Basses you hardly ever see for sale

[msb]

Over the years I’ve managed to find some interesting stuff , and after making the purchase will often continue looking … just to see how prices might be changing. Just to convince myself I might have found a deal. When I picked up an Epi Flying V bass I did not realize that they had been fairly small runs. I did realize my set neck Ric 4000 was fairly rare. I spent some years trying to hunt down a Yamaha Flying Samurai , and then wound up finding a second one I couldn’t pass on. I wasn’t surprised when Gibson stopped producing those lovely little DC Jr basses , they’re wonderful little things. (I have heard rumours that they might be soon doing another batch). I did find a Unicorn on our local kijiji. Last year I went looking for a Gretsch 5123B hollow body. Managed to instantly find one near Boston , the exchange and duty were brutal. I’ve only seen a couple come up since. That made me want a 6128B Thunderjet. No longer in production , and not common. Found one in Kentucky , and once more brutalized by the exchange , duty and shipping.  
I’ve only seen one come up for sale since. I still look at TB Classifieds , but I’m not jumping into anything in the US these days. 

 

[12stringbassist]

[BaggyMan]

I have been extremely lucky to have commissioned a Zemaitis bass, back in 1989 when Tony was still producing guitars from his quirky garage workshop.

My 'Z' is also a fretless which makes it rarer than a rare thing.

One (fretted) made the cover of Geddy Lee's 'Big Book of Bass'

 

There are two phases of Zemaitis, the original made by the man himself, and the Greco manufactured current line. 

Never seen either for sale on here.  

Wouldnt mind a Greco era one but ony if is it wasnt LP style.  Dont like LP syle basses.

 

[LukeFRC]

On 14/05/2025 at 20:48, binky_bass said:

USA Conklin basses... Unbelievable things, exceptionally rare on the second hand market for very good reason.

 

Bee Basses... for the same reason as the above!

5 string Conklin here for £550… https://www.facebook.com/groups/321515614550229/permalink/23978327848442340/?sale_post_id=23978327848442340

 

 

[binky_bass]

12 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

5 string Conklin here for £550… https://www.facebook.com/groups/321515614550229/permalink/23978327848442340/?sale_post_id=23978327848442340

 

 

I don't have Facebook so can't access that link. I suspect it's a Korean made 5 String Conklin Groove Tools? 

 

Guessing it's this one thats for sale for £550 on The Fretboard. 

 

Edited June 30 by binky_bass

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, binky_bass said:

I don't have Facebook so can't access that link. I suspect it's a Korean made 5 String Conklin Groove Tools? 

 

Guessing it's this one thats for sale for £550 on The Fretboard. 

 

That’s it, though the way he wrote it gave the impression of American built. Not that I read it that closely! 

[LeftyP]

I've had my Italia short scale bass for eight years.  It took some finding but I eventually tracked one down at Richard's Guitars in Stratford-upon-Avon.  Since then they have not been advertised anywhere.  I did see a used one on the Bass Direct site last year costing just shy of £1000 - about £350 more than I paid new!  I'm not sure if they are still being made or imported.  I recently had the bass set up by Overwater (I live a ten minute walk from their studios in Carlisle) and it plays a treat - even in my hands!

[Musicman666]

enfield ...rare as hens teeth..

[ian61]

Early Mex RW P basses. Superb things, wish Id got one now.

[HeadlessBassist]

Not sure if anyone's mentioned them, but Italia were flavour of the month for about five minutes in the late 2000s.

 

[LukeFRC]

54 minutes ago, Musicman666 said:

enfield ...rare as hens teeth..

I saw that Enfield Roger waters p bass up for sale a week or so ago

[msb]

And after vowing not to buy any more basses from the US , I found one I could not pass up. There’s several originals around town , but none are about to come up for sale. I’ve had my eye out for one for some years now. This reissue came up on a forum I frequent , and I had to get it. On the way , should arrive Tuesday. I’m excited.

 

https://i.postimg.cc/YCV5ccHq/IMG_2377.jpg

 

Harmony H-22 reissue 

Edited Saturday at 14:11 by msb

[Chris2112]

5 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

Not sure if anyone's mentioned them, but Italia were flavour of the month for about five minutes in the late 2000s.

 

 

 

Thank god it didn't last 😂

[fleabag]

 

 

Overwater classic deluxe

 

 

You dont see these much at all.  This was owned by me a few years ago.

[tauzero]

Barcus basses. Greg Barcus has built a few, don't know if he's packed it in as there hasn't been any activity on his Facebook page since 2019.

 

[LeftyP]

10 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

Not sure if anyone's mentioned them, but Italia were flavour of the month for about five minutes in the late 2000s.

 

Just two posts above yours!

[Woodinblack]

On 23/08/2025 at 11:37, HeadlessBassist said:

Not sure if anyone's mentioned them, but Italia were flavour of the month for about five minutes in the late 2000s.

 

 

One of those got sold at the last bass bash!

 

[stewblack]

6 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

 

One of those got sold at the last bass bash!

 

I love this look

[floFC]

20 hours ago, Chris2112 said:

 

 

Thank god it didn't last 😂

I like the retro style of the Italia basses.

I have an Imola (the Ampeg AEB hommage), it is well made and very light.

[Mrbigstuff]

On 23/08/2025 at 10:58, Musicman666 said:

enfield ...rare as hens teeth..

 

[Rich]

On 15/05/2025 at 04:38, itu said:

Zon

Manson

One of my biggest regrets is not buying the Zon Legacy Elite 5 I saw advertised for £1k about 20 years ago.

And yes, Mansons are incredibly thin on the ground. I've only ever seen one for sale, and that was in 1986.

[Wombat]

42 minutes ago, Rich said:

One of my biggest regrets is not buying the Zon Legacy Elite 5 I saw advertised for £1k about 20 years ago.

And yes, Mansons are incredibly thin on the ground. I've only ever seen one for sale, and that was in 1986.

Yes, there is a Manson on eBay at the moment that hasn’t shifted for ages. Not a particularly interesting example imo mind - otherwise I’d be thinking of adding it as a sister to my fretless!

I have 4 string Legacy (early ‘87 flame maple from when they were still in Buffalo) that’s just under a bed at the moment so I might be persuaded to part with that if you were interested!

[itu]

3 hours ago, Wombat said:

I have 4 string Legacy (early ‘87 flame maple from when they were still in Buffalo) that’s just under a bed... 

Pictures, please! 

[thodrik]

Clover basses. 

I don't think they are made anymore but some of the models looked quite cool. I was temped by the Xpression models back in the day when Bass Direct carried them. 

Don't think they go for much when they do come up. I don't actually know the history of the basses but before they stopped the general electronics and pickups seemed very familiar with Sandberg models and bore no resemblance to the earlier models.