Identify this bass?

[Jom]

Hello,
I bought this a while back because I missed my old Westone Thunder & this looked similar & also a lot better. I think it's got the hallmarks of a Matsumoku but can't be sure. It has no identifying marks or serial number to tell of it's construction.
Here are some specs to help;

fretless (hard to tell if de-fretted or not, could have done a really good job)
brass nut
through neck
full scale
truss rod cover says TJG (only identifying mark on it)
heavy
brass cavity plate on back of the bass

At some point it has had Schaller tuners added & Seymour Duncan PJ pup's.
Can find no info on this bass but it does play very well & has a very interesting look.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
thanks,
Jim.

[AndyTravis]

I've got something in my head that stems from having a Brandoni parts catalogue.

Im sure you could buy this bass as just a neck through body to add your own parts - that was branded EKO, but I'm sure EKO just had these made and branded for them.

I'll have a rummage.

Edit - it's not the one I thought, similar but not the same. Sorry.

Edited May 4, 2015 by AndyTravis

[Jom]

I see what you mean.
The headstock is identical to some of those EKO's & the cutaway bottom would agree with that.
It's the horns which realy intrigue me, they're so nicely rounded.
Thanks for the help!

[HowieBass]

I don't think it's a Matsumoku - it's unlike anything I've seen before (though I too recognise the Westone/Aria looking headstock). The layout of the control pots is quite unlike what you'll find on Westone and Aria basses. A bit of a mystery this one!

[Bassassin]

I agree - it's a typical Matsumoku headstock shape, but that's where the similarities end.

It's a unique-looking bass & I'd very much like to see bigger/clearer/more detailed pics.

Jon.

[Jom]

Bit more info for you;

If you google Camac bass/guitars you'll find some extremely similar basses. The branded basses have the logo I've included in the attachments from the 1970's which is definitely from the French company. If you google EKO Camac you can find the same basses. I can't find any info on whether EKO made basses for Camac so am making some assumptions here!
One possibility is that EKO made the bass, went bust, the bass body ended up with Bardoni in London where someone bought it & added new components to it.

What is still of interest to me is;
Who designed the horns for this bass? Is it modified from a Camac bass? The finish isn't the best but it does look original and consistent with a homemade job.
Who is TJG luthier? Customised truss rod cover.....
Is there a connection with EKO, Camac & Matsomuko? That headstock looks too Japanese to be European. Have a look at the EKO BX7 headstock, it's a totally different headstock on an almost identical body (what a beautiful bass by the way, one of the most beautiful basses ever in my opinion)
How did the pots end up like that?

Just can't quite work this bass out. Playing it a lot though

[Bassassin]

Camac is a brand that comes up from time to time on the vintage MIJ boards & discussion groups - there's often an assumption that "affordable" 70s & 80s neck-through builds are by definition Japanese or Korean. This is largely true but the late-period Italian-made Ekos like the BX basses are the exception.

According to the Fetishguitars.com site (which concerns itself predominantly with vintage Italian instruments & is only sporadically in English!) [url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/eko/eko-the-final-years/eko-camac/"]Eko did indeed build for Camac[/url], and these are clear variations on the BX bass design. I think the similarity between Camac headstocks & Matsumoku is either coincidental or just plain copying.

After a bit of digging, I'm confident your bass is an Eko product - some of the Camacs have identical inlays, 5-piece necks, headstocks, & tail cuts. I can't make up my mind though whether it's a different Recanti-made off-brand, or if it's a Camac that's been reshaped & modified. Looking at the Camac/BX body, I think that's possible, so that's what I'm leaning towards right now.

Apropos of nothing, there's an Eko BX (probaly a Brandoni bitsa) on Ebay right now - [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261874822456"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261874822456[/url]

J.