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Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting


Bassassin

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[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1405723073' post='2504824']
Apropos of nothing (much), I have a very nice VMJ which might shortly become surplus to requirements.

J.
[/quote]

If it's the one I remember, it's very nice:)

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The difficult thing with purchases between people who are on this forum is that second hand goods sell for variable prices. Jon, if he sells his VMJ, will know the top of market price for VMJs, and I as a buyer know the bottom of market price. We'd need to be able to agree on some middle ground price. This one that sold for £157 is a very good deal IMHO with the nice pickguard and the flats both being a bonus as far as I'm concerned. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fender-squier-vintage-modified-fretless-jazz-bass-guitar-vgc-/171352344831?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27e56548ff If it had been me that won that auction (Derby is close enough) I'd be pretty happy, and would be ferrying it back on the Skylink as I type. However, this plane jane one (albeit said to be unplayed) sold for £175 collection only. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SQUIRE-VINTAGE-MODIFIED-FRETLESS-BASS-/221474407692?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3390e7450c I'd say that second hand VM prices are quite good at the moment. Witness the one with probable neck issues that sold for £114 (rearrange the words 'bargepole' 'touch' 'a' 'not' 'with' into a well known phrase). http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Squier-Vintage-Modified-Fretless-Jazz-Bass-/231272920108?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item35d8f0b42c Didn't someone on here buy a good condition one for less than that? I searched, but couldn't find the thread.

Some time ago before I spent some fretless fund I had on something else, I had a discussion about a Thunder fretless through PMs. At the time, a number of fretless Thunders had sold for unusually high prices on ebay (some over £200 where I couldn't see anything particularly special about them). At that time I demurred as I believed that the seller would easily get more than I wanted to pay on ebay. Prices seem to have varied down on the Thunder fretlesses with the £145 starting bid one failing to sell.

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If I do sell the VMJ (which at the moment is looking quite likely) I'm not too interested in profiteering, particularly if I sell it here - I got it in a trade for a different fretless (1984 Yamaha BB400S) so it doesn't "owe" me anything as such.

Anyway, that depends on the outcome of another potential trade which is currently in discussion - watch this space. Or any space of your choosing. :)

J.

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I'm in no desperate hurry. Yet. I'm hoping that the right thing will suddenly appear.

I don't think that [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Fretless-through-neck-Bass-Guitar-/151359354400?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item233db87620"]this through neck bass[/url] is the right thing. At first I had little idea of what it was, but wondered if it was one of the early Cor-tek basses. I did a search and it appears that it is a Cor-tek (Cort) made Kay bass, similar to one owned by Flat Eric! [url="http://flatericbassandguitar.blogspot.co.uk/2010_08_01_archive.html"]http://flatericbassa...01_archive.html[/url]

I'd guess that it's not a factory fretless, but a defret. It would I suppose be an interesting thing to own, and Flat Eric says that he likes his fretted ones, but again I don't think it's exactly what I want.

Edit: I like the look of this Aria Pro II precision with a glossy unlined maple neck. But, the starting price of £425 is too high for me, and may be too high for the market in general. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-ii-1978-vintage-fretless-bass-guitar-with-leather-bag-/291194740143?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43cc8f1daf

Edited by Annoying Twit
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Yep, the Cort's a Cort, probably was badged Kay once, should have a big brass logo'd TRC. I had one of these and it had a couple of issues, most notably an unadjustably high action because the fretboard was so low relative to the top of the body. This is quite common on early MIJ & MIK through-necks and can only be remedied by routing the body to make a recess for the bridge to sit in. I'd think with a lack of fret height this problem would be exacerbated. Plus I'm pretty sure it's a de-fret, I've never seen a fretless one of these before.

That Aria's nice but hugely overpriced. Interesting, looks like the DiMarzio was standard.

J.

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1405783075' post='2505229']

Edit: I like the look of this Aria Pro II precision with a glossy unlined maple neck. But, the starting price of £425 is too high for me, and may be too high for the market in general. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-ii-1978-vintage-fretless-bass-guitar-with-leather-bag-/291194740143?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43cc8f1daf"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43cc8f1daf[/url]
[/quote]

That Aria is seriously nice :gas:

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Washburn Force 8, fine looking bass imo:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/washburn-force-8-electric-bass-guitar-made-in-japan-84-for-sale/1073944022#photo-content

Not sure if this one's Japcrap, but might as well mention it whilst I'm here, this 25 quid bass was apparently played at Live Aid:
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/bass-guitar/1074068566#photo-content

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If I had a spare £180 & time to go to Prestwick, I'd be all over that Washboard - these hardly ever come up & are usually much pricier when they do. Someone go & buy it!

The other one's almost certainly MIJ and definitely worth £25.

J.

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Defretted Westbury Track 4. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1981-WESTBURY-TRACK-IV-FRETLESS-BASS-GUITAR-MADE-BY-MATSUMOKU-IN-JAPAN-/221503579017?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3392a46389"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3392a46389[/url]

No matter how much listings gush about the workmanship involved in a defret, I still think it's a value reducing modification.

Edited by Annoying Twit
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Agreed - this is far too expensive & the non-original parts (tuners & bridge) reduce the value further. I already have a Track 2, and a bit of GAS for a Track 4 (I fancy trying a 2x P, having never owned one) but I wouldn't touch this.

J.

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OK, not Japanese I know, but a very honest listing:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-Gherson-jazz-bass-for-spares-or-repair-/221502942909?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item33929aaebd

I had one of these a few years back, and it was so light the body could have been made of balsa.

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Okay, what is this? It looks very Westone Thunder 1, but not named and the headstock is a little different.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bass-Guitar-make-unknown-/231291602812?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item35da0dc77c

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Quite a nice looking Jazz copy by Avon / Rose Morris:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251603124044

Neck looks straight (I wish all eBay listings would include a good neck shot that shows the frets are parallel) and I suspect it wouldn't take much to remove the light corrosion on the metal work.

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Westone Thunder I for £70 BIN, in Manchester. £16 p&p.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-1984-Westone-Thunder-1-Bass-Matsumoku-Japanese-Made-World-Ship-/221515477828?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item339359f344"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item339359f344[/url]

Surely this is worth it for someone. Edit: Electrical problem explains the low price. However, as a passive bass, how much can be wrong with it?

Edited by Annoying Twit
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Hoiaka fretless p bass, looks ok but can't find any info on 'Hoiaka' guitars:
[url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fretless-bass-guitar-hoiaka-including-gig-bag-lead-strap-strap-locks/1075774281#photo-content"]http://www.gumtree.c...1#photo-content[/url]
I'm guessing it's Hotaka but I can only find acoustic guitars by these and virtually no info. :search:

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I might go for this, if I could stand the headstock...

Aria Pro II 2 ii (apparently, I don't know Arias). P-P-J pup config, which I'm definitely interested by.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARIA-PRO-II-2-ii-BASS-GUITAR-Vintage-80s-MIJ-/251604936214?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a94d2a616"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3a94d2a616[/url]

Edited by alyctes
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This guy has a LOT of very sexy Japanese basses for sale on eBay - I want about 8 of them! :wub: :(
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=111430412627&pt=Guitar&_osacat=0&hash=item19f1c52953&_ssn=solemettere&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xbass&_nkw=bass&_sacat=0&_from=R40

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[quote name='chaypup' timestamp='1407678992' post='2522898']
This guy has a LOT of very sexy Japanese basses for sale on eBay - I want about 8 of them! :wub: :(
[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&item=111430412627&pt=Guitar&_osacat=0&hash=item19f1c52953&_ssn=solemettere&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.Xbass&_nkw=bass&_sacat=0&_from=R40"]http://www.ebay.co.u...cat=0&_from=R40[/url]
[/quote]

I do like his Yamaki-era [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-Vulture-Bass-Made-in-Japan-Very-Rare-late-70s-or-early-80s-Neck-Thru-/111420771006"]Washburn Vulture II[/url] - never seen a blue one before, & it's interesting to see the differences between this & the later Matsumoku build, like mine.

J.

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