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Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting


Bassassin

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Time we had an update here!

Pre-copy era Japanese P-ish thing, Kawai or Teisco, prob'ly. I love some of the detail on this - the edge position markers & bridge cover:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190259165449"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190259165449[/url]

Aria Cardinal, pretty transparent blue:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290268932649"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=290268932649[/url]

Gherson TallyCrap P - maybe. Looks tidy anyway:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120320213554"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120320213554[/url]

Aria Laser Heritage - incredibly crap listing means someone's going to get this for 99p, if they're lucky:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110301756434"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110301756434[/url]

I'm not entirely sure about this - but I [i]think[/i] it's one of the recent reissued Kays, which were going for quite silly money in the US a few years back - either way, it's £50 BIN, if you can collect it:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140276270276"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140276270276[/url]

J.

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='310934' date='Oct 21 2008, 12:31 AM']Time we had an update here!

Pre-copy era Japanese P-ish thing, Kawai or Teisco, prob'ly. I love some of the detail on this - the edge position markers & bridge cover:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190259165449"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190259165449[/url]

Aria Cardinal, pretty transparent blue:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=290268932649"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=290268932649[/url]

Gherson TallyCrap P - maybe. Looks tidy anyway:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120320213554"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120320213554[/url]

Aria Laser Heritage - incredibly crap listing means someone's going to get this for 99p, if they're lucky:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=110301756434"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=110301756434[/url]

I'm not entirely sure about this - but I [i]think[/i] it's one of the recent reissued Kays, which were going for quite silly money in the US a few years back - either way, it's £50 BIN, if you can collect it:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=140276270276"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=140276270276[/url]

J.[/quote]

I live round the corner from that guy selling the aria, I think I might have a bash on that one, shame I missed the other one too, I live close to him aswell, I might offer him the 50 quid he's after if he still has it

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[quote name='Musky' post='314139' date='Oct 24 2008, 08:46 PM']BAAAARGIN!!!

You can't really go wrong with those Mats.[/quote]

To be honest Ive always fancied one, but I have no idea what to expect in terms of sound, I presume its a p+j sound, Im thinking vintage and a bit wooly?

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[quote name='kevbass' post='314237' date='Oct 24 2008, 11:21 PM']Naturally :)

Out of interest, and because I have no idea, I presume I picked up a bargain here, how much do these usually sell for?[/quote]

Around £150 mark seems reasonable, though it has to be said that all white basses seem to attract less attention.

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This looks a lot like the butchered 'Ibanez' that was local to me.
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Vintage-Japanese-JAZZ-BASS-Aria-1540_W0QQitemZ160294596249QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160294596249&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A10|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Vintage-Japane...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='314842' date='Oct 26 2008, 01:08 AM']This looks a lot like the butchered 'Ibanez' that was local to me.
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Vintage-Japanese-JAZZ-BASS-Aria-1540_W0QQitemZ160294596249QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160294596249&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A10|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1970s-Vintage-Japane...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url][/quote]

Plywood Avon - you can even see where the badge was nailed to the headstock. Surprised he's trying to fob it off as an Aria when he could be saying it's an "Ibanez". :)

J.

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Quite possibly the nicest Maya bass ever made? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maya-electric-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ320311848161QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320311848161&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maya-electric-bass-g...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url]

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[quote name='kevbass' post='315098' date='Oct 26 2008, 03:02 PM']Quite possibly the nicest Maya bass ever made? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maya-electric-bass-guitar_W0QQitemZ320311848161QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item320311848161&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Maya-electric-bass-g...id=p3286.c0.m14[/url][/quote]
It is lovely - but you might well change your tune if you saw one of their through-neck Precision inspired designs. Stunners - to give you some idea, this is the g*it*r version:

[url="http://fr.audiofanzine.com/img/produits/audiofanet/normal/8/4/84087.jpg"]http://fr.audiofanzine.com/img/produits/au...l/8/4/84087.jpg[/url]

J.

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Just a head-ups on this one in case you're thinking of taking the gamble. No idea what it [i]actually[/i] is, but one thing it definately [i]isn't[/i] is a Tokai, regardless of what the expert says :)

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=250315073764"]Here[/url]

Pluck

Edited by sgt-pluck
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[quote]Gherson TallyCrap P - maybe. Looks tidy anyway:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120320213554"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=120320213554[/url][/quote]

I'd spotted that one - thought I'd take a punt.

Very little information about on Gherson. From what I can gather so far they are Italian/US/Japanese made, and were low/mid/high quality knock-offs of the usual suspects including Ric's plus some mental double-necked SG thing ( rather like [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GHERSON-TWIN-DOUBLE-NECK-SG-60S-VINTAGE-ITALIAN-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ220300056726QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220300056726&_trkparms=72%3A1301|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]this[/url] on 'ere on t'bay ). So not much to go on, but the [i]brand[/i] definately is ( or was ) Italian, and it looks quite nice in the rubbish eBay snaps :) One piece Alder....?

Anyway if it turns out to be nice I'll post pics, otherwise I'll hide it away and pretend it never happened!

Pluck

Edited by sgt-pluck
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[quote name='sgt-pluck' post='316970' date='Oct 28 2008, 06:41 PM']I'd spotted that one - thought I'd take a punt.

Very little information about on Gherson. From what I can gather so far they are Italian/US/Japanese made, and were low/mid/high quality knock-offs of the usual suspects including Ric's plus some mental double-necked SG thing ( rather like [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GHERSON-TWIN-DOUBLE-NECK-SG-60S-VINTAGE-ITALIAN-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ220300056726QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220300056726&_trkparms=72%3A1301|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]this[/url] on 'ere on t'bay ). So not much to go on, but the [i]brand[/i] definately is ( or was ) Italian, and it looks quite nice in the rubbish eBay snaps :unsure: One piece Alder....?

Anyway if it turns out to be nice I'll post pics, otherwise I'll hide it away and pretend it never happened!

Pluck[/quote]

Nice one. :)

So that's three of the crop that Jon posted that have gone to BassChatters - I pulled the trigger on the Aria Cardinal, despite not needing it (or indeed even really wanting it :huh: ). It has to be said I didn't expect to win, thinking I'd either be outbid or fail to reach the reserve - so I'm not entirely sure why I put the bid in. Probably something to do with my CSB 300 now being pretty much exclusively used for all gigging and rehearsal duties, and being so nice I always had the thought at the back of my mind that I should get another for back up. Though precisely how I'll get to use both is beyond me at this moment in time as I never actually take a back up to gigs. :huh:

Oh well... :huh:

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[quote name='sgt-pluck' post='316970' date='Oct 28 2008, 06:41 PM']I'd spotted that one - thought I'd take a punt.

Very little information about on Gherson. From what I can gather so far they are Italian/US/Japanese made, and were low/mid/high quality knock-offs of the usual suspects including Ric's plus some mental double-necked SG thing ( rather like [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GHERSON-TWIN-DOUBLE-NECK-SG-60S-VINTAGE-ITALIAN-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ220300056726QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220300056726&_trkparms=72%3A1301|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]this[/url] on 'ere on t'bay ). So not much to go on, but the [i]brand[/i] definately is ( or was ) Italian, and it looks quite nice in the rubbish eBay snaps :) One piece Alder....?

Anyway if it turns out to be nice I'll post pics, otherwise I'll hide it away and pretend it never happened!

Pluck[/quote]
Gherson's definitely Italian, no US or Japanese connections:

[url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/index/gherson.html"]http://www.fetishguitars.com/index/gherson.html[/url]

I think the 70s Italian copies are quite intriguing - I think it's possible a good proportion of what's taken to be MIJ or MIK might well turn out to be Italian.

J.

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[quote name='spinynorman' post='318572' date='Oct 30 2008, 06:00 PM']So what's this? Apart from an EB3 copy - what's HB?[/quote]

It's a generic Japanese EB3 copy from the mid 70s. Apart from pencils, HB is presumably the logo the importer (Italian presumably, from the auction location) asked the manufacturer to put on the headstock, or the initials of a previous owner.

The headstock itself's quite interesting - it's very, very like 70s Epiphones, but its presence on a mid 70s JapCrap copy is strange. It might suggest the bass is "post lawsuit", ie 1976 or later.

It's also a bit pricey, ain't it?

J.

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[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='317965' date='Oct 29 2008, 09:43 PM']Modded blazer:
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1981-Ibanez-Blazer-Bass-with-Levys-heavy-duty-gigbag_W0QQitemZ280281073002QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280281073002&_trkparms=39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A10|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14"]here[/url][/quote]

Optimistic price that.
Shame it's been modded too - IMHO the original pickup on on the Blazer is a corker.

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Curious about this one @£30 starting bid but no bids. Marlin seems to be Japanese, from what I found online, and it's a precision knockoff. So entirely appropriate for this thread I would think.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-1970S-MARLIN-SLAMMER-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ160295129664QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-1970S-MARLI...4QQcmdZViewItem[/url]

Edit: Bought by a single bidder. Anyone on here?

Edited by Annoying Twit
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[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='318789' date='Oct 31 2008, 07:48 AM']Curious about this one @£30 starting bid but no bids. Marlin seems to be Japanese, from what I found online, and it's a precision knockoff. So entirely appropriate for this thread I would think.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-1970S-MARLIN-SLAMMER-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ160295129664QQcmdZViewItem"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-1970S-MARLI...4QQcmdZViewItem[/url][/quote]

I had a Marlin g****r when I was a kid. They were up against Squiers and that kind of thing, and got good reviews in the mags for a cheapo. Plywood, made in Korea IIRC?

Pluck

Edited by sgt-pluck
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[quote name='sgt-pluck' post='318819' date='Oct 31 2008, 09:31 AM']I had a Marlin g****r when I was a kid. They were up against Squiers and that kind of thing, and got good reviews in the mags for a cheapo. Plywood, made in Korea IIRC?

Pluck[/quote]

A thread I found while googling suggested that the 70s Marlin basses were made in Japan. I'd guess this wouldn't be the case in later decades.

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