The Official Washburn Club (Redux!)

[gary ashall]

Originally Posted by dereksilloway

Gary Ashall, there is an MB8 on ebay right now.
Thought I would point it out to you in the hopes that you might be able to get a little more info, or at least see another one.
Its listed as a Lyon series...perhaps that is why you didnt find much info

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Washburn-Lyo...item1c2f414bd5

cheers bud, any idea where in this planet the mb8 was made ?

[dereksilloway]

If I had to guess, Korea.
But I dont really know 100 percent

[Jaymi]

If anyone is interested, I am thinking about selling my red Washburn Status 1000 bass with HSC...PM if you're interested before i list it.....Thanks for the heads up Ron!!!

[ronaldpdbrandt]

Originally Posted by Jaymi

If anyone is interested, I am thinking about selling my red Washburn Status 1000 bass with HSC...PM if you're interested before i list it.....Thanks for the heads up Ron!!!

No problem, Jaymi!

By the way, I also am looking to unload a Washburn, that being my 1982 Force 8. You can see it in the first post of this thread, or in my FT ONLY ad in the TB classifieds. I'm looking for a Dark Star DS-3N pickup or a Peavey T-40 in trade.

[Jaymi]

I have a video I am posting to my youtube channel right now....
www.youtube.com/bassjaymi

[MEKer]

Holy Crap----------I do not have a new number and been a Washie fan since late Autumn of 1979 of all basses Matsumoko-made. Here are 2 of mine> the 1984 BBR Chicago Bass and 1979 Late Fall/Winter I bought this 1980 SB-40 (1 of 2 I own) brand new---my go-to.

2 more pics on next post

[MEKer]

2 more : my blue 1983-4 Force 40 and my 2nd SB-40 that I am holding (and you'll see also my B-20 I sold to another TB'er--in brand new pristine condition---beautiful)

[msact]

Originally Posted by MEKer

2 more : my blue 1983-4 Force 40 and my 2nd SB-40 that I am holding (and you'll see also my B-20 I sold to another TB'er--in brand new pristine condition---beautiful)

Your SB40 looks very similar to my 1981 Washburn, except mine has four knobs and one switch. Mine doesn't have anything written on the truss rod cover. I am the original owner but don't recall exactly what it is. I think it's a vulture II. It's a great bass, as I am sure yours are.

[ronaldpdbrandt]

44 - MEKer

Glad we could rectify the situation and get you a number. I don't recall exactly, but you might have just earned the title of "Most Washburns" in the club!

Does anybody have more than four?

[MEKer]

Originally Posted by msact

Your SB40 looks very similar to my 1981 Washburn, except mine has four knobs and one switch. Mine doesn't have anything written on the truss rod cover. I am the original owner but don't recall exactly what it is. I think it's a vulture II. It's a great bass, as I am sure yours are.

Hmm--let me research what model you have---I have collected information for years (hard to get too!) as Washburn destroyed all records prior to 1986. Nice bass!!!!! Neck-through yes?

[MEKer]

Originally Posted by ronaldpdbrandt

44 - MEKer

Glad we could rectify the situation and get you a number. I don't recall exactly, but you might have just earned the title of "Most Washburns" in the club!

Does anybody have more than four?

44---Thank you-----yeah, always on the look-out for Matsumoko Washburns------best quality they have ever produced IMO. And the more modern ones are sweet basses as well. I do not know why they get little love on TB. Washies are dependable as heck, sound good, EQ as well as anyone, etc.

[MEKer]

BTW---if you want a jazz tone off a Washburn---you cannot get better among all Washies than the BBR Chicago bass* (stands for Black, Black, Red----Black Body, Black pickups, Red binding) like what I posted . They came in 1 pup or 2 pups. Look for the 2 pups, but snap up the 1 pup if that's all you can find. They do show on eBay every now and then. And should be priced low--$400-500, because the seller just does not "get it" about these basses. I found mine on eBay a few years ago--glad I did.

NOTE: *The BBR is a Force 40 Chicago bass with 2 soapbars with the SB-40 electronics package
They also did a BBR Force 8 with 1 soapbar and only 2 knobs and 1 pup switch.

[msact]

Originally Posted by MEKer

Hmm--let me research what model you have---I have collected information for years (hard to get too!) as Washburn destroyed all records prior to 1986. Nice bass!!!!! Neck-through yes?

Yes, it does have a through neck. Also brass nut and saddles. It's a terrific playing and sounding bass. The combination of the pickup placement, neck-through and brass hardware give it a unique sound. I don't even remember what it cost new because I traded a couple of other things for it. I originally got it in a music store in Madison WI back in 1981.

[ronaldpdbrandt]

Just saw this awesome Washburn Vulture on eebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Washbur...40907262451%26

[Huge94]

Originally Posted by ronaldpdbrandt

Just saw this awesome Washburn Vulture on eebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-Washbur...40907262451%26

Wow. Shame they don't ship to Canada

[MEKer]

Crap--------I'd get that asap if I was not so damn tight right now.

[msact]

That is very nice. Too bad I spent too much money recently on other stuff. Its a steal at the current bid.

[MEKer]

Originally Posted by msact

Your SB40 looks very similar to my 1981 Washburn, except mine has four knobs and one switch. Mine doesn't have anything written on the truss rod cover. I am the original owner but don't recall exactly what it is. I think it's a vulture II. It's a great bass, as I am sure yours are.

OK--back to you. I did a long post last year with TB'er "iriegnome" to track down the identity of his Washburn. Turns out he had a Daion proto-type that Daion made for Washburn. Long story and great thread if you can find it.

You have a B-40. Daion also made the proto-type for Washburn on this bass. Your's (in beautiful condition) is the actual follow-up "made by Washburn" and was made in Japan. Notice the Daion proto-type headstock has the stripe down its middle in picture 2 (its owned by a Tb'er I think). Your bass also is known in Australia and Europe as LB-40. BTW, whats the serial number if you don't mind me asking?

From your B-40 evolved
1. the SB-40(3 knobs+2 switches),
2. SB-40EQ (3 knobs+2 switches--exactly the same as SB-40 except truss rod cover says SB-40EQ--don't ask me why)
3. the Force 40EQ(3--sometimes 4!!!- knobs+2 switches and replaced the SB-40, being identical when with 3 knobs, except the headstock and nut)
4. Force 40EQW
5.Force 40.

Whew--this gets confusing.

Now below I post what a Vulture II actually is (in Europe they were also occasionally known as a B-2 for some reason, (the B-2 designation was later used for another bass mid-1980's) and then the Daion proto-type B-40. Since only 2 thumbnails allowed per post, I put in my next post a "rare fretless B-40" and another B-40 for you. Next post after that I give you pics of LB-40 from Australia and an LB-40 in Switzerland---all B-40's. Yeah, I search the world for this stuff since Washburn destroyed their frickin' records. Its a mess and I do not get why some names shifted per location.

Anyway, the years 1978-1983 were a nightmarish hodge-podge for historians. But in short: From the classic "hollow body" shape of the Scavenger and Vulture models, Daion and Washburn evolved the B-40 which evolved into the SB-40s (1980-1982) and then the Force 40's series (Forces started in 1982). (I have only located 5 SB-40/40EQs in the world and I own 2 of'em luckily.Where the hell are the others for god's sake!)
BTW, msact---what do you perceive your switch to be doing for you?

(I am gonna post all this info in another thread by itself so it does not get lost in this huge thread.)

[MEKer]

Heres a B-40 Fretless, a very rare bird and probably Daion proto--- note it has EMG pups (I suspect a pup mod)!! Also here's a Daion proto B-40. msact---I bet you love the heck out of your B-40! Great neck huh!

[MEKer]

LB-40 in Australia (B-40)

LB-40 from Martin in Switzerland (B-40)

I see many people think the B-40 in a Vulture bass for some reason. ???


By the way, note any Washburn bass with the 2+2 headstock is a "WING" series bass. The 4 in-line tuner headstock started the Force 40 series.