Bassassin

Genuine or not, you see the zero-feedback & £520 start price & automatically think SCAMMER!!! even before you see how the bass is in another country & he doesn't have PayPal.

[i]Not[/i] a good start!

Jon.

I'm in the middle of moving house, so not much time or money for Fringey antics this year - however, just back from seeing Amanda Palmer at the Spiegeltent tonight - absolutely stunning. No bass, just 1 girl & 2 pianos, but do check her out if you get the chance - the woman's a genius.

I also have tickets for Guy Pratt week after next, & hoping to be able to get to see Fuerzabruta a bit later - looks quite unlike anything I've seen before.

And tomorrow I will spend in front of the music stage on the Meadows, with enough alcohol to be oblivious to the inevitable rain!

Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='44011' date='Aug 10 2007, 10:04 PM']In full-on IT Luddite mode, I'll try Neepheid's advice:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230158553163"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230158553163[/url]

If that works, you should be looking at a Tokai in Spain.

Yes YES [b]YES[/b]!

Nice one Neepheid.[/quote]

Not sure what this is - but as far as I know, Tokai never made a 4001 copy in the "lawsuit" days. Judging from the bridge & tuners, I think this is modern, probably one of these "Rockinbetter" things the Bass Centre sells for as much as a second hand real one!

J.

[quote name='nick' post='43664' date='Aug 10 2007, 10:52 AM']Bit of a project this one, across the 'pond'
Unfortunately seller wont despatch overseas.
Still may be of interest to any stateside brethren of the Rickenfaker pursuasion:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.com/SET-Neck-1970s-Japan-STEREO-Copy-BASS-Electric-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ150149812438QQihZ005QQcategoryZ2385QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZwItem"]http://cgi.ebay.com/SET-Neck-1970s-Japan-S...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]
Item No. 150149812438
Cheers[/quote]
Very interesting, that one. Looks to me like an early Fuji Gen, basically the same as the through-neck Ibanezes. There's not much left electronically that's original - the scratchplate, electronics & pickups have all been changed.

This would have originally had chrome Mudbuckers (you can see the big rout in the pic with the plate off) but the scratchplate & pickup have been replaced with a proper Rick type one & hi-gain neck pup. The small chrome neck pup surround has been swapped for a proper one - and you can see a Jazz pup peeking out from under the cover! It also seems to have terminal tail-lift. Definitely needs a Hipshot.

This might well have been branded as an Electra originally - they sourced Rick copies from FujiGen, Matsumoku and Kasuga, and seemed to be prone to unusual colour combinations - like the very odd rosewood board with black blocks on this one. A guy I know in the states collects Electra Rickalikes - I'll find out if he's seen this one.

J.

Look (or rather, don't) - it's an Invisible Hondo.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hondo-2-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ120149946821QQihZ002QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZiewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hondo-2-Bass-Guitar_...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Item no. 120149946821

I guess the seller thinks we already know what it looks like - and maybe he's right. Beat-up plywood trash in pinky-yellow PukeGlo?

J.

Here's the item no. for that bit of firewood: 180147499247

That's our loony mate from Germany, must have to pay hundreds every week in Ebay listing fees! He's also got this:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKENBACKER-4000-BASS-OLDIE_W0QQitemZ180147218899QQihZ008QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZVewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKENBACKER-4000-BA...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Item no. 180147218899

Very rare single pickup 4000 - which somebody's already made over with Hondo & Shaftie components, by the sounds of it!

Personally I'm quite happy to see real Ricks listed in this topic - it would probably help it stay a bit more active. I think there was more general discussion of Ricks & fakes in here when it on the Bass Guitars board.

J.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='42902' date='Aug 8 2007, 02:21 PM']In his answer to the bolt on question he says he not up on things like that, but his description of the bass is pretty good including truss rod info, just thought it was strange.[/quote]
To me it was obvious it was a bolt on - the neck/skunk stripe would be visible down the front of the body otherwise.

The seller seems straight up, he's messaged me a couple of times, apparently he bought it from a bandmate who had owned it for a few years. It originally had a blank trc and no-one knew what make it was, and he put a Rick cover on it to make it look more authentic. Reckons he's selling it to fund a new guitar.

J.

A nice neck-through Maya:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180146974326&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=008"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=008[/url]

Item no. 180146974326

I think it's these that are more usually seen badged as Shaftesbury.

J.

[quote name='Musky' post='42351' date='Aug 7 2007, 10:09 AM']Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought Fender Japan were making instruments just before they were made available in the West (specifically Europe, initially). They impressed the head honchos at Fender so much that they were then exported, with a Fender logo for the first series and later with the Squier logo. Domestic Japanese instruments followed suit with the logos.[/quote]
As far as I know, Fender was sufficiently impressed with the quality of the copy guitars & basses being built by Fuji Gen Gakki (particularly the Ibanez Silver Series) that they decided, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, and contracted Fuji Gen to build "official" copies. I think they were originally Fender for the Japanese market & Squier for export (just to Europe initially) but I'm quite probably wrong!


Jon.

Probably dragging this right off-topic, but Stagg do this bass with a maple board & natural finish:



Looks like a project waiting to happen, doesn't it?

J.

Here's what looks like a bolt-neck, mono output Matsumoku (with wavy Grover copies & toaster), looks in very nice nick as far as one can tell, and is listed in such a way as to be completely missed by anyone searching specifically for Rick copies:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160145049318&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...bayphotohosting[/url]

Item no. 160145049318

Don't know what the reserve is but I've asked. Apparently the guy has a Rick TRC he'll include with it at extra cost!


*Update* Reserve is a very fair £100! Worth a punt if anyone's interested.

J.

[quote name='paul, the' post='42074' date='Aug 6 2007, 05:44 PM']I'm sure Wesleys are much nicer than Staggs. I don't think it's right that beginner musicians should have Staggs available to them.[/quote]
Machines is right, though - some, at least, are from the same factory - Stagg do an identical JagRay.

I recently helped my girlfriend choose a budget acoustic for her dad, who's taken up playing again after a 30-odd year break, and we ended up with a Stagg dreadnought - which was a lovely guitar for its ridiculously cheap price. Most cheap guitars just suffer from poor or no setup.

As far as Wesley's concerned, last year I impulse-bought their Europa Rick-ish thing, and unfortunately it had loads of problems - most obvious being a shagged active preamp that did nothing but give a low volume distorted buzz. Also it had a lousy fret job (all different heights & razor-sharp ends) and a neck that won't adjust to give enough relief for a particularly low action.

I sent it back, they denied there was anything wrong with the preamp (that's what active preamps are like, they told me! ) & they sent it back grimy & scratched, the backplate off & taped to the back, and the dodgy frets "fixed" by raising the action so I could nearly stick my hand under it. They also failed to refund the postage I paid to return it to them, despite me mailing them repeatedly.

As has been discussed elsewhere on here, buying any cheap instrument is a gamble - & it looks like most Wesleys are OK & I got a duff one, however, their customer service & after-sales was bloody awful & I personally wouldn't buy from them again, and wouldn't recommend them on that basis.

Jon.

[quote name='barneythedog' post='41612' date='Aug 5 2007, 02:46 PM']I'm even interested in some of them myself. Does that make me wierd? [/quote]

Me too, then! Now if this was just a little better executed:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-LEFT-HANEDED-DOUBLE-NECK-HEADLESS-BASS-5-4-FRETLESS_W0QQitemZ190122088384QQihZ009QQcategoryZ4713QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-LEFT-HANEDED-DOU...oQQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Item no. 190122088384

If only it was a lined fretless 5 & fretted four, and had proper headless bridge/tuners!

J.

[quote name='TheButler' post='41466' date='Aug 5 2007, 01:41 AM']Your making me think i should perhaps hold on to it [/quote]
You're making me wish I was in a position to buy it!

J.

[quote name='nick' post='41419' date='Aug 4 2007, 10:10 PM']A nasty Hondo!
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hondo-II-Vintage-Bass-Guitar_W0QQitemZ250151272477QQihZ015QQcategoryZ2384QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hondo-II-Vintage-Bas...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote]

Item no. 250151272477

Not sure how it works, I think but this is the same one (knobs missing, bit of an old screwdriver for a "bridge") that was on a few weeks back and got pulled. Pretty sure it's a different seller.

J.

Not sure how I missed this back in June, and surprised it's still here, there was a droolfest of a thread about TBC on the old Bassworld board a couple of years back.

That's quite lovely for £250 & worth bearing in mind that if they'd ever imported these into the UK, they'd probably cost about twice that amount.

Jon.

[quote name='beerdragon' post='41294' date='Aug 4 2007, 04:03 PM']Proof that you have never seen it all
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-PRO-ELECTRIC-BANJO-WITH-FRETLESS-BASS-2-INPUT-JACKS_W0QQitemZ190133602461QQihZ009QQcategoryZ10177QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-PRO-ELECTRIC-BAN...oQQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote]

Well I have now. Guess that's it for this life!

*Kills self*

Jon.

[quote name='barneythedog' post='41229' date='Aug 4 2007, 11:44 AM']Here we go again

[url="http://cgi.ebay.de/IBANEZ-Bass-made-in-Japan-401-403-Hammer-Teil-70-Jahre_W0QQitemZ220134498448QQihZ012QQcategoryZ23300QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZewItem"]Ibanez ?[/url]

again - 220134498448 if the link is broken[/quote]
For once, yes it is! July 1976, model 2389B. These are strangely much less common than the 2388s with the Gibson-style mudbuckers & sparkly inlays.

J.

[i]Bass Player[/i] now has a pretty long & interesting interview with Ol' Bignose online here:

[url="http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=21&storycode=19053"]http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectio...storycode=19053[/url]

I concur wholeheartedly with his observations about playing fretless!

J.

[quote name='OldGit' post='40063' date='Aug 1 2007, 04:08 PM'] Yup
You lucky man
I've had that experience before too - almost .. guy at the jam I go to now and then has a Marlin P bass, aincient strings, one knob missing, through a HH head and a Vox cab. Total retail value about 50 quid. Sounds great.

It's kinda depressing sometimes [/quote]

- Just as well I never mentioned my Behringer head & ancient Peavey 1x15 then!

J.

[quote name='OldGit' post='39907' date='Aug 1 2007, 11:12 AM']Well yes.. and playing a Name bass transfers that prestige to the person wearing it. You pay your extra dollar for the benefits these things bring.
These no name basses may easily as good as a name bass, the savings being in the costs of manufacture, but there's so much more to the "value" of a bass than the way it looks, plays and sounds.[/quote]
I can't put into words how glad I am that I don't share that viewpoint.

My band recently played a couple of gigs in Northern Ireland, as guests of a local band. Their bassist has a lovely Warwick Corvette 6er which probably cost more than all of my no-name oriental cheapos put together. I'm delighted to say he was drooling over the tone I got from my £60 JapCrap CSL jazz copy - and now has me looking out for one for him!

And anyway, let's face it - Joe Punter couldn't tell an Ace Pro from a Fodera!

J.

Yes - wish I hadn't sold mine. They come up on Ebay from time to time & I watch with a tear in my eye as they soar over what I'm willing to pay!

J.

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='39371' date='Jul 31 2007, 09:14 AM']You get what you pay for.[/quote]
And a lot of the time what you're paying for is the prestige of a brand name.

I've never played an Ace Pro brand bass - but my assumption is that they're Chinese or Korean built instruments. Ace Pro won't be a manufacturer, just an importer's brand name. The quality of instruments coming from China & Korea is surprisingly high these days - broadly speaking they're far better than most of the budget stuff from the 70s & 80s. There's every likelihood they're coming off the same production lines as Ibanez, Aria, Cort & many other better-known Oriental brands.

If I was after a 6er, I'd certainly be interested in looking at one of these.

Jon.

I'm not Bill Beard but I looked, 'cos I had a B20 years ago. Brass bogseat saddles....

Jon.

That looks excellent - I'll be moving to a new place in a couple of weeks & the basement is going to be the band's rehearsal room & recording studio - what's more I've already been offered my first commercial recording job, even before I've moved in!

Jon.