D.I. Joe Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I have here a mysterious no-name, narrow-necked, short scale bass which was gifted to me a few years ago in working but rough condition. I've had the whole thing apart to clean up the hardware and couldn't find any marks of identification at all so I have no idea of the make/model/history of the instrument. I would guess that it's some kind of catalogue/Woolworths style deal from the 60s or possibly early 70s, judging by the general design and features (including flat head screws all around, except the machine heads). Do any Basschat resident experts recognise this or have any idea what it could be? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Hardware cleaned using caustic chlorinated detergent "Made" - but where and by whom?? Single coil pickup, single volume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 Restrung with Picato flats and ready to go! The edges of the bridge are pretty sharp, making the bridge cover "ashtray" something of a necessity... ... Complete with homemade weatherstrip mute Of course I had a little help as well 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 Calling @Bassassin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 42 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said: Calling @Bassassin... J'arrive! Aaaaand - dunno what that is. Would say it's possibly MIJ, mid/late 60s or possibly a little later & Korean. Pretty sure the scratchplate, pickup, jack, knob & bridge cover aren't original. The skinny headstock does have a Teisco-y look to it but the neckplate & tuners aren't right. Those tuners are typical 70s MIJ or MIK, so if it is 60s, mightn't be original either. Actually, wondering if the tuners etc aren't a bit of a red herring. It has a bit of an Eastern European, Iron Curtain era look about it. Am I right in thinking it doesn't have an adjustable truss rod? can't see any access. Off to CheesyGuitars.com to have a dig around... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted May 8, 2021 Author Share Posted May 8, 2021 12 minutes ago, Bassassin said: J'arrive! Aaaaand - dunno what that is. Would say it's possibly MIJ, mid/late 60s or possibly a little later & Korean. Pretty sure the scratchplate, pickup, jack, knob & bridge cover aren't original. The skinny headstock does have a Teisco-y look to it but the neckplate & tuners aren't right. Those tuners are typical 70s MIJ or MIK, so if it is 60s, mightn't be original either. Actually, wondering if the tuners etc aren't a bit of a red herring. It has a bit of an Eastern European, Iron Curtain era look about it. Am I right in thinking it doesn't have an adjustable truss rod? can't see any access. Off to CheesyGuitars.com to have a dig around... The bridge cover is the same dimensions as the Fender P bridge cover, and you're correct about the truss rod - no access to adjust. The neck is quite deep in profile as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 8, 2021 Share Posted May 8, 2021 I think that's because it is a Fender (or Fender style) cover. No dice on Cheesyguitars, which is a great quick reference guide for Soviet-era stuff & other weirdness. Still leaning that way - no adjustable truss rod would be very odd on a Japanese/Korean instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 7 hours ago, Bassassin said: I think that's because it is a Fender (or Fender style) cover. No dice on Cheesyguitars, which is a great quick reference guide for Soviet-era stuff & other weirdness. Still leaning that way - no adjustable truss rod would be very odd on a Japanese/Korean instrument. I didn't want to proclaim that it was a Fender part in case you could tell that it wasn't Do you think there is a possibility that it could be a home build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 5 hours ago, D.I. Joe said: I didn't want to proclaim that it was a Fender part in case you could tell that it wasn't Do you think there is a possibility that it could be a home build? Maybe - looks like the body could be (although that shape feels familiar) but the neck looks manufactured. I think that elongated Fender-type headstock will be what IDs it - if someone recognises it, that is! Wondering now if it could be Italian... https://www.fetishguitars.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted May 9, 2021 Share Posted May 9, 2021 I wonder whether it might have started out life as a baldwin or one of the associated brands like fenton weill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 (edited) I now think this probably started out life as a Vox bassmaster. https://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/vox/bass/Bassmaster.php Edited May 31, 2021 by Jean-Luc Pickguard 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Good call @Jean-Luc Pickguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted May 31, 2021 Share Posted May 31, 2021 Modded Vox with one original pickup, then - I think that's exactly what it is! Excellent work @Jean-Luc Pickguard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted June 5, 2021 Author Share Posted June 5, 2021 @Jean-Luc Pickguard I think you win the pony! Must be a post-64 model as there is no sign of the jack having ever been side-mounted https://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/vox/bass/1965_Bassmaster.php Thank you so much for the help Here's how it sounds, for what it's worth! video-1620489151.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 6, 2021 Share Posted June 6, 2021 I just want to say that DI Joe is a brilliant name. Carry on. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted June 12, 2021 Author Share Posted June 12, 2021 On 06/06/2021 at 08:09, stewblack said: I just want to say that DI Joe is a brilliant name. Carry on. Thank you very much! It's a bit of a rare sight around the forum nowadays though... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 (edited) - Edited March 14, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.I. Joe Posted June 14, 2021 Author Share Posted June 14, 2021 On 12/06/2021 at 18:05, Jus Lukin said: I was going to say the same! There's some fine quality punnage in amongst the names, but that's a real cracker! On 12/06/2021 at 18:05, Jus Lukin said: The bass looks lovely, seems as though an origin has already been found, but I did wonder whether the 'MADE' scratched into the neckplate identified a home-build. Perhaps more of a home-bodge, but a very cool one never the less! I wondered the same, and in my mind that was the most puzzling part. Why would someone take the time to begin engraving and stop at "MADE"? Or perhaps it was that person's initials... Guess we'll never know! It's a neat little player and, in my opinion, quite an unassuming tone machine! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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