phillip hayes esq 1994 ips model bass guitar

[martin gaughan roberts]

[size="4"]just found this old bass guitar. i aint got a clue. any ideas you have about this guitar please do get in touch. best regards martin gaughan roberts.

[Musky]

Just seen this - welcome to the forum.

That looks very much like a modded Aria 1820/1830, and would have come out of the Matsumoku factory. I'd expect to see 'Steel Reinforced Neck'/'Steel Adjustable Neck' on the neck plate. These were basically the same as the Epiphone ET 280, the difference being that the Epi has a two aside headstock. These doubtless were sold with other names on the headstock, as Matsumoku would be happy to badge these up with any name for anyone who ordered enough.

Like I said, yours appears to have a few mods done. I'd say the scratchplate isn't original, nor the knobs. If you unscrew the scratchplate I expect you to find additional holes for the original scratchplate and possibly routing for a neck pickup (both the Aria and Epi models had two pickups). The pickup may itself be a replacement, as it differs to the ET 280 style pups (though curiously bears a resemblance to the ones fitted to the ET 285).

Out of curiosity, how did you come up with the Phillip Hayes Esq 1994 IPS model name? I can vaguely make out something on the headstock but can't read it.

Edited December 12, 2010 by Musky

[martin gaughan roberts]

[quote name='Musky' post='1056427' date='Dec 12 2010, 08:08 PM']Just seen this - welcome to the forum.

That looks very much like a modded Aria 1820/1830, and would have come out of the Matsumoku factory. I'd expect to see 'Steel Reinforced Neck'/'Steel Adjustable Neck' on the neck plate. These were basically the same as the Epiphone ET 280, the difference being that the Epi has a two aside headstock. These doubtless were sold with other names on the headstock, as Matsumoku would be happy to badge these up with any name for anyone who ordered enough.

Like I said, yours appears to have a few mods done. I'd say the scratchplate isn't original, nor the knobs. If you unscrew the scratchplate I expect you to find additional holes for the original scratchplate and possibly routing for a neck pickup (both the Aria and Epi models had two pickups). The pickup may itself be a replacement, as it differs to the ET 280 style pups (though curiously bears a resemblance to the ones fitted to the ET 285).

Out of curiosity, how did you come up with the Phillip Hayes Esq 1994 IPS model name? I can vaguely make out something on the headstock but can't read it.[/quote]

hi musky,

thank you for your help. the info regarding phillip hayes is a transfer on the head. you are right about the metal plate saying steel reinforced ect. so it looks like a mucked about matsumoka.

thanks again for your valuable information.

best regards,


martin gaughan roberts.

[martin gaughan roberts]

hi there,

will pop it on ebay for someone else to enjoy.

all the best,

martin.

[Musky]

Good luck with the sale Martin.

Be sure to mention Matsumoku in the title as they were a well regarded factory - it's unlikely anyone other than Phillip Hayes himself has heard of the name that's on the headstock at the moment.