Bassassin

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1432369121' post='2780832'] Rolf Spuler also designed the Ibanez Affirma bass. [/quote] First thing I clocked on that odd guitar was the AFR-ish lower horn. Had no idea Spuler had died. RIP. A long time ago I missed out on a badly-listed one of these on Ebay. Sold for about £100. Jon.

I quite like this one: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:71956] Jon.

I watched this with my other half, who sings in my band & is very supportive of my GAS habit. She says: "What's that he's playing". Me: "Quite possibly the most disgusting bass I've ever seen". Not a whole lot of help, I know... Jon.

There are a lot of nice-looking, accurate Jazz copies out there. There are also a lot of shonky, knockoff headstock decals - including 80s Tokai. So, putting 2+2 together... Jon.

Cor! Makes me wish I needed another fretless. Plus he's half an hour down the bypass from me. Jon.

Definitely wasn't born with that functionless piece of junk on it. Looks like a generic Tune/Nanyo/SR wannabe that someone thought would be improved by bodging a Rick copy (it's not a real one) tailpiece on. It's misaligned, the string spacing is stupidly narrow & I'd be prepared to bet it's impossible to set up or intonate correctly. So it's just like a Rickenbacker now! Jon.

It is indeed a horrible country & western-ised Jazz copy, nothing more. J.

It's a 60s Teisco. A keen collector might pay £150 or so for this. Jon.

Ibanez RB888 or MC888 "Bean" bass. Small bodied variants of the 80s Roadstars & Musicians - if you can find one. Jon.

Not too common (you see the Antoria-badged version more over here) but they typically fetch £500+. This one does look in good nick, which is unusual - it's very common to see the lower part of the headstock either missing or badly repaired, and many of these were subject to typical abuse suffered by lots of inexpensive 70s MIJs. No idea what the price for the recent reissue is, but it is a ltd edition & I doubt many - if any - made it to the UK. I suppose that might push prices of good originals up - but £1500 is bloody ridiculous. And yes - it is f***in' ghastly. Jon.

[quote name='Coldflows' timestamp='1432333758' post='2780689'] The antoria pickup FINALLY turned up. Many thanks to bassassin as it fits perfectly. Will hopefully have a look at the wiring over the weekend and free the blooming saddle. It's coming together folks. [/quote] Delighted to hear the pickup fits. These are surprisingly common on early 70s MIJs (Ps, Js, EB copies, Rick copies - you name it...) and frequently aren't working. Really good to have it confirmed there's a drop-in alternative. J.

Curious. Are these actually working, playable instruments? Whatever they are, they're custom one-offs, maybe based around Ricks or Rick copies. Hammered metal (bronze or copper, maybe), likely coverings over the original bodies/heads. No - never seen anything like these before! J.

Same seller also has this: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brian-Bromberg-Signature-Dean-Bass-/271873215664"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brian-Bromberg-Signature-Dean-Bass-/271873215664[/url] Which really isn't something you see every day. Jon.

Not me. I personally don't think it's "ripping someone off" to get a bargain because somebody doesn't know/care what they're selling & can't be bothered finding out. But then, I freely admit to being amoral scum. J.

[quote name='MutatisMutandis' timestamp='1432233692' post='2779588'] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/user/37645-mutatismutandis/"][/url] Has any body seen either of these anywhere? [/quote] Got a bigger/better pic? This one just links to your profile! Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1432202245' post='2779063'] Apologies for not being more enthusiastic, but I can't buy every bargain. [/quote] I passed up the one that came up locally to me - if I remember I had a pm correspondence with Razze06 (who's just down the road form me) over who should have first dibs. I was happy to let Marco go for it, as I have a house full of crap already, but it was gone already. I think it's quite understandable for you to hold out for an Ibby Artist - more interesting bass, plus it has personal significance for you. J.

[quote name='MoJo' timestamp='1432188357' post='2778920'] [url="http://s1332.photobucket.com/user/markmojo1962/media/2379575_zpsxa9jqj6w.jpeg.html"][/url] At first I thought it was the perspective but I've found another photo of a similar model and my suspicions were confirmed. For some reason, they've placed the P pickup closer to the neck than it is on a Fender or Squier P/J. I wonder why they chose to do that as I would expect you've lost the classic P tone now Bassassin? [/quote] Never noticed the pickup positioning before but the Ibby 2369bwh was actually a very early signature bass, co-designed with Tetsu Yamauchi (Free, Faces), who possibly specified this layout. J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1432156660' post='2778783'] @KB - That Bass Maniac bass looks very nice. How is it? This mid-80s Tokai MBX45 bass is on gumtree, and is located not too many miles from me. I don't know the model, how are these? Are they Japanese made, or perhaps Korean? [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/bass-guitar-tokai-mbx-45/1117109763"]http://www.gumtree.c...x-45/1117109763[/url] £115 doesn't sound that expensive to me. But I don't know what these are worth. [/quote] These are MIJ as far as I know. Very uncommon basses - the 2-pickup version came up on Gumtree locally about 5 years back for really, really stupid cheap money, and I tried to dig up some info. Best I could do at the time was a catalogue on Tokai Register: [url="http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai_85-86_electric_p11.jpg"]http://www.tokairegistry.com/images/catalogs/tokai_85-86_electric_p11.jpg[/url] I think the Gumtree bass is an LBX60, rather than a 32" scale MBX. Anyway £115 does seem appealingly cheap - I'd definitely go & have a look at it. J.

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1432109077' post='2778129'] Hopefully someone corrects the dude so he gets the proper amount of money owed to him. I'd like to think that BC wouldn't endorse ripping people off! [/quote] Oh, I think he'll do OK, it's currently over £50 with 6 days left. Interesting bass, never seen a Silver Series version of this before. Jon.

Seems Ged's become obsessed with collecting vintage basses. Wonder if he posts on here? Anyway, this is apparently what he's taken out on tour: J.

I remember sitting for hours playing one of these at a mate's party a few years back. Nice playing bass. Anyway, not sure if Maison was a manufacturer or (more likely) an importer's brand, but I remember the name being pretty common in the early 90s, a budget/mid-priced range of decent Korean-made instruments, heavily "inspired" by the popular models of the time. This looks like it owes an awful lot to SGC Nanyo's Bass Collection range (which in turn owes as much to Tune's Bass Maniacs) These pre-date Staggs by a few years. Anyway, these are what it wants to be: Just did a quick Google & there's a [url="http://www.maisonguitars.co.uk/"]Maison fan site[/url]! Seems maybe a bit over-enthusiastic... Jon.

[quote name='mattyb' timestamp='1431938722' post='2776280'] Anyone any idea what this is? I'm hankering for another fretless and this looks like it could tick all the boxes if it isn't made from cardboard! [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111673920625?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT"]http://www.ebay.co.u...K%3AMEBIDX%3AIT[/url] [/quote] Yes - it is/was a Satellite [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/93901-through-neck-mijmik-precision-thing-1980-ish/"]like my old one[/url]. These are from around 1980 and are now confirmed as Korean-made, so unfortunately nothing to do with Matsumoku or any other Japanese factory. I'd say they're OK if you get a good 'un but I wouldn't recommend buying blind, or paying much more than the £85 this one's at - quality control on cheap stuff back then was non-existent and there were a lot of total dogs. The dark stain on these can hide a multitude of cut corners - the body of mine was largely made from random offcuts with knots & holes full of filler, all hidden by the stain. However its neck was solid & made from quality timber, but the thin wood used for the fingerboard meant it had originally had a very high action, which a previous owner had rectified by roughly routing the body under the bridge. Can't tell what the string height's like on this example but I'd want a look. They're also very heavy, mine was the wrong side of 11lbs. On this one, someone's tried to paint the headstock to match the body, wouldn't be surprised if the logo's still under the paint. The tuners are the originals, but I have no idea why someone's turned the "G" upside-down. J.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1431892086' post='2776016'] I think these are not crap? Vantage VS600B. Not for me at the moment but should put a smile on someone's face [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vantage-Bass-Guitar-VS600B-with-Brandon-custom-case-/321757639321?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4aea3ff299"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4aea3ff299[/url] [/quote] Yep - very nice & not too common on this side of the pond. Pretty generic early 80s Matsumoku build - symmetrical body, 3-piece neck, 3-point bridge, 1x P pup - might even be a DiMarzio but not 100% about that. Interesting to see what it fetches. J.

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1431778904' post='2774885'] Presumably he's into hardcore..? [/quote] Tbh I can't profess to that level of familiarity with his taste in pornography. I'll ask next time I see him. J.