NBD Thoughts and Info please!

[Basscabman]

Just bought this for £50 Made In Japan Hohner P bass, all original apart from the screws on the scratchplate! 

Any Info On these chaps?

Really plays well!

[Bassassin]

Yep - these were made by Moridaira, probably mid-late 70s. Still has its serial sticker (this type was exclusively used by Moridaira) but unfortunately this can't be used to date the bass - or if it can, no-one knows how they work...

Looks like the body's not solid timber - the big overspray on the contour is the giveaway - likely to be mahogany butcher-block with front & back veneers.

Proper bargain for £50!

[Basscabman]

Ta mate.

It really plays well, great action. Gonna redo all the electrics, have some aged scratchplate screws coming and gonna stick an ashtray over the bridge.

It's In fantastic shape for a bass of this age.

Pickup rubbers have perished so needs some work there.

I'm over the moon with It!

Thanks for the Info.

[BreadBin]

The nut has been moved, how's the intonation? 

[Bassassin]

Nut looks to have been replaced - looks a bit too wide to me. Did wonder if the intonation might want a tweak, too!

[Marc S]

This is a proper bargain for £50! Why do I never find such gems for that sort of money? lol

When replacing the electrics - be sure to keep the pickups, if only as a try-out. Some of those 70's Japan made pickups are surprisingly good
Just make sure you shield everything while you're at it

Re the body and the black over-spray on the upper chamfer... Don't worry too much about it being a laminate. From that era, it's likely to be a solid, good quality body anyway
And I would definitely check that intonation, and probably consider re-positioning the nut back to its' original position - if correct and not too much work.
Other than that - what a great gigging bass, for very little money. Great condition given its' age

[Basscabman]

I thought the nut looked wrong but I've checked the intonation and It's spot on! I like the sound of the Pick ups so will keep It. I gotta change the rubber underneath them as It's perished and the pick up Is not seating straight.

The control knobs are made of some 70's plastic so may change them to chrome ones.

Took the neck off to check truss rod which works OK, and It has a block built body. 

Can't moan for £50 😂

[Marc S]

Fair enough re the nut. It just looked a bit odd, I must admit. If it's fine, then leave it alone.
I had a similar bass, MIJ with a broken neck, sometime back. I replaced the neck, and the pickups sounded superb
Having sold the bass on after I finished fixing it - I wished I'd kept those Japan pickups, they were so good, yet there was no mark / stamp or brand visible on them

You really can't moan for £50 - if you do, I'll give you £51 for it! lol

[Basscabman]

Anyone know If a standard fender p bass scratchplate will fit this? 

Cheers

[andruca]

Nice score. Body looks laminate (not vertical as in a 2-3-x piece body, but horizontally, like plywood). Not that it's a con per se, I've played many old jap Fender clones, many of them with plywood bodies which sounded (and resonated!) great. Pickguard looks OK to me, I'd simply put the right attachment screws on it. I wouldn't touch the nut if it intonates correctly but don't only check the octave but the in between notes, you could still intonate the open string and the octave -fret 12- with a tilted nut. Even if not moving/replacing it, I'd still sand it with a small grain a little (looks scratched) and trim it so that its ends don't come out of the neck width, but that is just for looks.

[rogerstodge]

What would be the reason for moving the nut?

[Basscabman]

I think the nut is its original position, From these pics I've found of an Identical bass It looks like there's a piece of wood missing from behind the nut. 

http://www.gitarion.pl/galeria/basowe/hohner_p-bass_copy/hohner_p-bass_copy.html#

There does seem to be some old glue where that piece of wood would have been.

[bigsmokebass]

From my experience, anything "MIJ/CIJ" does not always mean it's quality made compared to some manufacturers, factories or models. 

For what I know of this bass, its a good little bass but not something I've seen much hype about or reviews but for a ~£200 eBay find, they can't be too bad compared to the chinese/Indonesian counterparts😁

[Funkfingers]

On 14/08/2018 at 00:46, Bassassin said:

likely to be mahogany butcher-block with front & back veneers.

Somebody in my area has a Seventies Hohner Telecaster copy constructed that way. This became apparent when he decided to strip the remains of its original opaque white finish. 

The nut in the photographs requires - at the very least - some attention. Chances are that it is made from plastic. (File the end and sniff how it smells.) The slots might benefit from fettling.

[tommorichards]

I was going to mention that that style sunburst generally hides a plywood body, but Bassassin seems to be more knowledgeable on the matter. As has been mentioned, if it plays well, and sounds good, £50 is a deal!