I am the original owner of s/n 850446 Washburn Bantam 4 string headless bass, the unlicensed Steinberger copy. Alder body and Maple neck. It is currently tuned B-E-A-D, but can easily be changed back to conventional tuning. I just committed to buy yet another bass, and Mrs. Spywebco tells me that maybe one of the collection should go. I have almost every bass I've ever bought excepting a couple that were stolen on gigs, and I guess it's time, and I having mild separation anxiety, but it's gotta go.
Anyway, this is a passive twin soap bar p/up bass with dual volumes and a single tone control. Sounds fantastic, nice and warm with as much bite or growl as you'd like it to have. It is very reactive to the strings used. I like a more biting sound and rotosounds do this bass just fine.
It is used, in very good condition excepting what I have noted here and in the pictures (though I would still rate it a 7.5 out of 10). I gigged with this as my primary bass for probably 5 or 6 years through the 80's and 90's. It has seen a lot of use, but I take extremely good care of my instruments. As the pictures show there are some light depressions in the wood body on the back, and a scratch on the bottom that my luthier filled with matching color paint. There are two spots on the neck where the finish is missing. The largest is about the size of half of a pinky fingernail and is pictured. It is from an impact with a cymbal and was a chip in the finish and not a chunk out of the wood neck. I don't recall what the other mark on the neck is from. Please note that the long looking mark on the neck is merely a reflection from my camera's flash, on the gloss of the finish. This bass was only available in White, Black, Red, or Blue. This is the Blue. It's light, comfortable, easy to play and says 80's in a way that only a can of hairspray and a pair of parachute pants could compete with.
I don't know what the market is on these but I would consider taking $375.00 for this one or possibly would trade it for something interesting (perhaps a line 6 bass pod xt pro or possibly a line 6 wireless unit) but am open for discussion.
Here are the pictures, and if you want more, or have any questions, PM me and I will be happy to help you. It comes with original gig bag in excellent condition with clip on shoulder strap, checkerboard matching guitar strap (thanks Rick Neilsen) and all the original hex head tools in their original and proper case.
Thanks for looking!
Web B.
