Annoying Twit

[quote name='flyfisher' post='1016673' date='Nov 8 2010, 06:27 PM']I'd agree with that, but can anyone think of any famous band where any of the individual members have gone on to bigger things?[/quote] Brian Eno from Roxy Music.

I think I spotted a bass players wearing gloves meme. Sometimes I wake up early in the morning, and have often taken the opportunity to practice some bass. But, the heating isn't yet on, and my hands are cold. Given that it would be bad for the environment and the pocket etc. to turn the heating on, I was wondering about gloves, and think I remember people here wearing gloves while playing. If so, what types/brands of gloves do people wear when playing? Do you buy regular gloves and chop the finger ends off, or do you buy already fingertipless gloves?

[quote name='tauzero' post='1021079' date='Nov 12 2010, 10:12 AM']I can't help but think that putting his BIN up to nearly 2k is really shooting himself in the foot to spite his face. I watch quite a few things without bidding on them. If I sell something, I don't assume that every watcher is going to bid on it. You'd think that the seller (who IIRC has a feedback of over 500) would have been able to work that out by now.[/quote] I've also watchlisted the bass Just bought something non-bass on ebay (though made in Japan and from the 80s ). The seller told me I was lucky to get it as there were 60 watchers. Hmmm...... I thought it was something to do with me deciding that I wanted one now and paying the going rate rather than waiting for a bargain.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1020765' date='Nov 11 2010, 10:13 PM']I recognise the fret-end system on that Antoria - same as I had on this: [url="http://tinypic.com/a/z8zs/3"]http://tinypic.com/a/z8zs/3[/url][/quote] Not that I will be bidding on the Antoria, but I'm curious to know how nice your Ibanez was. 1972 is, I thought, before the golden era of Japanese instruments. How was it?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Antoria-Precision-Bass-Fretless-Japan-70s-/300492119662?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item45f6b9de6e"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Antoria-Prec...=item45f6b9de6e[/url] I want this, after a very positive experience trying out a Yamaha RBX250F, but caned my equipment buying budget elsewhere.

Shaftesbury. First time in ages I've spotted one which hasn't been posted yet. (I hope). [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-bass-guitar-Rickenbacker-copy-/260690822658?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cb2624602"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Shaftesbury-bass-gui...=item3cb2624602[/url]

Which bass is it at the beginning of this youtube clip? [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21yu3RG80lU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21yu3RG80lU[/url]

[quote name='squire5' post='1018972' date='Nov 10 2010, 04:39 PM']I googled it and read a couple of favourable reviews on the Amazon website.I was actually looking for a cheap Jazz to defret as a pastime over the cold winter months.Hmmmm.......[/quote] Johnny Brook? Second hand Aria STB Jazz? Both would be a fraction of the price of the Starcaster. I'm not sure I could imagine buying an argos bass when I can get a VMJ for £225 or thereabouts.

I had a go on one of these in a second hand shop. Not having really tried to play a fretless before, I was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed playing it. I just assumed if I tried to play a fretless it would be a disaster, but I didn't find it difficult at all. Perhaps if I'd listened back to what I was playing I would change my mind . But, I found it surprisingly (for me) enjoyable to play. Has anyone played one of these? If so, what was your impression? Perhaps I should try playing a number of lined fretless basses to see how I get on.

[quote name='rasher80' post='896492' date='Jul 16 2010, 12:05 PM']I like the VMJ colour option in black. Wonder if they'll do it lefty [/quote] I randomly ran into one of these in a local shop. Not having seen this thread or the announcement, I was surprised to see a black Squier Jazz with DD pickups. Overall impression is that it looks really nice.

[quote name='Johnston' post='1007498' date='Oct 31 2010, 05:11 PM']For your point three Exactly and thats how I would look at it too. . Although I would say those things that need a human touch such as the fret dressing and quality of solder joints should be on par unless one is purposefully rushed and accepted QC levels are purposefully lower. Or of course they have lesser experienced folk on lesser pay doing a cheaper job for some brands.[/quote] I read somewhere that at one point the Rockbasses were being built at the same factory that was producing some Warwick branded instruments. For the Warwicks, several hours of labour was spent on finishing including frets. For the Rockbasses, about 30 minutes. I may have my details wrong here, but the general concept applies. Allocate more time to a job, and a better job can be done. Even if the person doing the job is the same.

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1007440' date='Oct 31 2010, 04:08 PM']1. The people telling you this have a vested interest in "bigging up" the reputation of the Rockinbetter basses by associating them (tenuously) with the Tokai brand. They know that none of us are going to be jetting out to the far east any time soon to check the veracity of these claims. Also I personally wouldn't trust the Bass Centre to tell me the time of day.[/quote] I emailed Tokai UK to check out the veractiy of these claims. They gave me a clear answer. Rockinbetter is nothing to do with Tokai.

[quote name='tino' post='1007169' date='Oct 31 2010, 12:43 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electra-X-940-and-full-set-modules-/180581376353?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2a0b7d2161"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Electra-X-940-and-fu...=item2a0b7d2161[/url] Ok not a bass but a beauty none the less[/quote] If we had a non-bass sticky thread, then we could also discuss other stuff, but people who don't want to see (e.g.) six string llistings could ignore it.

We (speaking more widely than just for this form) really need a Japanese Instruments Wiki or something so that all this information can be stored and easily accessible. Searching online does get some information, but if there was a wiki, and this info was put into it, it would make things so much easier. Wikipedia won't work as their requirements for external documentation/referencing of information is too strict. £128 does seem a good price for the Shiro bass, but £249 (or whatever) not so much. I don't think I'd want to pay more for the Shiro than I would for one of the neck through Lincoln basses.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1980s-Aria-Matsumoku-Made-Japanese-Shiro-Bass-/320609897674?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4aa5d6ccca"]Shiro Bass[/url]. Listing claims that it's Matsumoku made, but in previous threads by Jon disagree. Wherever it was made (and my money's on Jon ), I think it looks very nice. Fair bit of the right type of wear on the back though.

CMI bass sells for £99, then back on with a £99 starting bid. NPB? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-VINTAGE-MADE-JAPAN-1980s-/120637918604?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c16948d8c"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-V...=item1c16948d8c[/url] [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-VINTAGE-MADE-JAPAN-1980s-/120637907948?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c169463ec"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-V...=item1c169463ec[/url] Edit: It has sold for £119 before. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-VINTAGE-MADE-JAPAN-1980s-/120631084281?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c162c44f9"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Presicion-bass-V...=item1c162c44f9[/url] Edit: Is it just me, or does quite a bit of the "information I found on the web" sound quite Bassassin-ish?

[quote name='Bassassin' post='999569' date='Oct 25 2010, 12:03 AM']That's the weirdness of Ebay for you right there - I'm sure I've never seen a 6-bolt EB-0 copy before (I would remember!) and now, they're like buses. Amaze.[/quote] Here's a comment from the seller of the £750 one. I've edited out his first name. [quote]You sharp-eyed little sausage you!!!! looks identical...well spotted. However he's selling his too cheap. All the best. *****. PS. To be honest I don't want to sell mine for a few quid, it's such a cute little bass guitar I'd sooner keep it. I've already got a collection of 40 to 50 basses hanging on every wall in the house so it's not a desperation sell, but if I get a decent offer, I'll buy the one you have mentioned and start again...LOL. Cheers and thanks for your interest.[/quote]

[quote name='Paul S' post='998622' date='Oct 24 2010, 08:24 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GIBSON-EB-0-COPY-BASS-GUITAR-JACK-BRUCE-LED-ZEPPLIN-/130447092224?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1e5f40aa00"]A new listing made me laugh[/url]. Gibson EBO copy, the lister has no idea what make but it 'feels Japanese' and 'could have been made at the famous Fuji Gen-gakki factory'. A bargain at £750.[/quote] Now on for £10 starting bid. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Bass-guitar-like-Gibson-EB-Series-/200535265538?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item2eb0d55102"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CMI-Bass-guitar-like...=item2eb0d55102[/url] Edit: Oh, that's a different seller. Same 6 bolt neck though.

Just when I was getting bored thinking that the CMI Jazz Basses which were just a bit overpriced weren't interesting enough to post, along comes this. £3k worth of JapCrap bass? [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Greco-Roland-Synclavier-Rare-Bass-Guitar-Synthesizer-/320607592839?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4aa5b3a187"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Greco-Roland-Synclav...=item4aa5b3a187[/url]

[quote name='noelk27' post='994016' date='Oct 19 2010, 07:51 PM']You might laugh, but it relates to known "parallel" production. "X" factory, based in China, is commissioned to produce 10,000 units of "Y" product for "Z" brand. "X" instead produces 15,000 units, 10,000 of which are given official serials, 5,000 of which are not given serials, or are allocated "unauthorised" serials, having been approached by "A" distributor, a holding of front "corporation". "X" takes a cash payment and then exports the 5,000 unauthorised units through an offshore intermediary, based in Taiwan, where the goods are circulated to, mostly, Internet-based "retailers". Up to this point it's exactly what you imagine, a money laundering or directly criminal concern, but here's the little stroke of genius - the "retailers" expect people to be suspicious of large purchases, but not suspicious of small purchases, so concentrate their efforts manufacturing high street brands, of the size and nature that the average (wo)man in the street wouldn't even think to stop to consider the aunthenticity of when purchasing. In this area eBay are most usually acting on the latest advise from the relevant criminal investigation authorities.[/quote] In this scenario, the fakes are the same quality and specification as the real thing. I don't believe this to be the case for many bass fakes. Just look at the horrible pictures of so called "Rickenbacker"s on TradeTang.com. And Rickenbacker isn't getting Chinese factories to make official Rickenbackers.

£66.66. Very close to being the starting price of the beast. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SHORT-SCALE-JAPANESE-TEISCO-JEDSON-TELE-BASS-GUITAR-MIJ-/260681286069?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cb1d0c1b5"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SHORT-SCALE-JAPANESE...=item3cb1d0c1b5[/url]

He bought this "Legend" branded bass. I wonder if we'll see it for sale as well. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270647153314"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270647153314[/url]

Ebay listing claims that this is a "Cimar branded Ibanez Blazer". Not sure if that's true, but the headstock seems to check out. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Roadstar-Bass-Cimar-Branded-1984-Precision-/120634713996?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c1663a78c"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ibanez-Roadstar-Bass...=item1c1663a78c[/url] Edit: I haven't been posting SB1000s here as they turn up a bit too often to be notable. However, there's something about the grain of this one that I like. Though, it could be the white balance on the camera [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-II-SB1000-Bass-Guitar-/150507980241?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item230af985d1"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-II-SB1000-B...=item230af985d1[/url]

[quote name='spinynorman' post='990445' date='Oct 16 2010, 06:19 PM']Spoilsport! He does say it's been on his wall. Two necks, twice the fun (No, I wouldn't pay £500 for it either).[/quote] I succumbed to the temptation to buy a double neck for £110 because it was cool. A decision I now regret.