Rapier Bass Guitars

[Stub Mandrel]

JHS have relaunched the Rapier brand. Nice retro looks at modest proices.

 

Has anyone seen one in the wild?

 

https://www.jhs.co.uk/collections/rapier

 

https://www.jhs.co.uk/collections/rapier/products/rapier-bass-guitar-daphne-blue

 

[Bassassin]

Not seen the bass before, I first saw the guitar version reissue a year or two ago.

 

These probably don't have a great deal in common with the original Watkins instruments - I had a Rapier 33 guitar, which had no truss rod, home-made pickups, an odd plastic coating instead of paint & switchgear 'borrowed' from a Morphy-Richards hairdryer. The reissue is £470 - mine was £6 from the car boot!

 

They've made a decent job of replicating the look of the originals - although the 24 fret, block inlay neck on the bass doesn't quite look 'right', to me.

[Stub Mandrel]

5 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

They've made a decent job of replicating the look of the originals - although the 24 fret, block inlay neck on the bass doesn't quite look 'right', to me.

 

Maybe, but I'm a sucker for a 'split' pickguard a la WEM/Burns. Nearly bought an original 60s WEM in a Manchester music shop a couple of years ago. Totally original it seemed, £700, don't know if that was fair, but it was a great bass to play.

 

<Edit> I think it was an original Rapier, like this one... in which case the 24 fret neck is correct!

 

 

Edited April 4, 2024 by Stub Mandrel

[Aidan63]

31" scale, looks interesting, but no details like string spacing, nut width, weight, availability........I like Alan's pickups, and he seems to have some good shops in China making instruments with decent QC

[snorkie635]

There's an original just north of £800 for sale in Vintage, Rare and Retro guitars at the moment. I am not affiliated in any way btw. 😎

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, snorkie635 said:

There's an original just north of £800 for sale in Vintage, Rare and Retro guitars at the moment. I am not affiliated in any way btw. 😎

 

£895 now... and get thee behind me,  I am signed up for the abstinence thread!

[snorkie635]

11 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

£895 now... and get thee behind me,  I am signed up for the abstinence thread!

Buy it and charge it to @Frank Blank. He'll never miss the dosh. 😁 I'll say nothing to Neeps if I can have a shot on your new, vintage, rare, pristine bass. 

[Frank Blank]

3 hours ago, snorkie635 said:

Buy it and charge it to @Frank Blank. He'll never miss the dosh. 😁 I'll say nothing to Neeps if I can have a shot on your new, vintage, rare, pristine bass. 

 

Oi!