AMPEG Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I have a Japanese Columbus P bass and want some info about it. The spec is great on it and it feels like my Fender p bass It has the serial number 195M and I'd like to know 1. When it was made 2. Is this an early model 3. What sort of prices do these command if selling Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simwells Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Photos would definitely help to be able to identify it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Ahh, my first bass, 30 years ago was a Columbus, a Jazz, not a P bass. Fond memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdwardHimself Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I don't think they're worth big money. They were at the time budget basses, made out of plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Without pics its difficult, but i wouldnt expect to get much more than £100 for it, how much did you pay? I too believe they are made of plywood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPEG Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 [quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1332960752' post='1595614'] I don't think they're worth big money. They were at the time budget basses, made out of plywood. [/quote] This bass is a natural wood finish tho so it cant be plywood it feels like (weight...its heavy) its made of Alder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMPEG Posted March 28, 2012 Author Share Posted March 28, 2012 [quote name='Kev' timestamp='1332960914' post='1595619'] Without pics its difficult, but i wouldnt expect to get much more than £100 for it, how much did you pay? I too believe they are made of plywood? [/quote] My mate give it to me gratis, so i've cleaned it up. Put a new bridge and chrome knobs on the pots....its really solid virtually like a real precision much better than a squire copy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simwells Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 This is why photos are really needed, they came from a variety of factories and vary hugely in quality so it's hard to say what it is without seeing it but if it's a solid body model then £100-150 I'd estimate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bikenbass Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) I bought one in 1977. It cost me £125 from a shop in Uxbridge Arcade. Natural wood, chrome pick up and bridge covers, thumb rest, white pick guard, maple neck with black dot fret markers. Lovely instrument as I recall, quite heavy. I'd like to see pics of your one, shame I've no pictures of mine, long since swapped for a photographic enlarger. Edited March 28, 2012 by MSL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 [quote name='Rayman' timestamp='1332956463' post='1595546'] Ahh, my first bass, 30 years ago was a Columbus, a Jazz, not a P bass. Fond memories. [/quote] Me too, and almost as long ago! I was in a school rock band and didn't play anything, just sang. When we all finally went our separate ways I bought the bass players bass off him for £30. He'd butchered it and put a couple of Dimarzio P bass pick ups in between the original 2 jazz pickups, one of which didn't work anymore anyway. Years later I restored it back to a proper jazz config with some decent PU's and a mighty mite neck (the original one was becoming severely bowed and the truss rod was shot). It ended up as a present for my niece who was just starting to play in a band. Ironically she's gone the other way and now is a lead vocalist. I think the jazz has finally retired. Still worth less than the sum of its replaced parts! The only other Columbus I've had was a Gibson EB0 copy which i got just to see how I'd get on with short scale basses but it quickly got sold on to another new starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Vincent Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Also my first proper bass in 1979,the only budget lefty I could get.Also natural wood with a white scratch plate,although it got sprayed silver and had the frets removed at some point.Definately not plywood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Same as you Spike im also a lefty, mine was £125 brand new had a neck like a sledgehammer handle .. Still got mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I had a Columbus Jazz bought second hand in the late 1970s, happily I don't have any pictures of it to jog unpleasant memories and I don't recall what happened to it once I got my hands on a Yamaha BB800 (which I still have) in about 1979. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chardbass Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I also had a s/h Columbus Jazz bass bought for me by my Dad back around '82 for £75. I have a picture of me playing it but it'll never make it to here!! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 [quote name='EdwardHimself' timestamp='1332960752' post='1595614']They were at the time budget basses, made out of plywood.[/quote] [quote name='AMPEG' timestamp='1332961785' post='1595633']This bass is a natural wood finish tho so it cant be plywood it feels like (weight...its heavy) its made of Alder[/quote] A brand name which was used for many years. It's certainly the case that some were plywood/butcher's block, but not all. My first bass was a Columbus Precision, with what initially appeared to be a three-piece body, but was in fact a six-piece body (two layers each with three pieces). Most commonly the examples constructed with larger timbers were Sen (ash), Nyatoh (mahogany), and Agathis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 I had one too - and it did weigh a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman Steve Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 Yup, my first bass was a Columbus Jazz - 45 quid as I recall. Got me started and did me fine until I bought my first Fender P-bass and realised the Columbus was a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 This thread is certainly bringing back the memories! When I started playing, the school bass was a sunburst Columbus P copy, with very low action and flat strings. At the time I owned a short scale Eros EB-3 copy so the Columbus felt like a 'real' bass! I struggled with the low action though and thought there was a fault with it (not knowing anything about setups and adjustable action). Looking back, it was probably quite well set up. Incidentally, the school bass amp was a Cougar combo - a 1x15 I should imagine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnarloo Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 On 28/03/2012 at 16:51, AMPEG said: I have a Japanese Columbus P bass and want some info about it. The spec is great on it and it feels like my Fender p bass It has the serial number 195M and I'd like to know 1. When it was made 2. Is this an early model 3. What sort of prices do these command if selling Hi, I’ve just seen your bass for sale, had a play today. I noticed the serial number and remembered it. Neck like a tree but sounded really good 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 26 minutes ago, gnarloo said: Hi, I’ve just seen your bass for sale, had a play today. I noticed the serial number and remembered it. Neck like a tree but sounded really good You sure? The thread's 10 years old! And that's a model number, not a serial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted January 7, 2022 Share Posted January 7, 2022 Ampeg the poster was last seen 8 years ago but he has prob just popped out for some milk and will be back soon. Or maybe not.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnarloo Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 Haha. The number strangely stamped on the back of the head. 195 M. I did some Googling after finding it (my first bass in about 1991 was identical so I’m tempted by it) and found this thread, so thought I’d respond to this very old thread just in case it’s former owner was interested. Prices have slightly rocketed since I sold mine for £50 in about ‘93, this one going for £350 now. Solid as a rock, good pickups, no dings. Was quite impressed, thought it might be a bit crap but sounded decent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnarloo Posted January 8, 2022 Share Posted January 8, 2022 On 07/01/2022 at 21:27, Bassassin said: You sure? The thread's 10 years old! And that's a model number, not a serial. You’re right - model number! Apologies for false nostalgia alarm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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