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Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting

Bassassin

By Bassassin,
in eBay - Weird and Wonderful

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='tauzero' post='909386' date='Jul 29 2010, 04:11 PM']Looks very much like an Audition/Top Twenty Woollies special from the 70s. I had solid-body and semi 6-strings, and a thoroughly decrepit solid-body 6-string is in my garage waiting for me to decide to throw it away.[/quote]
It's a Teisco - you'll find it bottom left on [url="http://www.mark-cole.co.uk/teisco/bass.htm"]this page[/url]. Loads of these were sold in the UK badged as Top Twenty etc so it's almost certainly a Woolies Wonder!

J.

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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Here's a couple of nice Fujigen Jazzes - first of all a 79/80 CSL, like mine only blacker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220646803893"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220646803893[/url]

Highly recommended if it's anything like mine - it's an astonishingly good player & probably my favourite bass.


And a mid 70s Antoria, refinished red:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150474677665"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=150474677665[/url]

It's had a pair of DiMarzio Model Js bunged in it - if anyone here buys it, sell us your pups - I fancy sticking a set of these in my CSL!

J.

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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='912421' date='Aug 2 2010, 01:34 AM']Here's a couple of nice Fujigen Jazzes - first of all a 79/80 CSL, like mine only blacker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220646803893"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220646803893[/url]

Highly recommended if it's anything like mine - it's an astonishingly good player & probably my favourite bass.[/quote]

I put my standard lowball bid on it (not that I've ever won anything with my standard lowball), but still haven't even met the reserve.

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spinynorman Rising Star

spinynorman

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='912421' date='Aug 2 2010, 01:34 AM']Here's a couple of nice Fujigen Jazzes - first of all a 79/80 CSL, like mine only blacker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220646803893"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220646803893[/url]

Highly recommended if it's anything like mine - it's an astonishingly good player & probably my favourite bass.[/quote]

It's a private listing. The shame :)

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Ou7shined Mentor

Ou7shined

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='912421' date='Aug 2 2010, 01:34 AM']Here's a couple of nice Fujigen Jazzes - first of all a 79/80 CSL, like mine only blacker:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220646803893"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=220646803893[/url]

Highly recommended if it's anything like mine - it's an astonishingly good player & probably my favourite bass.

......

J.[/quote]
Looks like you could fly a plane under the action on that 'un. :)

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='914381' date='Aug 3 2010, 10:30 PM']Can I ask what you're suggesting might be happening? (Just your personal opinion of course.)[/quote]

I'd be inclined to suspect that if a pretty nondescript Jap J copy gets bid to nearly £200 with nearly 5 days left to run, then there's a bit of shill bidding going on. The private listing means you can't check the recent Ebay activity of the other "bidders".

Expect it to sit at £180 until the end of the auction, when (if the seller's lucky) a real bidder will get it for £180.01, or it will "sell" at £180 to be almost immediately relisted due to some spurious excuse.

Unless of course I'm being wildly cynical. :)

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='914383' date='Aug 3 2010, 10:31 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pro-Martin-Custom-Bass-Guitar-Thru-neck-Strange-Beast-/170522712547?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item27b3f219e3"]Pro Martin?[/url]

Looks sort of like some of the Cort made jobs.[/quote]

It does - because some of them were knock-offs of the Kasuga Scorpion:

[url="http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/kasuga/198x/p4.html"]http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-a...ga/198x/p4.html[/url]

And this is a Scorpion SCB900 with a different badge. Not something that comes up too often.

J.

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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='914478' date='Aug 4 2010, 12:18 AM']I'd be inclined to suspect that if a pretty nondescript Jap J copy gets bid to nearly £200 with nearly 5 days left to run, then there's a bit of shill bidding going on. The private listing means you can't check the recent Ebay activity of the other "bidders".

Expect it to sit at £180 until the end of the auction, when (if the seller's lucky) a real bidder will get it for £180.01, or it will "sell" at £180 to be almost immediately relisted due to some spurious excuse.

Unless of course I'm being wildly cynical. :)[/quote]

I was thinking that shilling wouldn't work with a reserve, because if it "sells" to the shill, then the seller has to pay fees, which they wouldn't if they just let it not reach its reserve. But, I suppose the seller and "buyer" would mutually agree to withdraw, and get their fees back. In fact, if the seller gets his/her reserve fees back, then that's better than just letting the auction run.

[quote]It does - because some of them were knock-offs of the Kasuga Scorpion:

[url="http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-amp/kasuga/198x/p4.html"]http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-and-a...ga/198x/p4.html[/url]

And this is a Scorpion SCB900 with a different badge. Not something that comes up too often.[/quote]

To me it looks a bit like a Westone Thunder 1 that's had its' share of the ugly stick. Are they better instruments than the easily available Thunders or do they have any other unique selling points? I do understand that collectors like to have a range of different things, but I'm thinking from the point of view of buying to use.

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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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Cimar Jazz bass project. Multiple issues. Buyer wants £99, and claims that a restored Cimar Jazz sold for £250 recently.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CIMAR-1970s-JAZZ-BASS-MIJ-PROJECT-SPARES-REPAIRS-/280543812228?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4151b6da84"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CIMAR-1970s-JAZZ-BAS...=item4151b6da84[/url]

I think £99 is too much, personally.

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='914719' date='Aug 4 2010, 11:05 AM']To me it looks a bit like a Westone Thunder 1 that's had its' share of the ugly stick. Are they better instruments than the easily available Thunders or do they have any other unique selling points? I do understand that collectors like to have a range of different things, but I'm thinking from the point of view of buying to use.[/quote]
They're rare, Japanese & well-made - and that's about it as far as USPs are concerned. No idea whether it's "better" than a Thunder having never seen one outside of pics, but Kasuga quality's comparable with good Mats & Fujigens so I'd expect it to be good. It's a through-neck which I suppose puts it in the Thunder II / III bracket for comparison. Although it only has the P pup which will make it more limited sound-wise.

Apropos of nothing, I've never seen one of these in the UK with a Kasuga badge.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='914760' date='Aug 4 2010, 11:49 AM']Cimar Jazz bass project. Multiple issues. Buyer wants £99, and claims that a restored Cimar Jazz sold for £250 recently.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CIMAR-1970s-JAZZ-BASS-MIJ-PROJECT-SPARES-REPAIRS-/280543812228?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4151b6da84"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CIMAR-1970s-JAZZ-BAS...=item4151b6da84[/url]

I think £99 is too much, personally.[/quote]
Agree. It's pretty shagged and to be fair it's not a very good bass to start with. The seller says "If you are reading this you will be aware of the relationship between these early Cimar models and Ibanez" and you know, he's quite right - I do. To elaborate, the relationship at this point was that Hoshino was the distributor for Cimar - and that's it.

There were very good Cimar copies, but also low-end budget starter stuff such as this. The body's very thin & made from plywood, under the scratchplate you'll find a big splintery "swimming pool" route for both pup & wiring, the bridge is a two-saddle thing with screws designed to hack your hand to bits. I had one identical to this (£75 from a local pawn shop, needed a clean & a replacement pup) and that's what I found.

These are a bit lower down the food chain than the Columbus J copies, IMO this is worth about £50 in its present state.

J.

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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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As always, thanks Jon.

Here's a "RARE" black Westone Thunder 1A. "Only" £350 BIN!

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-BLACK-WESTONE-THUNDER-1A-ELECTRIC-BASS-GUITAR-82_W0QQitemZ250667714237QQcategoryZ4713QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DDLSL%252BSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D8%26pmod%3D120605640692%252B120605640692%26po%3D%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6578739672872140233"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RARE-BLACK-WESTONE-T...739672872140233[/url]

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Annoying Twit Proficient

Annoying Twit

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[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Westone-Rail-Bass-/320572406655?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item4aa39abb7f"]Westone Rail Bass[/url]

Sensible start price, but unknown reserve.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-ROADSTER-BASS-JULY-1980-/140437453275?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item20b2b979db"]Ibanez Roadster[/url]

Edited by Annoying Twit
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spinynorman Rising Star

spinynorman

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[quote name='Bassassin' post='914478' date='Aug 4 2010, 12:18 AM']I'd be inclined to suspect that if a pretty nondescript Jap J copy gets bid to nearly £200 with nearly 5 days left to run, then there's a bit of shill bidding going on. The private listing means you can't check the recent Ebay activity of the other "bidders".

Expect it to sit at £180 until the end of the auction, when (if the seller's lucky) a real bidder will get it for £180.01, or it will "sell" at £180 to be almost immediately relisted due to some spurious excuse.

Unless of course I'm being wildly cynical. :)[/quote]

Ended on £180. Not relisted, yet.

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BottomEndian Rising Star

BottomEndian

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Not a bass (and obviously after the fact), but [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170524612818"]this Fresher FX-309G[/url] guitar just finished on eBay. Not really come across Fresher before, and the 3-band EQ seems pretty forward-thinking for a late-70s guitar. Any further info on Fresher guitars, anyone? Are they generally good/OK/heaps-o'-sh*te? Was this a good price?

[Strange sub-plot: A friend of mine was bidding on this Fresher, but he didn't get it. He'd messaged the seller to find out if the truss rod was turning happily. The seller responded saying that it didn't seem to have a truss rod (having looked under the cover on the headstock, and everywhere else). True? False? Incompetence? I'd have thought it couldn't last 30 years under string tension without a truss rod (without bowing unplayably) unless the neck was as deep as it was wide. :) ]

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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Very interesting. I've read about these but never seen one before - and here's where I read about 'em:

[url="http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/brands/details.asp?AID=1032"]http://www.vintageguitar.com/features/bran...ls.asp?AID=1032[/url]

This should also answer your Fresher question better than I could, and is where the guy selling the guitar has lifted the entirety of his sales pitch! Shame he didn't read the whole article. :)

As far as the truss rod's concerned, I'm voting incompetence - the only way this would have no truss rod would be if it had graphite or some other neck reinforcement, and if that was the case then it would be mentioned in the instrument's specs & overview.

Did a quick Google of the model no. and there's another one, branded JHS discussed [url="http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24680"]here[/url].

I'd say £150-odd was a good score for whoever got it - these are clearly seriously rare. That said, it wasn't exactly the £350 BIN he wanted in his original listing, although it's still £125 profit over what I'd guess he paid for it at the car boot... :rolleyes:

J.

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='922856' date='Aug 12 2010, 03:29 PM']Antoria Jazz bass sold for £103, pickup only. Doesn't seem a bad price for the buyer, is it?

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150474677665&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT[/url][/quote]
Pretty good, but that looks like how things are going at the moment. A year or so ago that probably would've been £150+, despite the refin, bits missing & non-orig parts.

J.

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Bloodaxe Collaborator

Bloodaxe

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[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='923051' date='Aug 12 2010, 06:50 PM']Ta Jon.

I don't remember seeing a [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Greco-Japan-Violin-Bass-Greenburst-1960s-70s-/220653185877?pt=Guitar"]green violin bass[/url] before.[/quote]

Never seen one in the flesh, but someone over on Talkbass had an Aria-branded one several years back. The only other thing I've seen in this colour was a glorious "SnotGlo" 'faker that I recall as having an Aria TRC. [i]That[/i] I'd give a home to any day of the week, except Wednesdays :)

That twin-neck is a thing of awe as well.

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Bassassin Grand Master

Bassassin

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[quote name='Bloodaxe' post='923253' date='Aug 12 2010, 09:43 PM']The only other thing I've seen in this colour was a glorious "SnotGlo" 'faker that I recall as having an Aria TRC. [i]That[/i] I'd give a home to any day of the week, except Wednesdays :)[/quote]
These are even better than the "Greco" - being a green/yellow SnotBurst! There was one for sale on here a year ago, branded as "Vorg", which curiously turned out not to be an alien race from Star Trek after all:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56466"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56466[/url]

This is a Matsumoku, and the same bass as the Aria version. Shame it was quite so pricey!

J.

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