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Classic Bass brands to bring back

#42
ricknote said:
I remember seeing those Aluminum neck Kramers at a store in Connecticut I used to visit in the 70's. I think it was called Ansonia Music.
They had Travis Bean too. I was about 15 years old. They were so cool looking.

The original Steinbergers were amazing! I flipped when I first saw Sting playing one.
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You're probably talking about Banko's. If you are..they're still there!! ALL the guitars and basses hang from the ceiling! I went there a few times in the 80s but never bought anything there. They carried Guild, Kramer, etc. I ALMOST bought a Guild from them- this was when Guild release the Pilot and the 3 pointed one. I live just a few towns away and I stop in there every so often but nothing really catches my eye.

For me its not so much about missing companies per se...its more about certain models. Like the old Ibanez Musician- how hard could it be to make one for around $6-800?? And Peavey- reissue the T-40 and put out a 5 string model and sell em for around the same price.
 
#44
Eastwood makes a Messenger tribute guitar. It would be cool if they could make a Messenger Bass. The original 1967-68 model was a thinline hollow body with a short scale aluminum tuning fork neck-thru-body. The originals are almost impossible to find. Allen Woody had one. He talks about it a bit here:

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#46
Old bass/guitar company back to life?------Sure---how about Matsumoko back in full force! Then pretty much any of the next named basses would be primo 100% and stand up to any other bass:

Daion
Washburn
Aria
Westone
Greco
Univox
ETC.!
Never seen a bad Matsumoko yet.
I am a fan---yup!
 
#51
RCCollins said:
Now THAT would be pretty cool.

How about the Parker Fly bass?
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I love my 1981 Magnum. I think, officially, it's a Magnum III. It's punchy with a mile-wide sweet spot. Mine has ancient round-wound strings that let the music bounce and hum. The attack, sustain, and resonance of that instrument are a joy. It's worth six times what I could get for it.

Weighs a ton, though.
 
#54
I can't tell if people who are cheering for SD Curlee know that birdsong is making SD Curlee basses now (with the blessing of the original makers). So here you go, in case you missed it: Link Removed
 
#59
Planet Boulder said:
There are some that I DON'T want to see brought back:

Lori
Hondo
Kingston
Cameo Deluxe
etc.

I know there are some who like old Hondos and I mean no disrespect, but cripes. Every one I ever picked up was an absolute piece of junk.
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My first 'bass' was a Kingson. The only good thing about it was that if you continued to play it, it showed your dedication to learn. High action, lousy pickups, iffy intonation - you name the aspect, it was bad...
 
#60
Not so much brands as models:

Kawai is still alive and well in the keyboard business, but when they did basses in the mid-80s, a KRB55 was my first good bass. Still have it, wouldn't ever sell it. Always wanted an FIIB, the poor man's Stanley Clarke Alembic, and they fetch a pretty penny on the Bay. Sketchy pickups & preamp, from what I gather, and not sure any aftermarket fits well either.

More recently, Warwick Fortress Flashback! (aka, a German Rickenbacker on acid, at least visually)
 

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