Bassassin

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1425996714' post='2713200'] They were on of the few copies that could get the body thickness and headstock pitch angle about right. [/quote] They really weren't. Ever seen one? The least accurate 4001 copy marketed by any Japanese brand. Lovely old basses but f-all like a Rick beyond the basic shape. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:48534] Most vintage MIJ 4001 copies were not concerned with spot-on accuracy, compare them side-by-side and they're different shapes & sizes from each other, never mind a real Rick. And real 4001s were never exactly consistent. And it's worth mentioning that most "Ibanez" copies are nothing of the sort. Jon.

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1425912716' post='2712100'] Needless to say I have terrible GAS for one now. [/quote] Me an' all. I tried one of these in the Bass Centre in Wapping (for those with long memories) in 1980-something. Had GAS for one ever since. A pink one, specifically. Jon.

Now relisted. New, improved error-free listing here: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bass-guitar-SB-Humbucker-willy-strong-punch-/201301863127"]www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bass-guitar-SB-Humbucker-willy-strong-punch-/201301863127[/url] Jon.

Never seen an 8-string version before. I'm guessing they never made it to the UK! J.

It's an interesting curiosity nonetheless. The German-carved body looks closely related to the Jedson EB-type basses which come up quite regularly, these also frequently have that shield-shaped neckplate. Beyond that I can't place it - the offset half-oval position markers are unlike anything I've previously seen on an MIJ instrument. The seller talks about Kapa as though it's a known brand. I'd not heard of it, but it turns out it was originally a US-made brand from the 50s/60s which produced affordable instruments, a bit like Kay once was. Like Kay, production moved to the far east by the mid/late 60s and clearly this bass is from that era. I guess the name might justify the price to some collectors (and Kapa must be properly rare in the UK) but otherwise it's well over the odds. J.

[quote name='Moi' timestamp='1425569040' post='2708708'] There was another brand (the name escapes me but there's a thread about them buried somewhere in the Ebay topic) who were trying to flog these as some sort of hand-made US originals, with a 4-figure price tag. Chancers! [/quote] ...And quite randomly, I found the thread in question - [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/3046-dcmontana-fakes/page__view__findpost__p__33226"]DC Montana, they were called[/url]. J.

There were quite a few of these knocking about a few years back - I actually remember these "Flying" brand things being on Ebay. There was another brand (the name escapes me but there's a thread about them buried somewhere in the Ebay topic) who were trying to flog these as some sort of hand-made US originals, with a 4-figure price tag. Chancers! And I actually had one similar to the "Flying" - think I bought it right here. Can't remember the name (might have been a no-brand) but it was OK, not great, and could've done with a fret dress: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:14743] Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1425567297' post='2708681'] However, how many four string fretted basses does one need? [/quote] I don't know - how many are there? My excuse would be that I've never had a semi. So to speak. J.

Very nice, and a potential bargain. If I didn't already have one I'd be very interested. Basically an odd-looking MIJ Jazz with a P-shaped neck, and very nicely made, if mine's anything to go on. Not a Matsumoku, Kawai was a manufacturer in its own right as far as I know (apparently they bought out Teisco in the 60s to get into guitar manufacturing), they were responsible for a lot of 80s Fernandes - including the rather amazing Alembic clones. Jon.

That's quite interesting. Some nice details but it's got that wonky, not-quite-right look that home-made basses always seem to have. The bridge is the same sort used on the budget Chinese-made headlesses that sometimes turn up (actually a copy of the Steinberger licesed bridges used by Hohner) so I wonder if there was a donor bass for this. The fingerboard looks a bit like it was originaly fretted, rather than being made lined, and that output jack is just plain cheap & nasty. A bit too rustic & bargain-basement to merit £1500, imo. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1425533994' post='2708244'] [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hb_60_wb_deko.htm"]http://www.thomann.d..._60_wb_deko.htm[/url] semi-hollow 60s style bass. Edit: gone. Was available for half an hour. I was tempted, but I'm thinking about whether I want to save my music allocation for a Yourock Gen2 MIDI controller. And I'm still waiting for a deko ukulele. (I may wait forever and buy a non-deko ) [/quote] Oh, I like that a lot. Quite relieved it's sold out! J.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1425513973' post='2708211'] Guess why. All it said to me was that TB can be so f***ing bland. [/quote] Well yeah. At least we've got a bit of spirit here. The Mumsnet of the bass playing world. J.

Makes sense - I jumped the FeePay ship about 5 years ago (when the recession finally hit the JapCrap market!) and haven't sold anything at all there for a long time. Even then it appeared they were actively trying to force private sellers off the site, and my last few auctions were pretty excruciating experiences. J.

I admit I smirked (very slightly) at Trujillo rockin' a Daisy Rock butterfly bass. Just for a moment, and that was it. Jon.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1425340744' post='2706450'] Good to know that "scratches only add to the wood finish". Now where's me belt sander? [/quote] Looks like actual (if heavy-handed) playwear on this one rather than a mad relic'er with a chisel! I think it's the same finish as on the current SR500, which appears to be a bit fragile to say the least. Like my old mum would've said, rub half a brazil nut on it. J.

[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1425380498' post='2706640']we need more of this type of music rather than the same old xfactor stuff being churned out over and over again. [/quote] I agree with this. A bit less "1974" though. J.

[quote name='0175westwood29' timestamp='1425320454' post='2706200'] hes not a guitarist, i do get that they arent for everyone. andy [/quote] He plays guitar-style riffs, predominantly using signal splitting, pitch transposition and distortion to create the sound of a guitar playing root/fifth/octave power chords, along with a unison bass part an octave underneath. You can be as pedantic as you want about the name of his role based on the specific instrument he's playing - but that won't make him a bass player. Like I said, I have nothing against this band & their style of music - in fact I'm glad to see a new rock band coming through & getting attention. I just think the attention's based on their gimmick, not the somewhat dated & unremarkable music they play. J.

I've had Fortress Flashback GAS for years... J.

Nothing wrong with them, but apart from having a guitarist playing a bass through a pitch transposer, they sound pretty much like any/every other basic garage rock band from the last 40+ years. But I'm old, jaded & a bit gimmick-averse. To my ears, they'd be better if the guitarist played a guitar, and they got a proper bassist. But then they'd still be playing the student uni & not getting Brit Awards, wouldn't they? Jon.

Looks like the SR705 in this '03 catalogue: [url="http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/2003m/41.jpg"]http://s93105080.onl...og/2003m/41.jpg[/url] My gut feeling is that it's probably MIK, but wherever it was made, that's a big fat slice of bass for £160-odd. For whoever got it... £50 postage? Jon.

[quote name='spectoremg' timestamp='1425213181' post='2705068'] Kinda liking this bass. How does plexi work out as a guitar material? [/quote] Depends how much abuse your back can take. I built this: [sharedmedia=core:attachments:71956] ...and it's heavy enough to have its own gravity & weather systems. Seriously, it's about 13.5 lbs, a proper boat anchor. I wouldn't say the body material affects the sound, it sounds pretty much like any other Precision with a DiMarzio Model P. Jon.