Pointy 80s basses....cool or not

[KingBollock]

2 hours ago, Lfalex v1.1 said:

It is.

 

Not that blue/gold abomination that they did!

Dagnimmit! You’re supposed to say no!
 

I’m this > < close to asking if you’d sell it..!

[Donnyboy]

On 21/01/2023 at 09:27, iconic said:

Saw a band last week and my bass nerd spider senses immediately spied....an old 80s Aria pointy bass standing proud on its stand...

 

A few things struck me as, ooh. 

 

First was that this was a smooth 'n slow 1-4-5 roots' n 5ths country band, consisting of 3 pensioners looking like a Victor Meldrew tribute act....and there's me thinking the band player would have more slap (pun intended) and PVC than a Kiss member. 

 

Second, that I haven't seen a pointy bass played in anger since the last time...well never come to think of it? 

 

Thirdly, that my 11 year daughter thought it was the coolest bass in captivity and, far more attention getting than her her pink 'n maple P.

 

The band were a great bunch of guys, not brilliant players but, importantly, funny as f*ck, non stop ripping the fosters out of each other and the audience so, fantastic fun....and unusual for a country band, not one dead dog was mentioned. 

 

'Victor Pointy Bass' used the headstock on a few occasions, to dig the singer in the ribs when the singer played a bum note on his harmonica, which seemed a plus, erm point, over my ohh so soft J and P. 

 

Just as observation and, I cant see them ever being desirable, collectable or making money, but then I thought that about the Ford Crappi, Vauxhall Cavpig and Austin Ambassador, Sony Walkman, old Synths, Hygena furniture, mullets (well maybe not) so what do I know?

 

(Similar to this puppy.) 

 I really like the sounds of the Victor Meldrew C&W outfit.

 

As for pointy, I had one of these a while back . Now, would that also   suit the Old Codgers?

[mario_buoninfante]

On 21/01/2023 at 11:33, lidl e said:

I still got these two, but i need to get a nut cut for the 8 string. It's all Sims LEDs and a laser in the headstock

 

 

 

 

I love the Steinberger!
What's the A string though?

 

EDIT: OK, I then noticed it's just that is not fit in the bridge! sorry

Edited January 23, 2023 by mario_buoninfante

[lidl e]

17 minutes ago, mario_buoninfante said:

 

I love the Steinberger!
What's the A string though?

 

EDIT: OK, I then noticed it's just that is not fit in the bridge! sorry

the jaw had broken but i recently replaced it with one i ordered from ed roman guitars. two in fact, now it's back in action.

[tauzero]

On 21/01/2023 at 15:05, Cosmo Valdemar said:

A pointy headstock does not a pointy bass make.

 

When they first came out, they were generally referred to as droopy headstocks.

 

If there's no point on the body, it's pointless.

[dudewheresmybass]

I have a good selection of pointies.

I have four BC Rich warlocks - One black with a 4 in line headstock, Two with the reverse headstock (one red crackle, and one ultraviolet) amd an '84 ish white one with the 2+2 paddle headstock.

A Mockingbird plus with spalted finish

An Ironbird that used to belong to @Cosmo Valdemar

These mainly get used for shows with Thunderstick.

 

Then there are the Deans - A Razorback (that's on it's way to a prospective buyer atm )

A demonator neckthru model, as well as a MM demonator

An MM ML bass.

 

I've also got an Epi Thunderbird, a guild Jetstar and a Kramer baretta bass with a reverse hockey stick type headstock. I also have a BC Rich Bich guitar as well lol

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by dudewheresmybass

[grenadillabama]

On 21/01/2023 at 04:30, Ed_S said:

Definitely cool, and great props for photoshoots, but totally impractical.

 

 

 

I have this bass also ! I like the brushed chrome metal parts. 

[bloke_zero]

 

20 hours ago, dudewheresmybass said:

I have four BC Rich warlocks - One black with a 4 in line headstock, Two with the reverse headstock (one red crackle, and one ultraviolet) amd an '84 ish white one with the 2+2 paddle headstock.

A Mockingbird plus with spalted finish

An Ironbird that used to belong to @Cosmo Valdemar

I always had a soft spot for the Eagle. Actually it's kind of my dream bass in this configuration though kind of ugly:

 

I know it's pointy and curvy - just wrong on every level!

Edited January 24, 2023 by bloke_zero

[dudewheresmybass]

29 minutes ago, bloke_zero said:

 

I always had a soft spot for the Eagle. Actually it's kind of my dream bass in this configuration though kind of ugly:

 

I know it's pointy and curvy - just wrong on every level!

I do love an eagle - I have an electric guitar one

But my ultimate BCR purchase would be a reverse or paddle headstocked Wave. 😍

[KingBollock]

8 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said:

I do love an eagle - I have an electric guitar one

But my ultimate BCR purchase would be a reverse or paddle headstocked Wave. 😍

I think the Warlock is the best looking shaped guitar in all of the world. They only made the model that I have between 1999 and 2009 (I think, I should recheck), but I was asked in 1989 what my ultimate guitar would be and I described the Warlock that I have, almost exactly. Granted I was only 14, but 34 years later I still adore it.

[bloke_zero]

Wave cool! Never seen one before.

[dudewheresmybass]

2 hours ago, KingBollock said:

I think the Warlock is the best looking shaped guitar in all of the world. They only made the model that I have between 1999 and 2009 (I think, I should recheck), but I was asked in 1989 what my ultimate guitar would be and I described the Warlock that I have, almost exactly. Granted I was only 14, but 34 years later I still adore it.

I fell in love with the shape around the same time. My first warlock purchase was in october 1990 in Preston Lancs for £330 New. 

Unfortunately, it was stolen around 6 years later 🥲, but my wife found me another one very similar - reverse headstock which seem to be very unusual! - for my birthday a few years back

Edited January 24, 2023 by dudewheresmybass

[KingBollock]

3 minutes ago, dudewheresmybass said:

I fell in love with the shape around the same time. My first warlock purchase was in october 1990 in Preston Lancs for £330. 

Unfortunately, it was stolen around 6 years later 🥲, but my wife found me another one very similar - reverse headstock which seem to be very unusual! - for my birthday a few years back

I didn’t get my Warlock until around 2011. I didn’t think I’d ever find one in my price range, but then one popped up on EBay with a rubbish photo and vague description. It was an absolute gamble, that worked out in the end. It cost me £265 including a Warwick coffin case (classy!) and postage.

 

I probably wouldn’t have it if I hadn’t sold my Raider. I never even thought about owning more than one bass when I had that. I was given a Satellite P bass when I was 16, for free, and while I liked it I still  sold it on because I just didn’t see the point in keeping it, even though it played and sounded quite nice. Wasn’t pointy, though.

[sykilz]

Obviously they're cool AF. 😉 I ditched my Japanese '86 Squier P bass ( which is probably quite desirable nowadays) for an Aria pro with pointy headstock, thin neck, lightweight, sparkly red, everything the P bass wasnt. It probably sounded dreadful but it didn't matter, it looked sooooo good with all the bright clothes and hair and stuff. Great dayz.....

 

like this one, but not this one.....

 

[Dov65]

Kramer Forum lll…..originally came active with   Spector pickups & preamp. Can’t find much info on them tho 🤔

[Donnyboy]

16 hours ago, sykilz said:

Obviously they're cool AF. 😉 I ditched my Japanese '86 Squier P bass ( which is probably quite desirable nowadays) for an Aria pro with pointy headstock, thin neck, lightweight, sparkly red, everything the P bass wasnt. It probably sounded dreadful but it didn't matter, it looked sooooo good with all the bright clothes and hair and stuff. Great dayz.....

 

like this one, but not this one.....

 

Would I be right in assuming , as per the original post, that you were in an OAP Country & Western outfit?🤔

[tauzero]

Most of these are Precisions with a beak though.

[TheRev]

On 21/01/2023 at 10:48, Mudpup said:

And i always wanted one of these back in the day. It's an Aria ZZB which they also did in a blue sunburst or 50/50 black white graphic. I wasn't brave enough though and ended up with a safe looking Aria RSB Deluxe 2 instead...

 

 

When I was 15, I used to dream of having a ZZB, almost as much as I dreamt about having Kate Bush, and I did that a lot. 

[Ed_S]

22 hours ago, grenadillabama said:

I have this bass also ! I like the brushed chrome metal parts. 

 

It does rather fit the vibe of the instrument. I always fancied trying the 'stealth' all-black-hardware look on it, but the thing is, it's spent most of its life in storage (because it's an impractical damage magnet) so it's never been worth sourcing the parts. I really wanted the more expensive one (KBX?) with proper sharkfin inlays and better pickups, but all I could order over here at the time was the cheapo KB1 with dots.. and then fit my own EMGs.

[sykilz]

4 hours ago, Donnyboy said:

Would I be right in assuming , as per the original post, that you were in an OAP Country & Western outfit?🤔

 

I mean, there MAY have been an element of Cowboy boots.....😆😆😆

[sykilz]

For me , the absolute peak pointy ( although with a strangely subdued headstock) was the Def Leppard Hamer scarab bass. The body is small enough to not look unwieldy, but still with extreme angles and edges you wouldn't want to poke yourself in the eye with....😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

..

[cetera]

47 minutes ago, sykilz said:

For me , the absolute peak pointy ( although with a strangely subdued headstock) was the Def Leppard Hamer scarab bass. The body is small enough to not look unwieldy, but still with extreme angles and edges you wouldn't want to poke yourself in the eye with....😉

 

..

 

I have one of these. Great fun bass

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by cetera

[Mudpup]

3 hours ago, TheRev said:

When I was 15, I used to dream of having a ZZB, almost as much as I dreamt about having Kate Bush, and I did that a lot. 

At least you still have a chance of snagging a ZZB if you keep your eyes open...

[tauzero]

My own fairly pointy instrument:

 

 

Warwick 5-string Buzzard (the headstock is the normal Warwick paddle). Now gone but it was good fun and balanced well despite that short top horn.

[KingBollock]

I really should figure out a search schedule of the likely seller sites. It looks like I missed out on a Westone Raider I, fairly recently, and it sold for just £225! Bummer!

 

I even missed out on one from BassChat a few years ago, during my hiatus.

 

One day… one day!