Help identifying this bass

[Steff]

Hi guys,

saw this bass on gumtree, it's going pretty cheap as spares and repairs but I can't really identify it and the seller says he doesn't know... Anyone?

[HowieBass]

It looks very like one of these [url="http://www.vintagesilvertones.com/forsale_silvertone_1490bass.html"]http://www.vintagesi...e_1490bass.html[/url]

More identifying pics here http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46863

Edited December 15, 2013 by HowieBass

[BetaFunk]

These were made in their thousands and the majority were sold unbranded with no name ever on them. I picked up a short scale version this year that was perfectly playable with a nice low action for £60.



P.S. If you click on the link below there is a very informative post by Jon (Bassassin) who knows his stuff on this subject.

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/120229-parts-for-60s-jap-bass-like-silvertone-1490-aria-a-200/page__p__1103857__hl__1490__fromsearch__1#entry1103857

Edited December 15, 2013 by BetaFunk

[Bassassin]

Without seeing it, generic Japanese or Korean (same design was made in both countries) short-scale starter bass. Body is probably plywood, pickups are definitely single-coils in mini-humbucker size cases. These basses were sold with lots of different names on the headstock, and also like this one, unbranded, which means it's not "an" anything. You see so many basses with this same Burns-influenced design that I tend to think a few different factories made them - as I said, I ve seen both MIJ and MIK examples.

Here's an early 70s Aria catalogue with a very similar bass:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/catalogs/75_aria/75_aria_catalog_pg1.jpg.html"]http://www.matsumoku...og_pg1.jpg.html[/url]

Notice there's no brand name on the headstock. This is because these were stock factory shots used by any reseller who the manufacturer supplied. And in this case, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the factory wasn't Matsumoku!

Jon.

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1387130204' post='2308485']
Without seeing it, generic Japanese or Korean (same design was made in both countries) short-scale starter bass. Body is probably plywood, pickups are definitely single-coils in mini-humbucker size cases. These basses were sold with lots of different names on the headstock, and also like this one, unbranded, which means it's not "an" anything. You see so many basses with this same Burns-influenced design that I tend to think a few different factories made them - as I said, I ve seen both MIJ and MIK examples.

Here's an early 70s Aria catalogue with a very similar bass:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/catalogs/75_aria/75_aria_catalog_pg1.jpg.html"]http://www.matsumoku...og_pg1.jpg.html[/url]

Notice there's no brand name on the headstock. This is because these were stock factory shots used by any reseller who the manufacturer supplied. And in this case, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the factory wasn't Matsumoku!

Jon.
[/quote]
I must have posted just before you Jon but hope you didn't mind me putting the link to one of your old posts as it was a good post which explained about these basses.

Edited December 15, 2013 by BetaFunk

[Bassassin]

Looks like we cross-posted, so ta for digging up an old thread I'd completely forgotten about - I think I explained myself somewhat better back then!

I'm starting to worry that I might have forgotten more than I ever knew...

J.

Edited December 15, 2013 by Bassassin

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1387137548' post='2308594']
Looks like we cross-posted, so ta for digging up an old thread I'd completely forgotten about - I think I explained myself somewhat better back then!

I'm starting to worry that I might have forgotten more than I ever knew...

J.
[/quote]
Jon, I remembered your op because i read it before buying my version of these basses. And a jolly decent bass it was for the money!

[Steff]

Thanks guys, unfortunately while taking the time to make up my mind someone has bought it. Not surprised really, it was £30 for this one and a no-name precision type of bass...

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Steff' timestamp='1387162656' post='2308923']
Thanks guys, unfortunately while taking the time to make up my mind someone has bought it. Not surprised really, it was £30 for this one and a no-name precision type of bass...
[/quote]

Bugger! I think when it's that cheap, it's got to be a matter of buy now, ask questions later.

Having recently missed an Atila Balogh Odyssey guitar for £30 on Gumtree, maybe BC needs a "ones that got away" thread"!

J.