NBD Greco RB-85 Bass

[luckman67]

I bought a 1990 Greco RB-85 Bass from Japan and it arrived this morning, while I was in work so just spending time with it now. I'd owned a real Rickenbacker 4003 but couldn't justify what they are asking or them secondhand, so looking online I came across the Greco did a little bit of reading up about them and bought it.

I'll take some pictures over the weekend and post them soon, anyone else here have a Greco RB Bass?

[Geek99]

 

 

(thanks)

Edited February 5 by Geek99

[Skybone]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

 

 

(thanks)

Totally

[prowla]

I'm sure @Bassassin might drop in to comment, but meanwhile...

Grecos were predominantly made at the Fujigen factory, alongsids Ibanez, Electra, and other brands (they were essentially the same instrument with a different logo on the headstock).

A good thru-neck one is probably top of the tree for vintage Japanese fakers.

Some of the earlier bolt-on ones with different pickups maybe not quite so great.

[Chienmortbb]

Greco and Fernandez were common in Japan when I first went there. I understand that they were both of good quality. 

[luckman67]

Sorry or the late reply been really buy at work here are a couple of picture taken now, & a couple from the seller in Japan the Ric TRC was already on this when I bought it. All I have done is taken off the tugbar & tuned it up. It feels very well made I bought it a I missed my Ric 4003, but couldn't justify the price now.

[Bassassin]

On 05/02/2025 at 21:20, prowla said:

I'm sure @Bassassin might drop in to comment, but meanwhile...

 Thought I'd wait for pics, but yes - very nice Fujigen 4001 type, from 1990 but the only change from the mid/late 70s 2388B, (once they'd updated from the Maxon mockmudbuckers & full-width glitter inlays) was to swap the checked binding for pinstripe. Nice little detail that makes it less of a clone, but it still has the 1/2" pickup spacing & tug bar of the early basses.

 

Greco's a Japan-market brand, so they continued selling copy instruments like these for many years after they stopped exporting them - wonder when Fujigen finally stopped making Fakers?

[prowla]

4 minutes ago, Bassassin said:

 Thought I'd wait for pics, but yes - very nice Fujigen 4001 type, from 1990 but the only change from the mid/late 70s 2388B, (once they'd updated from the Maxon mockmudbuckers & full-width glitter inlays) was to swap the checked binding for pinstripe. Nice little detail that makes it less of a clone, but it still has the 1/2" pickup spacing & tug bar of the early basses.

 

Greco's a Japan-market brand, so they continued selling copy instruments like these for many years after they stopped exporting them - wonder when Fujigen finally stopped making Fakers?

it is a nice one; it looks like it has Ric-style strap buttons too; however, they're not in the usual place for the Japanese ones, so they may be a mod?

[luckman67]

55 minutes ago, prowla said:

it is a nice one; it looks like it has Ric-style strap buttons too; however, they're not in the usual place for the Japanese ones, so they may be a mod?

Thank you, I don't think its a mod as they are the only holes drilled for them I had seen pictures of other, where the strap button was lower down.

 

1 hour ago, Bassassin said:

 Thought I'd wait for pics, but yes - very nice Fujigen 4001 type, from 1990 but the only change from the mid/late 70s 2388B, (once they'd updated from the Maxon mockmudbuckers & full-width glitter inlays) was to swap the checked binding for pinstripe. Nice little detail that makes it less of a clone, but it still has the 1/2" pickup spacing & tug bar of the early basses.

 

Greco's a Japan-market brand, so they continued selling copy instruments like these for many years after they stopped exporting them - wonder when Fujigen finally stopped making Fakers?

It is a nice bass and feels really well made and the pickups are quite hot & loud in it,so I won't be changing them they are good enough as they are. I took the tugbar off as the Ric version was made of clear plastic IIRC. One gripe I have is that the action on this bass is better than I had on my '92 4003, I could never get the action on that bass as low as this one.

[FlatEric]

I have what Greco referred to as Paul McCartney Bass - PMB.

 

I love Greco anyway, so may be slightly biased. Perhaps one of the nicest basses "of that shape" I have played. 

Greco PMB Bass

 

Sure you'll love it. 👍😊

[luckman67]

9 hours ago, FlatEric said:

I have what Greco referred to as Paul McCartney Bass - PMB.

 

I love Greco anyway, so may be slightly biased. Perhaps one of the nicest basses "of that shape" I have played. 

Greco PMB Bass

 

Sure you'll love it. 👍😊

Absolutely gorgeous love it & want it 😍