Vintage MIJ (formerly J@pCr@p) Spotting

[Annoying Twit]

Ibanez Artist bass. Doesn't seem to have as nice a finish/grain as others I've seen, but it may be the photo. Pickup only in the wilds of Norfolk.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-ARTIST-BASS-MAY-1980-/140437455117?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IBANEZ-ARTIST-BASS-M...ents_Guitars_CV[/url]

Seller is selling a variety of Japanese basses. [url="http://shop.ebay.co.uk/97louis/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p4340"]http://shop.ebay.co.uk/97louis/m.html?_nkw...p;_trksid=p4340[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vintage-electric-guitars-jedson-yamaha-futurama11-/290460604306?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]4 guitars and a bass sold as a job lot?[/url]. Surely they would have made more if sold separately and the seller was prepared to post. How many people in Southampton would be bidding for that lot? Bass is a Jedson tele.

For some reason my Ibanez Artist stored search on ebay seems to have stopped working. This Ibanez Artist in the USA sold for US$320, which seems a bargain. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-1977-IBANEZ-ARTIST-BASS-GUITAR-VGC-/180542573651?pt=Guitar"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-1977-IBANEZ-...73651?pt=Guitar[/url]

Yamaha SB (SG style) bass. [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Japanese-Yamaha-SG-bass-original-case-MIJ-/230511299941?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vintage-Japanese-Yam...ents_Guitars_CV[/url]

Edited August 13, 2010 by Annoying Twit

[Annoying Twit]

Another one for the more DIY minded people on here? Antoria violin bass shell (apt description)

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ANTORIA-VIOLIN-GUITAR-BASS-SHELL-MADE-JAPAN-/260651697267?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ANTORIA-VIOLIN-GUITA...ents_Guitars_CV[/url]

(I won't be bidding)

Bolt on? Isn't that unusual for a violin bass?

Edited August 17, 2010 by Annoying Twit

[BigRedX]

Nearly all the Japanese copies from the early to mid 70s had bolt-on necks irrespective of whether the original did or not. Which is why I tend to equate bolt-on neck with not very good instrument.

I had a friend who had one of these violin basses except it said "Grant" on the headstock. Pretty much the most horrible bass I have ever played.

Edited August 17, 2010 by BigRedX

[tauzero]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='927209' date='Aug 17 2010, 09:14 AM']I had a friend who had one of these violin basses except it said "Grant" on the headstock. Pretty much the most horrible bass I have ever played.[/quote]
I had the opportunity to buy one of those violin basses with "Hofner" on the headstock. At the time, however, I was actually looking at a bass to play, and it was a deeply unpleasant experience playing the wretched thing. If only I'd known then what I know now.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='927209' date='Aug 17 2010, 09:14 AM']Nearly all the Japanese copies from the early to mid 70s had bolt-on necks irrespective of whether the original did or not. Which is why I tend to equate bolt-on neck with not very good instrument.

I had a friend who had one of these violin basses except it said "Grant" on the headstock. Pretty much the most horrible bass I have ever played.[/quote]

I'd expect this to be OK quality - Grant & Antoria were never sourced from the same factory, so the similarity's likely to be because they were copies of the same thing. 70s MIJ Antorias came from Fujigen Gakki (they were identical to the equivalent Ibanez range) and were as good as JapCrap quality got, certainly in the early 70s when this bass would have been made.

Most of them (apart from Fender clones, obviously) were made in set-neck or bolt-neck flavours, & plainly set-necks were more expensive which is why bolt-ons are more common.

J.

[Mr. Foxen]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Antoria-jazz-bass-copy-1970s-dimarzio-pickups-case-/120610298532?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]BIN Anoria with dimarzios apparently[/url]

[Annoying Twit]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAWSUIT-COPY-60S-STYLE-HOFNER-VIOLA-BASS-MIJ-/200509428752?pt=Guitar"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LAWSUIT-COPY-60S-STY...28752?pt=Guitar[/url]

Another bolt on violin-ish bass.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='927509' date='Aug 17 2010, 01:20 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Antoria-jazz-bass-copy-1970s-dimarzio-pickups-case-/120610298532?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]BIN Anoria with dimarzios apparently[/url][/quote]
That was a quick turnaround:

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

Nice pickups, rest of the bass is a bit of a mess. Looks like it probably originally had those square chrome single-coils with the double row of poles.

J.

[Annoying Twit]

I see that after all the discussion on here, that the Antoria Violin Bass "shell" has risen to the heady heights of £1.04.

[Annoying Twit]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Antoria-Les-Paul-Bass-Vintage-Made-Japan-early-70s-/270623895445?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]Antoria LP Bass[/url]

How much are these worth? £150 seems a moderately high starting price.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='929069' date='Aug 18 2010, 08:59 PM'][url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Antoria-Les-Paul-Bass-Vintage-Made-Japan-early-70s-/270623895445?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]Antoria LP Bass[/url]

How much are these worth? £150 seems a moderately high starting price.[/quote]
Well yeah, but I think anything over 99p is a high starting price.

These don't come up too often (and you never see the identical Ibby version) and I'd expect it to get £150+, so he's just guaranteeing he gets that, I suppose.

This one's a bit grimy & rusty-looking, but complete - you don't often see them with the scratchplate still on. Those black-button tuners suggest it's very early - maybe 71 or 72.

J.

[Annoying Twit]

Ta Jon. I was thinking after I posted that the post made it look like I thought the bass wasn't worth £150, but I didn't get around to editing the post. I was guestimating (wildly) that it might sell for £200, but with the high start, I wouldn't be surprised to see it sell for £150 with one bid.

Over in the for sale section £150 gets you this: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=54995"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=54995[/url] I must admit I was tempted as I played a Korean Jackson, and thought it very nice indeed. But there is only a certain amount of money in my instrument purchasing budget and too many instruments to buy. (Though I did PM the guy selling the CMI Rickenfakerfor £50 immediately I saw it, but too late).

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Annoying Twit' post='929191' date='Aug 18 2010, 10:40 PM']Ta Jon. I was thinking after I posted that the post made it look like I thought the bass wasn't worth £150, but I didn't get around to editing the post. I was guestimating (wildly) that it might sell for £200, but with the high start, I wouldn't be surprised to see it sell for £150 with one bid.

Over in the for sale section £150 gets you this: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=54995"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=54995[/url] I must admit I was tempted as I played a Korean Jackson, and thought it very nice indeed. But there is only a certain amount of money in my instrument purchasing budget and too many instruments to buy. (Though I did PM the guy selling the CMI Rickenfakerfor £50 immediately I saw it, but too late).[/quote]

CMI Rickenfaker for £50? Was I asleep?

Quite like the Charvel but even after all these years I have a gag reaction when I see those incongruous droopy/pointy headstocks! Interesting thing, not sure who made these, it might have been Chushin, who definitely made the bridge. Apart from the logo, it's the same as the one on my new-to-me Washburn SB40, which has Chushin embossed underneath.

J.

[karlfer]

Lost the link somewhere in the ether, but 2 Aria Pro 11's on ebay one at £1500, one at £1850 I think.
Am I missing something?

Karl.

PS Jon, your new avatar equates to cleaning bill for coffee removal from laptop

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='karlfer' post='931402' date='Aug 20 2010, 09:35 PM']Lost the link somewhere in the ether, but 2 Aria Pro 11's on ebay one at £1500, one at £1850 I think.
Am I missing something?[/quote]

Curious. I thought even the new Japanese made ones went for about a grand.

[quote]PS Jon, your new avatar equates to cleaning bill for coffee removal from laptop [/quote]

I was once walking in a Sussex town when I spotted a Chinese restaurant called "Golden Balls". The Chinese characters used for the name of the restaurant meant something different in Japanese even though literally they do say "Golden balls". I'll leave it as an exercise for the reader as to what the Japanese meaning was.

PPS: Were there ever any Japanese 70s or 80s acoustic basses?

Edited August 21, 2010 by Annoying Twit

[noelk27]

[quote name='karlfer' post='931402' date='Aug 20 2010, 08:35 PM']Lost the link somewhere in the ether, but 2 Aria Pro 11's on ebay one at £1500, one at £1850 I think.
Am I missing something?[/quote]

Depends what you mean by missing. New MIJ SB models can cost that, and then some. An SB1000/5, in premium finish, could easily cost over £2,000.

[karlfer]

That'll teach me to research 1st.

My dad always said I only opened my mouth to change feet.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='karlfer' post='932454' date='Aug 22 2010, 07:35 AM']That'll teach me to research 1st.

My dad always said I only opened my mouth to change feet.[/quote]

No - you're quite right. Here are the basses:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-bass-guitar-/140442705431"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-ba...r-/140442705431[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-bass-guitar-genuine-vintage-example-/250682983200"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-b...e-/250682983200[/url]

These are both Matsumoku examples and the prices of both - nice though they appear - are well beyond the realms of gibbering, tongue-swallowing, compulsive self-abusing loony land.

J.

[noelk27]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='932881' date='Aug 22 2010, 04:12 PM']These are both Matsumoku examples and the prices of both - nice though they appear - are well beyond the realms of gibbering, tongue-swallowing, compulsive self-abusing loony land.[/quote]

Yea, these are overpriced. What amazes me, with all the information that's out there, is that people still get their descriptions of the instruments they own wrong. Then again, a lot of the so-called expert sites that are out there continually quote the same generic ill-informed garbage, which is what these people are recycling.

[Annoying Twit]

Aria Pro II SB-60. Pickup only in Colchester

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-II-Bass-guitar-SB-R60-model-/330463740584?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro-II-Bass-gui...ents_Guitars_CV[/url]

[Bassassin]

There are a few more reasonably-priced examples (and some ridiculously priced reissues) if you do a general search for Aria Bass. Plus a couple that will make your eyes water.

There's also this:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-pro-II-RSB-90s-RSB-Bolt-Bass-made-Japan-/300457787586"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-pro-II-RSB-90s-...n-/300457787586[/url]

Being sold by Aqua Music in Japan, no model number but the seller reckons 90s, it's MIJ and if he's right about the date, obviously not Mat. Never seen anything quite like this before - domestic market only?

J.

[karlfer]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='932881' date='Aug 22 2010, 05:12 PM']No - you're quite right. Here are the basses:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-bass-guitar-/140442705431"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-ba...r-/140442705431[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-bass-guitar-genuine-vintage-example-/250682983200"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-b...e-/250682983200[/url]

These are both Matsumoku examples and the prices of both - nice though they appear - are well beyond the realms of gibbering, tongue-swallowing, compulsive self-abusing loony land.

J.[/quote]

Didn't know you'd met the wife Jon.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='932881' date='Aug 22 2010, 05:12 PM']No - you're quite right. Here are the basses:

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-bass-guitar-/140442705431"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB1000-ba...r-/140442705431[/url]

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-bass-guitar-genuine-vintage-example-/250682983200"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aria-Pro11-SB-1000-b...e-/250682983200[/url]

These are both Matsumoku examples and the prices of both - nice though they appear - are well beyond the realms of gibbering, tongue-swallowing, compulsive self-abusing loony land.[/quote]

£750 for this one. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=99839"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=99839[/url] I'm not sure what the exact going rate is for these, but in any case, £750 is less than £1495

[Bassassin]

[quote name='karlfer' post='933074' date='Aug 22 2010, 09:03 PM']Didn't know you'd met the wife Jon. [/quote]
[i]You[/i] married my ex?

J.

[Paul S]

Washburn Vulture just listed, looks nice. Be interested to see how this fares.

[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1979-WASHBURN-WING-SERIES-VULTURE-BASS-RARE-/160472174376?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV"]eBay link[/url]