it would have said "Made In West Germany"! These get good reviews, but unfortunately mine seems to have no output - although the wiring before I dismantled the bass was chaotic, and I haven't tested it properly since taking it out. Bod - Sumbro & CSL were one & the same, CSL = Charles Summerfield Ltd. I don't know if Sumbro were built at Fujigen - the CSL brand seems to have appeared around the time Summerfield were UK importer for Ibanez - which is probably why they went to Fujigen for their own brand. J.

Something to keep me distracted over the Season Of Illwill - I grabbed this on Ebay for a massive £43 - I don't tell you lot about all the JapCrap I spot... It's a Cimar, from about 1979/1980, with no name other than the rather unimaginative "Electric Bass" on the headstock. These were built by Fujigen Gakki, and actually marketed as an Ibanez sub-brand - in fact the Cimar Stinger & early Ibanez Blazers are identical. Also this is a close relation of my CSL Jazz copy - note the identical headstock shape: Anyway - as you can see from the original listing pics, it's seen better days - it's had a Halfords rattle can refin, a replacement P pup and a not quite right size replacement scratchplate. It's missing its full complement of strings and the bridge looks decidely odd... I picked it up over Christmas - and first appearances were not great - the neck was severely bowed, with a quite significant twist. Fortunately it turned out that the two remaining strings were wildly overtightened, and the truss rod completely slack. Removing the strings & allowing the neck to settle has straightened the curvature & reduced the twist to a barely discernible level. The truss rod appears never to have been adjusted, and works fine. Which was a relief. Knowing Fujigens to be generally well-made instruments, I extended a claw & had a bit of a scrape at the paintwork. This is what I found: Yes - somebody has squirted horrible matt black over what looks like a rather lovely ash body. I suppose there's no accounting for taste. Anyway, full stripdown & examination next - Neck removed, all hardware removed, dismantled & stored in 2 plastic tubs - all the grimy/corroded metalwork in a separate one, doused liberally with WD40. The electrics were a mess, the pickups wired (well, sort of) to single volume & tone & 3-way selector. Research shows me this setup was original - but I don't think I'll be rebuilding it like that. The replacement P pickup turned out to be a Schaller PBX - unfortunately there doesn't seem to be any output from it. The bridge pup is a typical 70s round-ended Jap Jazz type, which outputs a healthy 7.5k or so - and will probably sound pretty decent, if my experience of these is anything to go on. The strange-looking bridge saddle layout was the result of somebody confusing the string holes with the saddle holes when reassembling the bridge & stringing up. Did someone actually [i]play[/i] it like this? The saddles themselves are rusted badly, the height adjusters in two are seized, and the saddles will need to be replaced. I'm not sure they're original, anyway. The bridge base plate is a chromed alloy casting, pretty chunky & in decent condition, so I won't replace the entire bridge. The tuners are the same as the set on my CSL - I like the design of these, they have cast alloy backplates & a tension-adjustable collar. The same design, with different keys, was used on some early 80s Yamahas, too. These are in pretty decent condition - a little rough with corrosion on the backplates, and some pitting (and one bit of peeling chrome) on the keys. They'll clean up OK. To work on the body, then. Much as I'd like to hope the ratbike black would just flake off, it's actually been competently sprayed - the original lacquer's been keyed, and there's a coat of primer under the black. There's nothing for it but the 400 grit paper... Anyway - two days of gentle abrasion, and this is revealed: I'm assuming it's ash - Fujigen basses from this era tended to be ash, mahogany or maple. It's less like a 3-colour sunburst in real life, not so yellow as the pic appears. This is a common finish on late 70s/early 80s Ibanez, the catalogues refer to it as "brown sunburst". How poetic. Anyway, I think this is pretty damn nice, and apart from a liberal application of T-cut & elbow grease, I'll be keeping this finish It has been played over its 30-odd years, and as a consequence has a few scars to show for it - I won't be refinishing anything or replacing components that work, as I'd prefer it to be as original as possible. A bit of Google digging revealed this: The same bass, with a rosewood board. It's reasonable to assume mine would have once had a tort plate. The original plate is pretty close to a P shape, and I'm left with a choice whether to use a standard P type (£11 off Ebay) or to attempt to fabricate my own to the original shape. I'm guessing the plate mine came with was the cheapest possible replacement, since every other expense has been spared on this bass - but (apart from having no screwholes in common) it's a surprisingly good fit and apart from being slightly long at the lower horn, doesn't look wrong. It would be a good basic template to work from if I make my own. Anyway, that's about where I am with this, I'm presently cleaning up the metalwork & polishing the body, the neck's cleaned & the frets wire-wooled (not much wear, but a bit rough) and I'm thinking about building it up [i]sans[/i] electrics, just to see how it plays. Jon.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='113417' date='Jan 4 2008, 10:52 AM']Our friend in Germany has a nice Ibanez jazz going. as ever is asking price is a bit optomistic i think. nice looking thing though. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/70s-IBANEZ-JAZZ-BASS_W0QQitemZ180200808315QQihZ008QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/70s-IBANEZ-JAZZ-BASS...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote] One of the many he repeatedly lists & unsurprisingly never seems to sell. He has a black one the same, too. That Antoria Jazz I posted up earlier, identical apart from the name & colour, went for £175 yesterday. J.

It's gone a bit quiet again in JapCrap land, after the post-Christmas surge of activity. But there's this: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200189066560"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200189066560[/url] Antoria P bass, he reckons, but I'd say a hybrid, Antoria Jazz neck on a P body, with nice parts box hardware. I do think this would scrub up nice. A bargain Hohner Jack, for anyone in Surrey. Poor listing & no post means this has as yet gone unnoticed: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300186943273"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300186943273[/url] A Matsumoku - or, at least, Aria-like EB-0, if it stays cheap, I might have a pop at this... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120205931105"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120205931105[/url] And while I don't usually post US-listed stuff, I'll make an exception for this - a Kawai Sleekline, basically a farked-up Jazz, only the second time I've seen one. The first was a few years ago, it went through UK Ebay twice without selling, with a stupid start price - at a time when I had no money. Unfortunately third time unlucky, & someone snagged it. Ebay being Ebay, there's always another one coming along - and here it is: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180201082424"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180201082424[/url] Don't know what the customs sting on that would be, but if it doesn't get any bids... J.

+1 for Sir Finn Of Bass' cocktail stick method, substituting epoxy for his choice of adhesive. The pointed ends of cocktail sticks allow several to be used for larger holes, they can be tapped down to make a tight fit & cut flush (carefully!) with a Stanley knife blade. Jon.

[quote name='aj5string' post='113055' date='Jan 3 2008, 05:17 PM']What scale length will this be? And what type of price would you aficionado's think is acceptable for it? Alex.[/quote] It looks medium-scale to me, but if I were you I'd message the seller & get them to measure nut to bridge. Pricewise it's hard to say - the Antoria brand attracts a premium because they're from the same factory as Ibanez & are often identical. There's no good reason for the premium, other than Ebay Madness. If I really wanted one of these, I'd probably be prepared to go to £150 or so, which bears in mind I'd get my money back reselling if I didn't get on with it. If you're prepared to go a bit higher, you could probably snag the very similar Shaftesbury: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260197959651"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260197959651[/url] - Because I'll be very surprised if people will actually bid competitively on it, at that start price. This bass appears to be very similar to early Aria versions, and was possibly built by Matsumoku. J.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='112615' date='Jan 2 2008, 10:26 PM']That Kay looks a lot like the dog bass i posted. [url="http://www.dogswebspace.com/bass1.htm"]http://www.dogswebspace.com/bass1.htm[/url][/quote] It does, doesn't it? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=10320&view=findpost&p=109528"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=109528[/url] J.

Yep - it's a Kay, probably early/mid 70s, and possibly made in Taiwan - it's not yet known if any Kays were MIJ. Jon.

I think that's pretty damned erotic - especially with the LEDs. Jon.