Help identifying this Status

[P-Belly Evans]

Hi all. Once we are allowed out to play again, I will be borrowing and fully checking out this Status. It is currently gathering dust at a mates who didn't even know what it was. I just don't know what model it is. Looks kind of 80s to me but I could be wrong. Any help identifying it would be greatly appreciated. Cheers all 🍷👍

Picked her up today, quick clean..... taking the strings off is a right faff (specially when you have no idea😀). Proper low action, plays like a dream... even though she has the widest 4 string neck known to man! 

I have a few questions and really need some expert help though. 

1. As some twonk has painted the hardware black, is there any way to remove it without damaging the brass. I know you can put stuff in boiling water (slow cooker for example), but can't do that with the head?

2. As I have no access to a new pot, solder or iron at the mo, could I glue something to the sheared off pot in order to turn it, as a quick fix? 

3. What does each pot control..... sorry I have no idea. One controls the overall volume, but I can't work out the others... individual pickups, tone? Doesn't help that one is busted off. 

4. What the f is the little pot? Looks like decoration to me. Not attatched to anything INSIDE, and doesn't turn without catching the input socket wiring. 

5. If it is decoration, then should there  be a passive/active switch, as when I take the batteries out......... silence

 

Many thanks in advance for your collective wisdom 👍

 

Edited June 4, 2020 by P-Belly Evans
She's here!!!!!

[OliverBlackman]

Looks like a status eclipse to me

[P-Belly Evans]

Think you're right👌 I have no idea about anything Status. The big logo on the pickups seems different to the norm though? 

[4000]

Nah, loads of ‘em had that.

[P-Belly Evans]

Cool, shows what I know about Status or indeed any headless, fretless, 5 6 8 string, active, semi or acoustic..... I do have a fretless but still have no clue and thank got it is lined 👀

[LeftyJ]

I thought the Eclipse always had the more rounded shape, but this one has the classic S2 body shape. It also appears to be either neck-through or one-piece, as the neck does not continue below the end of the fingerboard whereas on a bolt-on like the Eclipse you would see the neck pocket continue down to the neck pickup. 

My guess is Series 2000.

[OliverBlackman]

22 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

I thought the Eclipse always had the more rounded shape, but this one has the classic S2 body shape. It also appears to be either neck-through or one-piece, as the neck does not continue below the end of the fingerboard whereas on a bolt-on like the Eclipse you would see the neck pocket continue down to the neck pickup. 

My guess is Series 2000.

Having looked again I think you’re right. 

[Frank Blank]

Paging @Bassassin.

[P-Belly Evans]

Cheers for the knowledge guys. Really good to know coz as I said, they are not my forte at all 👍. 

[P-Belly Evans]

You can't see it on the pic but it does have the small dots on the body like a series 2000, or is this a common thing across different models? 

[Bassassin]

4 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

Paging @Bassassin.

Flattered by your confidence - but I know next to nowt about Statii, them bein' BritSh!t an' all - I don't even think the licensed Washburns were Japanese...

That said, I did look & think "S2000" - my mate had one back in the day and I did briefly plot to murder him so I could steal it.

[EMG456]

Pretty sure it’s a 2000.

Should be one piece carbon fibre with the cloth weave showing through the gel coat.

Nice bass.

[EMG456]

Believe the Washburns were still in Japan at the time of the  Status deal.

[BassBus]

It's more than likely a Series 2000 probably from the later production runs as it has no active/passive switch or LED. There has been some alteration to the controls as well. The S2000 was never solid carbon fibre. They have an alder core with the carbon weave around that and the finish on top.

[4000]

It does look like the 2000 that I had (even down to the pickups), except it looks like a solid colour in the photos (which some of them may have been IIRC). Mine had a positively huge neck transition and faulty electronics. In fact every Status I’ve had has had faulty electronics, bar one. 

[Grahambythesea]

48 minutes ago, 4000 said:

It does look like the 2000 that I had (even down to the pickups), except it looks like a solid colour in the photos (which some of them may have been IIRC). Mine had a positively huge neck transition and faulty electronics. In fact every Status I’ve had has had faulty electronics, bar one. 

Funny should say that I borrowed my brothers fretless Status and the electrics promptly packed up,! Cost me to get it fixed.

[Bassassin]

12 hours ago, EMG456 said:

Believe the Washburns were still in Japan at the time of the  Status deal.

For fear of dragging the thread OT, I don't think they can be. MIJ Washboards were initially made by a small-ish bespoke manufacturer called Yamaki, and later by Chushin, who were a huge concern responsible for many of the various Japanese guitars around in the 70s & 80s, across the full spectrum of quality. Both factories made the well-known MIJ Washburn stuff - the Wings, Stage, Force etc ranges but production went to Korea about the time the fashion turned towards pointy SuperStrat types - probaly around '85/6.

The S1000 Status basses appeared in '88 as far as I know & ran until  the early 90s. By this point quality was no indication of country of manufacture as the Korean factories were capable  of producing absolutely top of the line stuff, as they still do. It's possible that these models alone were sourced to a Japanese factory but I think it's fairly unlikely.

It's a shame there's not too much info or many pics around of the Washburns - a manufacturing sticker or a serial number might confirm one way or the other.  Anyway - as you were!

[P-Belly Evans]

Is it not missing a volume/tone pot? As far as the colour is concerned it is black with small grey dots - carbon fibre I presume. Bridge looks black too but I could be wrong. It appears that loads had gold bridges? I will try to get the serial number and do some proper digging. This lock down is a ball ache as I just want a proper look at her. 

[Bassassin]

Back on topic - Status did make (mid late 80s) a range of basses with a graphite neck and composite/resin body, not sure whether these were set or bolt neck. Anyone remember the name of these?

Can't see the neck/body join on the OP's pic, so could this be one of those with a black body?

[LeftyJ]

1 hour ago, Bassassin said:

Back on topic - Status did make (mid late 80s) a range of basses with a graphite neck and composite/resin body, not sure whether these were set or bolt neck. Anyone remember the name of these?

That would be the Series 4000, with the composite bodies. They were available in black, but they had J-style pickups and were bolt-on and you can clearly tell the neck pocket from the front. They also had much simpler controls than the S2000.

[4000]

Just Googled ‘Status 2000’ and found a pic of a bass very similar, gold lettering, black hardware, 4 knobs, states it’s ‘86. I remember the one I had was getting on a bit, would have been late ‘90s or maybe a bit later when I bought it?
 

I was trying to get my head round the “black with grey dots” description, but yes, I suppose that is kind of what the carbon fibre looks like. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by 4000

[4000]

2 hours ago, P-Belly Evans said:

Is it not missing a volume/tone pot? As far as the colour is concerned it is black with small grey dots - carbon fibre I presume. Bridge looks black too but I could be wrong. It appears that loads had gold bridges? I will try to get the serial number and do some proper digging. This lock down is a ball ache as I just want a proper look at her. 

Oh and yes, it does look like a pot is missing. Or could just be the knob, difficult to tell. 

Edited April 15, 2020 by 4000

[P-Belly Evans]

Sheared off, according to the current keeper. I also reckon the switch has been changed for that small pot - maybe that broke as well. And apparently the bridge has been sprayed black - me likey a bit of gold hardware but someone obviously didnt😎. Apparently you can't see any embossed Status logo underneath the paint though. Also, no serial number anywhere, not even in either cavity. Has 2 9v batteries. All in all a bit beat up really, but I will still give her a bit of TLC for a little while when I can. 

[LeftyJ]

On the old ones it should be engraved in the string clamp at the top of the neck. 

[itu]

My natural Washburn was Korean. It was heavily modified before retiring - the phenolic resin fretboard was beaten and ruined. If the fretboard would be changed... maybe, I have to think about the cost vs. results. And whether I can find the bridge etc.

The instrument itself was reasonable, but not exceptional. With the 30-90 set it was twangy! I changed it to a MG Quantum 5 SPi Custom. A very different beast. The string spacing was too tight (17 mm) for me, so now I play a MG Genesis 5 with that cozy 19 mm spacing. I have seen and tried a red and a natural S2000. They were exceptional!