Bassassin

[quote name='Soloshchenko' post='823467' date='Apr 29 2010, 10:00 PM']CMI ones are nice. Heres one I picked up for £400 on here. Sounds really genuine. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82308&hl=cmi"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=82308&hl=cmi[/url] I agree though, with £750 you should just wait and get the real thing.[/quote] The trouble with brands like CMI is that they were importers, not manufacturers. That goes for about 95% of the common 70s brands in the UK. CMI (which was Jim Marshall's guitar sub-brand, Cleartone Musical Instruments) sourced their basses from presumably whoever was doing the best deal at the time, hence their Rick copies aren't all from the same factory. What's good about JapCrap Rick copies is that in my experience, none of them were [i]actual[/i] crap. All the Jap factories were capable of manufacturing to a very high standard but would build to budget too - Rick copies always tended to be at the higher end of the range. J.

[quote name='Alien' post='823600' date='Apr 30 2010, 12:26 AM']Unlike plywood though, all the laminates go in the same direction. It allows cheaper slab sawn timber to be used instead of more stable (but much more expensive) quarter sawn wood. It is pretty effective too - the same approach was used on the Kubicki Factor basses, and they hardly qualify as cheap crap! A[/quote] Cheers for that - I knew it had been used on a high-end bass but couldn't remember what. J.

I have the 5er - it's very well-made and generally a very nice bass - weighs a ton, though. Describing it as a beginner's bass is probably underselling it a little bit. Besides, the bloke out of Cradle Of Filth used to play one! Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='823292' date='Apr 29 2010, 07:01 PM']I quite like the stripey neck on that one.[/quote] These all have that sort of neck - it's basically plywood, although it's sometimes dignified by the name "strip mahogany"! Very common neck construction on early JapCrap too, which is probably where the Taiwanese manufacturers got the idea. Unlikely to warp or twist in a hurry. J.

[quote name='FlatEric' post='822970' date='Apr 29 2010, 01:04 PM']WOW! What a difference![/quote] [quote name='tazza1' post='823195' date='Apr 29 2010, 05:13 PM']Wow! That's a fantastic job![/quote] Cheers gents - really just elbow-grease to get the chrome (and the rest of it) shiny, assisted by lashings of T-Cut on the more stubborn regions - like the entire body! On the whole I've found JapCrap chrome to be very good quality & hard-wearing, particularly on alloy components so like this, on most of the instruments I've dealt with it's just been dirty. The pup in the neck position is a parts-box replacement, just a bog-standard humbucker with a parts-box chrome cover stuck on it. Had them both for about 5 years - it pays to never throw anything away! The bridge position is the original from the neck in the "before" pic - it just sits better in the bridge route & I doubt it will make much odds sound-wise. Speaking of which - I don't have the faintest idea how to wire a rotary switch to do the same thing as a 3-way toggle - so until I can find out I think I'll have to wire it like a Jazz (2xV, 1xT) so at least I can find out what it sounds like! J.

I think this is one of the ones from a couple of years ago so he probably bought it in good faith. He describes it as "Crafted In Japan", if I remember rightly those had CIJ transfers stuck on the neck. FWIW CIJ only appears on post-Fujigen Japanese Fenders, the ones made by Iida & Tokai. Jon.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='822711' date='Apr 29 2010, 09:21 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140403325388"]70s Ibanez Artist Bass[/url] Yeah, I'd like this, and have bid £305 on it. But, fundamentally even though I'd like to have this, not quite enough (not yet anyhow) to pay the £500 or so it may well go for. Over to you Flat Eric? PS: If anyone's wondering why I'm being open about my bid amount in front of potential competitors, just say that I wouldn't be if I thought I had a realistic chance of winning Edit: These had an ebony neck?[/quote] Loads of these turning up at the moment - fingers crossed for you Ross. And speaking of Ibanez - well, sort of - I got a PM question & heads-up about this: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ibanez-bass-guitar-/310216051066"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ibanez-bass-guitar-/310216051066[/url] Which is a very, very fake fake. J.

Fret pliers are one of the few affordable luthier tools! [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Guitar-Fret-Tool-Puller-Nipper-Plier-Pincer-Forcep-NEW-/150438169000"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Guitar-Fret-Tool-Pul...W-/150438169000[/url] I've also read it's a good idea to tape the board either side of each fret - the idea being that any splinters or chips will stick to the tape & be easy to glue back in place. Jon.

Re: Rickresource - what Musky said! Best place in the world for finding out anything you want to know about Rickenbackers. Sign up for the forum - that's probably the best place to buy one. J.

The main differences between the Rick 4001 & 4003 are the truss rods - older 4001s have a pretty primitive & fairly delicate system of adjustment, and breakages (neck cracking & fretboard delamination, mostly) occur when you try & adjust them like normal rods. The design harks back to the late 50s/early 60s when bass strings were typically low-tension flats, and a lot of Rick fans would recommend that you don't use rounds on a 4001. 4003s have more robust neck construction and conventional truss rods, specifically to address this problem, and can be used with any type of strings - it was really just a replacement for the 4001 with a beefed-up neck. Ibanez Fakers (or more specifically, Fujigen ones, because that was the factory which made 'em) will typically sell for £500-ish on Ebay - imo £750 goes beyond wishful, right into the realms of fantasy! Ibbys come in neck-through & bolt-on varieties (as do most JapCrap copies) and there were a few different versions in the 6 or 7 years they were made. I said in an earlier post that they were the least accurate Fakers, and this is true of the early (and most common) versions, but in a really good way: [attachment=48534:marek2.jpg] I think these were probably the earliest Japanese 4001 copies - the checked binding & full-width sparkly inlays are pre '73 design features on real Ricks, and the Gibson-type pickups suggest a parts-box approach. The same bass was sold in the US branded as Electra, and as Greco in Japan, and like most 70s JapCrap, probably under a bunch of other names too. The design of these was updated around 1975/6 to have more accurate hardware & standard inlays, but they kept the checked binding. The most accurate 4001 copy was Matsumoku's neck-through offering, and you need to be a real Rick anorak to tell the difference: [attachment=48537:matsubody.jpg] The dark fretboard, pearly inlays & knob position dots are the only clues visible in this pic. These are incredibly thin & light, have two truss rods, stereo outs, and even have better-than-the-real-thing copies of the "wavy" Grover tuners used on early 70s 4001s. The one in the picture had been badged as a Rick (with a real 70s plexi trc) and masquerading as the real thing in Florida for a few decades before it came my way. These were commonly sold as Univox & Electra (again!) in the US, over here they'd be Aria, Aria Pro II, Arbiter & Kimbara, amongst others. Both these & the Ibby/Fujigen were sold as Greco, they turn up very occasionally at silly import prices. All the neck-through copies are prone to a design flaw very accurately copied from the original. The pickup position at the very end of the neck, coupled with a thin body, means the neck/body junction is a natural weak point, and years of string tension can basically lead to warping at this point - which results in an unadjustably high action. Both of the basses I've shown pics of have this problem, and I've seen it on real Ricks too. This certainly doesn't happen on all of them, but is a common enough issue. It's probably worth mentioning that the bolt-neck Fakers don't suffer from this, it's always possible to shim the necks on these. The Jap copies don't have the same truss problems as real 4001s, being constructed with conventional truss rods, and assembled with modern adhesives. J.

[quote name='hagguy' post='822279' date='Apr 28 2010, 06:21 PM']cheers jon good info there, the anniversary one looks ok, but if i'm gonna splash out i think maybe the real deal would be a better option, i'll keep my eye on s/hand stuff and the sticky thread might get lucky cheers ian[/quote] Good plan - if you were considering up to £750 on a Faker then it's not unrealistic to save a few quid more & get a real one - there are still occasional bargains to be had, especially if you'd consider importing. Personally I think Rick copies are a whole other thing to real ones, and not really a substitute. I love 'em both! J.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='822392' date='Apr 28 2010, 08:07 PM']Is this likely to be MIJ? [url="http://leicester.gumtree.com/leicester/21/57814821.html"]http://leicester.gumtree.com/leicester/21/57814821.html[/url] Not that I really want it, but I'm curious. I suppose when the value of the SD pickup is factored in (a quarter pounder?), it's a good deal.[/quote] Don't think that'll be MIJ - the old "Hondo II" logo & Fender-shaped headstock is 70s, and I think pretty much all the 70s Hondo copies were Korean. It's a bitsa & not a very good one - look at the scratchplate fit around the heel, and I'd be surprised if it wasn't a Halfords refin. I suppose Glumtree sellers are always open to haggling, though. J.

[quote name='bassmachine2112' post='822108' date='Apr 28 2010, 04:29 PM']you might be lucky n turn up a greco[/quote] Grecos were made by Fujigen & Matsumoku (they sold both versions side-by-side) and was/is a Japanese home-market brand, never officially exported to the West - so you'd be bloody lucky. Grecos are identical to any other brand from the same factories - don't get fooled into paying for a brand name - this isn't a Fender we're talking about! J.

No way is £750 reasonable for a 35-year old JapCrap copy. No way. The Ibanez copies were about the least accurate 4001 clones from that era, and since at least 9 out of 10 Jap Rick copies now have fake Rickenbacker logos, you can usually be pretty confident that the "Ibanez" Rickenfaker some gyppo's trying to fleece you for is nothing of the kind. None of the modern copies are particularly accurate - most tellingly none of them even try to copy the narrow, near-parallel shape of Rick necks - so they will neither play nor sound like the real thing. That said, the [url="http://www.expressmusicstore.co.uk/products.asp?code=80606"]Anniversary-branded example[/url] looks fairly realistic, doesn't cost £500, and a few BCers have had them & been quite impressed. Ask Hooky6stringbass - he's had one of these and various other Fakers, old & new. Some of the Japanese copies were frighteningly accurate, and according to reviewers at the time, better-made than the real thing. I currently have 3 vintage MIJ copies - all of mine have been projects to a greater or lesser extent & I didn't pay much for any of them. The problem with 70s ones is that you can't really pick & choose - they come up on Ebay infrequently, usually with dodgy badges, so if you don't know your stuff it will be hard to tell what you're getting - a plywood Korean Hondo looks pretty much the same as the near-perfect Matsumoku clone that's lived as a real Rickenbacker since 1979. And the scarcity of these things means there's not much difference in price. Anyway, there's a Rickenfaker sticky thread in the Ebay subforum, and keep watching Basses For Sale - quite a few members here own them, meaning they come up for sale with reasonable regularity. And keep your eye on Gumtree, go to your local car boot, & check out any local music shops that still do second-hand - they do come up. Jon.

[quote name='Bilbo' post='821551' date='Apr 28 2010, 09:37 AM']I've only got one bass![/quote] [Godwin] Well, Hitler only had one ball... [/Godwin] Allegedly. Jon.

[quote name='tazza1' post='818430' date='Apr 25 2010, 08:35 PM']And fair play to you, it's good to see someone saving old abused guitars & basses. I'd like to see more pics!![/quote] Well, if you insist: [attachment=48413:l6s1.jpg] Just flung it together this evening, no strings, not wired it up yet - but I'm quite pleased with this, so far. Hope it doesn't play like a pig! Anyway - back to Rickenbuggery! J.

[quote name='Delberthot' post='820316' date='Apr 27 2010, 09:45 AM']That one is run by a former band mate of mine Jon Clark or it may be his son. Same guy that has mijfenders.com[/quote] Small world - I know Jon Clark & have met his son a couple of times. I didn't know he was connected with the Ocean Terminal shop. Not seen Jon for a good few years. J.

[quote name='Linus27' post='820130' date='Apr 26 2010, 11:44 PM']I'm really struggling to think of someone musical who I regard as a genius. I can think of some great songwriters, drummers, guitarists, bass players even who are amazingly talented in there chosen field but a genius I really can't. I guess it depends of ones definition of a genius.[/quote] I don't think "genius" is the right word for what I think we're talking about here. Visionary seems more appropriate - people who have taken music in new & different directions, reinvented & redefined it. Just my perspective, but I don't think instrumental virtuosity has much - if anything - to do with it, except I suppose the broader the vocabulary, the greater the scope for expression. J.

[quote name='LeftyJ' post='819723' date='Apr 26 2010, 05:59 PM']Are you sure that's a Musician you're describing here? Other than the 8-string MC980, there were no Musicians with separate bridge and tailpiece and I don't think there has ever been any Musician with more than 3 Sure Grip knobs. The EQ knobs have always been smaller plastic knobs without the rubber. EDIT: Oh wait, completely missed the word [b]guitar[/b] there Nevermind. Carry on as you were [/quote] Full marks for observation! Yep - it's a silly little toy one, an MC150 to be precise. No wonder it was cheap! J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='819660' date='Apr 26 2010, 05:08 PM']You'd hardly notice the re-fin really. [/quote] As it happens I didn't - I was too busy choking at the £200 starting price! I'd give him a tenner for the J-pup, though, looks like an old DiMarzio Model J - I'm after one of these for my CSL Jazz. J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='818751' date='Apr 26 2010, 12:37 AM']I'll give you £50 for it. Posted.[/quote] Gone, long gone. And so's the astronomical profit... J.

He's been discussed on here before a few years ago, in relation to the massive number of Peavey T40s he had for sale - he seemed to be grabbing every one that came up on Ebay & reselling them. Presumably successfully, because he doesn't seem to have any now. The Ibby Roadster (a passive RS824) that he currently has on is about £150 - £200 more than it would generally sell for, and the Warwick Fortress Flashback (the only Warwick I've ever had vestigial GAS for!), while very rare in this country, is over twice what I've seen them sell for on German Ebay! He's got a list of sold instruments that's as long as a giant squid's tentacle - so it's obviously working for him though. Which is a good thing, from my materialistic gyppo perspective. Jon.

[quote name='Metalmoore' post='818760' date='Apr 26 2010, 12:59 AM']The stock hardware and PUP are included, its mentioned in the listing somewhere. Tbh i like it, one of the few natural finishs i have seen and not wanted to cover it in paint, bit pricey for me though [/quote] There's this one: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1960s-Kay-Precision-bass-guitar-Japan_W0QQitemZ190387307904"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-1960s-Kay-Pr...emZ190387307904[/url] Although it's still at least £80 too much. And it's 1970s, made in Taiwan, not what the ad says. Go to a few car boots & you'll probably find one for £20. I've had two. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='818542' date='Apr 25 2010, 10:04 PM']Yeah, sorry Jon. I wasn't trying to put you into the same bracket as Mr Digits as I know that your purchases are a labour of love and you buy what interests you rather than something you could just turn a profit on. Is that a copy of an L6 you've got there? I didn't think it was in the Gibson catalogue long enough for anyone to copy![/quote] Indeed it is an L6S - mine's a Kimbara brand, which, if other Kimbara electrics are anything to go on means it's probably a Matsumoku. You'd be surprised though - there are L6 copies from most major JapCrap brands in various different flavours, some of them frighteningly accurate, right down to the weird Bill Lawrence electronics. Only one pup left from the originals of this one & no fancy circuitry, so I'll be wiring it with a 3-way rotary switch basically working like an LP. At least it'll look right! And no need to apologise - I'm not averse to making a quick quid or two when the chance arises - finding an MIJ Squier Precision for £25 was amazing, but well - I didn't [i]need[/i] it... J.