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Proadster
Username: Proadster

Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Thursday, November 02, 2006 - 4:31 pm:   

Hey all,

New to forum and I just purchased a 1980 or '81 Roadster RS-924BS on eBay. OK. Maybe paid a *bit* too much, but I really wanted it ... you all know how that goes I am sure!

I have been playing bass since 1981, professionally in various bands for a good part of that time. When I was first starting out (in those days long before the Internet) I had the Ibanez catalogs and I always wanted a Roadster and/or a Musician. I spent many a cold night up here in Maine sudying the pictures and specs and wishing my Hondo II P-Bass copy would turn into the Roadster, but to no avail. I have owned literally dozens of basses since then, but I never did get the Ibanez for some reason. But, now, through the wonders of eBay, one of my original "dream basses" has come home to roost. It isn't mint, but I bought it to play in a retro '70s funk/disco band so it will be a great player. I also have a '51 P-Bass reissue that I use in my jump/swing band and a Warwick FNA Jazzman 4 as my main bass.

I am excited about getting the Roadster cleaned up though and I have a couple of questions:

1) How do I figure the production year from the serial number?

2) The case is not original and I would like to find an Ibanez case for that model. Any ideas?

3) Will the passive mode work with a dead or missing battery? (would be great if it did ...)

4) Are the pickups Dimarzios or are they something that Ibanez made in-house?

If any other Roadster owners are out there reading this, please chime in with a reply, I'd be pleased to meet you!

Thanks for creating such a great forum, I used it a lot before and during my purchasing of the 924.

Best,

Patrick
Mr_roadstar
Username: Mr_roadstar

Registered: 06-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 02, 2006 - 4:57 pm:   

"1) How do I figure the production year from the serial number?"

The letter prefix (A thru L) indicates the month (A = January, B = February, C = March, etc) The first two digits are the last two digits of the year. Example: G84**** was built July 1984.

"2) The case is not original and I would like to find an Ibanez case for that model. Any ideas?"

An original case should look something like the one on the left (brown):
roadcases
roadcases

"4) Are the pickups Dimarzios or are they something that Ibanez made in-house?"

Ibanez never built/made anything. It's just a brand name owned by Hoshino. Pickups, like the other components, were selected mostly from local (Japanese) vendors. I believe Maxon supplied a lot of pickups to Ibanez in the 70's and 80's. Dimarzio did supply a few pickups to Ibanez starting in the late '80's.

The Bear
Lesliegl
Username: Lesliegl

Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Friday, November 03, 2006 - 1:12 am:   

I owned one of those exact basses from 1983 to 1990..the best bass i have ever owned ..feels great...not too heavy..ie like the Musician basses ..which i owned one as well at the time..i sold the MC924 in 1988 and kept the RS924..it was ruined when in 1990 when water got into the shipping container it was stored in..mutch missed..wish i could get another one here in Australia

Leslie

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