probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 (edited) I came across this site a number of years ago and forgot it. Forgive me if it has been examined before. It was brought to mind after seeing a topic around ugly Gibsons. This:is a site for Soviet Guitars and Basses They are magnificent in their ugliness. Here's a couple of examples of bases The Tonika II And the Bas1 which as its own built in fuzz box I'm keen to hear from anyone who has owned or played one of these and are they as bad as they look, but in a way they have their own charm. Extra points for the first person that translates the title Edited December 21, 2018 by probonopublico 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Paging @Happy Jack 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 Just found this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said: Paging @Happy Jack Now I'm worried, I'm finding this slightly attractive in a "give me that and a guitarist who only knows 3 chords and we'll form a punk band" kind of way 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 HJ is currently out with one of his bands, but he'll tell you marvellous things about that horrid - erm, interesting - bass. If nothing else, it's a conversation piece when it's its turn to hang over our mantlepiece... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 My OCD is still failing to get over the fact that the neck and body are clearly of different origins, and their glitter colours don't match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 I am intrigued. I may try this on my wife and suddenly buying that choco burst Stingray from Chilliwailer does not seem that bad after all 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 the closer I get to it the more beguiling it gets. Thankfully I'm in Yorkshire so I can't come round and stalk the bass 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 If you like, I can do a proper photoshoot tomorrow, and post slightly better photos... 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 oooh yes please. Can you get more of the back, I'm keen on seeing the neck plate and machine heads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Will do tomorrow morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 @probonopublico you are one sick puppy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 1 hour ago, probonopublico said: ...Extra points for the first person that translates the title Fat chance; good luck with that..! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, probonopublico said: Extra points for the first person that translates the title Udachi. It translates from Russian as something like good luck. However here in Bulgaria it would mean something closer to "hit it", which may be more appropriate. Edited December 21, 2018 by Newfoundfreedom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 @Happy Jack posted those photos, among others of different basses, on an NBD thread some time ago. It contains some more info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 It's a fun bass. I don't know when it was designed but I'd happily guess that it was the late 60s. I've had a shedload of those 60s basses (Hofner, Klira, Hagstrom, Futurama, etc.) and this fits in perfectly with them. Despite appearing to be a shortscale, it actually takes medium or even long-scale strings. The pickups are as thumpy as you'd expect, and all the electronics actually do what they're supposed to. Hangs well on a strap ... courtesy of the amazing telescopic upper strap-pin. That 5cm steel pin slides through the bullet-shaped bit back inside the body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 Thank you Silvia I'll take a look at that Newfound freedom you are correct. I didn't know about the Bulgarian. Thanks for that, you get the.points. the star prize, if you want it, is a phaser pedal that i bought for Dancing in the Moonlight by Thin Lizzy. The singer pulled out at the last minute so its unused. PM me where to send it and you can be Phil Lynott. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 @Newfoundfreedom удачи 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 6 hours ago, probonopublico said: Thank you Silvia I'll take a look at that Newfound freedom you are correct. I didn't know about the Bulgarian. Thanks for that, you get the.points. the star prize, if you want it, is a phaser pedal that i bought for Dancing in the Moonlight by Thin Lizzy. The singer pulled out at the last minute so its unused. PM me where to send it and you can be Phil Lynott. Wow cool! Thanks! I didn't realize there was an actual prize. I was just happy to finally be able to join in with something I understood. Most of the stuff on here goes straight over my head. 😂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chiliwailer Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 13 hours ago, probonopublico said: I am intrigued. I may try this on my wife and suddenly buying that choco burst Stingray from Chilliwailer does not seem that bad after all Gus, seriously, come over any buy my Stingray, then put all this hideous (but oddly wonderful) Russian stuff behind you. She’ll love it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 Here you go, feast your eyes: http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Basses CURRENT/Tonika Bass 1970s 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 Wow. Great pics. Thanks for the high res. The neckplate is in good condition, better than the one on cheesey guitars. You can read the Cyrillic, well if you know what it means. I play in a band with a fiddle player who does a bit of Russian, I'll see if he can translate. I love the way the colour burst is repeated on the back of the head. Thanks Happy Jack and Silvia. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Chiliwailer said: Gus, seriously, come over any buy my Stingray, then put all this hideous (but oddly wonderful) Russian stuff behind you. She’ll love it Sadly it would cost me twice as much (missus gets an equal amount). A ray is on my shopping list but redundancy looms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 That is the coolest neck plate ever. I'm really hoping it says something about increasing farm production in the motherland. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probonopublico Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 I suspect you are right Rich. There will be a mention of tractors and a 5 year plan. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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