Bassassin

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='1086278' date='Jan 12 2011, 12:09 AM']Thought; If art is born of invention, creation, of an exploratory spirit, it would appear to belong in the philosophical realm of increasing, expanding possibilities. Therefore, to seek to define art is to attempt to place limits on something that defies limitation. Art can definately be described however. Hang on - does art have to be original to be art ?[/quote] Your first sentence could be taken as a pretty fair definition of art. Originality - depends how you define it, but I'd say it's a necessary quality. That said, there's no art - in any medium - which is free of influences. J.

Why should art need to please anyone other than the artist? J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1086244' date='Jan 11 2011, 11:30 PM']Makes you wonder why they called it the Retrovibe. Surely they should have called it the PRick.[/quote] [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=54525"]Been done.[/url] Anyway - there is a Rick copy with a "proper" P pup , the Jolana D, from mid-80s Czechoslovakia: [attachment=68537:JolanaD.jpg] I'm not ashamed to admit I have a noticeable quantity of GAS for one o' them... J.

I'd define art as an act of creative expression that exists for no reason other than as expression of creativity. By that measure some music's art, some isn't, in the same sense that some (for example) pretty pictures - or ugly ones - are art & some ain't. I consider the ugly music I create to be art. Jon.

Definitely not an Ibanez, or any other JapCrap from that era that I'm aware of. Some quite interesting details - looks like a very narrow fingerboard, almost parallel. I'd also suggest it's probably not a bolt-neck because there's little "overhang" for a neck pocket. Tuners look like Schaller M4S of Grover Titans - both were quite common on basses from this era. Strange-looking bridge - it looks very short, suggesting through-body stringing, but it's hard to tell from such a brief glimpse. Anyway, that's all apropos of nothing, dunno what it is but I suspect it's a custom job. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1085495' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:50 PM']Very nice Jedson short-scale SG at £99 BiN. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jedson-Short-Scale-Bass-Guitar-1960s-Vintage-/300514043431?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item45f8086627"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Jedson-Short-Scale-B...=item45f8086627[/url] I'm all bassed out at the moment, or I'd have had this like a shot.[/quote] I do like these - I have the guitar version of this & they're an interesting & quirky take on the SG/EB, pretty well-made too. I think they're quite early, '70-'72-ish, certainly pre-dating the more accurate JapCrap copies. They appear with a few different names & are most common unbranded, but for the anoraks, this one's a Jedson 4454 Scimitar. Bit of a bargain, too - the Jedson name makes it a bit more desirable than this one: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300509706599"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=300509706599[/url] Although this one had a BIN of £75 - until some tit bid on it! J.

[quote name='Stag' post='1085409' date='Jan 11 2011, 12:52 PM']ME, cos its incredibly cool! Geddy-tastic! [/quote] Precisely - anyone who's mucked around playing Xanadu will understand! J.

[quote name='Stag' post='1085250' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:36 AM'][url="http://www.classifieds.co.uk/dundee/av/music/guitars/7934221/rickenbacker-4080-double-neck-bassguitar/view"]http://www.classifieds.co.uk/dundee/av/mus...bassguitar/view[/url] Very very good price for this (scammer? if it is a scam its an odd instrument to pick)... did someone here have a bite at this?[/quote] Blimey! He's presumably quite near to me (I'm in Edinburgh) and I certainly would have had a look at this if I'd seen it - this ad's from November so I imagine it's long gone. If it was legit it'd be worth selling a few body parts to get hold of one of these at that price. Jon.

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1084965' date='Jan 10 2011, 10:40 PM']...and side with Jon who is always right. [/quote] You know I'll find a way to exploit that particular error of judgement, don'cha? J.

Peavey C4 Zephyr, from what I can see. I have the 5-string and these are really rather nice passive budget versions of the Cirrus range. More & clearer pics will sort it out though. Jon.

I've changed my mind. Doesn't look like a Fender, so it must look sh!t. Baaa. J.

Nah. You can buy a bass that looks, plays & sounds pretty much identical to that for about a hundred quid. If I had £8000 to blow on a bass, I'd get my head examined. Jon.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=270&view=findpost&p=1037952"]A couple of BCers have taken the plunge with these already and first impressions look very good.[/url] If I can flog a few of my planks that aren't earning their keep, I might well treat myself to a red & black Retrovibe. Jon.

I wonder how many people are knee-jerking about the scratchplate just because it's such an unfamiliar shape? Considering that, apart from mounting the controls on this bass, it serves no purpose other than a decorative embellishment, I think as such it's a pleasing design which gives the bass some character & individuality it would otherwise lack. Likewise the headstock - it's nice to see an inline design that owes little to Fender and is - in my opinion - a more coherent & attractive shape than many other attempts. I think it would give a better impression with a less vulgar logo - but then, this is a Dean! The only design element I don't really like are the slightly swollen, bulbous horns - they give the body a sort of cartoonish aspect that doesn't really fit with any other part of the design. J.

I generally tend to gravitate towards my passive basses. This might have a lot to do with dead batteries or empty battery compartments on the active ones, though... Jon.

[quote name='gjones' post='1081961' date='Jan 8 2011, 11:56 AM']Awwww, I think we should stop crucifying the poor kid. He put it up on youtube to look cool and impress his friends at school. And we then proceed to rip him to shreds! We're better than that..............aren't we?[/quote] No. If he's going to put himself & his playing forward for public scrutiny & criticism then that's precisely what he can expect. I don't think anyone's been at all unfair, and he genuinely does look a complete knob in that hat. J.

Rubbish. Sloppy, poor timing, messy technique and not a single contextually-relevant idea there. But that's the joy of YouPube - every w@nky-hatted, self-obsessed little showoff tosser can be a legend in their own bedroom! Jon.

Seen these on Ebay a few times and I like them a lot - there's a version with a single MM type pup as well: [url="http://www.deanguitars.com/hillsboro_basses.php"]http://www.deanguitars.com/hillsboro_basses.php[/url] Good to see a manufacturer putting an interesting twist on traditional designs, IMO - I'd happily be seen with one of these. Jon.

[quote name='Truckstop' post='1081291' date='Jan 7 2011, 04:56 PM']The original Lemonbaker has a 'Lemonbaker' TRC. Can't see it on the ebay one. Truckstop[/quote] Yeah. Tends to be the case that all the Shaftesburys, Hondos, Arias, CMIs, Kasugas, Arbiters, Ibanezes etc usually tend to mysteriously part company with their original TRCs prior to their Ebay debuts too! I'm not sure but I seem to remember the Lemonbacker name being connected to the guy Al built it for. Maybe he'll come on this thread & clarify. Jon.

[quote name='noelk27' post='1081634' date='Jan 7 2011, 11:10 PM']Yours, Mr Assassin?[/quote] If only! J.

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='1081209' date='Jan 7 2011, 03:44 PM']I'd be wary of the hardware. Al's original build thread is the Lemonbaker bass that this guy claims is the same build. If so, the original PUs he used on the build have both been replaced, possibly by cheap ebay crap.[/quote] I'd expect to find a lot of ugly, ham-fisted hackery under the bridge pickup surround, in order to accommodate that MM type. These are a lot wider than the size of route the original Rick pup would have had. J.

[quote name='Maverick' post='1081046' date='Jan 7 2011, 01:43 PM']Are you sure he wasn't nailed to one instead?[/quote] Steady on - that's someone's Imaginary Friend you're talking about there. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1080747' date='Jan 7 2011, 08:55 AM']Been a bit quiet here for a week or so, and then along comes [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKY-COPY-HANDMADE-BASS-GUITAR-/320636162352?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4aa7679130"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RICKY-COPY-HANDMADE-...=item4aa7679130[/url][/quote] Pretty sure that's one of the pair built by our own Mr Al Heeley: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=35407&st=0"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=35407&st=0[/url] J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='1079145' date='Jan 5 2011, 08:45 PM']I'm not convinced that Alembic would be flattered by the comparison ...[/quote] If my experience of Kasugas is anything to go on this will be an excellent bass, assuming it's been looked after - easily as good as anything comparable from the likes of Fujigen or Matsumoku. Alembic copies though - this is what you want! Built by Kawai & sold as Kawai & Fernandes, & probably a good few others. J.