Bassassin

Aaaand - It's the 80s again. Fender - if you're going to do it, at least do it [i]properly[/i]. [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/Various%20Basses%20and%20Guitars/Washburn%20BBR%20Force%208_zpsytwrltbo.jpg.html"][/url]

[quote name='pete.young' timestamp='1485878867' post='3227441'] A Fresher jazz bass. I don't think we've seen one of these for a while: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Fresher-Bass-Guitar-1975-made-In-Japan-/232216063265?hash=item361127ed21:g:pWgAAOSwopRYh4ZD"]http://www.ebay.co.u...WgAAOSwopRYh4ZD[/url] [/quote] Nice bass & an unusual finish for its era. Had [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/299353-quite-tasty-copy/"]its own thread[/url] that no-one paid much attention to...

[quote name='T-Bay' timestamp='1485452563' post='3224087'] You have only just heard it? It was released in 1990 and wasnt cliched when released, may have been copied since....... [/quote] Not cliched? You're possibly oblivious to the fact that by 1990, AC/DC had been re-hashing the same three chord riff & 5-note guitar solo for seventeen years! Firmly in the "should have jacked it in after Bon Scott died" camp.

That's rather cool, and very unusual to see a 70s MIJ copy that's anything other than sunburst or natural. I quite like the odd little inaccuracies in these old copies, part of their charm for me. Fresher's a pretty uncommon brand in the UK, not imported in any great quantities, & possibly not official at all. These are believed to have been made by Chushin Gakki - which basically means this will be the same bass as more common brands like Columbus or Grant. But try finding one of them in white!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1485434751' post='3223930'] That seems very expensive. My Wesley acrylic bass cost £60 second hand. [/quote] Mental inflation! When these first appeared on Chinese sites a few years ago they were about £70. Serioulsy considered buying 10 and selling them on at £150 a pop.

Don't know if anyone on here has. Someone on the FB group was talking about the pickups (didn't like the J unit) but hasn't - as far as I know - talked about its build & playability etc.

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1485374761' post='3223514'] I had a p-bass (Axl player series) Changed everything out on it and had a fender neck on it. Was about 14/15lbs. [/quote] This is mine, also used to be an Axl: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:57742] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:57744] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:57743] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:57745] Looks awesome but weighs 13lbs meaning I've never gigged it. Also sadly the neck is junk, despite looking nice. Would make a great wallhanger but I wouldn't trust a guitar hanger - or my walls - to support it.

[quote name='2x18' timestamp='1485110978' post='3221192'] Westone Rail in Kings Lynn here ; [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Westone-Headless-Bass-guitar-1985-black-westone-gig-bag-collectable-Vintage-/182430523850?hash=item2a79b4e1ca:g:h1oAAOSwA3dYhPQw"]http://www.ebay.co.u...1oAAOSwA3dYhPQw[/url] [/quote] Gone now - guessing it was £200 BIN? Probably just as well, I likely wouldn't have been able to help myself...

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1485015715' post='3220442'] Rush: Presto and Roll The Bones, vilified even by Rush fans, but I like them both - a lot. [/quote] Not my favourite Rush albums - but far from their worst. There are a couple of stinkers apiece but that's always been par for the course with Rush, and the worst thing about these albums is Rupert Hine's anaemic production. And his horrid, nasal BVs, of course. But otherwise some great playing, writing and a few proper Rush classics. On the subject of Rush, I'll raise you Vapor Trails - seems to be universally despised by Rush fans but for me stands out as probably their best post-80s work. Genuinely challenging & inventive musically, and the best & most genuine lyrics of Pearts career, considering the very dark place from which they came. The production of the original release was dreadful (a theme with Rush, IMO) but not enough to overshadow the music, and the later remix fixed most of those issues.

I think that crack is likely the consequence of the bass having been on the receiving end of some violence. Possibly involving being chucked down the stairs or under a bus. Or both.

Do you think there'd be a significant discount if you sent him your own Nan's curtains?

Bargain alert, at least from where I'm standng: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vox-Standard-Bass-/172493612892"]Vox Standard (with DiMarzio Model P)[/url] - £85 BIN, £25 post. Couple of cosmetic knocks but looks in good order, s/n suggests '83, these are generally assumed to be Matsumoku.

Looks like that's as good as it gets - plenty of places in the States will sell you 20 of these for £3 and then want £15-odd to post them to you. There are probably cheaper suppliers in China - but you wouldn't get them until April!

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1484690896' post='3217635'] It's 100% an Antigua. [/quote] Happy to accept the verdict of an expert - which I'm not! Only wondered because looking at a larger image of the J pup, the route looks very clean indeed - and from the appearance of the top r/h corner, looks like it's painted inside. Sort of looks manufactured. Romeo2 - any chance of clearer, bigger pics?

Recommend Gibson-size screws if you don't mind waiting for them to cross the pond: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-NEW-STAINLESS-STEEL-to-REPLACE-GIBSON-PICKGUARD-SCREWS-SG-FIREBIRD-MELODY-M-/172455716047"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/50-NEW-STAINLESS-STEEL-to-REPLACE-GIBSON-PICKGUARD-SCREWS-SG-FIREBIRD-MELODY-M-/172455716047[/url] Not exactly the same as the MIJ originals but pretty close & way better than trying to use massive Fender-type ones!

In fairness it might be a Sunn, just so's there's a tenuous Fender connection.

[quote name='Sibob' timestamp='1484637507' post='3216963'] Well spotted! Zooming in, it does look strange, the overhang on one side etc. Might be able to be modified by a luthier to fit a standard J replacement shape, but who knows. Si [/quote] Just had another look & I think I'm wrong - I think it's a standard J pup bobbin minus the cover, with a screw stuck through each end. Upscaled the pic to make it a bit clearer: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/Various%20Basses%20and%20Guitars/antigua%20P%20with%20odd%20J%20pup_zpsedlknzti.jpg.html"][/url] It's not one of them Aria thingys - they had rounded ends. Are we absolutely sure this is an Antigua?

That's not a Fender J pickup, or any sort of standard J-type - so unless you did additional routing you couldn't put a different/better pickup in it. With the adjusting screws evidently at the ends, this looks like the sort used on some Aria J copies from the 70s.

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1484585563' post='3216528'] A nice bass? [/quote] Certainly a nicer bass. My first thought was Ibanez SR or SRX - modern ones use the same bridge and the control cover's the right shape, but other things don't match up. So not that, but something related - a different Ibby, or something from the same factory - a Cort, maybe. Edit - pups & bridge would match a Cort GB74.

These are both cool IMO - the Cimar looks to be a Fujigen build, going on the s/n (despite the Ibanez/Hoshino connection I think most of them weren't), and the Takeharu is just a great-looking & unusual bass. This - or one the same - has been on before a few times - can't remember when. I think it might be a little more reasonably priced now, assuming bidding doesn't go mad. I think I've also seen this design with a different brand but not sure.

I sort of like this... I think you should go the whole hog & reverse the scratchplate & controls too - although that'd be easier starting with an unrouted slab body.

[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1484494104' post='3215857'] AFAIK it's not a Dimarzio (or at least it wasn't in my Thunder 1), but the design is closely based on theirs. [/quote] Correct - definitely not a DiMarzio, although a few MIJ basses from that era did have them as standard. Westone called their pickup a "Magnet-F 600B". Whatever that means. And it really is high time someone posted this: [url="http://www.westone.info/indexthunderbass.html"]http://www.westone.info/indexthunderbass.html[/url]

Sounds like a good, straightforward project. Have you joined the Rickenfakers FB group? Plenty of people there who can help with the likes of replacement pickups & custom trcs. Everything else sounds easy enough though. Shame the original tuners are gone - never seen a set of these turn up. Oh - one rod or two?

Typically these are about £150 on Ebay, a bit less on here, but £150's a realistic price to expect to pay for a nice one. Bolt-neck,3 knobs & 2 switches is a 1A. The good thing about these is that they are very common - they were extremely popular & built like tanks meaning there are still loads around and bargains frequently turn up. At £230 this isn't one!