police squad Posted June 7, 2012 Posted June 7, 2012 Anyone here got a Manson. I've had 2 in my time, both explorers. One was black with white spots on the pointy bits and the other was originally black with an abelone tiger inlayed into the upper horn. When I got it it was stripped so I re-finished it in candy apple blue. Are they out there? Quote
RhysP Posted June 7, 2012 Posted June 7, 2012 [quote name='police squad' timestamp='1339055882' post='1682853'] Anyone here got a Manson. I've had 2 in my time, both explorers. One was black with white spots on the pointy bits [/quote] Where did you get the black & white spotty one if you don't mind me asking? The music shop I used to help out at in Cardiff ("Livewire") had a Manson Explorer in exactly the finish you describe custom made for them in the 1980s. It was a bit of a weird shape if I remember correctly - almost an explorer but not quite. Quote
police squad Posted June 8, 2012 Author Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) ha ha, yes that's the one. I bought it from live wire. It was £399. Think I bought it in 1984, about july. It was a proper explorer shape, two kent armstrong pickups, active electronics. I eventually traded it against an aria SB-R150 from Peter Cooks. It was huge!! Edited June 8, 2012 by police squad Quote
police squad Posted June 8, 2012 Author Posted June 8, 2012 I've just goggled manson explorer bass and would you believe it, my original one that came from livewire in Cardiff is on preloved!! Seller wants £800 for it!! It's still in what looks like, very good nick. I've just emailed him to see how long he's had it etc Quote
Tlbasss Posted June 20, 2012 Posted June 20, 2012 Did see a red explorer on the bay a few years ago for something like £200. Real nice basses but a tad heavy. Hey Police Squad, whatever happened to that Tiger inlay bass? Did you keep the tremolo that was on it? There was another guy that had one in a tobacco finish that played in the Canterbury area but can't remember the name of the band. The only other Manson basses I ever saw were at Mansons in/ near Jarvis Brook when they were located there and The Anti Nowhere Leage used them too. Oh and I enjoyed playing that Tiger bass for 7 years before we did that swap! Tim. Quote
police squad Posted June 21, 2012 Author Posted June 21, 2012 Hello Tim, The guy in The English Rogues had a manson as a back up to his old rick. I sold the bass to a bloke that claimed to work for Hugh Manson, that was back in '96. The girl that joined Girlschool (Tracy Lamb used to be in Rock Goddess) she had one, (I think it was the one reviewed in a a magazine). I saw Tracy at a gig in Deal, watching Anvil, should have asked her really. I haven't seen or heard of the Tiger one since. How's tricks Tim? Quote
boristhespider Posted June 22, 2012 Posted June 22, 2012 The one with the spots on is now in Mansons for Sale on commission ive dropped it to 600.00 Quote
police squad Posted June 22, 2012 Author Posted June 22, 2012 hello Boris, my old bass!! If I had the money I'd buy it back. It was my first 'proper' bass. I'm sure I bought it in '83. It originally had a different bridge (it's got a badass on it now I think). A great bass Quote
boristhespider Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 Hi the Manson Explorer with white dots has still not sold, I am now open for offers on this one as it is too heavy for me to play a gig with due to knee problems. Quote
Porkpie Posted October 28, 2013 Posted October 28, 2013 I've got a lovely Manson Merlin fretless. Had it from new in about '85. It's been re finished due to heavy wear, and could really do with being done again, but I like its lived in look. Also had its headstock glued back on by Hugh about 12 years back after it got knocked onto a radiator, but you'd never know unless you look closely. I'll try and get some pix up if any one's interested. 1 Quote
Monkey1961 Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) This is the Manson bass with the white spots you're referring to?: http://www.mansons.co.uk/product/preowned-manson-explorer-bass-5836 I owned this bass from (approx) 1987-2010ish!!:-), paid about £375. Pretty sure it was mine 'cause I think it was a one off and I added the chrome knobs (they were originally hatbox type black/transparent ones). It was well gigged, but eventually sold it in part-ex for a 1x15 Gallien Kruger cab (that ironically I rarely use) as it was no longer my no.1 bass. I also recall the active could do with an upgrade, and then there was the size and the weight!! It was a class bass though, sometimes wish I'd have kept it, but then I've thought that about a lot of basses (a Hayman 40-40 for instance!). Boris the spider, did you buy it in Bristol, Gloucester road by any chance? Edited December 22, 2013 by Monkey1961 Quote
molan Posted December 21, 2013 Posted December 21, 2013 I've played a John Paul Jones Sig and really quite liked it. It was a bit 'marmite' though. Some people thought it was nice but others weren't so impressed. I know this can happen with most basses but this one seemed to divide people a bit more than usual. Quote
Jazzer Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) Hi, I see this thread has been around for ages but I am really glad to have found it.... Yesterday I picked up a Manson headless bass (see photos).... I know nothing about it except that it is supposedly from the 80's and has been sitting in a corner of a room neglected for the last 20 years.? If anyone has any thoughts / info as to the model / build / wood or anything other comments on this one or Manson's in general, I would be really grateful. In any case, I am delighted / excited with it... it seems a lovely instrument. Thanks for any help. [attachment=152206:MansonBass01.JPG] [attachment=152207:MansonBass02.JPG] [attachment=152208:MansonBass03.JPG] Edited January 13, 2014 by Jazzer Quote
BassBod Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 That looks great - never seen a headless before. Hugh makes some very nice basses. There may be some info inside the control cavity (original customer, or date etc) the logo looks like 80's version. Pickup is a Kent Armstrong (could be a push/pull switch on one pot, to go from series to parallel wiring). Quote
ambient Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 The very first ERB that I saw was a Manson. My uncle who got me into playing gave me a load of his old magazines when I was about 14. There was one magazine from the mid 1980's that had reviews of some 5 and 6 string Manson basses, still got it somewhere in the loft . Quote
greenolive Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 That headless looks cool jazzer I would just email the guys at manson , Hugh , Adrian etc are all helpful & great to deal with No doubt they will shed some light on the woods etc I love mine , still my number one ( it's had a refin & different pups over time ) Welcome to the family! Quote
Jazzer Posted January 15, 2014 Posted January 15, 2014 Thanks for the replies.. The chap that sold it to me had contacted Mansons to find out about this bass... Hugh Manson confirmed that he made it, but he can't remember the specs, so sadly no help there. The shop did say the value is in the £500 to £800 range.... does that sound right? I checked the control cavity and and it's tightly packed and lined with foil so I couldn't easily see anything written inside. There may be something under the foil? Thanks for the info on the pickup... no coil tap but seems to have two coil or tone controls ( with centre indent) plus a master volume. I have now set the bass up... it has a lovely action except for the bottom E has a buzz at fret 7 and it won't go very low :-( .... The truss rod is correct so may need some work done on it. I'll also be changing the battery compartment to one that can be opened without a screwdriver. Otherwise all prefect for an old lady. Just off to a reherarsal to try it out... happy days! Quote
moosesp2 Posted April 9, 2020 Posted April 9, 2020 Is anyone still following this thread?? I bought the black bass with the white spots from Peter Cooks in some sort of crazy sale for just £199.00, mainly to get the semi-flightcase that it came with for one of my other two Manson Explorer's. I fitted the Badass bridge and chrome machine heads (swapped from one of my other basses....) and used the gold machine heads along with a new gold Badass bridge to visually upgrade one of the basses that I kept. I then traded it via Heron Music in Bristol for a custom ordered Hamer Scarab - the purple one in the pics with the Kahler..... I've just found out that I know Monkey1961 who had it next, and he's just sent me some pics of how it ended up after he sold it - which I'm not posting 'cause they'll make you cry...... Hell Yeah! 1 Quote
Drax Posted April 10, 2020 Posted April 10, 2020 Definitely worth the thread revival for those pics 😎 Quote
police squad Posted April 10, 2020 Author Posted April 10, 2020 My old Manson, I remember it well. Peter cook gave me 200 quid for it against an Aria SBR-150 Quote
jezzaboy Posted April 10, 2020 Posted April 10, 2020 (edited) 19 hours ago, moosesp2 said: Is anyone still following this thread?? I bought the black bass with the white spots from Peter Cooks in some sort of crazy sale for just £199.00, mainly to get the semi-flightcase that it came with for one of my other two Manson Explorer's. I fitted the Badass bridge and chrome machine heads (swapped from one of my other basses....) and used the gold machine heads along with a new gold Badass bridge to visually upgrade one of the basses that I kept. I then traded it via Heron Music in Bristol for a custom ordered Hamer Scarab - the purple one in the pics with the Kahler..... I've just found out that I know Monkey1961 who had it next, and he's just sent me some pics of how it ended up after he sold it - which I'm not posting 'cause they'll make you cry...... Hell Yeah! Is that the best hair doo for metal? There is something rather cool looking about that Hamer with the trem. Edited April 10, 2020 by jezzaboy Quote
police squad Posted April 11, 2020 Author Posted April 11, 2020 I think almost everybody who has owned this bass has come on here that's some history!!! Quote
Jan Raeven Posted January 20, 2024 Posted January 20, 2024 On 28/10/2013 at 14:09, Porkpie said: I've got a lovely Manson Merlin fretless. Had it from new in about '85. It's been re finished due to heavy wear, and could really do with being done again, but I like its lived in look. Also had its headstock glued back on by Hugh about 12 years back after it got knocked onto a radiator, but you'd never know unless you look closely. I'll try and get some pix up if any one's interested. A year ago, I bought a Manson Merlin fretless from Andy Baxter. A great bass! After I ordered the bass, Andy noticed that the electronics were not working well and sent the bass to Manson, where Hugh Manson himself sorted things out. Everything works properly now. It's a lovely bass. The active settings are quite extreme, as you will find with most basses of this era, but in passive mode it sounds extremely good! 2 Quote
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