Bassassin

80s Yamaha. Had a BB400S with the same bridge.

That is interesting. '74 (not '73) from the pickup codes, but the 80s Yamaha BB bridge & defret does make me wonder how authentic the rest of it is. Never seen anything like this before but Tokai (if it really is one) is a fairly unknown quantity in their early 70s days - a small factory largely supplying a domestic market, and very little surviving literature to ID instruments from. Better-known after their Gibson replicas started being exported in the mid 70s and took off dramatically. Anyway, wouldn't mind seeing this in bits. Might not be all it seems. Link for anyone who wants to see bigger pics: https://reverb.com/item/33193153-super-rare-first-models-matsumoku-tokai-tele-bass-1973-wine-red-maxon-pickups-fretlees

All the best knobs are stacked! Starts here for me, predictably enough in Japan - my Aria Pro RSB Deluxe II, owned from new: Supremely logical & versatile passive control setup, apart from the IMO redundant seletor switch. A blend pot would make more sense. And my somewhat customised '80 MIJ Jazz with a pre-wired control plate I blagged cheap off Ebay. Again the stacks make sense for maximising the versatility of a passive bass, as well as looking better than v/v/t. The pickups are twin-coil DiMarzios and I've toyed with the idea of phase switching like the Aria - but the bass sounds great as it is & I couldn't bring myself to drill holes in it.

You'll probably be unsurprised that I've encountered these. There were several, including the skinny stringers. Japanese-made (possibly Teisco Gakki or Sakai Mokko), early 70s, US market:

That's lovely. Always had a bit of GAS for a through-neck Thunder.

I would expect it'd be remarkably similar - Fernandes (like Ibanez) is a brand rather than a manufacturer. Kawai Gakki was apparently one of the manufacturers they contracted out to. There - saved you two grand!

Really hope there's a lawyer's letter in the post.

I'm not 100% convinced that the double neck's not a bass & a guitar that have been (very meticulously) laminated into a single instrument. Looks bang-on from the front but the positioning of the battery covers on the rear is very odd & makes no sense if the instrument had been manufactured as a twin-neck from the ground up. I'm inclined to think the centre section could have originally been the upper body wing of the guitar.

NO SANDMAN! was definitely a thing in the early 90s.

Back on topic - Status did make (mid late 80s) a range of basses with a graphite neck and composite/resin body, not sure whether these were set or bolt neck. Anyone remember the name of these? Can't see the neck/body join on the OP's pic, so could this be one of those with a black body?

For fear of dragging the thread OT, I don't think they can be. MIJ Washboards were initially made by a small-ish bespoke manufacturer called Yamaki, and later by Chushin, who were a huge concern responsible for many of the various Japanese guitars around in the 70s & 80s, across the full spectrum of quality. Both factories made the well-known MIJ Washburn stuff - the Wings, Stage, Force etc ranges but production went to Korea about the time the fashion turned towards pointy SuperStrat types - probaly around '85/6. The S1000 Status basses appeared in '88 as far as I know & ran until the early 90s. By this point quality was no indication of country of manufacture as the Korean factories were capable of producing absolutely top of the line stuff, as they still do. It's possible that these models alone were sourced to a Japanese factory but I think it's fairly unlikely. It's a shame there's not too much info or many pics around of the Washburns - a manufacturing sticker or a serial number might confirm one way or the other. Anyway - as you were!

Flattered by your confidence - but I know next to nowt about Statii, them bein' BritSh!t an' all - I don't even think the licensed Washburns were Japanese... That said, I did look & think "S2000" - my mate had one back in the day and I did briefly plot to murder him so I could steal it.

Could be your lucky day then...

01 Ever played a gig sitting down? No. 02 Ever gigged on a different instrument? Not a full gig, but in a band years ago, used to swap with the guitarist for one song. Can't remember why we thought that was a good idea. 03 Ever shared a stage with a musical hero of yours? Been on the same bill as a few bands I'm a fan of, but never performed with any of them.. 04 Any fan ever had a tatoo of your band's logo? Sadly, not as far as I know. 05 Ever signed an autograph in a dressing room? In a what? On the front of the stage occasionaly. 06 Ever cried on stage? Came close, playing Romeo & Juliet the day after I was brutally & unexpectedly dumped. No actual tears & snot though. 07 Ever worn a hat on stage? Of course. Arguably it's a rite of passage. 08 Ever gigged with a band you hadn't met before the gig? No. 09 Ever been in a relationship with a fellow band member? Yes - still am. 10 Ever played in different bands on the same day? Yes. 11 Ever had anything thrown at you while playing? Regularly! It's an occupational hazard of having a singer who likes to lob stuff at the audience, sweets, usually. 12 Ever crashed on the way to the gig? Fortunately no - but broken down? That's a whole other set of stories! 13 Ever left a band over the choice of set list? No. 14 Ever slept in the venue despite it not being a hotel? Been put up by pubs in the back room a few times - and have played a gig in the basement of a house I lived in. 15 Ever been supported by a band clearly better than you? Don't think so. Played with some very, very good bands, but different rather than better. 16 Ever played a gig suffering from some debilitating medical condition? Have struggled through the odd gig with terrifyingly dodgy guts, and played with a cold so bad I could barely stand, never mind sing lead. Genuinely couldn't speak for a week afterwards. 17 Ever been in a band where the guitarist was your favourite bandmate? Three bands, including a duo. I have very low self-esteem. 18 Ever played in the grounds of a stately home? No. 19 Ever injured yourself on stage? No. 20 Ever been told that your bass isn't loud enough? Not since I could afford a decent amp.

I sometimes wonder if I've been playing bass with no inspiration at all for 40-odd years...

Some of his other prices might raise a smile, or an eyebrow: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Musical-Instruments/619/m.html?item=283818071046&_ssn=steveok2011 I thought it was the same t!t who was trying to flip a Shaftesbury Rick copy for £1300!

C'est un Matsumoku-related brand, sub-brand de Vantage: http://www.matsumoku.org/models/vantage/catalogs/atak-manhattan/pg5.html Dunno what that is, but pretty sure it's not MIJ. Possibly Italian, maybe a Gherson or Melody or somesuch. A bit shonky-looking, whatever it is but quite interesting. Would be a lot more interesting if it was £400 less.

Hi @Duncan Hutchinson - please post some pics of your Romaxe, hardly any of these around! Given the going rate for these is £56, can I put in an offer of £60 for yours, should you choose to sell? Clearly that's including a generous adjustment for inflation!

Amazing - MDP almost "makes" a sensible bass. Of course he still had to wonk up the (unmatched) tuners. And ruin the nut. Easily £217 too expensive.

That's proper MIJ collector geek material. Not for me, then.

I don't have your bass but feel your pain. I had two early 90s Fujigen SR800s, fretted & fretless, sold them both. And often wish I hadn't.

Don't understand why anyone would spend eye-watering money on instruments that are at best a hit-or-miss mixup of random parts. You could chuck this (and the rather better-looking Contour Bass posted by @AndyTravis) together in an afternoon for about £200's worth of decent Ebay parts. And it wouldn't looked like it had been kicked down the street. Are people just buying the sticker on the end, or what?

I know, it's a nightmare...