Bassassin

I'd say Peavey C4 Zephyr, de-fretted, soapbars binned & replaced with Js in weird-looing surrounds which cover the holes. A refin or maybe T-cut/elbow grease to make it shiny. Jon.

[quote name='Jom' timestamp='1443875315' post='2878368'] Just picked up a Hohner P bass (1972) from ebay as well. [/quote] This one? It was also for sale on here. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/265389-nbd-hohner-70s-p-bass/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/265389-nbd-hohner-70s-p-bass/[/url] That's a 1976 Moridaira build, if so, reliably dated from the Maxon pickup code. Very nice & original - don't mod it too much! J.

One of these has been my no.1 bass for about the last 10 or so years now. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:66973] Mine's been somewhat modified over the time I've had it - DiMarzio Model Js, Schaller 3D bridge, stacked pots & vulgar scratchplate - but the main thing's the neck. It's still the best-playing bass I've had my mitts on, and the one I'd grab first if the house was on fire! These actually date from around 1980 and were also sold branded as Cimar: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:15345] Cimar was owned by Hoshino Gakki, who also own the Ibanez brand. At this point Hoshino were positioning Cimar as a sub-brand of Ibanez, so they share some features with Ibby designs of this era. The headsock on these CSL/Cimars is the same as the Mk1 Ibanez Blazer (which was also sold as the Cimar Stinger!) and when the Blazer was redesigned, the Cimars got the same headstock: The Ibanez association tends to make people assume that Cimars/CSLs were made by Fujigen, but in the case of these basses, I'm not so sure. Nothing to do with the quality and more to do with the hardware & details - on a post-'75 Fujigen, I'd expect a serial number on the neckplate. Fujigen didn't tend to use those rounded-end J pups, even on their "lawsuit era" copies, also the torque-adjustable 3-screw tuners don't appear on any Fujigen builds I'm aware of. However they do appear on Tokais of the early 80s era, and (I think) some Kawai-built basses. Anyway - regardless of who made them, these are great basses and it's good to see another one turn up on BC. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1443864260' post='2878226'] Here is a nice looking Aria P2 SB1000, though the description suggests that the condition isn't quite what the photos suggest. The owner is selling it to fund a ukulele. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aria-Pro-2-SB1000-1980-Bass-Guitar-/161842494856?hash=item25ae907d88"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item25ae907d88[/url] [/quote] It's a bit light on pics of the rear buckle rash - but from what you can see it's nothing compared to the back of the SB-R Elite I picked up last year! The wear's in the exact same place, though. J.

Cort are OEM manufacturers for numerous big brands - my Cort-built Ibanez EDA900 plays beautifully & is faultlessly put together - even if the sound & look are an acquired taste. Over the years I've had numerous Cort-built guitars & basses, notably from the Hohner Professional range, and been very impressed. I also had a quite lovely Cort T34 bass quite recently from another BCer - very Ibanez SR-ish in sound & feel. Sadly sold now for reasons of space & money. I'd say as a brand they're a lot of bass for the money. Jon.

Coincidentally, just (10 minutes ago) found this linked on a non-music forum. How very serendipitous. So - Battle of the Fat, Middle-Aged, Rubbish Dad Bands, then? We will very probably be up for that... Jon.

Love the Ronseal headstock refin! Jon.

[quote name='basshead56' timestamp='1443650890' post='2876689'] [attachment=201797:rickyfaker.jpg] Anyone know much about these Aria's? One inbound... [/quote] Old (late 60s/early70s), made by Matsumoku, not very common at all, and them ain't the original tuners. Jon.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1443437717' post='2874586'] You don't need to take it apart to see if it's ply. If the black of the sunburst extends over the belly cut as well as the forearm contour (as can be seen in the photo in the OP) then it is almost definitely ply. Not that it particularly matters if you like the sound and feel of the bass. [/quote] Well, to be pedantic, what those big oversprays tell you is that it's not a solid, single piece of timber. Many 70s MIJ basses (including an Ibanez P copy I own and a Fujigen-build J I recently traded) had this finish concealing a butcher-block build with front & back veneers - a cut above ply but not quite solid wood. Years ago I also had a Columbus Jazz with the same construction, and have seen it on numerous good-quality Gibson guitar copies. I still maintain that without any idea what's under the ashtrays, it's not possible to assess this bass in any kind of meaningful way. It may or may not be the same as Flickr Guy's bass (take the hashtag out of the link if you want it to actually work!) but personally I doubt the judgement of someone who can't even do simple & basic research regarding his main question about the CMI brand. J.

That's been a nice pre-'76 Fujigen build,same as Ibanez & Antoria. In that state, £35 is about what it's worth. Jon.

This CMI isn't necessarily a "low quality" bass. Importers tended to sell different levels of build within the same ranges. The only things I can tell from the pic are that it's probably in original condition and it really needs a clean. Value-wise, if I was selling I'd hope for £150+, buying I'd want to pay under a ton. J.

Still lots of grey areas & misinformation out there about copy-era MIJ stuff. BigRedX is on the money about CMI, a sub-brand of Marshall amps who sourced from various suppliers- including UK - built Ned Callan. However I don't think this bass is Fujigen, Matsumoku or Moridaira. Most of the CMIs I've seen have been identical to low-end Mayas, which many MIJ experts now believe to have originated from Chushin Gakki. Regarding upgrading it - that's going to depend on the original pickup routing, which may well be for the square 8-pole Maxons or little chrome Tele-style units which were both common on these basses. Jon.

I did message the guy with what I know about these, to his credit he's published my message. Hasn't re-worded the actual listing or its title, though... J.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1442998177' post='2871205'] OK I'll explain despite the fact that IMO this is just another inverse snobbery trolling thread. [/quote] Why do you think that? Genuinely interested. J.

Silly, silly bargain. Like Eric says,these can be variable but good ones are very good. Early 80s, made in Korea by Cort, some lovely details like the triple dot brass inlays. You often see these being fobbed off on Ebay as Matsumoku builds, priced £200+. Someone needs to buy this, if only to stop that happening! J.

About 10 years or so back, I was buying & selling a lot of 70s & 80s MIJ basses & guitars, basically picking them up cheap, cleaning/repairing/setting up, and then selling them on. I came across a scruffy CSL-branded Jazz copy in a local pawn shop, which I took home for £60 - fully intending to tidy it up & flip it, as was my wont at the time. Still got it now, just can't get over how well it plays. I have a good few basses, one or two of which cost more than £60 - but if I could only keep one, it'd be the CSL. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:12515] [sharedmedia=core:attachments:66973] Jon.

[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1442875821' post='2870254'] He's obviously typed his serial number in, and it's given him the Japanese E-Series information. Seen a few MIK basses up for silly money recently. [/quote] Apropos of not a great deal, I currently have an E-serial MIJ Squier Strat (Fujigen, 84-87) and an E-serial MIK Fenix "Strat" (Young-Chang, 1989). That Young Chang geezer knew his stuff - the Fenix p!sses all over the Squier. And looks cooler. J.

There was a thread about this when it was first listed a few months back. Despite the similarities to many through-neck MIJ basses, these were Italian, variations on Eko's BX basses built for Camac, which appears to have been a German label: [url="http://www.fetishguitars.com/eko/eko-the-final-years/eko-camac/"]http://www.fetishgui...ears/eko-camac/[/url] This particular bass appears to have had its body shape modified at some point, I'm fairly confident it was the standard Eko BX shape when it was made. The seller seems to assume it's an MIJ because of the through-neck construction, which he presumably thinks was invented by & exclusive to Matsumoku. Someone should show him an Alembic. Jon.

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1442836771' post='2869823'] Yes, it can go seriously wrong.... You might actually like it! Then you won't be able to sell and THEN where would you be?!! [/quote] Entirely unsurprised! J.

Easy £150 whatever the cosmetic condition. Must not buy-to-flip... J.

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1442824286' post='2869643'] Wasn't it two individuals originally? [/quote] Three, according to Wikipedia: [quote]The company was founded in 1956 by three brothers, Jai-Young Kim, Jai-Chang Kim and Jai-Sup Kim.[/quote] Originally making pianos for Yamaha, but over the years diversifying into various corners of instrument manufacture. However I'm sure the Ebay myth of Young Chang the master luthier (protegee of his dad, Old Chang) will continue to grow legs. Did you know those old Avons & Shaftesburys were actually hand-made in a shed in Clapham, by a prodigiously talented 13-year old called Rosie Morris? True that. J.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1442780426' post='2869469'] And also for a Hohner Rockwood: It could actually be what it says it is. [/quote] I never noticed it says "Rockwood" in the title! ffs. J.

I'm always faintly bemused by the way Ebay numpties invariably claim that the Korean Young-Chang factory is an individual. Why? Jon.

[quote name='colgraff' timestamp='1442644719' post='2868376'] The fact that the bass is filthy and the picture was taken outside makes me wonder what the inside of the house is like.... [/quote] Photo taken within 10 minutes of handing over a fiver for it at the car boot. It's never been "home", wherever that is! J.

I have, and they were. Interesting, I thought "Rockoon" was a Japan-market exclusive brand. Seeing a "Schaller Rockoon" listed in Germany sheds a bit of light on the origin of an obvious MIJ Rick copy I came across, branded as Schaller. Presumably it's likely to be a Kawai. A Rockoonbacker, perhaps. J.