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Bass identification?

waynepunkdude

By waynepunkdude,
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waynepunkdude Veteran

waynepunkdude

Posted
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Hey guys, I'm sure I can count on your expertise.

I played a gig tonight and the bass player from one of the bands was playing an unusual bass I asked him what it was he said he had had it for 13 years and always wondered what it was so I whipped out my mobile phone took a few photos in the hope that one of you would know what it was.

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joegarcia Community Regular

joegarcia

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Going by the condition and shade of the maple neck I'd say it was early 80's/late 70's. Very interesting, haven't seen many double cut basses like that.
The bridge and headstock smacks of Gibson, the tuners look Japcrap though to me. Probably some Jap copy of something or other thats been refinished.

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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Westone is not far off but in fact I believe originally it was a [b]Vantage[/b] bass - at least the body looks like it.
Along with Westone, Aria and a number of other brands, Vantage basses/guitars also came out of the famous Matsumoku factory in Japan. The headstock leads me to believe the neck may possibly have been replaced at some point, though I'd have to ask, "why bother!?!"

Check out this pic by way of (body) comparison:
[url="http://imagestore.ccn-irc.com/images/66-1131493614-IMG_0725.jpg"]http://imagestore.ccn-irc.com/images/66-11...14-IMG_0725.jpg[/url]

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='255015' date='Aug 5 2008, 01:57 AM']Does look like a Hondo.

Best thing for it would be a pyre! What a heap of crap!

Sorry!

Nick[/quote]
It is a Hondo, an [url="http://www.bossarea.com/aria/hondo/page4.jpg"]H1015,[/url] to be exact. - and they're not too bad. This is early 80s, post-copy era stuff, Hondo were trying to go a bit more upmarket with original designs, some made in Japan (Matsumoku was one of the factories they used) & DiMarzio pickups fitted as standard.

70s Hondos were pretty much universally Korean-made plywood trash & deserved the poor reputation, but later ones like this are a bit higher up the food chain. This particular model of bass turns up on Fleabay very regularly, usually sells for well under a ton, if you're interested.

Jon.

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johnnylager Rising Star

johnnylager

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='255429' date='Aug 5 2008, 02:51 PM']It is a Hondo, an [url="http://www.bossarea.com/aria/hondo/page4.jpg"]H1015,[/url] to be exact. - and they're not too bad. This is early 80s, post-copy era stuff, Hondo were trying to go a bit more upmarket with original designs, some made in Japan (Matsumoku was one of the factories they used) & DiMarzio pickups fitted as standard.

70s Hondos were pretty much universally Korean-made plywood trash & deserved the poor reputation, but later ones like this are a bit higher up the food chain. This particular model of bass turns up on Fleabay very regularly, usually sells for well under a ton, if you're interested.

Jon.[/quote]
Jon, you are indeed the Carol Vorderman of Jap crap - I salute you. [s]Do you share any other of Carol's alleged habits?[/s]

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waynepunkdude Veteran

waynepunkdude

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='255429' date='Aug 5 2008, 02:51 PM']It is a Hondo, an [url="http://www.bossarea.com/aria/hondo/page4.jpg"]H1015,[/url] to be exact. - and they're not too bad. This is early 80s, post-copy era stuff, Hondo were trying to go a bit more upmarket with original designs, some made in Japan (Matsumoku was one of the factories they used) & DiMarzio pickups fitted as standard.

70s Hondos were pretty much universally Korean-made plywood trash & deserved the poor reputation, but later ones like this are a bit higher up the food chain. This particular model of bass turns up on Fleabay very regularly, usually sells for well under a ton, if you're interested.

Jon.[/quote]


That it excelent thank you.

I don't want one to be honest it sounds ok but looks terrible

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='255429' date='Aug 5 2008, 02:51 PM']It is a Hondo, an [url="http://www.bossarea.com/aria/hondo/page4.jpg"]H1015,[/url] to be exact. - and they're not too bad. This is early 80s, post-copy era stuff, Hondo were trying to go a bit more upmarket with original designs, some made in Japan (Matsumoku was one of the factories they used) & DiMarzio pickups fitted as standard.

70s Hondos were pretty much universally Korean-made plywood trash & deserved the poor reputation, but later ones like this are a bit higher up the food chain. This particular model of bass turns up on Fleabay very regularly, usually sells for well under a ton, if you're interested.

Jon.[/quote]
Ah, a Hondo it is. I'll bow to superior knowledge [:)] and withdraw my previous post claim to it being a Vantage bass. [DOH!]
In my defence, m'lud, I'd say I was lead by the Matsumoku connection; both have same hardware etc and similar looking bodies.

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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I wouldn't swear that particular one was a Matsumoku - you'd need to get hands-on & pull it apart to find out. Unless it has a Matsumoku neck plate, which some did.

Hondos can be confusing - I have a really well-made Hondo Les Paul copy - set neck, carved top, good quality fret job etc, from probably about 77/78 - there are no identifying marks on it, and I [i]would[/i] say based on the quality it's JapCrap, & probably Matsumoku - but for the fact the hardware is absolute trash, and identical to that on a Korean plywood Hondo LP I had.

This bass does have a very similar shape to some Vantage models - but check out this thread, on one of my favourite JapCrap boards:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307[/url]

By the early 80s, Korean factories were producing very accurate copies of Japanese original designs, As well as Vantages, there are also some rather nice Washburn Wing lookalikes from Korea. This is further complicated by Japanese copies of Japanese designs - check this out for some intriguing copies of copies. The Japanese "Wings" are Moridaira, the Korean ones from Cort:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281[/url]

JapCrap & KoreaDiarrhoea - the truth is out there. But f*ck knows where. :)

J.

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Stingray5 Mentor

Stingray5

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='256155' date='Aug 6 2008, 12:19 PM']I wouldn't swear that particular one was a Matsumoku - you'd need to get hands-on & pull it apart to find out. Unless it has a Matsumoku neck plate, which some did.

Hondos can be confusing - I have a really well-made Hondo Les Paul copy - set neck, carved top, good quality fret job etc, from probably about 77/78 - there are no identifying marks on it, and I [i]would[/i] say based on the quality it's JapCrap, & probably Matsumoku - but for the fact the hardware is absolute trash, and identical to that on a Korean plywood Hondo LP I had.

This bass does have a very similar shape to some Vantage models - but check out this thread, on one of my favourite JapCrap boards:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4307[/url]

By the early 80s, Korean factories were producing very accurate copies of Japanese original designs, As well as Vantages, there are also some rather nice Washburn Wing lookalikes from Korea. This is further complicated by Japanese copies of Japanese designs - check this out for some intriguing copies of copies. The Japanese "Wings" are Moridaira, the Korean ones from Cort:

[url="http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281"]http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/viewtopic.php?t=4281[/url]

JapCrap & KoreaDiarrhoea - the truth is out there. But f*ck knows where. :)

J.[/quote]

Thanks, J, for that clarification. Some very interesting stuff on the Matsumoku boards. On that side of things, I've mainly had Westone basses (Thunder IIA, 1A, Jet) of which my one remaining Westone is my fretless Thunder II. I had the fretted version too up until a few years back (nice pair!) when I had to sell it for other purchases.... big regret!!

The Aria SB series basses were (not surprisingly) one of my other faves of the 80's period and at the time I had my eye on an SB1000 also a 900 (saw Jack Bruce playing his SB1000 -- with Billy Cobham -- around '81).

Cheers,
Steve.

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