£30 Special - 70's Japanese Matsumoku goodness..

[Bridgehouse]

I picked up a bass recently from another forum. It's an Epiphone ET-280. Short scale, twin single coil pickups. 

It fits into the odd period post Kalamazoo when Epiphones were rare, and made in Japan, before the big surge in production in the late 80's in Korea then eventually China. 

This is late 70's Matsumoku. It's not top drawer quality wise, but serviceable. 

£30 you say? Yep. But to be fair, it's going to need some work on it:

 

[Jimothey]

£30!! That's a steal!! Are you just going to restore it or have you got other plans for it?? 😀

[AndyTravis]

Really like that. Think you’ll find a matching neck pickup?

[Bridgehouse]

7 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Really like that. Think you’ll find a matching neck pickup?

Dunno. Might have one built. The bit I really need is the pickup cover

[Bridgehouse]

Let's get the obvious bit out of the way - the electronics. Someone has replaced the neck pickup with a Jazz Neck pickup. Not the end of the world, but it's going to have to go. So - I need a neck pickup cover. Anyone got a spare? @AndyTravis any ideas where I might get one from?

The bridge pickup is a bit wrecked,  but at least it can be rewound if necessary..

The electronics will be the big challenge. 

Probably 2 replacement pickups (one rewound) and a new neck pickup cover..

[Bridgehouse]

Body and neck, however, are more than serviceable - and lightweight too!

Out came the Virtuoso cleaner and polish.. it's miracle stuff. Cleaner then Polish and it's quite good

Before:

After:

 

[Bridgehouse]

Pickguard was really grubby and had probably 40 years of grime on it.

It's clear and painted black on the bottom with the epiphone logo stuck on. It's split, but glue will fix it fine. Virtuoso magic also worked on this:

And as a set of raw components, they look fine and are worth £30 of anyone's money...

[Bridgehouse]

Here's the pickup cover after a bit of light cleaning.. will be fine. Just need another to match..

And here's the truss rod cover

:

 

[songofthewind]

I recognise these basses, a mate of mine had one back in the day. He went straight from that to a John Birch custom job.

I don't think either of the pickups are original, not just the neck pickup. I am racking my brains to summon up a mental picture of the pickups on his. I want to say they were an unusual shape, not rectangular. When my memory functions I will get back to you.

 

[Bridgehouse]

Neck plate gives us a bit of detail, but they are tricky to date at best..and it's probably a 1980....or 79. Or maybe 78.

[songofthewind]

Ah, just saw your pic of the bridge pickup. It's got that moulded outline on top. I think the pickups used to be black.

[Bridgehouse]

2 minutes ago, songofthewind said:

I recognise these basses, a mate of mine had one back in the day. He went straight from that to a John Birch custom job.

I don't think either of the pickups are original, not just the neck pickup. I am racking my brains to summon up a mental picture of the pickups on his. I want to say they were an unusual shape, not rectangular. When my memory functions I will get back to you.

 

Covers are definitely original, as is the bridge pickup:

But Epiphone did do some other models with different pickup configs..

[Bridgehouse]

The bridge is original - but needs a strip and clean!

Sadly the bridge cover has long gone.. but I'd not put it back on anyway

[songofthewind]

Yeah, the pickups in the picture above this post looks different to my friend's. I'm fairly sure they were trapezoidal, and black. Does it weigh a ton, by any chance?

[Bridgehouse]

Tuners are also original - they work, but I think a re-grease is in order to make sure they do the job.

Edited October 10, 2018 by Bridgehouse

[Bridgehouse]

Just now, songofthewind said:

Yeah, the pickups in the picture above this post looks different to my friend's. I'm fairly sure they were trapezoidal, and black. Does it weigh a ton, by any chance?

Funnily enough, no.. it's really light. The body is ridiculously light. Almost Obeche light...

[songofthewind]

Then my memory is failing me!

There was, I think, a Strat style six string version. Maybe the trapezoidal pickups appeared on those. It's like it's on the tip of my tongue!

Weird to see one of these again.

[Bridgehouse]

1 minute ago, songofthewind said:

Then my memory is failing me!

There was, I think, a Strat style six string version. Maybe the trapezoidal pickups appeared on those. It's like it's on the tip of my tongue!

Weird to see one of these again.

Yes, the Strat 6 string one (ET-270) had black trapezoid covers

[songofthewind]

Ah! Thanks for that!

[AndyTravis]

now then, serek Do Bass p.90’s called b.90’s I wonder if they’d be a suitable replacement?

maybe someone has an original knocking about. Not me this time though 😒

[AndyTravis]

Would this work as a stopgap? £15

[AndyTravis]

If not...

https://www.rautiaguitars.net/

might be able to make you a new one 😉

[Bridgehouse]

Those ebay ones are just a bit too short - but they are close tho!

My other option is a 51 SD Quarterpounder as they fit in the rout but I'd need a new pickguard cut..

[AndyTravis]

What about a viola bass pickup, the Epiphone ones?

[Bridgehouse]

13 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

What about a viola bass pickup, the Epiphone ones?

I think no matter which option I go for, given the neck rout and pickguard butchery, if I don't replace the neck cover then I'll need to have a new pickguard cut. 

Which may not be a bad thing.. but I'll have a scour around the net first to see if I can get hold of a cover - if I do then pretty much anything that fits will work