1980's High "Endy" basses ???

[brett7276]

This is why I love talkbass.... people to help you think....Thanks guys for all the suggestions.....and for helping me fuel my GAS!!!!

[kjpollo]

Originally Posted by smcd

A bass like the one you describe, except in dark walnut finish, sold a few weeks back for $450.

You GOTTA be kidding?? Was it here in the classifieds?

I should calm down a bit, I wont be doing anything until after the 1st of the year but wow!

[Brad Johnson]

Kawai F-IIB. Veillette-Citron. SD Curlee.

[blubolt]

Originally Posted by Kenner

A friend of mine has a Guild X-702 on ebay..........

not quite sure what to think of that

[smcd]

Originally Posted by kjpollo

You GOTTA be kidding?? Was it here in the classifieds?

I should calm down a bit, I wont be doing anything until after the 1st of the year but wow!

It was on ebay.

[lousybassist]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Kawai F-IIB. Veillette-Citron. SD Curlee.

Good suggestions. I'd like to add Lado.

[Addison]

There's always a few that I think of from the "good ole days" but there are a few models that just SCREAM 80's to me...

Kubicki Factor
Kramer Spector
Steinberger basses, either full-body or small-body
Status

I might even include USA Charvel/Jackson basses as well, even though they might not be considered "high-end" by some... tons of hair-metal bands used those.

That's all that really jumps out at me right now.

[churchplayer]

What about the old Kramers with the metal tuning fork peghead?



My buddy's got one of these and they're very cool basses.

[dangnewt]

The Peavey Rudy Sarzo bass came out in the late '80's.
A couple pictures in this thread.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=306126

[brett7276]

all neat ideas

[two fingers]

http://www.carvinmuseum.com/bassads.html

Go all the way to the bottom of the page. That LB50 just SCREAMS 80's! I'll bet not everyone has one of those in their collection either.

[younggun]

I recently traded this red tinted all carbon graphite Status Series 2000 made in '86 for a Jaydee:



...but its in Norway now, and I doubt the guy would sell it anyway (we both think we got the better end of the deal )

[dangnewt]

Wow - I love the name on the bridge - in my head I hear it as "thee Status bass"

[younggun]

Yeah, that was back when the bridges were actually solid brass, and the logo was etched into the surface.

[MEKer]

Don't forget the early '80's Washburns. They were $749-799 in their day which was high dollar. Neckthru, DiMarzio pups, a neck to die for------either an SB-40, BBR (black Chicago bass) or Force 40 is the ticket and as they are so little known to "modern" folks--you can get them (if you can find them) for $400-$500. You'll not regret it I promise you that! I have them all and have loved them since I bought my first one brand new.

[mrbungle]

Originally Posted by brett7276

I have the jones for something intresting a new along those lines particularly in the vibe of the jay dee or aria SB and I of course like odd ball stuff that no one else has....anybody have any idea of anything that obtainable at reasonable price and intresting to someone who digs this kinds of stuff?

I just bought '87 Gibson Q-80 (by Gibson custom shop!). Mahogany body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard and lovely Gibson humbuckers - it's like Thunderbird with 80's bodyshape. And it balances perfectly.

And I love it!

[Kirby71]

Originally Posted by brett7276

Good point= I was thinking more locally- most of the guys in Indinapolis either have an Ibanez, Fender or a Warwick and if they are really exotic a Lakland or a Ric, (there of course being few excpetions)
I'm one of those folks that likes to be utterly unique in every facet of my life- my mint green Jay Dee is kind of that deal- I pull it out and most people are like what in the world is that hideous thing...but I think its the bomb and I'd like to have a few other oddballs

I actually own none of these in Indy! I still have my first bass a custom Warlock form the early 80's, never gets played though, just sentimental. Also have the standby Guild Pilot and custom Jackson from the 80's too.

Main basses today are USA Spectors, Ernie Ball and Stambaugh with other one offs in the mix.

[brett7276]

you and I should grab a beer sometime...a fellow Spector lover in Indy...how fantastic!

[MaddAnthony_59]

How about some of Fender's High-End Offerings? Elites anyone? (Both are '83's...)

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by kjpollo

Didnt Pedulla's also come out during the 80's??

Pedulla debuted in the late 1970's. I think '76 or '77 was the first year of production. Although those models looked a bit different from the iconic MVP/Buzz that folks are familiar with from the '80s: Dimarzio pickups with wood trim rings, Badass bridges, ugly hand-carved logo on the headstock...

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Kawai F-IIB. Veillette-Citron. SD Curlee.

Jeez, I think I owned all of those at one time!

Originally Posted by MaddAnthony_59

How about some of Fender's High-End Offerings? Elites anyone?

Yep, I owned one of those also.


To me nothing says "80's" like an original Steinberger L-2. And +1 to the guy who mentioned Spector's being the new P Bass for a while there. But here's an interesting empirical observation: in 1987 I worked in one of NYC's largest rehearsal facilities/equipment rental firms, and dealt with a whole lot of the touring acts that were playing in town. And the most popular bass I saw, outnumbering Fenders, Kramers, Ibanezs, and Spectors by a huge margin, was the Tobias Classic 5. It seemed like for a couple years there everyone had a Tobias!

But if I were the OP I'd look for one of those 3-pickup PRS basses. Craig Anderton once opined that it was the "second best bass ever made (...after the Steinberger)."