Gorgeous looking Futurama P-Bass for £299

[Stuee]

Guys check this out, it's got something really nice about it. I read somewhere that these are made by Tokai - perhaps you know more about this... Bassassin?

Slightly odd sunburst - a bit 'hard' on the colour transitions - but a lovely looking flame maple neck & very tidy overall.

What do you think?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=350436665471"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=350436665471[/url]

[Annoying Twit]

Even Rockem who brazenly describe the Rockinbetter basses as being "Tokai" don't list the Futurama basses as being Tokai.

[url="http://www.rockemmusic.com/product/futurama-p-bass-vintage-look-bass-guitar-sunburst"]http://www.rockemmusic.com/product/futuram...guitar-sunburst[/url]

And, the new price is £188.

Are these the same bass? Or is there more of a range?

[lettsguitars]

awesome. i played a futurama II six string guitar for ages. was one of the best playing guitars i've ever had. futurama were a fab company and i would highly recommend the bass. i mean, just look at that curly maple neck!!!!

[lettsguitars]

back then though, i think they were made in czechoslovakia or summat. wasn't aware the company was still going. those old 50's 60's guitars were ace. really light, set necks and vox pickups. strange U shape neck and really tight radius. it's now a pickup tester with more holes than it started with.

[Stuee]

There is a discussion [topic="113716"]here[/topic] about who, what & where Futurama was/is & whether the brand is connected to Tokai (China, not Tokai Japan). Difficult subject, for obvious reasons, but interesting.

I guess what I'm really interested in finding out is whether these instruments are any good - has anyone played / heard a '00s Futurama? And that is only because it's pretty - there's something about it, like some Jap Tokais or the ProBass/Retrovibe basses, that just looks like it'd punch above its weight.

[Bassassin]

It's just a Precision copy with a brand name some people have heard of before. Nothing any more special than that.

Nothing to do with Tokai, but I suppose it's possibly from the same Chinese factory that makes low-end, licensed brand cheapo Tokais. But like Rockinbetters, that doesn't make it a Tokai.

Jon.

[Annoying Twit]

I added my 2p to the other thread.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='1116336' date='Feb 5 2011, 11:09 AM']It's just a Precision copy with a brand name some people have heard of before. Nothing any more special than that.[/quote]

[url="http://www.tokaijapan.com/hardpuncher2.html"]This[/url] on the other hand I find a lot more special.

Edit: Futurama versus Sue Ryder P bass. Let the battle commence.

Edited February 5, 2011 by Annoying Twit

[lettsguitars]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1116342' date='Feb 5 2011, 11:12 AM'][url="http://www.tokaijapan.com/hardpuncher2.html"]This[/url] on the other hand I find a lot more special.

Edit: Futurama versus Sue Ryder P bass. Let the battle commence.[/quote]
futurama everytime. you certainly wouldn't be asking around bc for a new neck with this futurama. you don't find neck wood like that on too many cheapo guitars.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='1116342' date='Feb 5 2011, 11:12 AM']Edit: Futurama versus Sue Ryder P bass. Let the battle commence.[/quote]
Auntie Sue FTW. She'll sell you [b]six[/b] basses for the price of one Futurama.

Speaking of which, the neck wood's lovely but the rest of it's 'orrible: nasty, tacky-looking hardware, very ugly and suspicious (well-hidden edges) sunburst, all for the price of a used MIJ Fender! You'd have to be a mental to chuck money at that.

J.

[lettsguitars]

actually. on the headstock shot, the wood looks a little suspect, mineral streaks and such. funny, it says custom series on the head. what's custom about it?

[Schnozzalee]

Plus the futurama's body is most likely NOT alder and sen ash which made my Tokai sound a lot worse than a Ryder.