FS: MIJ Tokai Jazzy Sound with Alembic PUs and pre, Fernandes MIJ Neck
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I am selling my Tokai Jazzy bass with Ferdie neck and Alembic electronics. This is the Japanese-American Frankenstein to end all Frankensteins. Replete with great MIJ and MIA parts!
The body is an early 80's Tokai Jazzy Sound body, all stock except for the electronics and knobs. The neck is from an MIJ Fernandes, most likely a Fernandes P as their P's have J dimensions which this has (1 5/8" at the nut). This has the original TOkai neck plate with an L2#### serial number.
Whoever assembled this was out to reproduce a full on tokai. The neck has been professionally finished white, and the Tokai headstock logo has been transplanted. Even the original "Made in Japan" and "45" stickers were transplanted on the Ferdie neck.
The real kicker in this bass though are the Alembic electronics. This is a JJ set of Alembic pickups and an Alembic filter preamp. This is the older JJ set so controls are Volume, Volume, Filter for the Jazz bass purists our there. The current Alembic version of this set has Volume, Blend, Filter and costs $1050 from Alembic.
The bass is in very good shape with all original harware including the slotted Tokai bridge and the tension adjustable tuners. It really does play beautifully-- kind of the best of both worlds with the vintage-inspired Tokai jazz body and very slim and fast Ferdie neck. It is a great players bass with very valuable parts and killer tone.
I am asking (Bass Sold Electronics still available) shipped CONUS for the bass (case not included). So in essence I am selling this bass for less than the value of its parts.
I would also consider selling the bass without the electronics if anyone out there is interested in a hot rod project. Otherwise, I am not interested in parting out the bass, at least not for now.
Lots of pics below. Feel free to PM me with any questions.
Thanks for looking!
RBM
Last edited by rogerbmiller : 10-01-2011 at 09:05 AM.
Very interesting. What makes you so sure that's not a Tokai neck? I had an APB'57 with the same headstock. And please enlighten those of us who don't know the Alembic deets.
Very interesting. What makes you so sure that's not a Tokai neck? I had an APB'57 with the same headstock. And please enlighten those of us who don't know the Alembic deets.
Actually I am not 100% sure this is not a Tokai neck as yes, they had later models with this headstock, but the following is what has led me to state it is not:
-the serial number of the body, which is most definitely a Tokai body, has an L2### serial which indicates early 80s and the ferdie headstock shape was not introduced until the mid to late 80s as I recall
-the neck has been painted white, and the paint covers the side of the maple board so it is an aftermarket paint job, not factory. I believe the new shapes by tokai were painted so why paint this one again?
-the Tokai logo was transplanted to this bass neck as were the model and MIJ stickers. Why would the previous owner transplant a Tokai logo to a Tokai neck? Either he re-painted the neck but wanted to preserve the logos or it was a ferdie neck that was painted and made to look as stock as possible with these details.
Who knows what the actual story is?! I am going with my gut and and my gut says it is a ferdie neck with Tokai tuners. Would be really fun to strip the paint and find out for sure but that is a project I am just not ready to take on!
Would love if there is a closet Tokai expert out there who could weigh in.
Thanks.
RBM
Last edited by rogerbmiller : 09-30-2011 at 08:40 AM.
FS: MIJ Tokai Jazzy Sound with Alembic PUs and pre, Fernandes MIJ Neck 
