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Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 11:46 am
by Bon Hoga
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qiXPpwtCxA[/youtube]
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:01 pm
by Chankgeez
At first glance, I thought it might be an Ibanez Jet King. Pretty sure it's not. That camera work leaves a lot to be desired in terms of helping to identify it. I think it's a '60s Japanese bass that the design of the Jet King is probably based on. That's about as close as I'm gonna get you without a better look at it.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 4:04 pm
by Bon Hoga
Hm, it's only got one pickup whereas the Jet King has two, and the bridge is different.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 4:16 pm
by Chankgeez
Yeah, that's why I don't think it's a Jet King. The shape of the body reminded me of one though.
Also, the headstock is different. Not sure that bridge is even original anyway. The football-shaped pickguard is pretty distinctive (assuming it's stock). I'm just guessing on this. Not much to go on. I spent about ten minutes looking around online and couldn't find a better pic of him/her playing it. Your guess is as good as mine, but this's my best guess so far.
If you can find another photo of it, I'll take another crack at identifying it.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:37 pm
by Chankgeez
Upon further reflection, it may be a Guyatone.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:54 pm
by Moose
I've been hunting on this as well, struggling to find anything even closely related to it really.
Guyatone seems the likeliest, due to the body shape and headstock shape, but then I can't find any of their old models with that type of pickguard?
I'll keep hunting, I'll chip in if I can come up with anything.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:40 pm
by Chankgeez
Not sure that pickguard or bridge are original.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2014 6:46 pm
by Moose
It's the pickguard that keeps throwing me off. Because let's face it, it's an almost Rickenbacker guitar style pickguard. But most other basses of that time, the pickguard carries on towards the lower horn of the body instead
The bridge might be original, but I can't deny how close it looks to some of the modern Ibanez bridges/Hipshot bridges (obviously it's not, but you know what I mean).
After looking into this for about an hour or so, the closest I can come to is "It's probably Japanese."

Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:50 am
by Bon Hoga
The neck looks enormously long, even on that bloke who seems rather tall.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:10 am
by Chankgeez
Yeah, I have no idea what that is, sorry.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:16 am
by colin
I think this is the first time I've seen Chankgeez stumped by an obscure guitar/bass.
I have absolutely no idea what it is either.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:16 am
by colin
Double post, sorry.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:16 am
by colin
I think this is the first time I've seen Chankgeez stumped by an obscure guitar/bass.
I have absolutely no idea what it is either.
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:38 am
by Chankgeez

Thanks, Colin.
Yeah, I watched that vid a few more times and it seems the bass may not be quite as early as I though. It could be anywhere from '60s to '90s. I really just don't know. Now, I'm thinking that bridge may be original. Which would date the bass to sometime in the '70s at the earliest.
(Interestingly enough, you can get a better look at the bass with the sound turned off.

)
Re: Can anyone identify this bass pls?
Posted: Thu Aug 28, 2014 12:33 pm
by KaosCill8r
Maybe it is some kind of bitza put together by someone in a big name guitar factory. That kind of thing used to happen at the maton factory back in the day when Bill May ran the show. Or maybe some companies one off prototype that never went into production. It is tough to tell watching the video. The video is kinda crazy. Fits the song well though.