- Ships to:
- United States
I had been looking for a History bass, and hoping for a 5. Extremely rare. This is a high end Japanese build. The neck was made by Sugi. Great, great bass. This is in incredible shape. A couple little marks here and there. Kent Armstrong Claymore dual coil pickups. Can be wired series, parallel or single coil. Currently wired in series. Would be wicked on a switch to get the other choices. The bass has an amazing proprietary 2 band preamp...wildly impressive. Really nice.
There is some slight discoloring on the back near the control cavity. Tough to notice outside of taking the photos.
There are pictures of a couple of marks on the bass. One is a repair by the input jack. It was done well and the color matches well. You can feel it, but well done otherwise.
From the place where I bought it:
Condition
This bass is in Very Good condition, showing honest signs of normal use consistent with a well-maintained working instrument, with no structural issues or functional concerns. The electronics operate quietly and reliably, the neck is straight and stable, and the truss rod functions properly. Frets show minor wear with plenty of life remaining, and playability is smooth and consistent across the fingerboard.
Primary signs of wear do not stand out in normal lighting. Under direct/bright light, there are visible signs of finish wear and clearcoat discoloration near the battery compartment, along with a repaired ding near the output jack, all pictured for transparency. There is a small finish-only hairline crack near the nut, typical of finish movement over time. It is cosmetic only, stable, and does not affect playability or structural integrity. Minor scattered surface wear is visible across the body. Hardware shows light, honest patina, including the strap buttons, string tree, and bridge.
Professor’s Notes
Focused, articulate, and reassuringly solid in hand, this is a modern Japanese bass that delivers authority without harshness. It retains the familiar punch and responsiveness of a Jazz-style instrument while adding the headroom and control of an active system, making it easy to sit confidently in a mix without sounding brittle or overly hi-fi. Originally positioned as a high-end domestic Japanese model, it now represents the kind of value serious players notice when build quality matters more than logo recognition.
Specifications
• Model: History GH-BJ5
• Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz
• Case: Non-original basic gig bag
• Nut width (measured): 1.90 in
• 12th fret width (measured): 2.65 in
• 1st fret depth (measured): 0.80 in
• 12th fret depth (measured): 0.93 in
• Neck Profile: modern asymmetrical D
• Finish: Black Metallic (olive-leaning metallic tone under many lighting conditions)
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple (Timeless Timber)
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 34"
• Fingerboard Radius: 12"
• Frets: 21 — Circle Fretting System (C.F.S.)
• Pickups: Kent Armstrong single-coil set (this was incorrect...I contacted Kent...these are his Claymore pickups. They're currently wired in series)
• Preamp: Factory active EQ system
• Controls: Volume, Balance, Bass, Treble
• Bridge: High-mass bridge
• Tuners: Gotoh GB11W
• Made in Japan
Comes with a simple gig bag.
$1450 shipped in the ConUS only. No trades. Thanks!
There is some slight discoloring on the back near the control cavity. Tough to notice outside of taking the photos.
There are pictures of a couple of marks on the bass. One is a repair by the input jack. It was done well and the color matches well. You can feel it, but well done otherwise.
From the place where I bought it:
Condition
This bass is in Very Good condition, showing honest signs of normal use consistent with a well-maintained working instrument, with no structural issues or functional concerns. The electronics operate quietly and reliably, the neck is straight and stable, and the truss rod functions properly. Frets show minor wear with plenty of life remaining, and playability is smooth and consistent across the fingerboard.
Primary signs of wear do not stand out in normal lighting. Under direct/bright light, there are visible signs of finish wear and clearcoat discoloration near the battery compartment, along with a repaired ding near the output jack, all pictured for transparency. There is a small finish-only hairline crack near the nut, typical of finish movement over time. It is cosmetic only, stable, and does not affect playability or structural integrity. Minor scattered surface wear is visible across the body. Hardware shows light, honest patina, including the strap buttons, string tree, and bridge.
Professor’s Notes
Focused, articulate, and reassuringly solid in hand, this is a modern Japanese bass that delivers authority without harshness. It retains the familiar punch and responsiveness of a Jazz-style instrument while adding the headroom and control of an active system, making it easy to sit confidently in a mix without sounding brittle or overly hi-fi. Originally positioned as a high-end domestic Japanese model, it now represents the kind of value serious players notice when build quality matters more than logo recognition.
Specifications
• Model: History GH-BJ5
• Weight: 9 lbs 12 oz
• Case: Non-original basic gig bag
• Nut width (measured): 1.90 in
• 12th fret width (measured): 2.65 in
• 1st fret depth (measured): 0.80 in
• 12th fret depth (measured): 0.93 in
• Neck Profile: modern asymmetrical D
• Finish: Black Metallic (olive-leaning metallic tone under many lighting conditions)
• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple (Timeless Timber)
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 34"
• Fingerboard Radius: 12"
• Frets: 21 — Circle Fretting System (C.F.S.)
• Pickups: Kent Armstrong single-coil set (this was incorrect...I contacted Kent...these are his Claymore pickups. They're currently wired in series)
• Preamp: Factory active EQ system
• Controls: Volume, Balance, Bass, Treble
• Bridge: High-mass bridge
• Tuners: Gotoh GB11W
• Made in Japan
Comes with a simple gig bag.
$1450 shipped in the ConUS only. No trades. Thanks!
