Bassassin

Probably not a bad price if it all works & plays well. If it hadn't been stripped & refinished, I'd think it would be worth a fair amount more. J.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1449599725' post='2925059'] How dare you call me bignose. [/quote] I'm sure he said "blessed are the Bignoses"... J.

[quote name='toneknob' timestamp='1449596243' post='2925029'] Oh no he hasn't: [url="http://prog.teamrock.com/news/2015-12-08/geddy-lee-clarifies-neil-peart-retirement-rumours"]http://prog.teamrock...irement-rumours[/url] [/quote] Member of successful band who absolutely doesn't want to jack it in in desperate wishful thinking shock. Get over it, Bignose, he's quit. Edit - this is the full piece he's written for Drumhead magazine. Seems pretty unequivocal: [url="http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/drumhead-12.2015.php"]http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/drumhead-12.2015.php[/url] J.

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1449590070' post='2924935'] You missed off R1200GS rider... [/quote] I suppose without his boring, never-changing choice of boring motorcycle, he probably wouldn't have written quite so many boring books. Hang on, there's a thought - if he rode an exciting bike, d'you think he'd write similarly exciting books? Nah, I doubt it too... J.

[quote name='randythoades' timestamp='1449588513' post='2924906'] Maya P Bass [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EARLY-70s-MAYA-PRECISION-BASS-FUJIGEN-JAPAN-LAWSUIT-EL-MAYA-JOODEE-ANTORIA-/311498544109?hash=item4886c293ed:g:zpsAAOSwv-NWYNbL"]http://www.ebay.co.u...psAAOSwv-NWYNbL[/url] Very nice looking but overpriced methinks [/quote] And very dodgy, IMO. Screams "bitsa" to me, headstock logo screams fakey transfer, neck looks about 30 years younger than the body, tuners & pups aren't MIJ Mayas were not built by Fujigen, the only thing on this bass that might be is the neckplate. And I'm not even convinced by that. J.

[quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1449564557' post='2924599'] Still on the hunt for another like this one! [/quote] I'd like to hope, so you can sell me that one!

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1449579382' post='2924785'] Gutted, but expected. I was hopeful that they would just retire from touring, but still record new material as Rush. If Clockwork Angels is their final studio album, then they've left on a high note. [/quote] Pretty much what I feel - CA is their best work since Power Windows, in my opinion. TBH their output has been very hit or miss for a long time, the likelihood of another quality album would be pretty low should they record again. Glad I saw them for the last time on the CA tour - touring a new album is what they're meant to do, rather than these nostalgia shows they've been prone to recently. Not that sorry then to miss R40 - but I'll probably buy the BluRay, because I'm weak... Apropos of very little - Peart's retirement: awesome, inspirational, genre-defining drummer, Marmite lyricist, woeful writer. So, which one does he pack in? J.

I expect Flat Eric will be along soon - he's got two! Jon.

This has been pretty much certain since their R40 nostalgia jaunt wrapped up. It's been hard not to get the impression that Peart's been doing it under duress (and for the $$$$$) for the last few years, to be honest. Jon.

Love it. The physical modifications look well though-out and very competently executed. Shame about the scruffy paintjob, but give it a refin up to the standard of the modifications & it'd be a lovely little bass. Jon.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1449488885' post='2923883'] IIRC it was Paul from Arrowhead Guitars who was on a mission to try and buy every version in every colour... [/quote] It was indeed PaulC - when he sold off his fabled collection, I had a blue SBV500 from him, which I still have & use regularly. As others have said, no neck dive. Pretty lightweight, skinny, comfortable Jazz-shaped neck and sounds like a J on steroids. The only downside is trying to find a case or gigbag to fit the thing. That and the fact it's now always going to be the "Doctor Who Bass". Jon.

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1449055496' post='2920345']whats the main differences between a 4001 and a 4003?[/quote] Mostly the redesigned truss rods. The old system was really designed for use with low-tension flatwound strings, bassists exploiting the 4001's naturally aggressive tone started using high-tension rounds, necks started bowing, people started adjusting the rubbish old rods like they were normal ones - and fretboards started popping off! Rick probably started using modern adhesives for construction around this time as well... There are a few other differences - 4003s have a 2-piece neck without the skunk stripe, early ones had heel-end truss adjusters & a 2-part scratchplate for access, and the vintage sound push/pull Chris Wareham mentions is a recent addition. J.

Just to condense everything into the same thread, c/p from the Fakers topic: [quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1449012511' post='2920162'] Yes. One of the best MIJ-era Fakers. [/quote] [quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1449018036' post='2920200'] No cons that I know of. These have a very good reputation, and apart from the generic tuners & single truss rod, they're very accurate copies. More sturdily-built than some of their contemporaries (Matsumoku through-necks have a weak point where neck meets body) and probably better-made than 70s Ricks were. I have a bitsa Faker built around what I'm 99.9% sure (no trc to confirm) was a Shafty body/neck and it's rock-solid and an excellent player. Hardware & electronics were mix & match so I can't comment on the original's sound, but from what others say, they sound the part too. There are a fair few Shaftesbury owners on the[url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/78514186083/"] FB Fakers group[/url], so I'd suggest canvassing them for opinions. If you haven't already... [/quote] From the pics this one looks pretty tidy and original. Apart from the stuff you'd want to check is OK on any 40-odd year-old bass (fret condition, truss rod function, electronics etc), look for cracking & delaminarion of body wings at the neck/body junction - this happens on Matsumoku copies and real Rick 4001s, never seen it on a Shafty but check anyway. It's caused by overly deep routing for the neck pickup, and is understood to be why Rickenbacker eventually moved the neck pickup position on later 4001s & 4003s. As far as I know the same bass as the Shaftesbury was also sold as Cimar (as AT says) El Maya, CMI, JHS and various other brands. These Fakers are a bit of a mystery because as yet it's not clear which factory made them, but they are high quality instruments, many of which have survived the last 4 decades well. The truss rod thing is no big deal - dual rods on a properly-built 4-string bass are really a solution in search of a problem. The original Rick 4000 series design dates back to the 1950s, and up until the 4003 was introduced in the early 80s, had a very crude truss system - basically two strips of metal rather than properly-designed adjustable truss rods. For this reason old Rick necks can be incredibly temperamental. Modern Ricks have standard rods, and really only retain two for tradition's sake, and fortunately all MIJ copies had conventional & reliable truss rods and do not have the same problems as old Rickenbackers. One problem Fakers can share with real Ricks is tail-lift - and even brand-new, 2-grand Ricks can suffer from this. The tailpiece is a hollow, soft alloy casting and over time, string tension can cause the back end to bend up, which can eventually mean the strings no longer seat on the saddles. However, while I'd say 99% of Ricks & MIJ Fakers have this to a degree, severe cases are uncommon, and a slight lift on a 40-year old bass is unlikely to get worse. If push comes to shove, replacement copy tailpieces are £40-odd from Thomann, or a lot of people go for a Hipshot replacement bridge, which IMO is a massive improvement on the original in every way. Jon.

No cons that I know of. These have a very good reputation, and apart from the generic tuners & single truss rod, they're very accurate copies. More sturdily-built than some of their contemporaries (Matsumoku through-necks have a weak point where neck meets body) and probably better-made than 70s Ricks were. I have a bitsa Faker built around what I'm 99.9% sure (no trc to confirm) was a Shafty body/neck and it's rock-solid and an excellent player. Hardware & electronics were mix & match so I can't comment on the original's sound, but from what others say, they sound the part too. There are a fair few Shaftesbury owners on the[url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/78514186083/"] FB Fakers group[/url], so I'd suggest canvassing them for opinions. If you haven't already...

Can't ID it specifically, but it's a pretty generic-looking 60s, maybe early 70s shortscale. I've seen that style trc before, can't place it but it may come to me. Reminds me of mid/late 60s Kawai/Teisco stuff but other factories did make this sort of thing. Lack of badge doesn't mean much really, likely would've been an importer's brand and not much of a clue to its origin. Might be worth your mate signing up to the [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/55074615631/"]Vintage Japanese Guitars FB group[/url] and posting a few pics there. Someone will probably be able to ID it better than I can! J.

[quote name='The-Ox' timestamp='1448999370' post='2919990'] Is the general consensus on shaftesburys a good one? Sorry random question, I just need to know quickly! I'm talking more about the 4001/4003 models [/quote] Yes. One of the best MIJ-era Fakers.

The ad actually says it's a Rockwood LX100B. So, low-end, 90s Korean Hohner sub-brand! J.

Hi. A shame about the damage & deterioration, these basses (especially with the Ibanez brand) are pretty rare and surprisingly collectable these days. I'd suggest the [url="http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php"]Ibanez Collectors forum[/url] as a source of detailed info & potentially for spares too. There's also some relevant FB groups, like the [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/55074615631/"]Vintage Japanese Guitars Fanclub[/url], and the [url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/ibanezvintageguitars/"]Vintage Ibanez group[/url] - if they can't help with your restoration, they'll at least be interested in seeing the bass! It occurs to me that if you can't refurbish & re-use the original bridge parts, then replacement might be costly & problematic. I'm not 100% sure but I suspect the string spacing on your bass will be a fair bit narrower than a Precision, meaning using Fender saddles may not work. The bridge on the Ibanez isn't, as far as I know, a straight copy of a specific Gibson bridge, and there aren't any direct replacements currently available, apart from the rather expensive and not-exactly vintage-looking Hipshot Supertone. Also whether a replacement designed for a Gibson would fit the mountings, I don't know. Hopefully someone on one of the MIJ-related groups/boards bight be able to help. Anyway, as a bit of an MIJ anorak, I can tell you a bit about what you have. It's an [url="http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/1971/15.jpg"]Ibanez 2373B[/url], and the model first appears in a 1971 catalogue. It's cosmetically a pretty close copy of the late 60s Les Paul bass, as opposed to the later & more ornate Triumph. Yours has an open-book headstock which indicates it's pre '76, which was when Ibanez (and most other Japanese brands) stopped using that design. If it's a mid '75-ish bass, it may have a serial number on the neckplate which will give you a manufacturing date. If not, most early Ibanez have Maxon pickups, which often have a date-decodeable serial number inked on the back. Ibanez from this period were made by Fujigen Gakki, who also built the same guitars for brands like Antoria & CSL - both of which are much more common in the UK than Ibanez. Hope this is of interest, (if not exactly much help!), do let us know how it goes Jon.

50-odd minutes to go, still £20. That's the power of a poor listing. Jon.

[quote name='BigAlonBass' timestamp='1448709073' post='2917524'] Alive and well, and living in Throckley, working from home. ;-) [/quote] Delighted to hear it! Last I read on here was that he had some health issues - couldn't help but be concerned. J.

Should still have Motorhead Ace Of Spades tour shirt from 1980 somewhere, might still have a couple of others from the same era but not quite sure what or where they are... I've recently worn my bright red Rush - Hold Your Fire tour shirt from '88. Still fits fine, which is reassuring. Jon.

Last time I saw one of those, it was in Howard Bass Doc's old shop in Newcastle, a very long time ago. Whatever happened to Howard? Jon.

[quote]i want to buy normal fretted bass i miss that its a fret-less[/quote] Strange. In my experience, metal has a tendency to make one deaf, not blind. Jon.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1448520349' post='2916036'] The OTHER guitarist ! [/quote] I know - but you sure little Bruce Watson was singing? Don't think he ever even did BVs, to be honest I always got the impression he was only in the band because Stuart felt a bit sorry for him... J.

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1448498601' post='2916006'] I forgot Big Country! I never seen them and wish I had. I heard they were touring with the guitarist doing the singing ( can't remember his name) can't imagine it being as good, but would still like to see them ! [/quote] Stuart Adamson was the guitarist! And the singer and songwriter. The lineup that's been touring recently is fronted by Mike Peters from The Alarm. Good vocalist but very different to Stuart, I've not seen them so can't comment about whether it works or not. J.