TimAl Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Hello there all, I recently picked this up & wondered if any of you would be able to identify it. It's 3/4 size & appears completely unbranded. Surprisingly, to me, it sounds really great when plugged it with quite a range of tones. Many thanks Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) It looks like a Burns to me, from the split pickguard, but that's all I've got. I certainly don't know them well enough to know if the body shape is right. Possibly a refin? I'm sure someone with some actual knowledge will be along soon Edited March 5, 2014 by alyctes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 MB1. "Can you guess what it is yet?" Scratchplate Burns? Tuners. Columbus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Silvertone 1490 I think - read this http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46863 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 MB1. Tiesco Silvertone 1490 it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alyctes Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Now I'm curious... What does it sound like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 [quote name='MB1' timestamp='1394037373' post='2387229'] MB1. Tiesco Silvertone 1490 it is... [/quote] Isn't. Actually these come up very frequently, and were made by various factories in at least two different countries (Japan & Korea) and really all you can say is that it's a generic 70s short-scale bass with a design influenced by Burns. Silvertone was a US importer brand so it's monumentally unlikely that one would turn up in the UK (assuming the OP's from the UK), and if Teisco ever made this model, it wasn't sold either under their name or any other brand exclusively connected to Teisco. If I had one of these & wanted to profiteer from it, I'd likely direct anyone interested to this page: http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/catalogs/75_aria/75_aria_catalog_pg1.jpg.html Although I very seriously doubt these were made by Matsumoku. But you never know... Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimAl Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Thanks all, I too have seen the Burns & Silvertone similarities but couldn't come to a definitive conclusion, so your information is really very helpful. Would it be fair to say it dates from the 70s then? I haven't got any sound clips at the mo & I'm moving house next week & I'd definitely be in the dog house if Mrs TimAl sees me 'mucking about' instead of packing - but I'll get something posted as soon as I can. I do have far too many basses & this one could very well be up for sale soon - so thank you kindly Jon for the link Once again, thanks for your invaluable contributions, T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 The neck looks to be seriously out of alignment judging by the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1394092714' post='2387760'] The neck looks to be seriously out of alignment judging by the strings. [/quote] I thought that too. In fact of the photos of this type of bass that I've seen around on the Net, many seem to share the same problem (slavish copying from some original badly constructed instrument?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Woolworths special from the early 70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1394107035' post='2387952'] Woolworths special from the early 70s. [/quote] Pretty much what I was thinking when I saw the pictures. Satellite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Undead Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 It reminds me of an old Zenta (catalogue model from the 60's) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 This seems to be THE place for vintage/weird guitars and basses http://guitarz.blogspot.co.uk/ - send him the pics? From what I've read, the Kay/Satellite brand were likely from the same maker as the Silvertones, ie. Teisco? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) [quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1394114806' post='2388069'] From what I've read, the Kay/Satellite brand were likely from the same maker as the Silvertones, ie. Teisco? [/quote] Some post-US manufacture Kays might have come from Teisco (more likely Kawai, who acquired Teisco in 1969) but most of them were Taiwanese & Korean. A Kay is only a Kay when it says Kay on the end, so this bass isn't a Kay. 'Kay? Regarding Satellite. This was a low-end UK brand owned by FCN music, who also owned Columbus & Kimbara. As far as I can tell all Satellites were Korean and absolutely nothing to do with Teisco. I have never seen an example of this type of bass badged as Satellite, and as far as how we identify a Satellite, refer to my handy guide to recognising a Kay, and substitute the word "Satellite". Pretty much everything that Ebay sellers & other assorted internet experts claim is a Teisco isn't one. J. Edited March 7, 2014 by Bassassin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I had a similar one..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I've had a couple of these basses over the years and after a set up were basses that could be gigged and were certainly far superior than any bass i've ever seen sold in Woolworths in the 60s/70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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