# Show us your 70s and 80s Japan basses !



## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I'm a big fan of Japan made instruments, I , like many others think they took over in terms of quality in the mid 70s and especially the 80s. They gave the big boys a run for they're sales ! 

So how about you show us some of your Japan made beauties !

Here to start off is one of Ibanez masterpiece, the Musician MC924 Bass


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

No 70's - 80's Japanese basses in my collection only 60's. Sorry.

TD


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Thornton Davis said:


> No 70's - 80's Japanese basses in my collection only 60's. Sorry.
> 
> TD


 Yeah and those Kent`s of yours are real beauties !


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

A like new '82 JV P.....


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

HighNoon said:


> A like new '82 JV P.....
> View attachment 256496
> View attachment 256498



Wow ! 

That is nice and mint also ! Would love to try it !


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Then there's the regular player....an '83 JV P......


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## Guest (May 26, 2019)

I no longer own the fretless.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

HighNoon said:


> Then there's the regular player....an '83 JV P......
> View attachment 256514
> View attachment 256518


Nice back up!


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

laristotle said:


> I no longer own the fretless.
> 
> View attachment 256582



Love it !

I'm a big Vantage fan. I actually do have one of those fretless.

Here is mine


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I also picked up another Vantage fretless from a retired musician. He was using it only in the studio. The pups were upgraded to Active EMG and once I tried it, just fell in love with it. The sound is dreamy and the look of the wood grain is hallucinating. This baby also has an open grain oil finish.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

This one is real cool, its Ibanez take on the LP bass.

Here's my 1971 Ibanez LP 2350B


A classic!

* Edited to add a couple of pics.


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## Guest (May 30, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> This one is real cool, its Ibanez take on the LP bass.
> 
> Here's my 1971 Ibanez LP 2350B
> 
> ...


Beauties!
A LP bass that actually looks like a LP.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Really nice binding.....and those inlay fret markers are beautissamous....


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I


HighNoon said:


> Really nice binding.....and those inlay fret markers are beautissamous....


its a nice piece and plays wonderfully.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

laristotle said:


> Beauties!
> A LP bass that actually looks like a LP.



I know right !?! 

You would imagine more basses would have this classic design. I have just 1 other in this design-shape but its Italian made !


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## Guest (May 30, 2019)

I'd like to get a Tele bass someday.
Not a traditional one, but one that looks like one.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

laristotle said:


> I'd like to get a Tele bass someday.
> Not a traditional one, but one that looks like one.
> 
> View attachment 257246


Wow ! 
that's a nice model. Who made it, what is it ?

The only bass that I have that comes close to that is an 80s model short scale from Hohner. Korean made.


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## Guest (May 30, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> that's a nice model. Who made it, what is it ?


Hutchins, England.
Friend custom ordered it because he wanted a Tele bass and at the time and that's all he could find.









Squier has a VM version.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

laristotle said:


> Hutchins, England.
> Friend custom ordered it because he wanted a Tele bass and at the time and that's all he could find.
> View attachment 257250
> 
> ...


That Hutchins is gorgeous ! Major drool here !


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Nobody is posting ! 

To keep the ball rolling, here is one of the first Vantage bass model to come out 79-80. Notice the first Vantage logo that was changed the first year the Vantage line came out.


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## LevinSon (Feb 8, 2019)

1985 Fender Performer


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

LevinSon said:


> 1985 Fender Performer


Might have to work on my Flock of Seagulls haircut for this one.


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## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

I don't have these anymore, but I used to own two Japanese basses. 

First one is a Yamaha SB-70 (?). It was a medium-scale bass and was one of the first instruments where I discovered "I play different things when I use this particular instrument," which I suppose I blame for my G.A.S. The sticker was there when I got the bass, but I liked the message so I left it. It was next to the controls and read "Adjustment by authorized person only". It had some weird, noisy single coil pickups that sounded terrible in modern amps, but paired perfectly with an old Bassman.









The second was basically the opposite guitar, an Ibanez Roadstar Series bass. Super sleek, narrow nut, thin body, and weighed almost nothing. A previous owner put in some active EMG's, moved the input jack (and left a hole on the side), added a neat top-loading bridge, and covered it in stickers. And then another previous owner removed the stickers, but you could still make out their shadows in the right light. I have probably not played any instrument more in my life than this bass. It's been everywhere. It was the first instrument where I had the feeling like it was an extension of my body, like my fingers could play it instinctively. I would have kept it, but it was just getting unplayable for me. When I replaced it with a P-bass, it made me long for the days of the narrow nut width, which began my years-long quest for a P-bass with a J-bass neck (which I eventually completed a little while back).









If anyone has any idea what years these were made, I'd love to know as I have no idea. I'm going to guess '70s and '80s respectively, but that's the best I can do.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

LevinSon said:


> 1985 Fender Performer


Cool design. I did not know this model !


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

troyhead said:


> I don't have these anymore, but I used to own two Japanese basses.
> 
> First one is a Yamaha SB-70 (?). It was a medium-scale bass and was one of the first instruments where I discovered "I play different things when I use this particular instrument," which I suppose I blame for my G.A.S. The sticker was there when I got the bass, but I liked the message so I left it. It was next to the controls and read "Adjustment by authorized person only". It had some weird, noisy single coil pickups that sounded terrible in modern amps, but paired perfectly with an old Bassman.
> View attachment 258128
> ...


That Yamaha is real nice !


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## LevinSon (Feb 8, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> Cool design. I did not know this model !


Interesting history! Check out the link in my Classifieds ad for more info. This was going to be the new Jazz design in 1985 before the company changed hands and went with the two retro styles that monopolize the field today!


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Here is the Vantage bass that woke me up to Japan made instruments. Once I bought this baby, it started looking at other Japan made instruments. 1983 Vantage VP-820


Really love the look of swamp ash.


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## LevinSon (Feb 8, 2019)

Here's my jazz bass special, aka Duff bass, in medium scale from 2985. also for sale on the site. Hottest passive pickups I've ever seen. Trying to get down to one bass, my double-p MIJ Schecter (NOT 80s)!

Too big a luddite to resize photos, sorry!


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## YammyV (Apr 23, 2019)

Sweet basses!


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Here's my mid-70s Univox P-bass copy. Bought for < $100 in about 1980.


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## Eyeban Ezz (Jan 19, 2018)

troyhead said:


> View attachment 258130
> 
> 
> If anyone has any idea what years these were made, I'd love to know as I have no idea.  I'm going to guess '70s and '80s respectively, but that's the best I can do.


Your Roadstar bass would use the classic Ibanez serial formula of the 70's and 80's. It works like this:

A=Jan
B=Feb
L=Dec

J850666 would be October 1985, guitar number 666 to be completed in the month of Oct.

A820013 would be Jan 1982, and the thirteenth guitar to be completed in January.

D864359 would be April 1986 and also would have been one of the later guitars to be completed that month based on the high production number (#4359). 

The production number accounts for all guitars/models built that month, and not within a single model type. A Proline may have a serial like E851138, while a RS guitar or bass may have E851140 or E851139. That said, I do know of collectors who have had 3 identical models with consecutive serials. 

Unfortunately Ibanez have adopted new serial formats since the old Japanese plants have ceased production so more recent guitars are not as easy to decypher. There are a handful of different serial formats between the 1990s and 2010s which makes things confusing.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> Here's my mid-70s Univox P-bass copy. Bought for < $100 in about 1980.
> 
> View attachment 260952


Wow ! Nice one... Was never able to find a nice one like yours. Great price ontop of it !


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## Eyeban Ezz (Jan 19, 2018)

This is my only bass, Japan May 1985.

http://oi63.tinypic.com/20su82h.jpg

Pic wont work. Anybody know where to upload JPEGs these days and it actually works on a web forum? None of these fucking services allow remote linking anymore.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Eyeban Ezz said:


> Pic wont work. Anybody know where to upload JPEGs these days and it actually works on a web forum? None of these fucking services allow remote linking anymore.


I use Google MyDrive… free 15 Gig upload for your pics...


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Here is my Univox P-bass from the late 70s... never as nice as the one High/Deaf has...


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Jeeez, that looks pretty nice to me. But you have much more selection than me - my Uni is my only bass. Being a P-bass copy, it covers the duties of recording and as a back up bass if people show up without one.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> Jeeez, that looks pretty nice to me. But you have much more selection than me - my Uni is my only bass. Being a P-bass copy, it covers the duties of recording and as a back up bass if people show up without one.


The reason I say this is your Uni P-bass is made by Matsumoku 1976 were mine is from another Japan builder. Yours is of better quality...

I know this since I also have a 1976 Univox Jazz made by Matsumoku.


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## Luiz Alves (Nov 18, 2021)

troyhead said:


> I don't have these anymore, but I used to own two Japanese basses.
> 
> First one is a Yamaha SB-70 (?). It was a medium-scale bass and was one of the first instruments where I discovered "I play different things when I use this particular instrument," which I suppose I blame for my G.A.S. The sticker was there when I got the bass, but I liked the message so I left it. It was next to the controls and read "Adjustment by authorized person only". It had some weird, noisy single coil pickups that sounded terrible in modern amps, but paired perfectly with an old Bassman.
> View attachment 258128
> ...


Eu tenho esse baixo. Comprei ele em 87. Ibanez Roadstar 87.


troyhead said:


> I don't have these anymore, but I used to own two Japanese basses.
> 
> First one is a Yamaha SB-70 (?). It was a medium-scale bass and was one of the first instruments where I discovered "I play different things when I use this particular instrument," which I suppose I blame for my G.A.S. The sticker was there when I got the bass, but I liked the message so I left it. It was next to the controls and read "Adjustment by authorized person only". It had some weird, noisy single coil pickups that sounded terrible in modern amps, but paired perfectly with an old Bassman.
> View attachment 258128
> ...


Fabricado em 1987. Eu tenho esse baixo. Ibanez Roadstar 87


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## wraub (May 21, 2021)

I currently own 6 basses, and 4 of them are MIJ from the 80s. I can get pics up of all if there's interest. To start, here's my modded '82 Squier SQ Precision. Hippie refin, Hipshot Extender, Velvet Hammer pickup and vintage threaded saddle bridge, and some electronic mods. It's been through a lot. Just over 8.5 lbs, it's my #1 bass.









I also have an '83 Squier SQ Jazz Bass, and two '85 Ibanez RB-885 Roadstar II five string basses- one modded for a Kahler non-trem bridge, and one I made fretless.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

wraub said:


> I currently own 6 basses, and 4 of them are MIJ from the 80s. I can get pics up of all if there's interest. To start, here's my modded '82 Squier SQ Precision. Hippie refin, Hipshot Extender, Velvet Hammer pickup and vintage threaded saddle bridge, and some electronic mods. It's been through a lot. Just over 8.5 lbs, it's my #1 bass.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice !

I would like to see your Ibanez basses.


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## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

This is a unique piece with plenty of mwah.....Washburn AB40 fretless....same bass as used on I Can't Make You Love Me.....only a few were made.


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## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

That's a nice bass High Noon!

Here is mine, it's a Yamaha MBII from 1985.


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## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

Bit of a thread resurrection, but what the heck, Japanese basses from the 70's and 80's never go out of style in my book .
First is a picture of my matched El Degas pair. My first guitar which I still own after 40 years), model 680, and the matching bass model 686 I picked up a few years ago.
Not sure where they were made but the quality is quite good. These are bolt-on original designs from El Degas. Quality is consistent with Matsumoku instruments of the era.
Second is a Ibanez Double Neck from around 1976 judging by the headstock shape. This was a copy of an older Gibson model but with bolt-on necks on a laminated body.
The bass is short scale which made it more even with the guitar. The color is actually more of a dark walnut though it appears black in the picture.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Nice El Degas!

I have the same bass version as you:









I also have a Grabber version from El Degas:


















Your Ibanez double neck is sick !!! Wow !

I also have several Ibanez








I have a couple of the reg 2354, have the long neck and short neck with open slot headstock. Pretty much every version of the Ibanez 2354 model.


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## wraub (May 21, 2021)

Frenchy said:


> Nice !
> 
> I would like to see your Ibanez basses.


Sure thing... here's a few quick pics- this one i have had longer than any other instrument I have- it's toured, it's recorded in studios big and small. I painted it once and then removed the paint, so it's all scratched up (it was a long time ago). The old saying, "You need 10,000 hours at something to get good at it"? I did my 10,000 on this bass. The bridge plate is off center because the tech reused the original screw holes and the saddles are adjustable... it's never been an issue for me. The bridge was the only replacement bridge available at the time that could go as narrow as needed for the bass, but it needed some wood removed, which meant moving the neck pickup closer to the bridge. It's subtly changed the sound, for the better imo. The Kahler bridge also adds weight, which helps fight the neck dive, but there's still plenty. It probably has almost no resale value, but I'm pretty okay with that.

















---
And, after many years of owning it, I wanted another, but fretless because I started on fretless. Ibanez didn't make one, however, so I looked for a long time, found one, and made it fretless myself. Some fret pulling and maple veneers later, I have this- It plays really well.
























--


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Sharp looking Degas.


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

I had forgotten about my Electra MPC X620. Here's a pic of it. Of all the basses I've owned this one is the heaviest which was why I ended up selling it. 

TD


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

Good looking thing though … it’s a funny mashup with a Ric style bridge , and then a split coil and mudbucker combo .


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

Morrow said:


> Good looking thing though … it’s a funny mashup with a Ric style bridge , and then a split coil and mudbucker combo .


These were a really unusual instruments. It has a pocket in the back to insert effect modules, you could have 2 at a time. As you can see I have a Overdrive and Flanger modules in mine but there were a number of different ones available.










TD


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Thornton Davis said:


> These were a really unusual instruments. It has a pocket in the back to insert effect modules, you could have 2 at a time. As you can see I have a Overdrive and Flanger modules in mine but there were a number of different ones available.
> 
> View attachment 393832
> 
> ...


I always wanted one of those. Very nice looking bass.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Thornton Davis said:


> These were a really unusual instruments. It has a pocket in the back to insert effect modules, you could have 2 at a time. As you can see I have a Overdrive and Flanger modules in mine but there were a number of different ones available.
> 
> View attachment 393832
> 
> ...


Cool concept. I just read a bit on their history. Apparently, quite a few pros endorsed their products, one being the Outlaws...I listen to their music when I'm in a Southern Rock mood. Thanks for the post on this product.
12 modules total...very cool.
I'd be interested to hear about your opinion of them.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

wraub said:


> And, after many years of owning it, I wanted another, but fretless because I started on fretless. Ibanez didn't make one, however, so I looked for a long time, found one, and made it fretless myself. Some fret pulling and maple veneers later, I have this- It plays really well.



Nice Ibanez and great work on them !

Apart from my Musician and 2354 versions of the Ibanez line up, also have an Ibanez 960 RB deluxe (cannot find a picture of it right now) and a few Roaster` s.

Since you mentioned the fretless, I got this Roadster fretless a long time ago. It was refinished but the person that did the refinishing work missed it. The paint never dried properly and the bass was always sticky. Here it is the way I got it.



















The bass was inconfortable to play being sticky so brought it back down to wood.










I went with a simple oil finish afterwards. Here you see it beside another I was doing with a French polish oil finish:


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## wraub (May 21, 2021)

Frenchy said:


> Nice Ibanez and great work on them !
> 
> Apart from my Musician and 2354 versions of the Ibanez line up, also have an Ibanez 960 RB deluxe (cannot find a picture of it right now) and a few Roaster` s.
> 
> ...


I used to have a Musician Fretless, and have always liked the body design, so I have always liked these versions also. But, I'm a fool for ash and sen too.


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)




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## basscarter (Mar 11, 2016)

Lots of fretless here!
This is my Westone Spectrum from the Matsumoko factory that lost its frets about 15 years ago (and it’s finish sometime before that)










She’s ugly but still sounds fantastic


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

'76 Ibanez


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

SaucyJack said:


> '76 Ibanez
> 
> View attachment 393982
> 
> View attachment 393983


Wow ! that is nice !

Never had an Ibanez one.

Have an Aria that looks like that.


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

Cool units hey!


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## paraedolia (Nov 26, 2008)

My old 1980 Tokai JB120 Jazz Bass and 78 Aria SB700


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## SaucyJack (Mar 8, 2017)

If anybody is on the hunt for a Greco bass, here's a good deal...






The Other Single-Cuts Classifieds (read the rules before posting)


FedEx. But the guitars are stuck in customs right now. I’m thinking of having them send the shipment Back to Japan. I think the reason it’s being held up it’s because I sent them all together in one shipment instead of sending them separately under different shipping labels. In the past I’ve...




www.mylespaul.com


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## Mr. Abner (11 mo ago)

Frenchy said:


> ...
> Since you mentioned the fretless, I got this Roadster fretless a long time ago. It was refinished but the person that did the refinishing work missed it. The paint never dried properly and the bass was always sticky. Here it is the way I got it.
> 
> View attachment 393836
> ...


Hi Frenchy, do you still have the RS-940?

-Alex


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Mr. Abner said:


> Hi Frenchy, do you still have the RS-940?
> 
> -Alex


Yes I do !


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## Mr. Abner (11 mo ago)

Frenchy said:


> Yes I do !


A little hard to tell from the pics, but is that a 1980 model, with the Quadra-Lock neck attachment?


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Mr. Abner said:


> A little hard to tell from the pics, but is that a 1980 model, with the Quadra-Lock neck attachment?


No, mine has the regular Ibanez backplate with normal wood screws.


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## Mr. Abner (11 mo ago)

Frenchy said:


> No, mine has the regular Ibanez backplate with normal wood screws.


Interesting... then do you mind if I ask another question? Is the overall length closer to 116.5 cm or 114.5 cm? (Measured from the tip of the headstock to the end of the body (*not* including the strap button) — I found it easier to measure on the back side.)

Late 1980 or early '81 serial number?

And do you still have that Matsumoku scroll-head violin bass? That should be in this thread.

(Okay, that was more than one question...)


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Mr. Abner said:


> Interesting... then do you mind if I ask another question? Is the overall length closer to 116.5 cm or 114.5 cm? (Measured from the tip of the headstock to the end of the body (*not* including the strap button) — I found it easier to measure on the back side.)


Its to far down the line for me to pull it out and measure it. Sorry, when it comes out of rotation will measure it.



Mr. Abner said:


> Late 1980 or early '81 serial number?


81



Mr. Abner said:


> And do you still have that Matsumoku scroll-head violin bass? That should be in this thread.


Are you talking about these ?










Have a few of them.


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## Mr. Abner (11 mo ago)

Frenchy said:


> Are you talking about these ?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those are the ones. Nice. (We've talked a bit over on the Matsumoku forums, quite a few years ago now, I posted as AlexD.)

As for the RS-940, I was going to ask if you might prefer a fretted neck rather than fretless.


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## Frenchy (Mar 23, 2011)

Mr. Abner said:


> Those are the ones. Nice. (We've talked a bit over on the Matsumoku forums, quite a few years ago now, I posted as AlexD.)
> 
> As for the RS-940, I was going to ask if you might prefer a fretted neck rather than fretless.



PM sent !

lol


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Same one-with & without pickguard


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## SpHj (9 mo ago)

Does a Duff Special count?


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## Capn Rory (Mar 23, 2007)

Here is a Yamaki Jazz Bass from the late 60's.

__
https://flic.kr/p/5GqGiP


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## Marshtech (May 8, 2021)

don't have any to show. Last week in London before seeing Sting, we ate at the restaurant across the street. There was a Kent bass (good condition) hanging on the wall. I pointed it out to my wife (who liked it and as usual asked me if I would be getting one). I told her no. I had my share of that equipment in the 60s. I told her that the prices are really high even after 4 or 5 decades. On the local FB Marketplace there's a Tiesco or Kent for under $200, which surprised me. There's also one for $675. Yikes.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Marshtech said:


> don't have any to show. Last week in London before seeing Sting, we ate at the restaurant across the street. There was a Kent bass (good condition) hanging on the wall. I pointed it out to my wife (who liked it and as usual asked me if I would be getting one). I told her no. I had my share of that equipment in the 60s. I told her that the prices are really high even after 4 or 5 decades. On the local FB Marketplace there's a Tiesco or Kent for under $200, which surprised me. There's also one for $675. Yikes.


it all depends on condition, if complete, rarety of the model, high end model, low end model…

old Japan instruments are a niche market and you have to know tons about it! I just go for stuff I like ( in the 60 s more obscure stuff ) but others know every manufacturer,creator and so forth… it’s a big market.


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## Morrow (Apr 29, 2020)

I watch kijiji like a hawk , but don’t jump all that often , there’s frequently 60/70s Japanese things that turn up. Prices are all over the map. Something can be sitting at $1500 and then something near identical can pop up for two. Hard to believe.


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## paraedolia (Nov 26, 2008)

I lived in Japan through the 90s and you would literally see big piles of those Teisco/Kawai/Kent/Apollo guitars in junk shops for $20-50 a pop. They would just pile them up on the floor.


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