What bass is this?

[bassjamm]

Hey gang — any idea what bass this might be? It’s from the 60s/70s. My mate has it in his loft. Used to be played with Ian Drury and The Blockheads in the early days.

[Pea Turgh]

Has some similarities to an old 60’s or 70’s Japanese bass I rescued - the mahoosive tuner ferrules, agricultural bridge, chrome pickup cover.  I determined mine was from the Matsumoku factory, but drew a blank after that.

 

Any images of the neck plate?

 

Cool find, anyway.  Would love to see it brought back to life - keep us up to date!

 

[Frank Blank]

Paging @Bassassin

[Pea Turgh]

Just found this - might be Teisco;

 

https://reverb.com/ca/item/2554820-vintage-60s-unlabeled-teisco-w-gold-foil-pickups-bass-guitar-needs-neck-work

Edited December 11, 2024 by Pea Turgh

[Pea Turgh]

This Guyatone EB4 is closer with the dots on the fretboard;

 

https://www.guitar-auctions.co.uk/sale/169/285/1970s-Guyatone-EB4-bass-guitar-made-in-Japan

[Reggaebass]

14 minutes ago, Pea Turgh said:

Just found this - might be Teisco;

 

https://reverb.com/ca/item/2554820-vintage-60s-unlabeled-teisco-w-gold-foil-pickups-bass-guitar-needs-neck-work

Yeah, similar headstock and truss rod cover 

[Bassassin]

58 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

Paging @Bassassin

 

J'arrive!

 

Does look a lot like the 'Guyatone' (dunno what it is really, it's not an EB4 though), and the 'Teisco' isn't a Teisco - Reverb/Ebay rule no. 1 - every weird-looking 60s/70s guitar or bass is a Teisco, regardless of what the headstock may say. This rule has no exceptions.

 

Teisco did make basses that looked a lot like this, though - the EB18, 3rd row:

 

 

Although you can just about see this has edge block position markers (which seem to be a Teisco thing) rather than dots.

 

Currently flicking through Frank Meyers' 60s MIJ Bible (an actual book, so frustratingly, no useable search/image search function) and it actually looks like these may be eariy Fujigen Gakki. Will come back with more boring stuff if I find any!