Vintage Mystery Bass

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Author Message   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - 9:14 pm:    Ebay Item #180161462859 That pickup is probably from an old Ibanez. But under the ashtray is a pickup missing, and I suspect that it originally had two chrome covered humbuckers. The neckplate shows no "Made in Japan" inscription. The pickguard shows at least one screwhole that has nothing to do with this pickup, which is an interesting one BTW. This could as well be a Hondo or some other Japanese brand. Ginger   Chucke99 Username: Chucke99 Registered: 2-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 27, 2007 - 10:51 am:    The pickup is from a Musician bass. I have the exact ones in my MC900NT. -Chuck   Bassassin Username: Bassassin Registered: 1-2006 Posted on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 4:27 pm:    Interesting. Certainly a Musician pup, but I wouldn't put money on the rest of the bass even being Japanese - and almost certainly not Fujigen. Wonder if Ebay bidders will ever get their heads around the idea that if something doesn't say Ibanez on it, it's not an Ibanez. Hardly rocket science, is it? Jon.   Chucke99 Username: Chucke99 Registered: 2-2007 Posted on Friday, September 28, 2007 - 6:48 pm:    Here's the guide I wrote for eBay, Bass: http://reviews.ebay.com/Ibanez-Does-Not-Make-Every -Japanese-Electric-Guitar_W0QQugidZ100000000042044 06 So far, 15 of 15 have found it helpful, and that's catapulted me into the ranks of the top 10,000 reviewers, no less. ;-) -Chuck   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 4:30 am:    I would change that title into: "IBANEZ DOESN'T MAKE GUITARS AT ALL!" THEN you have their attention! Then I would alter the sentence: "The thing to remember is that "Ibanez" is a brand name for guitars made by a SINGLE company, Hoshino Gakki." simply because it is NOT TRUE! My proposition: "The thing to remember is that "Ibanez" is a brand name for guitars made FOR a SINGLE (TRADING) company, Hoshino Gakki." I would also remove Cort and Cortez from the list of Matsumoku produced guitars. Cort manufactures their own and other guitars (including Ibanez) http://www.vintageguitar.com/brands/details.asp?ID =127 You could add Skylark, (early) Vantage guitars (before it became a Samick brand), and Washburn (1979-1985). There is some suspicion of Ventura being manufactured in the Matsumoku factory, because of the resemblance with certain other guitars (Ibanezfreak1960 wrote about that), but I haven't seen any real proof yet. Besides: if a Ventura resembles an Aria or Arai, that could proof a same-contractor-connection, but that could as well be Guyatone who apparently made a large part of the Aria production since 1960, and in 1964 when this was not enough any more, Matsumoku joined in as a second contractor (NOT EXCLUSIVELY). Matsumoku guitars became good and interesting when designer Nabuoku Hayashi (pseudonym H. Noble) joined the firm. Then you get these neck-through-body constructions etc., real nice work. Anyway, first shock them with a new title! (haha...) Ginger   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 11:04 am:    Chuck: I just read your eBay piece and thought that it was well done. There are exceptions to the rules with the Ibanez brand and Hoshino's connections with other brands and manufacturers which make it virtually impossible to condense the story down and get every detail. But you did a good job hitting the points that most eBayers would need. And thanks for the ICW mention at the end.   Chucke99 Username: Chucke99 Registered: 2-2007 Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 11:44 am:    Ginger, I had to come up with a title that began with "Ibanez" so people would see it when it was abbreviated in the guides list and the subtly that Ibanez doesn't make anything at all has to be explained. I've seen resources that say the Cortez brand became Cort, and at that point, possibly "Cort" got its own factory at a later date. Again, too much to condense. John, no problem on the mention, since I've learned everything I know about Ibanez from this site. Unfortunately, eBay does not allow active HTML links in the articles, or I'd have linked to the site directly. -Chuck   Gemberbier Username: Gemberbier Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 4:11 pm:    Before I forget, I'm glad you wrote something to warn for all the BS in eBay ads, Chuck. I think these stories are just a step beyond keyword spamming. I read some people put Fender strings on Strat replicas AND MENTION them in the title. Not particularly a string to be proud of. But it helps selling the guitar. Ginger

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