noelk27

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1358352487' post='1937599']To be fair, and on reflection of my contempt earlier - and assuming it's outsourced to a printer & not done in-house. It's more a printer's error that the magazine's; the bloke who imposed the pages must have been asleep.[/quote] Can't agree. Page make-up is not done by a printer, it's done in-house by the editorial department or outsourced to a freelancer designer. Irrespective of who carries out page make-up a dummy issue will be reviewed by the editorial department or the editor before sign-off for publication. Duplication of an article is a clear indication of lax or non-existent editorial procedures. The only head on the chopping block for this sort of mistake is the magazine's.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1356844687' post='1914249']But back on topic, I'd go for an Aria SB-1000...maybe with the Alembic pickups option.[/quote] SB-LTD? Wasn't released until '88. If you were looking at the SB range in '83, the new model you'd have been most interested in was the SB-R150. [quote name='megallica' timestamp='1356891979' post='1914826']I'm not sure when they launched the Yamaha RBX 800 but it was a great 80's bass.[/quote] First RBX models were released in '86. If you were looking at the Yamaha range in '83 it would have had to be a BB, and the models of the day were the 3000 variants.

[quote name='Panamonte' timestamp='1356814162' post='1914006']John Giblin ... He's recorded with loads of people ...[/quote] Simple Minds ('85 - '89)

Oh, and if you want year of creation/year of birth to intersect, I'd suggest the Yamaha BB3000. Officially introduced in December '82, the standard version is 42.5mm wide at the nut, while the narrow version - introduced in '84 - is 39.5mm. You also have the BB-X (aka BB1600) to consider - that model was introduced in '83.

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1356707422' post='1912723']From memory , the neck on the Aria is narrow but has some depth front to back .[/quote] SB1000 is 45mm at the nut, with 16mm pitch at the bridge. If you want a smaller nut and wider spacing you want an "R" version, so, R150, R80 or R60.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1356704724' post='1912656']There used to be a Music Shop in Edinburgh next to the Usher Hall ...[/quote] I was in that store once, and once only. During the course of a short conversation he commented that the guitars he stocked were too good for the way people played these days (these days being the mid 90s). Seem to recall he made a few other such comments, as well as imply I wouldn't be a good enough guitarist to try any of his stock, even though he'd never heard me play. And also recall he had a Gretsch White Falcon in the window for years.

[quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1356109122' post='1907040']Nobody at all uses dial-up modems.[/quote] Me, until April this year. Cable companies would supply the location, cable over (BT) telephone wasn't supported, mobile telecoms were patchy at best, so dial-up was the only solution.

Played it. wasn't impressed.

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1355903761' post='1904117'][I]ts a seven digit serial begining with a 3 so it will be 1983 then.[/quote] Indeed it will. By the way, your R80 (almost identical to the Elite II) has a 40mm nut and 18mm bridge pitch, and the slimmer/shallower, more "C" shaped neck. The 900, of which the R80 is a revision, had a 45mm nut and 16mm bridge pitch, and the fatter/deeper, more "U" shaped neck. The 900 and the 1000 used identical timbers and dimensions (well, the second version of the 1000 as introduced late '78).

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1355867897' post='1903939']The serial number ends in an 85 so I think it is from then.[/quote] No. Six digits is 70s. Seven digits is 80s. First digit is year. [quote name='megallica' timestamp='1355867897' post='1903939'][T]he site at [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aria_(guitar_company)#Aria_Pro_II_Guitars"]http://en.wikipedia...._Pro_II_Guitars[/url] says they were only made between 1979 and 1983.[/quote] No. Those dates are often quoted but are wrong. First examples manufactured late '80.

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1355827352' post='1903144']It's an 1985 model ...[/quote] By the way, you sure about that year of manufacture?

[quote name='megallica' timestamp='1355853999' post='1903733']What is it that makes the SB1000 so heavy, was it the difference in the weight of oak and walnut? And did the SB900 have the same neck profile as the SB1000?[/quote] The finish is called "Oak" or "Walnut", it's a stain. The wings are made with either Sen ash or Canadian ash (depending on year of manufacture). And, yes, the original 900 had the same through neck (materials and dimensions) as the 1000.

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1355768074' post='1902516']Ah, just realised its actually at the base of the neck, what I was looking at was the random brown blob where it would be on the headstock which now makes me wonder why the blob is there?[/quote] Hole plug.

[quote name='S9_S12_Bass' timestamp='1355751600' post='1902147'][D]oes anyone else think the truss rod hole looks more like its fake/stuck on?[/quote] No.

Always understood the theory underlying use of brass for nut to be to provide a smaller surface area for witness contact and to equalise tone. Yamaha now uses the same alloy for frets as for the nut on its new 1000 and 2000 series basses.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1355748583' post='1902069']You see how someone has told him it's not a '54ri and he then has asked what year reissue they think it is. The answer is not only on the reciept but it's stamped in the neck pocket!![/quote] What, you mean the "51" stamped on the body and on the neck mean it's a '51 reissue? I'd never have guessed!

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1355741410' post='1901944']I have been told, on more than one occasion, that many of Duran's bass parts were actually 'ghosted' by Mr Edwards - anyone else ever here this? Maybe it's one of those 'urban myth' things [/quote] It's one of those urban myth things. First time Edwards worked with Taylor was The Power Station album. They did collaborate on creating the lines for that album, with Edwards "tutoring" Taylor. They subsequently worked that way on Notorious.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1355612985' post='1900675']I'm not denying that Tokai Gakki have made Tokai branded copies of Rickenbacker Guitars ... . However the existence of the guitars does not automatically mean that they also made copies of Rickenbacker basses. ... The internet is a wonderful thing. If something exists somewhere, then someone will have posted a photograph of it. In the 20 or so years that I have been interested in Tokai instruments I have never seen any photographs of 4001 or 4003 style basses with Tokai logos on them. ... It may be that Tokai have had complaints from RIC regarding their guitar copies (I'd be surprised if they haven't), but if they were making 4001/3 clones in 2000 or earlier there would be no reason for them not to have Tokai on the TRC.[/quote] Actually, Bill-R is asserting that Tokai Gakki were making Rockinbetter badged instruments through the 80s, up until 1994, and further asserting that thereafter some other version of Tokai Gakki was operating as Tokai Korea and continued to make Rockinbetter badged instruments. That gives us in excess of 30, possibly closer to 40, years where it's being asserted Rockinbetter instruments have been available. Can anyone recall seeing a Rockinbetter badged instrument before the year 2000? In fact, can anyone recall seeing any before the mid 00s? Seriously, if Rockinbetter Rickenbacker copies had been in circulation since the 80s then one of the JapCrap collectors on this site would have previously, or would currently, own one. Does anyone want to jump in at this point and show off their 80s or 90s Rockinbetter? Please, if you've got one, do us all a huge favour and jump in now. Oh, and as for Tokai being in any way intimidated by threats of legal action by John Hall, well, that sort of thing, generally speaking, doesn’t bother Japanese corporations. They know, under Japanese law, that they aren't committing any offence, unless the foreign manufacturer in question has take the time, and considerable expense, to register all the relevant copyrights, designs and patents in Japan, and subsequently maintained a presence there. You only have to ask Fender USA about that sort of situation, , and what is necessary to combat the competition.

[quote name='Bill-R' timestamp='1355609546' post='1900645']If you check this link [url="http://www.tokaiguitarsaustralia.com.au/INDEX.html"]http://www.tokaiguit...m.au/INDEX.html[/url] its the "[b]Tokai[/b] [b]Guitars[/b] Australia" if you look under Vintage at the bottom suprise... suprise you find Rebel Rockers. why would a company only selling Tokai Japan/China guitars sell something that they have nothing to do with. am I the only one that thinks it strange that Australia Tokai dealers all sell Reble rockers. in the Uk all Tokai dealers sell Rockenbetter. but the say the have no conection to rockinbetter. if you click on the bass to zoon it up pops the Tokai badge next to the bass. it just does not add up. the have no other makes advertised only Tokai. there is something not right about all this! why would Tokai let Rockinbetter/Rebel be sold by there dealers and promoted as being Tokai made? and why give a 5 year warranty and a Tokai gig bag?[/quote] Again, that's another importer/distributor website, as it clearly states on the title page, owned and operated by Jade Australia: http://www.jadeaustralia.com.au/index.html It's not a website owned and operated by Tokai Gakki.

[quote name='Bill-R' timestamp='1355598018' post='1900488']what your saying is Tokai Licensed someone in China to make there guitars but with there name on it. is that right![/quote] No, I'm not.

[quote name='Bill-R' timestamp='1355597123' post='1900470']like Fender, Gibson, Hofner, Gresch. Yamaha. all not having a Percentage in Cor-Tec but still having them make there guitars for them.[/quote] The difference being that those companies would have contracted Cor-Tek (correct spelling) to build an order for them. Again, that's not the situation for Tokai Gakki, which has licensed use of its brand name.

[quote name='Bill-R' timestamp='1355595902' post='1900447']Yes and that just what Tokai did 20 years ago, have someone else make the Rockinbetter in China. did they then sell them off! who knows but they kept being made. just the same as Gresch, Yamaha, Hofner, Gibson, and Fender all had some models made by Cor-Tek in Korea. but the guitar you bought was still a Fender, Gresch or Gibson or what ever. the fact that the maker Licensed out the making to another firm to make there guitars to there speck does not make that guitar a bad guitar. China made Tokai are still Tokai. most makers do not want you to know they have had there guitars made by another maker and probable made cheeper. fender had some of there squire's made by cor-tek and you can tell by the s/n but its still a fender, just like the MIA, MIM, MIJ are all still fenders. Cor-Tek made more guitars that Gibson, Fender and Rickenbacker all together made in 2008 but you dont see Cot-Tek on any guitar, the closest you see it Cort. so someone is buying a Cor-Tek made guitar with a diffrent name on it. how many people have Cot-Tek guitars and don't know. why do they have Rockinbetter in europe but Rebelrocker in Aus??? its the same bass???[/quote] Garbage. Fender USA own a percentage of Fender Japan, along with the joint venture partners, and participates in it's running. That legal arrangement is fundamentally different from one where image or brand rights are licensed, as is the situation for Tokai Gakki, which does not own a percentage of the Chinese conglomerate or participate in its running.

[quote name='Bill-R' timestamp='1355592873' post='1900368']here is a USA link. [url="http://www.usamusic.nl/umi/component/content/article/75-tokai-guitars/347-tokaioverview.html"]http://www.usamusic....aioverview.html[/url][/quote] Proving what? That some imports who stock made in China product badged "Tokai" also stock Rockinbetter? You do understand that made in China "Tokai" aren't made by Tokai Gakki, but by a Chinese conglomerate that licensed the "Tokai" name? Again, licensing brand names and trademarks is common practice for Japanese corporations, as many "brands" only exist as non-corporeals.

Posted elsewhere ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Hr3HCNIgv40#!