Bassassin

The blurb says this: [quote][font=Arial][size=2]I took E string out and I moved A-D-G strings one level-up. Finally, I put C string to the bottom line. Technically, I played baritone style[/size][/font][/quote] So light string gauges & insufficient string tension probably means neck back-bow & fret rattle/choking - hence the bit of snot-rag in the G slot, to raise the height a bit. I suspect the weird stringing is because the D (originally the G) is cut too short to reach the tuner.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1437662043' post='2827976'] They were sold with a knob missing? [/quote] No - 3 knobs & a selector switch! New specs, Jack? [quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1437664346' post='2828008'] Just to confuse matters more check these 2 B-200's [/quote] The 'burst finish is possibly an SB-40, quite a lot like mine! I say "possibly" because Washburn (or more specifically, Yamaki & Matsumoku) produced a lot of variations of this model, with different electronics, control layouts & pickup positioning, with various different model numbers. The Washburn forums do produce a lot of conflicting binary opinions, which can have some quite aggressive defenders. There's a BC thread from a few years back, in which an American Washburn "expert" appears to have signed up here specifically to take me to task for describing my SB-40 as an SB-40, despite the fact it clearly says "SB-40" on its trc. Weird.

[quote name='kodiakblair' timestamp='1437610475' post='2827616'] Couple of the fellas on the Washburn owners group say it was never sold in the USA but it's definitely early 80s Japan. They'd been in touch with seller for serials and more photos,it's an LP-40 or sometimes called a B-200 model One of them worked for Washburn at the time and says they're ultra rare,he's never played one though Want to ask if they can give a year Jon ? Might help add a piece to the Japanese Bass Building puzzle. [/quote] Did a bit of digging based on the model number, the bass is a Washburn B200, and it's early 90s, meaning not MIJ, so probably Korean. It's refinished and the original hardware swapped for crap, by the looks. Might've looked like this before it was "upgraded": There's also a pic of a solid blue-finished one in [url="http://www.washburn.com/media/catalogs/pdf/Washburn1993ElectricsCatalog.pdf"]this '93 catalogue[/url] (if you can be arsed waiting for the .pdf to load), where it's being presumably endorsed by an amusingly dressed man with a silly name, from a band with a similarly silly name. Anyway - not MIJ, not '80s - and because I am a dignified sort of person, I'll refrain from saying "told ya so!". J.

Dunno what the hell that is - but 80s? Made in Japan? Chinny reckon. Jon.

Wow. Good luck sorting the intonation on that... Jon.

Speaking of charidee shops, I had a Matsumoku-built Westbury Standard from a local one for £60. These are great-quality DiMarzio-equipped LP-eaters that often go for £200 - £300. Had it for 10+ years now, definitely a keeper. Until the right Yamaha SG comes along. J.

Good lord above, Ebay is throwing up some truly classic and hilarious chancers these days. About the only thing funnier than that would be if someone actually coughed up £250 for it. Proper cheered me up, that has. Jon.

[quote name='wotsy' timestamp='1437077065' post='2823470'] Bit late but I just noticed it's 100 quid for today only! Wow! [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/kimbara-bass-guitar-4-strings-in-exelent-condition-must-be-see-/1124405106"]http://www.gumtree.c...see-/1124405106[/url] [/quote] Mad. Why is it still there? J.

I've had few basses with neck-twist issues, this looks quite severe and the IMO it will be difficult to achieve a consistent & playable setup with this problem. If I'd paid £200 for this I would be looking for a refund, or in the event I was OK with keeping the bass, about half my money back. A £200 Hohner Jack shouldn't really come with any issues - never mind pretty much irreparable ones. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1436940820' post='2822145'] ??? What am I missing here? [/quote] The blatantly opportunistic cynical pisstaking? J.

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1436917969' post='2822119'] Didn't even realize those bridges existed! [/quote] I doubt they have for 20+ years! J.

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1436898185' post='2821889'] That be salesman talk I think! [/quote] It's a poor salesman who resorts to a pack of lies. J.

Hilarious. If I could be arsed (which I can't) I'd send the seller a message along the lines of : [i]"Just to let you know, your description of your £300 bass is utter made-up rubbish. Please go and read a book. Have a nice day".[/i] Jon.

Self-taught, which seems quite appropriate for those of us who started in the Punk era! Basically learned by playing along to the Stranglers' Rattus Norvegicus & Killer by Alice Cooper. 35-odd years on, there's still a lot of JJ & DD in my playing. Jon.

Toss-up between Tool & Opeth. Neither really fit my playing style, but phenomenal music & stupendously good drummers. Metallica for the $$$$ is tempting but I'd end up slapping Lars twice. Once for being a rubbish drummer & once for being Lars... Jon.

Oh gawd, that's all I need - more SR GAS. It's [i]gorgeous[/i], ain't it? Jon.

I've had a few, I suppose! Most recently I swapped a bitsa 70s MIJ Jazz copy (which owed me about £40 and some elbow-grease) for a 1983 Aria SB Elite Black & Gold I. The Aria's had a hard life, and is in need of some tlc & some minor repairs - but considering the srp of the recent [url="http://www.gak.co.uk/en/aria-limited-edition-cliff-burton-signature-sb-black-and-gold-reproduction/99253"]Cliff Burton sig reissue[/url], I think I didn't do too bad... Probably my no.1 bargain would have to be my £60 CSL Jazz - which I bought from a local pawn shop purely to flip for a few bob profit - until I played the thing. Simply the nicest Jazz - no, the nicest [i]bass[/i] - I have ever played, and the one I'd grab first if the house was on fire. It's been pimped mercilessly in the 10 or so years I've had it, so in its current form has cost a little bit more than 60 quid, but it's a complete joy. Will have to sort out decent pics of it - this doesn't do it justice: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:66973] Jon.

I never got a t-shirt! Go on, send us one - don't mind doing some free promo! J.

I'd happily try it as a freebie, but I've used T-Cut on literally dozens of renovations. I admit this is a fairly extreme example but: Before T-Cut - [sharedmedia=core:attachments:45519] After T-Cut - [sharedmedia=core:attachments:48413] The lacquer underneath had been seriously roughened with coarse abrasive. A few hours' worth of elbow grease & T-Cut brought it back nicely, the scratchplate shone up well too - couldn't do much about the warping though!. So I'm genuinely interested, how does the Eterna-Shine stuff differ? J.

Couldn't they just say "robbed the wrong shipping container?" Jon.

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1436594194' post='2819351'] It's not though [/quote] In what way? J.

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1436612384' post='2819494'] [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/columbus-japanese-bass-guitar/1124358935"]http://www.gumtree.c...itar/1124358935[/url] I've no idea how good these are. Looks a bit unloved. [/quote] Not £100 good, that one. However the Schaller 3D tailpiece is rare as **** and probably an easy fifty quid's worth. Jon.

Like T-Cut, only £24.

And now £155! [url="http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/kimbara-bass-guitar-4-strings-in-exelent-condition-must-be-see-/1124405106"]http://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/kimbara-bass-guitar-4-strings-in-exelent-condition-must-be-see-/1124405106[/url] J.

I remember trying one of these amps at the old NEC Music Live show a while back. It looked like it might be a cool little thing to practice with - right up until I plugged in. Tinny, gutless & distorted at barely-audible volume... Maybe If I'd persisted I would have been won over by the drum box & its handful of 1970s home-organ presets - and of course that most indispensible of bass effects, reverb. J.