solo4652 Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 Folks, What do we know about "Satellite" branded basses, please? Googling throws up very little. I believe they were made in Japan, but I'm struggling to find out much else. Steve Quote
clauster Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 My very first bass was a Satellite, a tiny 3/4 sized thing. Horrible and replaced with a Hondo II which was much nicer and didn't keep breaking. Quote
Beer of the Bass Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 I think it was just a distributors badge, attached to various grades of Japanese, and possibly Korean copies. I've seen a couple that were not bad, and some atrocious ones. Sorry, that's probably not much help! Quote
solo4652 Posted December 10, 2011 Author Posted December 10, 2011 Aaah, right. It's not sounding too promising, is it. Just seen this, you see: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9[/url] Quote
gareth1982 Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 Avoid it like someone trying to sell you a mattress from the back of a van with 'tree surgeon' hand painted on the side Quote
BigRedX Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 It doesn't look like one of the really terrible ones. However given their reputation, IMO it's already over-priced for buying without trying first. Quote
solo4652 Posted December 10, 2011 Author Posted December 10, 2011 Message received. Thanks folks. Quote
gareth1982 Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 If you are after a cheapy knockabout bass, you won't go far wrong with one of the Westfield p bass copies. I picked one up off here the other week, albeit with an upgraded bridge and pickup, for 60 quid, and you know what, it's pretty good. I took it to rehearsal and told the drummer it was a rare 70s fender that had been restored and he commented afterwards that 'it sounds better than all of your others'....look at my signature; I think he was overdoing it a bit, but I'm not scared of knocking it or anything for the money! Quote
Billy Apple Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 Satellite basses were sold through Kays catalogue late '70's to early 80's. Don't bother Quote
Ou7shined Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1323521199' post='1464150'] Aaah, right. It's not sounding too promising, is it. Just seen this, you see: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f112e06b9[/url] [/quote] My brother had one back in our punk days.. it was f*cking atrocious in every possible way. This one doesn't look to be of the same rubbish ilk and is probably very upgradeable should you not like what it has to offer. Quote
yorick Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 Had one of these in the mid eighties. Actually a very good bass. Heavy as a heavy thing, but good quality, and sounded good enough for the money. This may have been de-fretted as i've never seen a fretless one. Worth a punt for £50, I think. Quote
FlatEric Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 Some of the Satellites were rough! I have one of these - lent it to my mate, a year ago and although he has access to a lot of my stuff, that's the one he plays live. Neck through, lovely Old School sound, very nice to play - not too heavy. The ony iffy things are the tuners - you would need to budget for those. Although some ome the posts say don't touch it - I would agree on some of their other stuff but if you fancy fretless and are new to it, you might be tipped over the edge by the fact there is a dot for every fret postition - only the punters can't see that!!! Cheers. Quote
Hobbayne Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 My first ever bass was a satellite short scale, terrible thing. I kept it for years after I got proficient on the instrument. I used to use it when we done an encore, Funeral Pyre by The Jam, where at the end of the song where the drummer goes mad, I took it it off and threw it across the stage while still plugged in causing a massive noise!! Quote
solo4652 Posted December 10, 2011 Author Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) [quote name='FlatEric' timestamp='1323531004' post='1464278'] Some of the Satellites were rough! I have one of these - lent it to my mate, a year ago and although he has access to a lot of my stuff, that's the one he plays live. Neck through, lovely Old School sound, very nice to play - not too heavy. The ony iffy things are the tuners - you would need to budget for those. Although some ome the posts say don't touch it - I would agree on some of their other stuff but if you fancy fretless and are new to it, you might be tipped over the edge by the fact there is a dot for every fret postition - only the punters can't see that!!! Cheers. [/quote] but if you fancy fretless and are new to it, you might be tipped over the edge by the fact there is a dot for every fret postition - only the punters can't see that!!! [color=#0000CD]Now then, that's interesting....[/color] Edited December 10, 2011 by solo4652 Quote
Cat Burrito Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 I'm getting flashbacks to school in the late 1980s... never had a great rep but some were ok if you can get a cheap example Quote
Beer of the Bass Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 (edited) The neck through ones are not bad - I think they were made in Korea. A friend of mine had a very similar bass which I think came from the same factory, and I remember quite liking it. I wouldn't pay a huge amount though... Edited December 10, 2011 by Beer of the Bass Quote
TheGreek Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 A friend of mine had a Satellite guitar (many) years ago - running joke was that it was misspelling and a suggestion - "set alight".. Quote
BigRedX Posted December 10, 2011 Posted December 10, 2011 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1323539821' post='1464426'] A friend of mine had a Satellite guitar (many) years ago - running joke was that it was misspelling and a suggestion - "set alight".. [/quote] Unfortunately you're not allowed to do that as it releases too many toxic fumes. Quote
solo4652 Posted December 11, 2011 Author Posted December 11, 2011 (edited) Here are the seller's answers to my questions: [color=black]Where was it made? The [/color][color=#0000CD]bass is unmarked apart from a faint 'Satellite' on the headstock but Satellite made their instruments in Japan.[/color] [color=black]How wide is the neck at the nut? [/color][color=#0000CD]47mm[/color] [color=black]Do all the electrics work properly?[/color][color=#0000CD] The pickup and rotary tone and volume work great, the output socket could be better (could make a more solid connection) and I would replace it if keeping the instrument, but it does work.[/color] [color=black]Truss-rod working properly? [/color][color=#0000CD]Yes, this is fine.[/color] Any major wear or damage? [color=#0000CD]The bass is[/color] [color=#0000CD]in great condition, there is slight surface wear on the fingerboard under the lowest string but this could be sorted out with some kind of oil- there is no roughness or ridging though, the fingerboard is perfectly smooth. The body and neck are in lovely condition. A couple of machine heads rattle at certain frequencies and this is something else I would replace if keeping it. The bridge is a very solid through-body type and all adjustment screws work well.[/color] Edited December 11, 2011 by solo4652 Quote
pete.young Posted December 11, 2011 Posted December 11, 2011 Try a search on the Japcrap thread in the ebay forum. They come up for sale occasionally on the bay and although the ads will be gone, some of the expertise may be useful to you. Quote
geoffbyrne Posted December 12, 2011 Posted December 12, 2011 I had one of these & it was 'ok'. I sold it to Bassassin (Jon) who sold it on for about the same £65. They are reasonably well made & if the neck is OK (bear in mind it's a neck-through) then they should be a fine cheap buy. You may want to ask the current owner if the bridge has been rebated into the body. Since the neck is part of the body, it can't be shimmed and the only other way of lowering the action is to lower the bridge into the body - mine was & it played fine. Some of these came with DiMarzio pickups. G. Quote
dan2112 Posted December 12, 2011 Posted December 12, 2011 I have one of those neck through precisions...it's been upgraded with a wizard pickup and it sounds and plays great! A good weight to it too (a tad on the heavy side, which I prefer). Looking to sell though so if anyone's looking to buy it, they can have it for £70 + postage Quote
observer Posted December 13, 2011 Posted December 13, 2011 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1323521199' post='1464150'] Aaah, right. It's not sounding too promising, is it. Just seen this, you see: [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fretless-Bass-made-Satellite-through-neck-construction-precision-pickup-/270871168697?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3f112e06b9"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f112e06b9[/url] [/quote] I see we're fishing in the same water Steve Let me know if you going to put a bid on it Kris Quote
matski Posted December 13, 2011 Posted December 13, 2011 [quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1323597775' post='1464736'] [color=black]How wide is the neck at the nut? [/color][color=#0000CD]47mm [/color][/quote] Quote
matski Posted December 13, 2011 Posted December 13, 2011 Check out this review from 1982 [attachment=95226:satellite bass review.jpg] Quote
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