Bassassin

Cracking good read, possibly the funniest music-related book I've read. Our guitarist will be getting a copy of this for his birthday, if only for the Floyd/Gilmour anecdotes. Moving on through the list, Super Mario Bass doesn't want it, so who's next... Chezz55? J.

Right - I have finally finished this - so much for reading it quickly! Anyway MacDaddy's read it, so according to this system Super Mario Bass is next. I'll drop him a PM then. J.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='388050' date='Jan 21 2009, 10:38 PM']Kinell ... I thought the RickenFakers were getting a bit pricey until I saw this: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Greco-Pre-1976-Precision-Bass-Fujigen-Vintage-MIJ_W0QQitemZ250361229594QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item250361229594&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A10%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Greco-Pre-1976-Preci...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url] Did somebody mention a Credit Crunch? Maybe something about a recession?[/quote] This one's up there with the dodgy vintage "Fenders". Everything about this is wrong. I will need to check my facts but the early style "Gneco" logo he mentions disappeared around 1973/74, not 76, like he says. This would make this a very early 70s Greco, if it were authentic. However, this bass looks to me like a parts-box special with a home-made transfer, the only things that I'd be confident in saying look correct for the description are the control knobs! The body & neck do not appear to share the same mother - this body looks identical to the slab sarnie straight-grain things those old Kays had, like this old one of mine: [attachment=19057:psandwich.jpg] These were Taiwanese - whereas Grecos were built by Fujigen & Matsumoku at that point. Speaking of which, apart from the fact the neck looks about 20 years younger than the body, early 70s Grecos were not "replica" level copies and shared many of the same eccentricities as other JapCrap. So I'd expect to see a 3-piece neck, Gibson style nut & head-end truss adjustment under either a large chrome, or small white plastic cover. It's also interesting that this bass has a bridge cover - but the scratchplate isn't even drilled for a pup ashtray or thumbrest. Early 70s JapCrap came with the full kit. I could go on but I suspect you get the picture. Not that anyone in their right mind should be considering spending that sort of money on an old P copy, anyway. J.

[quote name='Musky' post='387206' date='Jan 21 2009, 09:55 AM']I'm not sure if that ad was just badly writen or very cleverly worded. I think he's talking about the case being brand new. [/quote] Well, the exact text of the ad is this: [quote]columbas base guitar brand new in velvet hard case never used[/quote] And I'm struggling to see anything I'd describe as "clever" there - is it just too sophisticated for my walnut of a brain? J

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='386584' date='Jan 20 2009, 07:19 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Columbus-Bass-Guitar-in-velvet-hardcase_W0QQitemZ110340645432QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item110340645432&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]Pricey looking Columbus[/url][/quote] "Brand new", too. DeLorean? As far as Columbuses go, this less-plywood, maple boarded & less expensive example looks much better: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=130281767884"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=130281767884[/url] It's not [i]new[/i], though. J.

[quote name='cytania' post='384695' date='Jan 19 2009, 09:25 AM']You may want to sneak the words 'Les Paul style' into the title and body of your sale. Your Ibanez should appeal to anyone who wants the LP tone without the Gibson premium. It does give a sound in that kind of ballpark? Mention it's high gain blues tone etc. in your description, if you haven't already.[/quote] I'd avoid doing that if I were you, for a few reasons. It's not a Les Paul; that's a trademark and Ebay can bust you & pull your auction for keyword spamming. People searching for Gibsons will not want this coming up in their searches, so they'll report you. Most importantly, this is a collectable vintage Ibanez - and there are lots of people specifically looking for these, either as collectors, or, surprisingly enough, as future investments. Use searchable keywords in your title like vintage, Japan, MIJ, 70s, Ibanez - these are the terms people looking for guitars like yours will be using, plug the fact you've owned it since new & it's unmodified - and take lots of good, clear, in-focus pictures. I'd recommend using the picture pack or large images option - it costs a quid or so but it's worth it. If it was mine (note this is something I don't advise anyone else to do - for my own protection ) it would start at 99p, no reserve. It would find its level. J.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='384631' date='Jan 19 2009, 02:36 AM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-BLAZER-SERIES-CUSTOM-FRETLESS-BASS-GUITAR_W0QQitemZ150321946839QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item150321946839&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2|65%3A10|39%3A1|240%3A1318"]fretless blazer[/url] Wooulda had this if it had frets and I had a job.[/quote] Woulda had that if I'd seen it in time! £80 BIN for an Ibby Blazer? Madness. J.

It's a bit more convincing on the hardware front than Rockinbetters & Indies & such, but the Beckinrotter's neck-through, I think. I've seen the same bridge on a Shine, but the Rick-type bridge pickup surround & cover are new to me. J.

Here's an interesting modern KoreaDiarrhoea copy, surprisingly accurate compared to many of its contemporaries, apart from the set neck. You will, in all probability, lol @ the name: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280303680051"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=280303680051[/url] More & bigger pics [url="http://photos.yahoo.co.jp/ph/pronounce04/lst?.dir=/a7e3&.src=ph&.order=&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.co.jp/"]here[/url] for when the listing gets pulled. J.

If you haven't already been, go to [url="http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php"]http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php[/url] - post some pics of your guitar & ask what they think, value-wise. Most of the guys on there are from the States, and while US prices for vintage Ibs tend to be lower than EU, bear in mind the current Septic-friendly exchange rate! You might even find somebody on there who'll make you an offer, but if not & you end up Baying it, be prepared to post overseas if you want the best price. These are strange times as far as the used/vintage guitar market's concerned - plenty of people hoping for recession bargains, prices are definitely down on high-end stuff, midrange such as yours is holding its own, and low-end stuff seems to be selling better - possibly because people have less GAS money so they just set their sights lower, rather than buying nothing at all. Jon.

[quote name='Happy Jack' post='383042' date='Jan 17 2009, 10:10 AM']Intriguingly, he claims that this is an Aria Pro II. [url="http://cgi.ebay.de/E-BASS-Rickenb-Kopie_W0QQitemZ250356979664QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGitarren?hash=item250356979664&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A1%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318"]http://cgi.ebay.de/E-BASS-Rickenb-Kopie_W0...A1%7C240%3A1318[/url][/quote] It's of Aria/Matsumoku origin, so it might be. The Grover copy tuners & black control position dots on the scratchplate (look closely among the marker pen ones) are Mat traits - and I have seen an Aria Pro catalogue featuring a maple board version. Typically I can't bloody find it now but I'll post a link if it turns up. I've also got pics of a Mat-built Greco identical to this one. I can't be sure from the photo but this looks like it has only a single truss rod - all the other neckthrough Mats I've seen have twin rods, so this would be unusual. Bolt-neck Mats turn up with single or double rods, though. J.

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='382697' date='Jan 16 2009, 05:57 PM']I emailed him to give him a 'heads-up' that the headstock/tuners/neck/logo were wrong and he was opening himself up to potential problems if it was sold as a genuine 100% USA Fender. I got a message back; "hey im selling what i know,i bought this my self in usa and thats what im going by,i appreciate your concern but it is genuine,ive had it checked at music shop when i left it in for cracklin volume knob,the told me the value of it and i was gobsmacked,so ill take my chances.ta" If he was gobsmacked then it was valued a lot higher than he expected/paid for it... that should give him a clue. If he has been suckered into believing some guy in a shop I'd love to know which music shop as they are obviously f*ckwits![/quote] Next he'll be saying the ashtrays on it aren't the set he got off Ebay a week ago. Even if he wasn't a lying pikey tard - which he is - why do people always assume that the gimps behind the counter in music shops are The World's Foremost Authorities on rare & collectable instruments? Jon.

The Roadstar series was the successor to the humble Roadster. I have an RS924 - Steve bleedin' 'Arris played one of them, you know... Anyway, still in IbbyLand, there's a rather nice first-series Blazer, if you're in Derbyshire: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190280470814"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=190280470814[/url] Nice meejum-scale Aria Cardinal: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=180320146884"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=180320146884[/url] Kawai Aquarius - seriously rare, [i]very[/i] serious project: [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270327663528"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=270327663528[/url] Ain't much JapCrap around, this weather. J.

[quote]1) What do you look for in a music shop?[/quote] Predominantly a good selection of affordable, decent quality [b]interesting[/b] used stuff - as somebody said earlier, Ebay has killed this market and that's the main reason I barely see the inside of a music shop these days. I'm neither interested in £900 US Fenders, or £85 "starter kits". [quote]2) What would you ideally like to see in a music shop?[/quote] One of those "No Stairway/Sandman/Teen Spirit/Sweet Child etc" signs. I miss them. [quote]3) How far would you travel?[/quote] I think I'd happily go 20 or 30 miles to a shop which had a decent stock of stuff you don't see, never mind get to play every day, where a friendly & knowledgeable staff were happy to let me muck about on anything that took my fancy, possibly for several hours, and even walk out without buying anything. Because I'd go back often, and would go out of my way to give them my business. [quote]4) Am I mad to consider this?[/quote] Very probably. But I mean that in a good way. As far as new stock is concerned, something you might consider is importing your own range of instruments, built to your spec - check these out: [url="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Electric-Guitars_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ2QQftidZ2QQtZkm"]http://stores.ebay.co.uk/CH-GUITARS_Electr...2QQftidZ2QQtZkm[/url] This is a guy in South Shields who imports these from Korea, built to his specs, apparently the factory he uses also makes ESP. I read about these on a different forum, a semi-pro guitarist (plays in a touring Rush tribute) on there raving about the quality for the money. It's worth bearing in mind that half of the old JapCrap brands from the 70s were UK music shops' own labels. I think a good selection of well-priced & decent quality unbranded parts would be a pretty good idea too, as well as the usual strings & picks type "consumables". Jon.

All the Ibanez-branded Rick copies I've seen have checked binding, through-neck or otherwise - although I'm not sure about this one - it isn't plain; looks more like w/b/w pinstripe. I've seen that before, but not on a bass with a brand name. Interesting... This is a late (1978, by the serial) example with accurate hardware, as opposed to the Gibson-style pickups the earlier ones had. These also have smaller triangular MOTO markers, rather than the lovely full-width sparklies on the older versions. It will be interesting to see what this goes for - until recently Ibby copies commanded the highest prices, often around £500 - but that recent [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Elmayer-4001-electric-bass-made-in-Japan_W0QQitemZ190275371858"]El Maya 4001S[/url] went for over £650. That said, the guy's limiting himself severely by not posting it. Jon.

First bass - Grant medium scale plywood Jazz-ish horror, like this: [attachment=18654:grantsmall.jpg] Which was bought new in 1978 from Unisound In Chatham High Street, cost £59. Which would now be £252.52!! Pedant note: Satellites were Korean, not JapCrap. Jon.

"Original" means the first definition, in this context it can't mean anything else. And it is impossible to tell, the best an (honest) seller can do is say it appears to be, or is believed to be original. If it's Ebay, it's always best to assume the seller's lying, though. Jon.

[u][b]SEPARATED AT BIRTH:[/b][/u] Salmonella .047µF Caps [/coat] Jon.

Rick bass & guitar toasters are exactly the same apart from the mounting holes. The toasters on my 70s Jap copies also have 6 poles. [quote name='Bassmanc' post='377136' date='Jan 11 2009, 08:52 PM']A couple of comments, one of my first basses was a Pearl Rick 4001 copy and it was so accurate, apart from the bolt on neck, that once I'd glues the neck in place, made a new neck heel, painted her black and added an original Rickenbacker headstock logo, the Bass Centre in London thought it was a vintage original! So I'm not so sure about the comments on Rickenbacker protecting their designs at all.[/quote] In what way does you passing off a copy as genuine cast doubt on Rickenbacker's protection of their designs? This is precisely [b]why[/b] they do so. There are no Rickenbacker copies which are indistinguishable from the real thing, but many people fob off copies as genuine because most buyers - and music shop staff - won't be sufficiently familiar with the details to tell the difference. Too bad when some poor sod finds out they've just spent £1200 on a Jap copy. J.

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' post='378492' date='Jan 13 2009, 12:05 AM']What bugs me most is the body wood laminates suggest a neck through, until you turn it over and find it is a bolt-on - that's not nice.[/quote] And the neckplate looks both foul & bodged - looks like it's been snipped out of the side of a baked bean can, with random holes poked round the edge. J.

[quote name='budget bassist' post='378328' date='Jan 12 2009, 09:59 PM']What on EARTH is that?[/quote] The reason why Fender stick with 50-year old designs. J.