MIJ Martin Through Neck Bass

[Annoying Twit]

I've no idea how much this worth, or whether it's a collector's item as the seller seems to think. But, I post it here on the off-chance that it's a good buy.

It's certainly not something you see on ebay every day.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Uber-Rare-Pro-Martin-Through-neck-Bass-Made-in-Japan-70s-80s-/331160139431?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4d1aaeb6a7

[Bassassin]

Rebranded Kasuga Scorpion, like the one here:

http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/kasuga/198x/p4.html

Quite a few Kasugas appeared with this "Pro Martin" brand. I seriously doubt it's officially connected to Martin Guitars, but what's interesting is that Martin contracted Kasuga Gakki to build their Sigma range from the early 70s onward - in fact I think the first examples carried the Martin branding. I suspect "Pro Martin" was a sort of sneaky re-badged sideline, in the same way Korean manufacturer Young Chang sold Fenix-branded Fender copies which were identical to the Squiers they were building under contract.

Anyway I think it's probably a pretty good buy at that price, it will be exceptionally good quality, and I doubt there are many others in the UK with that, or any other brand name.

J.

[Annoying Twit]

I much prefer the darker finishes on the Kasugas on your document. All of them look pretty nice to me, though.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1395613952' post='2404465']
I much prefer the darker finishes on the Kasugas on your document. All of them look pretty nice to me, though.
[/quote]
That being the case, maybe you'll prefer this one:

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251499401197"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251499401197[/url]

Pro Martin brand again, starting at £150 and that's an absolute stunner. I strongly suspect that's a DiMarzio Model P in there as well.

J.

[Annoying Twit]

Very, very, nice. But I have no budget for instruments right now, and a fretless is a higher priority than a fretted 4 right now.

[Bassassin]

I'm in the same position as you, financially - I'd love to buy this just to sit and gawp at it!

According to that old Kasuga catalogue I linked to, there is a (lined) fretless version. If the recent appearance of these two very uncommon basses within a few weeks has established a pattern, we can probably expect the fretless to be along sometime in the first week of May.

J.

[chaypup]

I know you probably won't like this but... if I had the money I'd buy this and chuck in the Alembic pickups that are for sale on this very forum.

[Happy Jack]

Will it actually sound any different from a Precision?

[Annoying Twit]

The listing says that both of the knobs appear to be tone knobs. That makes it a little bit different, but makes me wonder if the electrics are original.

It looks a whole lot better (IMHO) than the vast majority of generic precision basses.

Edited April 9, 2014 by Annoying Twit

[Bassassin]

Probably sounds quite a lot like a P - one of the reasons I'm not (very) interested...

The phase switch & odd wiring should help make it more versatile though. If it is original wiring (which I doubt), a translation of the text accompanying the identical Kasuga SCB-1200 in the catalogue would prove enlightening. Mr Twit?

J.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1397063748' post='2420313']
Probably sounds quite a lot like a P - one of the reasons I'm not (very) interested...

The phase switch & odd wiring should help make it more versatile though. If it is original wiring (which I doubt), a translation of the text accompanying the identical Kasuga SCB-1200 in the catalogue would prove enlightening. Mr Twit?

J.
[/quote]

The advert says that it has three controls, seemingly all labelled in English but in the Katakana alphabet. One is a volume, and one is a tone. The other is labelled something like 'paraphase' (it reads more like 'paraphrase', but that doesn't make much sense in the context of a bass guitar). So, I presume that's a series/parallel switch as that does make sense. Not two tone controls at all.

[Bassassin]

Thanks for that, no surprise it's a modification. Wonder what it sounds like with that strange wiring?

J.