Mod_Machine Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Although i started out on a humble Epiphone EB-0 the band i joined got signed pretty quick and i popped the bridge within a few weeks of giggin! I got it rebuilt, kept it as my backup (but never touched it!) and got the Ibanez Jetking mainly because it had a retro look that even now people still ask about but originally was trying one of the Indie rickies. Thing is i gave the back up away (i dont think it was worth that much anyway!) and although i love my jetking its had a rough 18 months and im taken with the idea of a cream Italia Mondial and then moving my jet king to back up. Problem is just had a baby and cant really afford a brand new one at around £350 (so if anyone out there selling second hand let me know BUT as you can tell i seem to be taken more with the looks of the bass rather than weighting, speed or particular sound (although i actually found the EB-0 to 'booming) So while trawling the internet looking for second hand italia mondial ive come across the cream Jedson telecaster bass copies and now seem really taken with the idea of a £50 quid piece of japcrap that i can nurture slowly to some sort of health....Thing is i KNOW from reading reviews all over the place that these things are electronically tempremental, NOT collectable in the slightest and probably not gig appropriate! So whats wrong with me..why do i want one and are they really so terrible-or are they a good building block for someone who wants a 70's style bass that would provide a board to learn some basic bass maintanance skills on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earbrass Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Did you see this thread? A few comments there... [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=79245&st=0&p=761971&#entry761971"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=...mp;#entry761971[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod_Machine Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 Yep came accross it a couple of days ago. Gutted as really good price and (unsurprisingly sold!) The link attached in that thread is also great as the very first pic is the cream jedson i want - just dont know why! There is currently a cream one on ebay which is pick up only from east london and although it has no bids its starting price is £51 ...but i cant say im too impressed as description states 'not a giggin bass' and although i can appreciate some wear and tear in 30+ years the person selling hasnt even bothered to sit the low e string correctly in its saddle on the bridge for the photos so £50+ and then travel to and from london even by train is another £20 and it stops looking so great for what is basically a very old jap starter model! Its just not the kind of thing i ever thought i would aspire to but think that cream one looks the nuts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 Well, electrically temperamental isn't a major hurdle - at best it'll just be poorly soldered connections and at worst it'll need the guts ripping out of it and replacing. There are no clever preamps in there so even the worst scenario is not an expensive option. The body will probably be plywood (to hit a pricepoint you have to economise somewhere after all!) and there's not a lot that can be done about that (unless you fancy using the original body as a template and making a new body from a piece of solid wood). The hardware won't be great compared to what you are used to (again, pricepoint dictates) but you could replace some of the parts with a little bit of ingenuity. Best part is that you can experiment and 'tweak' to your hearts content without it costing a fortune! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 My first bass was a Jedson and to be honest, it was s#*t. I got rid of it after about 6 months. No ammount of tweaking or restoration will make an essentially crap bass sound good, unless you replace the neck, body, hardware and electronics..... If you're really, really not concerned about the sound and just want a retro looking bass to faff about with/spend money on, then fill your boots but it won't sound any better than your EB0 and a lot worse than the Jetking. All IMHO of course.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 [quote name='TheRev' post='1060594' date='Dec 16 2010, 02:27 PM']My first bass was a Jedson and to be honest, it was s#*t. I got rid of it after about 6 months. No ammount of tweaking or restoration will make an essentially crap bass sound good, unless you replace the neck, body, hardware and electronics..... If you're really, really not concerned about the sound and just want a retro looking bass to faff about with/spend money on, then fill your boots but it won't sound any better than your EB0 and a lot worse than the Jetking. All IMHO of course....[/quote] +1000 My first bass was a Jedson too, and it nearly put off the instrument for life Can you imagine a Jedson through a Selmer What was I thinking of? Don't waste your time. There's far better japcrap around than these. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod_Machine Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 Oh...i thought that might be the case......(unhappy round yellow head face thing) Probably best to keep looking at the Italia range then - at least usuable but still with that old 70s japcrap look! .....now where is that picture of the marranelo and mondial for comparison purposes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
umph Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 whats wrong with the jet king? they're great basses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted December 16, 2010 Share Posted December 16, 2010 I wouldn't be put off any bass I could try for myself but with the Jedson there are a fair few flagging up warnings so I wouldn't buy online. If you could try it in person you might get a rare exception but I would very much look to proceed with caution. Or hold out for what is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mod_Machine Posted December 16, 2010 Author Share Posted December 16, 2010 Nowt wrong with my jet king (other than i find the back of the neck a little soft) Sounds good and recorded with it, but concious ive been gigging solidly with it for 18 months, and rehearsing 4 hrs a week etc and have no back up. Think i kinda just fancy something a little different (although havent seen anyone else gigging a jet king and always get asked about it - in fact the guitarist has just emailed me to say someone has commented on it on youtube!) I thinks it possibly the same way women think about handbags - would be good to have a choice dependant on mood, approach and outfit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 If you're after something cheap and retro, check out the Hofner Galaxie. Dripping with 60s retro vibe and about £180 on Thomann. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 [quote name='fatback' post='1060617' date='Dec 16 2010, 02:43 PM']+1000 My first bass was a Jedson too, and it nearly put off the instrument for life Can you imagine a Jedson through a Selmer What was I thinking of? Don't waste your time. There's far better japcrap around than these. [/quote] I wonder if we had the actual same bass? I grew up in Fermanagh and it seemed that bass player in the county before or since had owned my Jedson at some point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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