skankdelvar Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) A thread for those who own or have owned or might at some point in the future own Commodore semis. Rebadged versions as Aria and Univox (as below) and maybe other names will also count. My first bass nearly 40-odd years ago was a Commodore. Back in the day one took what one could get and I got it from Musical Exchanges in Birmingham. Maybe not a great player but then again, I wouldn't have known a great player from a total dog in those days. Any further information cheerfully accepted. Now, show us yours! [size=1]* Ownership past and present is not required as a condition of club membership. Possible future purchase or not even that is welcome. E&OE. No refunds.[/size] [size=1].[/size] Edited August 20, 2014 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 (edited) Stick me down as member #2 in this rather exclusive club please. P.S. I forgot to say that these basses are better than a Musicman Stingray with it's lovely 'woody' sound (thinking about it that's probably cos it's made of wood). Edited December 15, 2013 by BetaFunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 I tried one out several years ago which was going for £49 and decided to pass on it. I suspect I should have snapped it up, stuck some huge black nylon tapewounds on and rejoiced in the 60s garage-band "whump" sound of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 [quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1387142773' post='2308740'] I tried one out several years ago which was going for £49 and decided to pass on it. I suspect I should have snapped it up, stuck some huge black nylon tapewounds on and rejoiced in the 60s garage-band "whump" sound of it. [/quote] D'ye know, that's quite jogged my memory. Mine had nylons on. First and only time I've been thusly equipped. One of these might be rather cool for some Sonics / Trashmen action. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1387143279' post='2308750'] One of these might be rather cool for some Sonics / Trashmen action. [/quote] I like to play along to this on mine.............. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCmTw5ckN-k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 OMG - They're awesome!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted December 16, 2013 Author Share Posted December 16, 2013 This one went for £170 on the bay. Complete with damper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted December 16, 2013 Share Posted December 16, 2013 (edited) Here's mine that I had for a while...sold it couple of years ago. Loved it, was a great player, with a [i]big[/i] sound - pickup wasn't weedy either, measured something like 13k. Bridge dampener was cool, but the tuners were crap. Sold it as I felt it was a bit fragile for the gigs I was doing at the time & probably also needed the cash , though I do recall getting a decent price for it. Mine was a cracking bass, would probably get another (if cheap) if I didn't already have a Starfire & a Wilson SAB. [url="http://s1087.photobucket.com/user/nickonbass69/media/Commodore%20Matsumoko%20Semi%20Bass/Commodore004.jpg.html"][/url] Edited December 16, 2013 by nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 (edited) [quote name='nick' timestamp='1387234797' post='2309830'] Here's mine that I had for a while...sold it couple of years ago.[/quote] It's a handsome livery, that redburst. Edited December 17, 2013 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 One of these sold on ebay this week so i'm sure that the club's membership is about to rise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) [quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1387224690' post='2309635'] This one went for £170 on the bay. Complete with damper. [/quote] That's mine now! I'll post some pictures in the near future if there's interest. I love the colour, nice acoustic sound and awesome thump with the damper/mute on. There is also a bit of background info on the Commodore basses in that BC thread: http://basschat.co.uk/topic/9999-commodore-semi-japcrap-info/ Edited December 21, 2013 by floFC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 Good man and thanks for posting! Pics would be nice, partic some detail of the damper. Enjoy your Commodore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mxyzptlk Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 My first bass was a Commodore. My dad was a piano tuner and dealt with the company that imported (I presume) them so he was able to get it for me at cost price. First time I used it "in anger" was a practice for my first gig with a band. I had never used the bass to any extent before that. I played it through an ancient guitar amp that had been returned to the leader of the group just in time for me to use... I'd taken an old tape recorder to play through! This would have been around 1970/71. I can't remember if I was driving a Vauxhall HA Viva at the time (1970) or a Mark 1 Escort (from December 1970). I eventually replaced it with a "modified" Futurama 6 string bass and subsequently a Fender Jazz. I have no idea what happened to it as I gave it away after getting the Futurama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted January 2, 2014 Share Posted January 2, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Mxyzptlk' timestamp='1388668855' post='2324537'] My first bass was a Commodore. My dad was a piano tuner and dealt with the company that imported (I presume) them so he was able to get it for me at cost price. First time I used it "in anger" was a practice for my first gig with a band. I had never used the bass to any extent before that. I played it through an ancient guitar amp that had been returned to the leader of the group just in time for me to use... I'd taken an old tape recorder to play through! This would have been around 1970/71. I can't remember if I was driving a Vauxhall HA Viva at the time (1970) or a Mark 1 Escort (from December 1970). I eventually replaced it with a "modified" Futurama 6 string bass and subsequently a Fender Jazz. I have no idea what happened to it as I gave it away after getting the Futurama. [/quote] We need to hear more about that Futurama VI. Was it like this? http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/hofnerfs/futurama/gal19.html Edited January 2, 2014 by BetaFunk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mxyzptlk Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I think my Commodore was more like the first one in this topic. No damper. Being around 1970, it was probably a fairly early one. As for the Futurama it is like the one in the link, but someone removed the "kink" below the strap thingy (sudden brain fade... can't think of the correct name!) and painted it black. They got handy with some Letraset (that is going back a bit as well) and called it a Guild Bass VI! There is a small crack in the neck near the headstock. I think the last time I tried it I used some contact cleaner spray on it to make it work better. Interesting control arrangement to say the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floFC Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Here is a picture of the bridge and mute/damper assembly. It is quite a simple affair, really. The string mute is a piece of metal covered in foam that attaches to the sides of the bridge and can be flicked up or down thanks to a spring attached to the front of the bridge. I don't think I can attach pictures, so here is a link to the assembly: [url="http://diaryofabassguitar.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=193"]http://diaryofabassguitar.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=193[/url] The saddles are quite interesting, they each have 3 grooves, which suggests you could change the string spacing if you wanted. I am not too sure why you'd do that, the only thing I can think of is you could use the higher or lower grooves if you moved the bridge down or up (so the bridge is, say, lower but the strings still line up with the nut and tailpiece), or if you angled it sideways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 Bump for old thread and renewed interest in hollow bodies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Cross Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 I have an N25 sunburst semi-acoustic that I bought in (around) 1987. I ran all the way home from a bootsale to get the money, and ran all the way back to buy it - for £35. When I took up the bass I sold it to a friend for £35 and then later bought it back from him for £35. It is the oldest of my guitars that I still have (my first guitar being a rubbish spanish acoustic that my dad had knocking around which probably came free with a gallon of Castrol. It is therefore known as "The £35 Guitar (which, as it's a copy of the Gibson 335 I think is a cool name). It has been sitting at my mum's house for years, as it has never been a great sounding guitar; but I retrieved it today and have been thinking about getting some decent pickups fitted into it to make it sound as good as it can be. I am recording music with a collaborator, and, although I don't think it would ever be tough enough for stage work, I am sure I could get some good sounds out of it for recording. I was thinking of some nice chrome pickups with black surrounds. When it came back from my friend its tremelo arm was missing (bugger him), and mine did not have a scratch plate when I bought it. I was thinking of getting a tortoiseshell scratch plate for it. I bought a Bigsby tremelo arm (just the arm) a few years back and fitted that, but I am thinking that, actually, the tremelo is pretty lousy. It creaks like crazy when you use it, and I think the spring in it is not first class. I was considering buying a trapeze type tailpiece that has no trem. I am not sure that the body is strong enough to fit a heavy Bigsby type tremelo tailpiece. I am aware that the above may inflame some responses, as I could obviously just leave the thing alone, or I could flog it and buy a semi-acoustic. The thing is, for sentimental reasons I don't imagine I would ever sell it, but I want to be able to use it - and, crucially, keep it in tune. What do people think? Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 (edited) I had one in the early 90's. Looked lovely, but that was about it for me, I used to play a few old tracks on it for giggles now and then, but I was really into Flea, Bill Gould and likes in those days. Edited December 27, 2014 by gafbass02 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 Someone came on last week asking about an old Commodore Semi. Where were you lot then, eh?? Eh??? Hopefully buying the bass in question for the £60 it was listed at: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/251367-mystery-commodore-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...commodore-bass/[/url] Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted December 29, 2014 Share Posted December 29, 2014 Christ seeing Nick's one just brought back memories. I had one of these. 1st bass. Bought it for £1. The heads were snapped off the tuners so I used pliers to tune it. The pickup was held in with nails and the pots were mounted on a plywood oval also nailed on.Nailing things to semi hollows is never good. Played it through my mam's music centre. Wonder what the hell happened to it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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