Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting

[Paul S]

Is this JapCrap? I like the shape.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNUSUAL-SMALL-SHORT-SCALE-BASS-GUITAR-UNKNOWN-MAKE-/401076897056?hash=item5d620bc520:g:OxUAAOSwWTRWzLui"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNUSUAL-SMALL-SHORT-SCALE-BASS-GUITAR-UNKNOWN-MAKE-/401076897056?hash=item5d620bc520:g:OxUAAOSwWTRWzLui[/url]

[Bassassin]

Don't think so - seller says he thinks it's a one-off & I'm inclined to agree.

Looks quite nicely made, has a hint of the Ned Callans about it. Loving the banjo tuners! The bridge is interesting, it's a Schaller 3D made for a 2-point Gibbo fitting, discontinued years ago AFAIK.

I think that's proper cool, you should buy it if it doesn't go too mad.

J.

[Paul S]

Thanks Jon. I probably would if it were nearer but it is collection only in Halifax - around 4hrs away. I am sure there would be ways around that if it were my heart's desire but I will pass, I think. Also I've spent too much on basses recently and have my eyes on yet another! Could really do with shifting that medium scale Fender jazz Bass Special to assuage my conscience...

[Shambo]

Any thoughts on the guitar hiding under the stickers? Says 'Made In Japan' on the neckplate.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mi-Electric-Bass-Guitar-with-Cover-Bag-Stickers-Hospiscare-/381554431743?hash=item58d66a96ff:g:ZYcAAOSwe7BWzu~0"]http://www.ebay.co.u...YcAAOSwe7BWzu~0[/url]

Edited February 28, 2016 by Shambo

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1456630134' post='2990932']
Any thoughts on the guitar hiding under the stickers? Says 'Made In Japan' on the neckplate.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mi-Electric-Bass-Guitar-with-Cover-Bag-Stickers-Hospiscare-/381554431743?hash=item58d66a96ff:g:ZYcAAOSwe7BWzu~0"]http://www.ebay.co.u...YcAAOSwe7BWzu~0[/url]
[/quote]

CMI (Cleartone Musical Instruments - a Marshall sub-brand) Jazz copy, same bass as the Avon discussed here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277141-replacement-pickups-for-a-1970s-avon-jazz-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...avon-jazz-bass/[/url]

Probably made by Chushin Gakki, ply body, a decent neck if you're lucky, single-coil Telecaster pickups etc. Might be cool if you can grab it cheap enough (about £50 - £60ish), those stickers would all come off no bother if you warm them with a hairdryer to soften the glue.

Jon.

[alyctes]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1456657616' post='2991041']
CMI (Cleartone Musical Instruments - a Marshall sub-brand) Jazz copy, same bass as the Avon discussed here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277141-replacement-pickups-for-a-1970s-avon-jazz-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...avon-jazz-bass/[/url]

Probably made by Chushin Gakki, ply body, a decent neck if you're lucky, single-coil Telecaster pickups etc. Might be cool if you can grab it cheap enough (about £50 - £60ish), those stickers would all come off no bother if you warm them with a hairdryer to soften the glue.

Jon.
[/quote]

Is CMI the same organisation as Cimar? My 70s P-style had a stuck trussrod and I wound up replacing the neck with a Collins, but that definitely had a CMI logo on the headstock.

[Bassassin]

Apart from sharing some of the same letters, no. Cimar was a Japanese brand distributed by, and subsequently owned by Hoshino Gakki. Hoshino is the company which owns the Ibanez brand and subsequently marketed Cimar as "Cimar by Ibanez".

So there's no connection with CMI (although some Cimars may have come from the same factory) but interestingly (if you find this sort of thing interesting!) there is a connection with similar 3-letters-starting-with-C UK brand CSL.

CSL was house-brand of Charles Summerfield Ltd, who during the 70s & early 80s were UK distributor for Ibanez. So using this connection, they sourced their own brand through Hoshino, meaning CSLs were mostly re-badged Cimars.

Very nice some of them were too.

J.

[alyctes]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1456671490' post='2991217']
Apart from sharing some of the same letters, no. Cimar was a Japanese brand distributed by, and subsequently owned by Hoshino Gakki. Hoshino is the company which owns the Ibanez brand and subsequently marketed Cimar as "Cimar by Ibanez".

So there's no connection with CMI (although some Cimars may have come from the same factory) but interestingly (if you find this sort of thing interesting!) there is a connection with similar 3-letters-starting-with-C UK brand CSL.

CSL was house-brand of Charles Summerfield Ltd, who during the 70s & early 80s were UK distributor for Ibanez. So using this connection, they sourced their own brand through Hoshino, meaning CSLs were mostly re-badged Cimars.

Very nice some of them were too.

J.
[/quote]

Okay, thank you Jon.

[ash]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1456515561' post='2989990']
Don't think so - seller says he thinks it's a one-off & I'm inclined to agree.

Looks quite nicely made, has a hint of the Ned Callans about it. Loving the banjo tuners! The bridge is interesting, it's a Schaller 3D made for a 2-point Gibbo fitting, discontinued years ago AFAIK.

I think that's proper cool, you should buy it if it doesn't go too mad.

J.
[/quote]

Yes I thought this looked a bit Ned Callan or even Gordon Smith - never seen another I may have a pop as I like short scale basses for travelling about with! Looks very 'British built' to me.

[Shambo]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1456657616' post='2991041']
CMI (Cleartone Musical Instruments - a Marshall sub-brand) Jazz copy, same bass as the Avon discussed here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277141-replacement-pickups-for-a-1970s-avon-jazz-bass/"]http://basschat.co.u...avon-jazz-bass/[/url]

Probably made by Chushin Gakki, ply body, a decent neck if you're lucky, single-coil Telecaster pickups etc. Might be cool if you can grab it cheap enough (about £50 - £60ish), those stickers would all come off no bother if you warm them with a hairdryer to soften the glue.

Jon.
[/quote]
Thank you

[wotsy]

This kids size bass by Maya looks alright
https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/child-s-small-bass-guitar/1157420721

[ash]

I'm negotiating on this one for postage for one of the kids in the family. But far for me to travel so we will see 😊

[wotsy]

A rare 60's Kawai Monster Bass.......
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-1960s-Kawai-Monster-Bass-Guitar-/172117176964?hash=item2812fbb284:g:PO8AAOSwx-9WyhVg

[Grangur]

This one is curious in that the headstock seems to have been modded
.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/222057726973?_mwBanner=1

Good price for a Thunder though

[Bassassin]

Well - that's a pretty extreme way of removing a headstock logo!

Cheap for Fleabay certainly, not for these parts though:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/279698-westone-thunder-jet-dropped-to-l60/"]http://basschat.co.u...dropped-to-l60/[/url]

C'mon - sixty quid? No idea why it's still here.

J.

[Shambo]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1458373431' post='3006977']
This one is curious in that the headstock seems to have been modded
.
[url="http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/222057726973?_mwBanner=1"]http://m.ebay.co.uk/...973?_mwBanner=1[/url]

Good price for a Thunder though
[/quote]
I've been looking for one like that, around that price, but I can't bring myself to want it with such a blatant.... mutilation.

[Grangur]

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1458392988' post='3007210']
I've been looking for one like that, around that price, but I can't bring myself to want it with such a blatant.... mutilation.
[/quote]
It's only a few miles down the road from me, but I can't really warm to it. After all, when buying you also need to think about the possibilities to sell as well.

Ironic really, as I'll be in Plymouth at the end of next week, so if you'd wanted it I could have brought it down to you.

[Shambo]

Don't know if this is Japanese but it's a Hohner P copy and it looks old. Pictures aren't very detailed but it's close to me in Plymouth and pickup only.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hohner-Bass-Guitar-/291715299095?hash=item43eb963717:g:BssAAOSwHxVW8Cwv

Wondering if worth a punt.

[Shambo]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1458397602' post='3007283']
It's only a few miles down the road from me, but I can't really warm to it. After all, when buying you also need to think about the possibilities to sell as well.

Ironic really, as I'll be in Plymouth at the end of next week, so if you'd wanted it I could have brought it down to you.
[/quote]
Thanks man.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Shambo' timestamp='1458633446' post='3009180']
Don't know if this is Japanese but it's a Hohner P copy and it looks old. Pictures aren't very detailed but it's close to me in Plymouth and pickup only.

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hohner-Bass-Guitar-/291715299095?hash=item43eb963717:g:BssAAOSwHxVW8Cwv"]http://www.ebay.co.u...ssAAOSwHxVW8Cwv[/url]

Wondering if worth a punt.
[/quote]

Yes it's MIJ & yes, it's worth a punt. Hohners of this era were made by Moridaira and are very nice indeed - some little guy called Rover - or is it Prince? Some dog's name anyway - is quite well-known for playing one of their Tele copies!

Hard to tell from the pics but this one is probably mid-late 70s. Later Hohners (Arbor series & early Professionals) were Korean and not to the same standard initially.

Jon.

[Shambo]

[quote name='Bassassin' timestamp='1458646262' post='3009318']
Yes it's MIJ & yes, it's worth a punt. Hohners of this era were made by Moridaira and are very nice indeed - some little guy called Rover - or is it Prince? Some dog's name anyway - is quite well-known for playing one of their Tele copies!

Hard to tell from the pics but this one is probably mid-late 70s. Later Hohners (Arbor series & early Professionals) were Korean and not to the same standard initially.

Jon.
[/quote]
It's gone and I didn't get a chance to bid. Ah well, I hope it's a dog, lol. Thanks for the info.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Shambo

[wotsy]

What's this, a modded Blazer, a bitsa or something else? Only 80 quid.
https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/unbranded-mij-bass-guitar-/1160831642

Edited March 23, 2016 by wotsy

[alyctes]

I doubt if the pups (and knobs!) are original, but that's not surprising. The headstock looks like an early Ibanez, but I don't think it's quite right? I defer to the people who actually know...

Edited March 23, 2016 by alyctes

[Bassassin]

[quote name='wotsy' timestamp='1458691276' post='3009993']
What's this, a modded Blazer, a bitsa or something else? Only 80 quid.
[url="https://www.gumtree.com/p/guitar-instrument/unbranded-mij-bass-guitar-/1160831642"]https://www.gumtree....tar-/1160831642[/url]
[/quote]

[url="http://s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/1979/09.jpg"]RS800 Roadster[/url] with a wonky scratchplate & a mudbucker. I'd pay 80 notes for that, if it plays well.

J.

[wotsy]

That was quick! Thanks you both, I was thinking the bridge pup looks original, pity it's way too far for me.