Bassassin

I'd guess it's early 90s from the styling, which puts it outside of the 80s Matsumoku era of your TSBs & Lasers, and 99.9% likely Korean-made. Post - MIJ Arias have never had the same kudos as they did in their heyday, but have remained consistently good quality - and there are some proper bargains out there. I quite like the green. Jon.

[quote name='nigec' timestamp='1467648964' post='3085141'] the pin strip around the edge would be my worry.. [/quote] That's a thin laminated layer between the top and the back of the body rather than a painted pinstripe. I'd leave it too - high gloss finishes on figured timber like this look amazing. J.

[quote name='funkyjimbob' timestamp='1467645775' post='3085111'] Thanks for the advice.. The only issue here is I am not very 'hands-on' with bass DIY stuff and the thought of myself going at a £8500 bass with a scourer isn't really appealing to me if I'm perfectly honest. [/quote] Understandable, that's an expensive bass. But however much or little a bass costs, it's still just a piece of lacquered wood, and to change it, someone will have to have significant physical contact with it. Using mild abrasives to dull its existing finish is a whole lot less risky than attempting to strip a finish and replace it with something different. J.

Totally does not need an expensive refin - Geek99's pot scourer suggestion will have exactly the same result, with the advantage that if you (or a subsequent owner) wants to re-gloss it, you can do that with T-Cut & elbow grease. You'll also find a matt finish - however it's achieved - will very quickly gloss up with use, meaning use of the pot scourer is a useful skill to have! Jon.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1467618208' post='3084806'] Double Double buy it!!!!!!! [/quote] At current MIJ Faker prices, it'd still be a bargain if he did... J.

If it's MIJ and in reasonable/good condition, buy it. If it actually is an Ibanez (ie it says Ibanez on the trc) then double buy it. Any questions regarding MIJ Rick copies, ask away, I do know a little about them. NB it's perfectly OK to talk about them & post pics on here, we just can't offer them for sale. [quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1467539506' post='3084315'] Great basses, very accurate copies & highly regarded amongst the Faker fraternity. [/quote] Actually the early 2388Bs were wildly inaccurate in several respects! Still top quality & gorgeous, though. Jon.

He did get back to me, surprisingly. I'm prepared to accept - implausible though it might be - that it was a genune error. [quote] [b] Thank you for letting me know. I was not aware that it was a copy, but further research after your message seems to prove it is indeed a Hohner. I will now remove the listing. Thanks again. Simon.[/b] [/quote] In fairness if he actually paid Steinberger money for it 20 years ago, he'll easily make his fifty quid back. J.

[quote name='lowregisterhead' timestamp='1467542802' post='3084361'] Do let us know if he replies. If he's had it for 20 years as he claims, you'd think he would know what it is, or isn't... [/quote] You would, wouldn't you? Not really expecting a response. J.

It's not just a Hohner, it's a botched, butchered Hohner that looks like it's been in a ditch since 1986. WTF is wrong with people? Edit: In the spirit of Being Nice I sent him this note: [quote]Hi - just thought it reasonable to let you know that unfortunately your bass is not a Steinberger XL5. What it is is a Hohner B5, which is a Korean-made, licenced Steinberger copy, constructed from wood rather than carbon graphite. As such, and considering its poor condition, it's probably worth about one tenth of its starting price. It's still an uncommon & good quality bass but even in A1 condition its value would only be around the £300 mark.[/quote] Jon.

Last year I gave an as-new Cort T-34 bass (with a quite amazing finish) and a not-too-reliable Behringer head to a builder/aspiring bassist, in part-payment for a (bodged) concrete garage base. Otherwise I've actually made money on stuff I've sold, or just lost a few quid. I currently have a silly number of instruments sitting around and getting neither played or sold, because I know I'll lose money if I sell them now. Do need to bite the bullet, really. Jon.

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1467289691' post='3082546'] Why do the pawn shops around here never have anything like that?!?! [/quote] To be fair, the ones near me have things that look like this: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/CSL%20Jazz/CSLoriginal%20upscale_zpswmli7jh0.jpg.html"][/url] Bought it to give it a wipe, stick a scratchplate & new strings on it & flip it. Couldn't believe how well it played when I got it home. That was about 13 years ago. J.

Not really my sort of thing, but - blimey. That's a piece of history right there. Could've given it a clean though! Every time I see an old Wal I'm reminded of the time I saw one sitting in the shop window of Round Sounds record shop in Wishaw, with a £200 price sticker on it. But that was 1981, I was very young, very poor and a long way from home. Jon.

Good opportunity to point out once again that my £60 pawn shop MIJ Jazz copy is the nicest bass I've ever played: [url="http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/LanterneRouge/media/CSL%20Jazz/CSLresize1_zpskufavwxd.jpg.html"][/url] If I was ever in the position to spend silly money on a custom bass, most of it would be a replica of this thing! J.

That's a Laser Electric Heritage, Matsumoku build. Nice bass and easily a bargain. Welcome to the world of Vintage MIJ! Jon.

Let's see some pics! If it's 80s MIJ & you paid £130 you probably got a bargain. Jon.

Looks to be a good price. It's an RS800, '78 or '79ish, all original apart from a missing control cover and in pretty decent condition for its age. Sensible postage too. If it was £50 less I'd probably buy it to flip it, then decide I liked it & keep it. Like all the rest. Jon.

It's true. Never met, known or worked with a drummer who hasn't, in one way or another, been a flakey weirdo. And over 35-odd years of playing music, that's a lot of drummers. I would say it's something to do with the mindset involved in making music by banging stuff with sticks, but being a flakey weirdo myself, I don't think I'm entitled to any sort of opinion... Jon.

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1466858704' post='3079402'] This doesn't happen very often, but I'll have to correct Jon The Jolana D-Bass is 34" scale, [/quote] Ta for putting me straight Chris, my info came direct from the sale thread for this very bass on the relevant FB group! No personal experience with these (despite about 15 years worth of GAS) so I'm certainly no authority. Correct me if I'm wrong - but the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jolana-D-Bass-/222162648326"]bass Paul's bought[/url] is the same one pictured on your site, isn't it? J

Hah! I nearly bought that on the Rickenfakers FB group! If the guy had been up for a trade, I probably would have... This is more a Rick-shaped bass than a proper copy, If you're OK with the uncontoured front (which I find a bit uncomfortable but bearable on my Fakers) then broadly it's unlikely to be much out of the ordinary. I've never played a Jolana so I'm no authority but clearly you won't have to contend with rubbish unfunctional bridges, clanky pickups with thumb-lacerating surrounds, chubby parallel necks and all those other Rick peculiarities. These do have a 33" scale but as far as I know that & the shape are all it really has in common with a real Rick. If it turns out you hate it, chances are it won't be too hard to find it a new home. Jon.

[quote name='Coldflows' timestamp='1466606708' post='3077191'] I have seen one on ebay that might be close : [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sanox-Sound-Creator-/272254332369?hash=item3f639f6dd1:g:5uoAAOSw2GlXHfTZ"]http://www.ebay.co.u...uoAAOSw2GlXHfTZ[/url] [/quote] Oh god, don't! Must. Not. Buy. Guitar.

Having had a few low-end MIJ EB-wannabes, I understand your scepticism! J.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1466596530' post='3077064'] '82 Washburn SB-40, not cheap but looks nice. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Washburn-SB-40-EQ-1982-Matsumoku-/182179481721?hash=item2a6abe4879:g:hqIAAOSwbYZXYFXm"]http://www.ebay.co.u...qIAAOSwbYZXYFXm[/url] [/quote] That's our very own [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/284874-washburn-sb-40eq-1982-matsumoku-graceland-ish-feeler-read-info/"]Andy Travis selling that[/url], and I hope he gets the asking price. I have the passive version (identical apart from the electronics) and these are stunning, beautifully-made basses. I'd be very interested myself if I didn't already have one. J.