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Now Traded, thanks Squier Katana bass, mid 80s MIJ A series 32" scale, light, 38mm neck now £350
£400

Paul S

By Paul S,
in Basses For Sale

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Paul S Grand Master

Paul S

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An expensive purchase to add to an already overflowing number of basses means I have to get rid of some basses and this one doesn't get much use.

Squier Katana bass. The story goes something like - Fender wanted an answer to the pointy guitars that were coming out of Japan in the 80s and designed the Katana guitar - Katana means samuri sword, apparently. Squier also pumped out a cheaper version and also a bass version - there was never a Fender Katana bass. Sales were dire and they pulled the range after a year. Not many were made and they are now starting to become collectible.

This is an early MIJ Squier bass and actually very good quality. It is basically a Precision bass but the body is a weird swoosh shape and headstock even dafter. Yet it sounds and plays like a Precision. I think it has loads of character. 32" scale neck, 38mm at the nut, quite a rounded profile with wide frets, maple with a rosewood board. Body is glossy piano black quite. It weighs in at just 7lbs - very slightly neck heavy but never been an issue for me.

This is in extraordinary condition for a 32 or 33 year old bass with very little wear or marks to the body. A few small dinks visible in the pics have since been touched in with black nail varnish and are now pretty much invisible. I swapped the pickups for Fender Originals, my P bass pup of choice, but have now replaced the originals - these are voiced slightly more aggressively than the vintage tone I like, perhaps nearer to, but not quite, a SD quarterpounder. I did this change using a terminal block, rather than soldering, just so there are no surprises when opening it up at the back. Everything works.

It comes with a hard case. I went to some trouble to find a hard case that would fit and discovered one particular rifle case does the job perfectly, just.

I am asking [s]£400[/s] £350 collected from SS7 in SE Essex, insured next day courier would be £26 extra, could meet half way or maybe deliver if not far.

[attachment=224721:kat1.jpg][attachment=224722:kat2.jpg][attachment=224723:kat3.jpg][attachment=224724:katcase2.jpg][attachment=224725:katcase3.jpg][attachment=224726:katcase4.jpg][attachment=224727:katcase1.jpg]

Edited by Paul S
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HazBeen Mentor

HazBeen

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Aah, the memories.... My 1st bass (only one I could afford in my local music shop) was a 2nd hand white version, probably around '89. These were only produced for a year or two in mid eighties so quite rare and very decent quality.

GLWTS!

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HazBeen Mentor

HazBeen

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Katana Bass (1985-1986).

Squier’s short-lived Katana Bass was released concurrently with Fender’s equally short-lived Katana guitar of 1985-1986. The genesis of both came with the mid-1980s rise of hair metal, during which Fender jumped on the pointy-guitars bandwagon with perhaps the most extraordinarily non-traditional models the company has ever made. Like the Fender and budget Squier Katana guitar models, the Katana Bass was built in Japan and named for that nation’s traditional samurai sword, with an asymmetrical V-shaped body, arrow-shaped headstock and the additional unusual distinction of a medium (32”) scale length. Although actually quite well built, the Katana instruments were not successful, and it didn’t help that they arrived during one of the most tumultuous periods in Fender history. Katana guitar and bass models lasted barely a year; all were gone by late 1986.

Just thought I'd share this history. For whoever is interested.

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Paul S Grand Master

Paul S

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To the top and back at £350 plus courier - decided I am not going to completely give it away.

Just to be clear, this is a quality, early MIJ Squier. It isn't a JV but it is bloody good.

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