Profile sillouhette p bass (made in Japan)

[taddy]

Hi. Just got given one of these in a house clearance? Never heard of them? And I play bass. What is intriguing is the class of the guitar it has 79 wrote in the neck pocket and has a beautiful neck. The body has a few dinks but nothing serious however the bridge is rusty as are the volume and tone knobs. Just stripped it down to renovate but want to keep it as original as I can, any info on them would be appreciated.

[Reggaebass]

I could be wrong but I think these were made in Japan, I’ve heard of the name but I don’t know much about them, @Bassassin may be able to help, it looks like a really great project taddy 👍

[Happy Jack]

If you're Googling "sillouhette" then you're unlikely to find anything. 

[Bassassin]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I could be wrong but I think these were made in Japan, I’ve heard of the name but I don’t know much about them, @Bassassin may be able to help, it looks like a really great project taddy 👍

They're not really common enough for me to have anything specific to contribute - tbh I don't know if it's even 100% confirmed that they are MIJ!

However there are often a few tells with MIJ stuff which can sometimes give pointers to date & factory of origin. Clear pics of hardware & any serials or other numbers on headstock/neckplate. Pickups & electronics might give a clue or two. No guarantees but it'd be interesting to get a look at this stuff.

Update - just did a bit of random Googling and found an MIJ-stamped Profile P & a Strat. This is both enlightening and a bit frustrating, because the features would make them part of a mystery which is being investigated here:

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/435147-does-anybody-know-what-bass-this-is/

If the Profile has the same plate & tuners, I'm confident it's from the same source.

Edited June 26, 2020 by Bassassin
Update.

[Max Normal]

A bit of info on this TB thread:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/profile-brand-bass-guitars-any-info.614302/

Oops just saw you are on that thread, sorry 😁

 

Edited June 26, 2020 by Max Normal

[bassaussie]

Profile were available in Australia in the 80s, I remember seeing them. I think they were considered to be pretty decent instruments, people would buy them then upgrade them with new pickups and hardware.

Haha - OK, just read the Talkbass thread. Pretty much covers what I said, and then adds a lot more. Good to know my memory isn't fading on me!

[taddy]

23 hours ago, Happy Jack said:

If you're Googling "sillouhette" then you're unlikely to find anything. 

Correct👍😆

[taddy]

22 hours ago, Bassassin said:

They're not really common enough for me to have anything specific to contribute - tbh I don't know if it's even 100% confirmed that they are MIJ!

However there are often a few tells with MIJ stuff which can sometimes give pointers to date & factory of origin. Clear pics of hardware & any serials or other numbers on headstock/neckplate. Pickups & electronics might give a clue or two. No guarantees but it'd be interesting to get a look at this stuff.

Update - just did a bit of random Googling and found an MIJ-stamped Profile P & a Strat. This is both enlightening and a bit frustrating, because the features would make them part of a mystery which is being investigated here:

https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/435147-does-anybody-know-what-bass-this-is/

If the Profile has the same plate & tuners, I'm confident it's from the same source.

Not the same? the profile neck has the truss rod adjusted from the bass of the neck and not the top as in that one! a feature that was common in builds early on I'm led to believe. I found a profile black magic bass that was part of that line of guitars and they too have adjustment from bottom ie slot for access in pickguard. Weird there is no real info it's a really nice solid guitar.

[taddy]

20 hours ago, Max Normal said:

A bit of info on this TB thread:

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/profile-brand-bass-guitars-any-info.614302/

Oops just saw you are on that thread, sorry 😁

 

I'm useless lol I thought I was only on this thread😂😂I'm sorry I'm quite new to forums and stuff but enjoy reading them and occasionally contributing, my fault entirely👍

[Bassassin]

5 hours ago, taddy said:

Not the same? the profile neck has the truss rod adjusted from the bass of the neck and not the top as in that one! a feature that was common in builds early on I'm led to believe. I found a profile black magic bass that was part of that line of guitars and they too have adjustment from bottom ie slot for access in pickguard. Weird there is no real info it's a really nice solid guitar.

No, certainly not the same, but shares common features which are unusual, and IMO points to the same manufacturer. If you read through the thread - and my posts in particular - I talk about the 3-screw tuners, the brands/models they appear on, and the variations that exist. Also gives (I hope) a bit of an overview of what's established, what's assumed and what's still a mystery at this particular stage of the ongoing research into the 60s-80s Japanese guitar boom. Sorry if what I said was misleading!

Could you post some pics of your bass to confirm whether it's from this era? Later basses won't have identifiers like the 3-screw tuners or lower-half MIJ stamped neckplate.

[taddy]

Yes of course I will post pics, the neckplate states made in japan also read somewhere that they where produced by the fujigen factory from 78-85 but can't confirm this as there is no follow up from a thread in an Australian forum? What I will say is I have two squiers a classic vibe p bass and a vintage modified jazz and this thing is deeper low end and growls more high end it's really good. Confused how something I got for nothing blowing two guitars I paid decent money for out of the water.

Edited June 27, 2020 by taddy
Picture

[taddy]

Here are the pics😄👍

[Bassassin]

Thanks for the pics, the tuners & MIJ neckplate suggest it's from the same place as the basses in the other thread.

I don't think these basses were made by Fujigen. There are several reasons but primarily it's because of the neckplate style - Fgn did use these plates up to the end of 1975, which is probably why many people assume they're the manufacturer. However at that point they introduced a serial system, which appears to be factory-specific rather than customer related, in that it appears on Fgn products with a variety of different brands.

These basses, and many of the related instruments, are indisputably late 70s/early 80s, and there's documented evidence of that for many of them. So, no s/n means they're not Fujigen. The same neckplates appear on instruments from other factories (Kasuga Gakki & Moridaira both used them occasionally) which pretty much establishes they're a generic part from a 3rd party hardware manufacturer.

Would I be right if I guessed the bridge is chrome steel, but has brass saddles?

[taddy]

19 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

Thanks for the pics, the tuners & MIJ neckplate suggest it's from the same place as the basses in the other thread.

I don't think these basses were made by Fujigen. There are several reasons but primarily it's because of the neckplate style - Fgn did use these plates up to the end of 1975, which is probably why many people assume they're the manufacturer. However at that point they introduced a serial system, which appears to be factory-specific rather than customer related, in that it appears on Fgn products with a variety of different brands.

These basses, and many of the related instruments, are indisputably late 70s/early 80s, and there's documented evidence of that for many of them. So, no s/n means they're not Fujigen. The same neckplates appear on instruments from other factories (Kasuga Gakki & Moridaira both used them occasionally) which pretty much establishes they're a generic part from a 3rd party hardware manufacturer.

Would I be right if I guessed the bridge is chrome steel, but has brass saddles?

Spot on they are yes.. the bridge was badly coroded so i exchanged it but retained the brass saddles i have tuners on the way as one of the originals is slightly worn. Thanks for your comments and help. Nice one

[jaybass 70]

Wow! My first proper bass , bought one of these in 1986 from hammersound in birkenhead, if I remember rightly it was a good instrument, 

Thanks for the memory 

[Bassassin]

17 hours ago, taddy said:

Spot on they are yes.. the bridge was badly coroded so i exchanged it but retained the brass saddles i have tuners on the way as one of the originals is slightly worn. Thanks for your comments and help. Nice one

Bear in mind the existing tuners are torque-adjustable - if they're slipping, the collar under the key can be tightened to prevent this.

[taddy]

I didn't realize that? cheers i'll have a look nowNice one

[taddy]

blowing me away at the moment Jay

[donniebrasco]

Hello guys, just bought one from a guy in Canada, I really would like to know more about this instrument, please reply to this post to let me know if any of you is still active on this, and I will post a few pics and share the info I have (not many, actually). Thanks a million 

[ba55fr33k]

i too bought one in about '86 but i still have it.. a.m.a

 

japanese "lawsuit" bass is a perfect P-Bass reproduction and in 40 years i have yet to play a fender this nice..

 

 

replaced the pups in about 1990 and just again this year (emg Geezer Butlers)

 

ripped out the frets in 91 best decision ever.. epoxied the neck but that didnt last long so had it redone by a pro in about 95

 

 

[ba55fr33k]

heres the bass

 

nylon flats, 90's sticker vibe, see the little cutoff button?

 

been looking at a beefier bridge, those old leo fender barebones ones are okay but the new engineered ones really project sound

[DCPN]

Hi there. Interesting thread on these Profile basses. I have one I am considering buying but the seller can't confirm if it is MIJ. There seems to be no stamping on the neck plate or anywhere else on the bass stating its origin. Where these basses also made in Korea at some point? Seller does state that there was a sticker on it but it has long since worn off. Any info would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by DCPN

[Bassassin]

Hard to tell much from the pics, but based on the bridge (screw in each corner) & the domed string retainer, I'd say it's Korean. I've never seen these components on an MIJ bass but most late 70s/80s MIK Fender types have them.

[DGB]

I purchased the Profile that DCPN posted about. The Bass is well made Korean build, but the set up was atrocious! The neck had to be shimmed, the action was so high as to be unplayable. and I replaced the broken plastic nut with a Graphtec. Sound good but I won't be parting with my Fender P anytime soon.