Mystery 8-string
 

My roommate has a red 8-string bass he bought about 30 years ago from a music shop in Seattle. The head is from an Epiphone 12-string guitar with 4 of the peg holes filled in. The back of the head has a serial number stamped in: "521564". The body is a double cut with a single pick up. It's just a flat piece of wood with square edges. On the back of the join plate is a different serial number, "L770100 Made in Japan". Any ideas?

Never saw anything like that. I'd say custom job. I kind of like it. Looks cheap as all getout. An 8 string bass with a guitar scale...lol! Why not?

Ugly, in a cute way.

It's a bitsa! (say that in an Italian accent for maximum racism effect)

Can see plugs on the headstock, so the neck is from an Epiphone 12-string guitar by the looks of it. Bolt on AND zero fret, so nothing they made recently!

So no ideas on the body? Dang. Its been bugging me for thirty years. Thanks for checking it out, anyway.