Another mystery Japanese Jazz

[steviedee]

I just picked up what I take to be a 70s/80s Japanese Jazz. It’s badged as Yasuki which I can find almost zero information on. I dropped Bassassin a mail before I bought it just for some tips and he pointed me to SH73’s post about his unbranded Jazz. This bass has similar rounded pickups, it’s a dark natural colour and has a serial number on the neckplate. I plugged it in and other than the action being terrible and the strings very old, it’s sounded like a Jazz. It’s heavy but not outrageously so.

I noticed with the truss rod is at the base of the neck but unlike SH73’s bass I cant see it unless I take off the scratchplate, maybe not the original? I don’t know much about Jazz basses never mind old Japanese ones.

 

It was very cheap but is filthy and one of the scratchplate screws is completely unscrewable so I’ll have to work out how to  get it out!

 

Any info would be much appreciated!

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by steviedee

[Bassassin]

Good to see some pics - that's interesting, a couple of things I wouldn't expect on an MIJ bass of this era. It's definitely a bit different to SH73's Jazz.

First - the neckplate - not seen one like this on a 70s MIJ before, s/n looks sequential & a low number. The body looks like mahogany, from the grain, the natural ones are usually sen ash on this sort of thing.

Did a bit of searching for Yasuki & was interested to see that many of the results are guitars with built-in effects. These are pretty common branded as Fresher, and this is a brand strongly associated with Chushin Gakki.

Looks like a one-piece neck with an unbound fretboard. Quite unusual too.

If it's OK, I might steal your pics & put them on the FB Vintage MIJ page I use, see if anyone there knows about Yasuki.

[steviedee]

 

6 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Good to see some pics - that's interesting, a couple of things I wouldn't expect on an MIJ bass of this era. It's definitely a bit different to SH73's Jazz.

First - the neckplate - not seen one like this on a 70s MIJ before, s/n looks sequential & a low number. The body looks like mahogany, from the grain, the natural ones are usually sen ash on this sort of thing.

Did a bit of searching for Yasuki & was interested to see that many of the results are guitars with built-in effects. These are pretty common branded as Fresher, and this is a brand strongly associated with Chushin Gakki.

Looks like a one-piece neck with an unbound fretboard. Quite unusual too.

If it's OK, I might steal your pics & put them on the FB Vintage MIJ page I use, see if anyone there knows about Yasuki.

Thanks again for the info and by all means use the pics. I googled Yasuki and noticed the built in effects guitars. I’m now checking out Chushin Gakki!

[charic]

6 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Good to see some pics - that's interesting, a couple of things I wouldn't expect on an MIJ bass of this era. It's definitely a bit different to SH73's Jazz.

First - the neckplate - not seen one like this on a 70s MIJ before, s/n looks sequential & a low number. The body looks like mahogany, from the grain, the natural ones are usually sen ash on this sort of thing.

Did a bit of searching for Yasuki & was interested to see that many of the results are guitars with built-in effects. These are pretty common branded as Fresher, and this is a brand strongly associated with Chushin Gakki.

Looks like a one-piece neck with an unbound fretboard. Quite unusual too.

If it's OK, I might steal your pics & put them on the FB Vintage MIJ page I use, see if anyone there knows about Yasuki.

Sherlocks back!

[Bassassin]

4 hours ago, charic said:

Sherlocks back!

No sh!t!

I've posted some pics on the Vintage Japanese Guitars FB group, to see if any of the minds greater than mine will have an idea what it might be.

Tbh it might not even be MIJ - could be top-end Korean, or even Italian - some of the Melody copies were very similar to MIJ stuff of the era. I'm inferring from what (little) I can find that Yasuki was a UK importer rebrand and like most of them, they probably imported from a number of different sources.

Edited January 2, 2018 by Bassassin
forgot stuff.

[gjones]

In about 1980 the guitarist in my teenage band bought a Japanese, Yasuki Strat, brand new. It's unique selling point was that it had a fuzz effect built into the body. It wasn't an expensive guitar but it was usable.

 

 

[steviedee]

Well it’s cleaned up rather well and looks really quite good and not heavy but I thought I had a spare set of strings knocking about but I don’t so I can’t give it a go which is annoying!

[steviedee]

[Bassassin]

Update o'clock:

Posted the pics on my fave MIJ FB group and after lots of (occasionally heated & fractious) discussion, it's been established that the serial number & neckplate style is a dead-on match for Tokai. This is from a 1980 JB-65N:

This seems to be the standard format Tokai used on their replica-level Fender copies & it's interesting to find that they were presumably building slightly more modestly-specced off-brand instruments simultaneously.

There aren't any other 100% match components as far as I can see, although the tuners (which I'd say have distinctively large backplates) are quite similar. Here's the link to the full listing:

https://reverb.com/item/3703632-1980-tokai-jazz-sound-bass-very-rare-natural-finish-birdseye-maple-neck-custom-shop-quality

so @steviedee, looks like you got a vintage Tokai for £75. Not jealous or anything...

 

 

 

[prowla]

The machines are interesting - not yer standard cheap Japanese ones.

[steviedee]

9 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Update o'clock:

Posted the pics on my fave MIJ FB group and after lots of (occasionally heated & fractious) discussion, it's been established that the serial number & neckplate style is a dead-on match for Tokai. This is from a 1980 JB-65N:

This seems to be the standard format Tokai used on their replica-level Fender copies & it's interesting to find that they were presumably building slightly more modestly-specced off-brand instruments simultaneously.

There aren't any other 100% match components as far as I can see, although the tuners (which I'd say have distinctively large backplates) are quite similar. Here's the link to the full listing:

https://reverb.com/item/3703632-1980-tokai-jazz-sound-bass-very-rare-natural-finish-birdseye-maple-neck-custom-shop-quality

so @steviedee, looks like you got a vintage Tokai for £75. Not jealous or anything...

 

 

 

Wow that's great thanks so much for looking into it. I'm totally over the moon about it I was humming an hawing on whether to to get it down to the guitar tech for a set up but I definitely will now. Thanks again!

[steviedee]

Just an update on this got the Jazz back from the luthier. He set it up and the action etc is spot on. He had to take a part of of the pickups and fix it was a little bit worried it  would be completely sealed but it wasn't.

The bass is in great condition and the luthier told me it was a very well made instrument. Mahogany as Bassassasin thought. Plays really well if anything the action is now too low but very pleased!

 

[SH73]

This looks very similar to the one I have. Mine has Made in Japan on neck plate but still can't find a solid answer what it is despite several constructive suggestions by b chatters. But it sounds awesome and is a keeper. It feels heavy nearly like my Japanese p bass Steve Harrris sig. 

[prowla]

I think those neck plates may have been bulk-produced with that serial number.

[discreet]

Wow, what a great score! I never find things like this. Those people who buy a bit of tat from a car boot sale for 50p and find out it's a ming dildo worth £250,000 really get on my nerves!!