movwkd Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Just got my daughter a kawai bass off evilbay for a top price.. [ i think ] its a AQB550 Aquarius model, can anyone shed some light on this bass for me as i can find very little info about them on the net !! Ta.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 [quote name='movwkd' post='68626' date='Oct 2 2007, 01:19 PM']Just got my daughter a kawai bass off evilbay for a top price.. [ i think ] its a AQB550 Aquarius model, can anyone shed some light on this bass for me as i can find very little info about them on the net !! Ta.. [/quote] Was that the white one with P/J pickups? I was watching that, but I didn't go for it in the end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 It sounds like British ignorance may have gotten you a steal! [url="http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Electric+Bass/brand/Kawai"]Harmony central reviews[/url] suggest Kawai basses are Japanese made and can frequently sell from $700-$900. Which as we all know, is just under a million pounds n English money. That's pimpin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsymoth Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 very likely an early 80's matsumoku product. is it neck through? looks a lot like my vox custom (except for the white paint), a very nasty bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Kawai was its own brand, with its own factory, in fact they are (they still do keyboards) a long-established instrument manufacturer - started in the 1920s & moved into guitar manufacture when they acquired the ubiquitous Teisco brand in the 60s. Anyway - early 80s for sure, not made by Matsumoku (unless Kawai were outsourcing production) and probably pretty damn good. This is proper vintage JapCrap, not a cheap rubbish starter bass, and if the seller's accurate in his description, then this one will want looking after to keep it in good nick - so tell your girl to be nice to it, Movwkd! Oh, and she might be amused to know that Kawai translates as "cute". Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 i'd love an all white bass - i think it would look wicked on stage. If she doesn't want it, I'll have it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul h Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 i always wanted a kawai when i was young, can't remember why. i remember them looking somewhere between a westone and an alembic. that is very cool though....larry graham would be proud. p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movwkd Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 Awsome .. looks like i did good then ..she will [ i hope ] be well chuffed at that ... yes its the one on evil bay and just to give you some idea i won it for less than £125 and that includes a hardcase and the very very nice man is delivering it from down south for a tenner !! evilbay comes up trumps .. As for it looking wickid on stage ... thats funny because my band happens to be wkd ...hence the name mov ..wkd www.myspace.com/movwkd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsymoth Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I think I'd be pretty pleased. yes, there are some that are very alembic-ish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krysbass Posted October 4, 2007 Share Posted October 4, 2007 Have to say that there are a few design and hardware similarities to some of the early-mid 80's Matsumoku basses, especially Westone, but this might just be coincidence. Whoever made it, it's a nice looking bass and as with many Japanese guitars of that era, you'd probably have to pay several times what you paid for it to find a new bass of comparable quality in materials and workmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movwkd Posted October 26, 2007 Author Share Posted October 26, 2007 Just seen this bass on evilbay ... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUARIUS-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ320173904915QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] another kawai white bass ... the one we have is very nice to play with a bit of setting up ... buy it if it stays cheap enough ... i would buy another one ... myspace.com/movwkd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 [quote name='movwkd' post='79900' date='Oct 26 2007, 06:49 PM']Just seen this bass on evilbay ... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUARIUS-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ320173904915QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] another kawai white bass ... the one we have is very nice to play with a bit of setting up ... buy it if it stays cheap enough ... i would buy another one ... myspace.com/movwkd[/quote] Oh. BUMPs until it sells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 Odd, that - never seen an all-white Aquarius before, in 20-odd years of JapCrap spotting, then 2 turn up in the same month. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_D Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 [quote name='movwkd' post='79900' date='Oct 26 2007, 06:49 PM']Just seen this bass on evilbay ... [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUARIUS-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ320173904915QQihZ011QQcategoryZ4713QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] another kawai white bass ... the one we have is very nice to play with a bit of setting up ... buy it if it stays cheap enough ... i would buy another one ... myspace.com/movwkd[/quote] Seriously gonna watch that bad boy. £30 with 2 days to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 They were good stuff in the day like lots of jap when they stopped making crap and started making gear as good as anything from the US. Is the second one a scam using the first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_D Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 [quote name='bass_ferret' post='79992' date='Oct 27 2007, 12:07 AM']They were good stuff in the day like lots of jap when they stopped making crap and started making gear as good as anything from the US. Is the second one a scam using the first?[/quote] Possibly. I never saw the original listing. Can anyone who did see it tell if maybe they have copied the pics and sh**? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movwkd Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 No i can assure you its not a scam using the first one because its here on my lap now !! i've never come accross them before either till i got mine, the pickups were weak though so put a set of fender p & j on it .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 Scammers dont usually own the basses they are selling - thats why its a scam. They lift the photos from a genuine action and repeat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 [quote name='bass_ferret' post='80049' date='Oct 27 2007, 10:30 AM']Scammers dont usually own the basses they are selling - thats why its a scam. They lift the photos from a genuine action and repeat it.[/quote] I don't think those pics are from the original listing, are they? Don't remember the original bass being unstrung & a bit played - looking. Doubt if anyone would bother scamming such a niche & unknown bass, anyway, there are far more lucrative targets out there! btw Movwkd - do you still have the original pups & if so, do you want 'em? J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
movwkd Posted October 27, 2007 Author Share Posted October 27, 2007 Although i have a bad habit of upgrading every bass i buy i always keep the parts i remove to put back if i sell it. So sorry bassassin, i will be keeping the old pickups ... Our Kawai is like a new bass with no wear at all but if anyone is looking to buy the one off evilbay, i would compare it to a bolt on neck early aria in weight and size but i have got the action set very low and its very nice to play.. myspace.com/movwkd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 [quote name='movwkd' post='80072' date='Oct 27 2007, 11:48 AM']Although i have a bad habit of upgrading every bass i buy i always keep the parts i remove to put back if i sell it. So sorry bassassin, i will be keeping the old pickups ...[/quote] Very wise with vintage stuff, actually - but thought I'd ask just in case... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul, the Posted October 27, 2007 Share Posted October 27, 2007 bump for a charity bargain. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUAR...1QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWAI-ORIGINAL-AQUAR...1QQcmdZViewItem[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowac Posted September 7, 2009 Share Posted September 7, 2009 (edited) Just won this sweet Kawai off evilbay. It's an Alembic copy F2-B bass. It was made between 1985 and 1990 and it is practically in near-mint condition. One thing I noticed right away is that it has a carbon fiber nut. It is also 18-volt active. Oddly enough, both 9-volts have to rest in side the control cavity of their on accord. No battery clips to hold them in place. I've heard the expression that these basses are '...pianos in a bass's clothing'. That really sums it up well. Just one drawback. After a week, the output jack broke as it is one of those square plastic-bodied types with 8 solder lugs on it. I got lucky enough to get in touch with a rep. for Kawai in the U.S. and I was able to order the exact replacement for this bass. The only thing I've done is buff out the neck and frets and change the strings. It may be called the "Poor Man's Alembic" but I'll vouch for this bass any day. Edited September 23, 2009 by Mowac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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