Bassassin

And now - some JapCrap. A Westbury Track 2 - uncommon old Matsumoku design, looks OK except it should have a Gibson-type 3-point bridge. In the unlikely event that this one stays under £50 - I'm 'aving it, to keep my Westy Standard g*it*r company. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280176216941"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280176216941[/url] A couple of P's next - first a MIJ Hohner: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270189657943"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270189657943[/url] - which is absolutely dementedly expensive. Nonetheless it's interesting, it has the same style neckplate & tuners to my CSL Jazz - did Fujigen build for Hohner, then? And a Yamaki P-alike: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150186275536"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150186275536[/url] Terrible pics & description, but it's not a brand you see too often, so wotever. And now, before your very eyes - I hope you're sitting down... It's..... ...a..... WESTONE THUNDER 1!!!!!! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200176161976"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200176161976[/url] "Quite rare"? I just popped to the toilet & tripped over seven of the bloody things lying on the stairs. J.

[quote name='The Burpster' post='92467' date='Nov 21 2007, 11:53 PM']This is not being patronising, but have you checked out the Diasy Rock basses? They are excellently made, and just enough smaller for lesser statured peeps to play. They produce a serious and usuable tone.....[/quote] And they look like this: I want one.... Jon.

Gah. Gone now. Ebay - run by uptight Americans with no sense of humour. J.

I did ask him, just out of curiosity, like, if he had a BIN - & he said he'd be prepared to end early for a "reasonable offer". Tut tut... Unfortunately, if I was to buy a Giannini Rickalike, I'd prefer it to have the original hardware, trc and everything - and considering a BC member sold one for about £250 in the summer, I don't think my idea of a reasonable offer would be acceptable. Mind you, if the Rick Police pull their fingers out & it gets taken off, I might be cheeky & ask him if he'll accept £200 for it. And I have informed him in no uncertain terms that it's not an Ibanez. Or a Tokai. Or a Rickenbacker... J.

[quote name='Bassassin' post='89211' date='Nov 16 2007, 01:06 AM']And another one pokes its curly head above the parapet: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150183675535"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150183675535[/url][/quote] Update on this one - contacted the seller & he sent a few pics - very small, but still interesting all the same. [attachment=3684:rick4.jpg][attachment=3685:ricky1.jpg][attachment=3686:ricky2.jpg][attachment=3687: ricky3.jpg][attachment=3688:ricky5.jpg] Lovely wood it's made from & a very, very authentic looking copy. The only thing to convince otherwise is the fact it has a single truss rod. I've not seen every Rick copy ever made - but from those I am familiar with, I'm inclined to think it's a Giannini, (perhaps with some genuine Rick parts) - they're the only ones I know of which have the binding gap at the end of the body. J.

[quote name='Paul Cooke' post='92044' date='Nov 21 2007, 11:01 AM']not mine... but it caused a laugh at work when I found them... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290184203092"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=290184203092[/url][/quote] [quote]The seller ended this listing early because the item was lost or broken.[/quote] Jon.

Looks like a bit of a "Why? Because we can!" use of technology. Makes me think of those LP copies with built-in effects back in the 70s - and it'll probably be as successful. An LP isn't a high tech instrument - it's a very basic design, virtually unchanged since 1952 (some would say that's part of the essence of its appeal), and it seems to me all this technology will be compromised by that basic design anyway - the tune-o-matic bridge has limited intonation adjustment & doesn't have individual string height or spacing adjustment. It seems a bit desperate to try & justify it like this: [quote]...the time and skill required to achieve correct intonation mean that many players limp along with imperfect tone rather than going to the trouble of perfecting it. Doing it right usually means going to a professional repairman, surrendering your guitar for however long the shop's worklist is backed up, and paying a hefty charge for the time-consuming work. Doing it yourself, if you don't have the training and experience to do it right, risks throwing your guitar even further out.[/quote] So buy a £1400 Robot Les Paul instead? OK. This sales pitch pisses me off a bit, because it contributes to the "no user-serviceable parts" mindset - it's bad enough how many people think their bass/guitar will blow up or something if they so much as look at the truss rod - but this sounds like the road to taking your guitar back to the shop to get the strings changed. Having said all that - the tech itself's really rather cool. And all the flashing LEDs are even better. Jon.

[quote name='nick' post='90779' date='Nov 19 2007, 12:51 PM']The T-Bird has been knocking around for quite a while in my local free ads paper. Seller's been after £300. Would be interested myself if it was cheaper & fretted - unfortunately have no need for a fretless. Nice looking bass though, & as you say 'interesting'[/quote] Thanks for that Nick - I asked the seller what his reserve was & he's being very coy - Mr 13 Feedback told me "the reserve price is not normally disclosed .... its an auction!" Guess that's me told, then. I think I've ID'd it, though - amazingly enough, I think it's an Ibanez model 2463b. I wasn't aware of a fretless version, but there are loads of weirdos that don't appear in any catalogues. Shame that the original scratchplate & TR cover are gone. Anyway, £300 is somewhat more than I'd consider paying, regardless how odd it is - I don't have a use for a fretless & couldn't justify buying something I'd never play - unless it cost buttons! J.

I liked this one - quite touchingly honest: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Bass-One-year-old-Very-little-use_W0QQitemZ220168704282"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Bass-One-year...emZ220168704282[/url] Jon.

It's now later, so here's a few more. A couple of southpaws, a Hondo P: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200175276950"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200175276950[/url] And a Westone Thunder 1. No,[i] really[/i] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260184089210"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260184089210[/url] Edit: [i]three[/i] lefties - another Westone, this time a Speccy: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ270188551239"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Westone-bass-guitar_...emZ270188551239[/url] And the T-bird copy Nick posted presumably got pulled for having an unambiguous listing - so now it's relisted so nobody has a fecking clue what it is. Except us lot, of course: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270188516192"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270188516192[/url] That's actually quite interesting. The serial number's consistent with Fujigen Gakki's numbering - which would make it a '77. However, I've no idea what it might be - never seen a factory fretless before, and the bridge & pickups - plus the pickup positioning - are quite different to the Fujigen T-Birds I've seen. Moving on - if my band's guitarist had his way, he'd have me playing something like this: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130175582713"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=130175582713[/url] Prog behemoth or what? Jon.

A couple of Westones, both in hard cases & very short lisings: A Spectrum, with a highly inappropriate jazz ashtray slapped on it. Have some people got [i]no[/i] aesthetic sensibilities? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-SPECTRUM-ST-BASS-4-STRING-1980s-JAPANESE-MADE_W0QQitemZ320184086433"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-SPECTRUM-ST-...emZ320184086433[/url] And - [i]another[/i] Thunder I! Hasn't everybody already got one? Lovely bit of wood, though. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-THUNDER-1-BASS-GUITAR-WITH-HARD-CASE-VGC-LOOK_W0QQitemZ290182376473"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WESTONE-THUNDER-1-BA...emZ290182376473[/url] More later, I expect... J.

I think this one is an example of an "oh, it's big, postage'll cost loads" Ebayer - very inexperienced (4 feedback since 2005) & definitely never sold a bass before. He won't understand why his Streamer only sells for £60 and won't bother again. Actually, just looked at the item details again & postage is now amended to £15! Presumably because he's had bids he can't alter his actual listing. If he's got any sense, he'll cancel the auction & re-list. In the meantime, anyone want a Streamer for about £75 delivered? J.

I think Mr Happy Jack might consider a punt on that one... It's on my "one of these days" list, along with a Westone Quantum... Jon.

The Jet King is Ibanez plagiarising their own 60s back catalogue: That's an Ibanez Rhythm Series 1900, from 1960. You're gonna kill me when I tell you one of those (the same one) has been through Ebay twice in the last few months. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='89496' date='Nov 16 2007, 04:34 PM']All the same, Jon, £300 with over nine days to go? For something he pretty much accepts is a fake? That's pretty impressive speed-bidding ...[/quote] If he's got contact details for any of the bidders, he'll do OK even if it does get pulled. Looks like his reserve was around the £200 mark. Although, don't you find those "bidders' ID hidden" auctions [i]just a bit[/i] suss? I'm half persuaded to think he knows damn well it's a fake, but is playing ignorant to encourage bids. Based on the photos, it's a pretty convincing copy. J.

That hole on the edge looks very much like it's been for a jack socket - I can't think of a reason why a P would have that done, other than using the original jack hole in the plate for an additional pot - perhaps because of an extra pickup. Makes me very worried what kind of nightmare excavation might be hidden under the scratchplate. Jon.

And another one pokes its curly head above the parapet: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150183675535"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150183675535[/url] Bit of a mystery - seems to have genuine hardware - hence the serial number - but a single truss rod in a 4001/4003 never happened. Pics are a bit iffy, but that Fireglo looks unconvincing, too. With so little detail I can't even guess at a maker - but it's not a Tokai - they never did a 4001 copy. Unfortunately the ad title means it's doomed to near-instant extermination. J.

Not much. Another Westy Thunder One - really, these are so common, they should just give 'em away & be done with it. I'll have one. I suppose it shows how good/durable they are, that there's so many still in circulation: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250188137540"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250188137540[/url] Epiphone ET-280, Matsumoku, 1974-ish: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320182811278"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=320182811278[/url] And an unidentified (crap pics) Rickencopy - on an inevitably short-lived listing: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=150183675535"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150183675535[/url] And if there's anything else out there - I missed it. J.

[quote name='grosa' post='88687' date='Nov 14 2007, 10:14 PM']sorry but 50 quid postage?? not like its heavy or big for that matter bollocks [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Warwick-Rockbass-Streamer-2-pick-up_W0QQitemZ280172565161QQihZ018QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]evilbay streamer of impending postage doom[/url][/quote] He even states that he'll use Royal Mail 2nd class standard parcels. It will cost him a whole £10.84 to post that bass to UK addresses. J.

[quote name='nick' post='88111' date='Nov 13 2007, 10:00 PM']Satellite Jazz copy: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LATE-60-s-70-s-SATELITE-JAZZ-BASS-ELECTRIC-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ200173618505QQihZ010QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LATE-60-s-70-s-SATEL...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Item 200173618505[/quote] Notice the way the seller tells us that the Satellite logo's rubbed off. Like it was a bad thing. Bloodaxe - wish I could go for the ZZB - but I really have a lot of clearing out to do! Also there would be the little matter of having to stomach the fact that the seller would be screwing £25 profit out of me on postage. Ouch. J

[quote name='Steve Rickwood' post='88101' date='Nov 13 2007, 09:40 PM']Not really - what does it matter if they are rich or famous? MY point is that you either like or dislike someones playing - fair do's; but its kind of disrespectful to critisise those who inspired you in the first place. Get it...?[/quote] Been reading through this thread & those are my thoughts exactly - I don't listen too much to many of the bassists who first made me want to play (can't quite get Rush out of my system, though ) but those guys & girls will always be important to me & to my growth as a musician - slagging them is, in a way, slagging myself. For that reason I could never compose a list of former favourites. BTW Steve R - back in the 80s when I lived in Gillingham, I played in a band called Abstract, with a great drummer called Tony Rickwood. Anyone you know? Jon.

I've always had GAS for the Maranello in red sparkle & pearloid. Looking like that, I couldn't give a rat's gonad what it's made from. Had a good drool over these at Music Live (although they didn't have a red Maranello - ) and I love some of the details - the Modulo's inline staggered lipstick pup is excellent: And it seems they do that in red sparkle, too... Jon

Evenin' all. And for tonight's update we bring you not one, not two, but yes - count 'em - [b]three[/b] Westone Thunder 1's! First - the ludicrously overpriced: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200173225595"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=200173225595[/url] And the £75 start, reserve, no post: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260181842739"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260181842739[/url] And the one that will sell - sensible £10 start, no reserve, £12 postage: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120182976899"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120182976899[/url] Moving along, a Jazz copy, branded Avon. Possibly an early Fujigen, I once had a Cimar branded one, identical, apart from the pickups & badge: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=250186793371"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250186793371[/url] And keeping it Jazzy, that Ibanez comedy cowboy bass, the Black Eagle, is back for another go. These are stupendously rare, but this one's constant presence on Ebay does suggest that happily, taste is still a factor: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=230191382523"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=230191382523[/url] And finally, flinging taste bodily through a 20th storey plate glass window, while pausing only to chainsaw a passing priest & deflower a virgin or two, the delightfully restrained & demure Aria Pro ZZB Custom: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280172585724"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280172585724[/url] I want that Aria. J.

Maybe somebody should tell "Russ" about this: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Jazz-Bass-1973-Black-Classic-Vintage-4-Bolt-Neck_W0QQitemZ110192453191"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Fender-Jazz-Bass-197...emZ110192453191[/url] J.