Bassassin

This is apparently a one-off, brand - new 4003 with an "experimental" factory finish, being sold through RIC's Ebay outlet: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250195938031"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250195938031[/url] If that was a production bass, I'd sell my JapCrap & buy one. No question. Jon.

[quote name='silverfoxnik' post='103878' date='Dec 13 2007, 02:06 PM']Jon, you are spot on sir! The tuners on my Hondo are unbranded Grover copies that came from another Ric clone. I bought them here on BC earlier this year (along with some other bits & bobs) in order to repair the much inferior original stock Hondo ones that were in a complete mess! The body of the Hondo is ply wood sadly and as for the neck plate, I'll have to check it when I get home later.[/quote] That answers the question, Nik - and the neckplate will be plain, with nothing stamped on it - there might possibly be a sticker with the model number... The reason I was interested is that Hondos are a bit of a mystery - most of them (probably including yours) were made by Samick in Korea, but in the late 70s / early 80s Hondo tried to up their game by sourcing some from Japan. A few are known to have come from Matsumoku - who were one of the builders who used the Grover copy tuners on their Rick copies. J.

Your Hondobacker's interesting - are the tuners real "wavy" Grovers or unbranded copies? I only ask because some of the better quality Rick clones had fake Grovers, but I've never seen them on a Hondo. Can I also ask if there's anything stamped on the neckplate, and is the body made from ply or real wood? Sorry for the inquisition - but I have a rather unhealthy obsession with these things - probably comes from not being able to afford a real Rick! Jon.

[quote name='Freuds_Cat' post='103038' date='Dec 12 2007, 04:22 AM']I used Rotosound (RS66 Rounds) for about 20 years and slowly but surely watched the price go through the roof and the quality decline greatly in about 2002/3.[/quote] Exactly my experience - I used RS66 for years and finally got the message after my third set with a dead A. These days, I'm very impressed with Elixirs - I love the brightness & slipperyness, and they pretty much last for ever, even with my hamfisted & heavyhanded technique. On the original topic, I bought a few packs of Rosetti strings at £3 a set from Music Live a few years back, I actually thought they were fine, sounded good new, and didn't go dead as quickly as some cheap strings I've experimented with. I have a set on my Ibanez Roadster, and they still sound pretty good now. But I would imagine quality control - or lack of - is one of the reasons they're so cheap, and maybe I simply got lucky. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='101553' date='Dec 9 2007, 12:29 AM']What do we know about Freshers, Jon? Can't say as I've ever heard of them. Are they any good? Jack[/quote] We can now add "bolt-neck Rick copy" to the Fresher KnowledgeBase: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280183149355"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280183149355[/url] Wonder who made that? The pics aren't giving anything away. J.

[quote name='steve-soar' post='102580' date='Dec 11 2007, 10:24 AM']Hi Bassassin, you need to get yourself some Marine Epoxy, carefully measure out the resin and hardener in a glass beaker using a glass rod to mix the two together. By using glass it's easier to clean with solvents to remove any waste so you can then repeat with a second coat. To apply the first coat first mask the entier neck so as to only leave the fingerboard exposed, making sure that you have prepared the board to remove any dirt and grease by sanding, a 240 grade garnet paper should work but be carefull not to alter the profile of the fingerboard. Make sure that you know the radius of the fingerboard before you start sanding. you will need a radius gague to keep cheking that you don't sand the fingerboard into a different shape. Apply the carefully mixed resin to the board, making sure there are no air bubbles in the resin, by smearing it along the length of the fingerboard with the glass rod. You need to work quickly and carefully as the resin cures in no time, then after your first coat clean the rod and beaker with solvent so you can do a second mix for your second application. Leave the first coat to dry for at least 24 hours then sand rough so as to key the fingerboard for the next coat. When you have repeated this you need to check the fingerboard has its correct profile then buff and polish the resin to a shine. Hope this helps, any problems get in touch Cheers Steve.[/quote] Very much obliged to you for that, Steve - actually sounds pretty straightforward. What sort of quantity of marine epoxy would I need & do you recommend any particular brand or supplier? J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='102404' date='Dec 10 2007, 09:35 PM']Ouch! £155 with 24 hours to go ... maybe I won't bother then. [/quote] That price is a bit brutal for that. Also, looking at that auction & its sudden leap top such an inflated price in the last 24 hours - does anyone else get the feeling that Ebay's new "anonymous bidder" option is just a Licence To Shill?

[quote name='steve-soar' post='102483' date='Dec 10 2007, 11:28 PM']KGB Music in Birkenhead. I know because I used to work there and did these very jobs. They made the fingerboard sing at the same time as being indestructible.[/quote] Any tips on how to do this & what to use? I'm going to be defretting my Peavey 5 and fancy having a shot at epoxying the board myself. Jon.

Arguably the more recent Ricks are better-made, or at least more reliable. Original 4001s have a really weird truss rod system - many old necks & sets of rods got ruined through being wrongly adjusted - the neck has to be literally bent to the required position & the rods tightened to hold it in place. The current 4003 has a more conventional, stronger neck & truss setup, and is more suited to roundwound strings than its predecessor. For me, I just think it's an amazing looking, and such an evocative, distinctive-sounding bass. The 60s/early 70s 4001, with full-width crushed pearl inlays, toaster pickup & checked binding is utterly gorgeous, particularly in mapleglo or age-darkened fireglo. :wub: Jon.

These are probably more general music plans than specifically bassy: Start/finish my Project Jazz - I've had all the parts for over a year. De-fret my Peavey 5 - I don't play it, don't want to sell it so making it a lined (& therefore playable by me) fretless should help justify its existence. Build headless twin-neck fretted 4/fretless 5 prog nightmare bass. Set up workshop in basement in order to do all of the above. Flog my owned-since-new (1992) , as-new, never-gigged & never-going-to-be-gigged-by-me Ibanez SR800 fretless (unlined!) - it deserves better! Use fewer hyphens. Set up recording studio/permanent rehearsal space in other half of basement. Demo two songs which are written but not recorded - one of which is already over 2 years old. Record two albums with band - the "back catalogue" material & the as-yet only half-written Concept Album. And try & find a label gullible enough to release them. Start to collate mass of useless info about JapCrap basses & guitars for future website (Rickenbugger.com ) or book which no-one will ever, ever publish. Play more gigs outside the UK. Jon.

Here's a Cimar, in Austria: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260191062812"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260191062812[/url] Now, Matey is obviously exploiting the Cimar/Ibanez relationship (both brands owned by Hoshino Gakki, fact fans) to try & pretend it's an Ibanez - which it ain't. This one's a Cimar 1949, not an Ibanez 2388b. At this point, Hoshino were obviously sourcing Cimar-brand instruments from a factory other than Fujigen Gakki, and this particular one is actually about a gazillion times more accurate than its Ibanez counterpart - apart from the naff tuners, this one's very convincing. Nice orangey fretboard, narrow skunk-stripe, translucent scratchplate, it even has the binding gap behind the bridge. Wonder how many truss rods it's got? J.

Yep - that's for real, Jack. It's probably a little later than 1968 - this model stayed in the Ibby catalogue into the early 70s, the 60s version had a weird 2-a-side headstock, rather than the Fender type on this one. Looks in good original nick, just a missing bridge cover - and I don't think the scratchplate screws are the originals, are they? These older Ibanezes (Ibaneezers?) don't seem to attract the nutter bids that the "lawsuit" era ones can - but still curious & collectable. BTW Jack, bid with impunity as far as I'm concerned. You might be interested in this one too, considering your main preoccupation: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Bass-Guitar-Beatles-Hofner-RELISTED_W0QQitemZ270194908261"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Bass-Guitar-B...emZ270194908261[/url] Don't think I'm pi$$ing on anyone's fireworks by posting this, not exactly a bargain at that price - but interesting nonetheless. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='101553' date='Dec 9 2007, 12:29 AM']What do we know about Freshers, Jon? Can't say as I've ever heard of them. Are they any good? Jack[/quote] Bugger-all really! Never seen one in the flesh, the name comes up from time to time on Jap guitar geek forums mostly because of the odd range of Les Paul & Strat copies they made with built-in effects. Just did a Google & found this: [url="http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1032"]http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/bran...ls.asp?AID=1032[/url] Not much there about basses - but clearly someone's interested! Anyhoo - the Jazz is quite nice-looking, but £125 start price is a tad ambitious, considering it's not looking any too original. J.

Let him. It's a new, production-line bass, finished in black - it's not like it's anything rare, old or unique. If he hates it/sells it, it would be a simple refin to get it back to how it was. Besides, it might look interesting - I've never heard of a custom finish done like that before, & it might work. That said, if it was me, I'd get a cheapo body to try it out on first - if he's considering using an electric sander to remove the layers, odds are he'll make a bloody mess of it that's nothing like what he wants. Jon.

[quote name='SJA' post='100418' date='Dec 6 2007, 06:19 PM']BTW, Bassassin, is Lemmy's maple board Rick (with the star inlays) a real Rickenbacker? did they actually do maple board 4001/4003's? I know they did a maple 4004 cheyenne/laredo or whatever it was.[/quote] This came up a few months ago - here's the old thread: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1379"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1379[/url] Looking at that pic again, the board's much paler than the rest of the bass & makes me wonder if it hasn't been replaced. J.

Not the cheapest, but certainly the cheapest pearl blocks/rosewood board Jazz I've ever seen - particularly if you sniped it at its start price: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RED-ELECTRIC-BASS-FREE-FENDER-GIBSON-DUSTER_W0QQitemZ310005286305"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RED-ELECTRIC-BASS-FR...emZ310005286305[/url] Jon.

Here's a couple: A Rockinbetter - don't see the appeal of these at all: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250173811907"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250173811907[/url] And tbh, I don't know if I buy the Tokai "connection" - it doesn't say Tokai anywhere on the bass, and besides, they tend to build accurate copies. Which this isn't. And a bolt neck vintage no-name: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300179674002"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300179674002[/url] I think it's actually a Hondo - the body looks ply, and it has one of those blobby, Korean-looking neckplates. Wonder what it says under the paper "logo" on the trc? £200 is way too much for a Hondo. J.

Lots of lovely (& not-so-lovely) J copies - A Maya: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120192993850"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120192993850[/url] A second Maya: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330194938662"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=330194938662[/url] A Fresher - this brand's more common in Yurp than here: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120192211147"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120192211147[/url] And a medium-scale Fw***onia: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=220178962115&"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...0178962115&[/url] And in Westone corner, let's begin with two Spectrums - or Spectra, presumably - A single-pickup DX: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280180163228"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280180163228[/url] And a twin-pup GT: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170175023228"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170175023228[/url] And not one but two Thunder III's. A breeding pair? An early version with P/J pups: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200180323111"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200180323111[/url] And a later twin-soapbar fretless job: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200180773553"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200180773553[/url] And all on its own, an Antoria LP-shaped thing: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=310004436230"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=310004436230[/url] J.

I do broadly agree with the central point here - even though on paper, I'm probably one of the worst offenders! However, Musky has the nail/head interface thing right about the reason I post the stuff I do - there's a hell of a lot of good stuff out there for people who don't care about brand reputations & have a taste for stuff that's a bit old & off-the-wall. Obviously I reserve the right to keep the occasional thing to myself, for example: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300177718082"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300177718082[/url] (hopefully only needs a clean & a set of strings) but the fact is I buy & sell quite a bit on Ebay, therefore I do have some fairly refined searching techniques which turn up a fair bit of stuff I think people might be interested in, but might not otherwise see. If the general concensus is to cease & desist, then I'll go along with it, but I think on the whole it would be a loss to BC. I've had a fair few last-minute big disappointments, (although I doubt it was any of you lot) but the nature of Ebay is that whatever it is, another one will be along in a bit. Only cheaper. Jon.

They're not made by Tokai. The key to understanding the whole brand name thing starts with understanding that the name on the pointy end of a guitar or bass is highly unlikely to have anything to do with the factory it came from, particulaly - indeed pretty much exclusively - in the case of low-budget instruments. A budget P bass copy with no brand name will almost certainly be made in a factory that no-one's heard of, in China or Taiwan or Indonesia. The same kind of factory makes all those budget brands you can think of - Westfield, Vintage, Nevada, Axl & all the rest. And Squier, too. To go back to Tokai, they have their own factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, which produces their high-end range, while their cheaper guitars are now sourced from Korea, possibly from Cort or Samick. Incidentally, Samick build the Epiphone brand & Cort make the vast majority of Ibanez instruments. There never has been an actual manufacturer called Ibanez. And Fender themselves have never had a Japanese factory - MIJ Fenders have come from a variety of builders, initially Fujigen Gakki, & subsequently Dyna Gakki and Tokai Gakki, amongst others. The basic fact is that anyone can approach a guitar factory & get their own brand name stuck on a range of instruments (this is what Rockers in Denmark St do) - and it was ever thus, from when the first cheap imported guitars started appearing in the 60s. And there have always been a good few no-name instruments on the market - if you look at old Ibanez catalogues, they're often unbranded, because they were the factory's stock photos, and the same guitars (often with the same model numbers) would be sold by other importers, under different brands. So it's highly probable your no-name P copy will also be sold branded, but with something as generic as that (and they never seem to have identifying markings), it's anyone's guess where it originally came from. Jon.