FAIM basses - Made In Argentina

knedy · #1 07-13-2010, 02:38 PM

Hi!
I was wondering if someone knew anything about FAIM basses? I just picked one up. I believe it says "Jupiter Bass" on the body. Other than that I really don't know anything about it, except that it's supposed to be made in Argentina.
Looks cool though, I love the half slotted headstock and clear gloss rosewood(?) fretboard(reminds me of a rickenbacker). I don't think the bridge cover is original, looks like a jazzbass pickup cover.

Here's a pic:

T-Bone5566 · #2 07-13-2010, 02:59 PM

nice bass bro

Meddle · #3 07-13-2010, 03:04 PM

That cover over the bridge is cool, sort of like Mosrite did back in the day. Love the half open peghead as well, sort of like a 1960s bass that never existed.

millsbass5 · #4 07-13-2010, 03:11 PM

You can definitely see the Ibanez/Spector influence,for sure.

Meddle · #5 07-13-2010, 03:31 PM

Those cutaways have the ghost of Rickenbacker as well, or maybe early vigiers?

picnic01 · #6 07-13-2010, 03:49 PM

tight!! how's it sound?

darkstorm · #7 07-13-2010, 04:20 PM

Looks nice. Hows it sound? Whats the controls? Good to see another line of nice south american basses. I wish more foriegn stuff was available in usa. Lol.

Lucho.Metal · #8 07-13-2010, 05:27 PM

I'm from Argentina. That basses are good.

Bigjohn · #9 07-13-2010, 05:48 PM

It looks like a Spector mutating into a Rickenbacker with a one-eyed half-slotted headstock.
What's up with that headstock?
I'm from california. That basses are bad.

Quote:

Originally Posted by knedy

Hi!
I was wondering if someone knew anything about FAIM basses? I just picked one up. I believe it says "Jupiter Bass" on the body. Other than that I really don't know anything about it, except that it's supposed to be made in Argentina.
Looks cool though, I love the half slotted headstock and clear gloss rosewood(?) fretboard(reminds me of a rickenbacker). I don't think the bridge cover is original, looks like a jazzbass pickup cover.

Here's a pic:

christw · #10 07-13-2010, 06:27 PM

It's like the bastard child of a Rickenbacker and a Spector. I'd love to try one.

knedy · #11 07-14-2010, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkstorm

Looks nice. Hows it sound? Whats the controls? Good to see another line of nice south american basses. I wish more foriegn stuff was available in usa. Lol.

Well it hasn't arrived yet so I wouldn't know. My guess is that it's a standard passive vol/vol/tone/tone with a 3-way switch. I live in Sweden so it's an even longer way from here to Argentina so my tip for you sir is to search the internet and don't be afraid of buying directly from foreign sellers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucho.Metal

I'm from Argentina. That basses are good.

Great! I've done some googling and found that alot of people seem to like them, I haven't read anything bad about them atleast. If you have any more information about this model or the company in general I'd love to hear about it.

GM60466 · #12 07-14-2010, 05:10 AM

A Spectorbacker

cdef · #13 07-14-2010, 05:33 AM

Shapewise, that is a straight copy of the Riverhead Jupiter bass, headstock and all.

Riverhead Jupiter Owners

Rickett Customs · #14 07-14-2010, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdef

Shapewise, that is a straight copy of the Riverhead Jupiter bass, headstock and all.

He's right, there are some similarities. Riverhead pic below...

Papersen · #15 07-14-2010, 07:27 AM

They`ve been building basses for almost 40 years now, but have never been associated with high quality instruments.

Not original in their designs, they usually copy a famous bass model (Hofner, Jazz, Precision, Ibanez SR, Warwick, etc.). Their construction is good, but components are not of a great quality (average local or regional wood quality, cheap asian hardware, cheap pickups).

Locally they`re considered as entry level instruments.

Here`s the link to their web site:
http://www.faim-instrumentos.com.ar/HTMS/bajos01.htm

Meddle · #16 07-14-2010, 09:11 AM

This has to be 1970s Jazz pickup spacing right???

pepelaici · #17 02-20-2012, 04:24 AM

Almost every Argentinian musician has started playing with a FAIM guitar or bass... They started manufacturing electric guitars and basses from the earlys 1960 on... Until 1977 in Argentina was very difficult to get musical Intruments made in the USA... Some guys started manufacturig musical intruments copying them from pictures, with no idea of what a god guitar should be... There are some terrible exemples of what they did at the time... I have some of these instruments in my collection, and they are almost unplayable... By reminding me my first steps in the music world, I cannot avoid of remembering myself, that I considered these instruments as if they were tools of torture...
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