Cool 60's basses (OTHER than main-stream brands)

[Dynacord]

Most players are content to play the blue-chip basses (which is understandable) but owning some of them and also more non-main stream basses, I contend there's a bigger world of great looking/sounding and playing basses out there if you are courageous enough to explore.

This bass isn't "vintage" (yet) but a MIK bass made by ESP (Japan) that I'm waiting for delivery from Japan. (it was sold as a Japanese market only bass) Still investigating its era, but at least from the late '90s. Little info on them, can't wait to play it! It is a Grass Roots Bass IV (a Squier-like brand for ESP) that was sold with ESP, Grass Roots, and Edwards branding. Clever turnaround with the IV - it was visually r referencing a Fender VI.

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Curious what you'll think of the Bass IV. I've long wanted to get one - and there's actually one of the Grass Roots ones for sale at a not too bad price here in Poland (but too many basses as is for me right now). I love the look and they stand out more to me than the Jaguar basses but I've never had the opportunity to play one. I believe it was essentially an artist signature model in Japan - late 90's - early 00's I think.

 

[Dynacord]

BTW on the relative usability of these, here's an isolation project recording I did recently. The bass track is doubled: upright bass (1957 King Mortone) and the Maton Ibis (played with highs rolled off and keeping the notes short to match the upright - but using a deeper tone than typical with the Bass VI/tic-tac style). It's fairly invisible even though both tracks are at about the same volume. Gives it a nice punch and presence IMO:



Also, posted earlier but this is a Bulgarian Orpheus solidbody violin bass on this (from a film soundtrack set in the Sixties - flats with a pick and keeping it simple to fit the era)

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

Also the singer is Russian.

I know. They even recoded a song in Russian for that game I've mentioned. Nice dream-pop.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

The first bass I ever tried to play (in high school) was like this:

It's Bulgarian Orpheus of late '60s. Baseball bat neck w/o truss rod I think, high action, weak sound, microphonic pickups, scratchy pots... the whole nine yards. Had flats on it. Was barely good enough to play I-V with a pick.

 

[Dynacord]

The first bass I ever tried to play (in high school) was like this:
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It's Bulgarian Orpheus of late '60s. Baseball bat neck w/o truss rod I think, high action, weak sound, microphonic pickups, scratchy pots... the whole nine yards. Had flats on it. Was barely good enough to play I-V with a pick.

Nice. This is the one I have that I used on the recording above. I did add a ground wire - it was ungrounded - one could unscrew the pickguard and lift all the electronics out as a single unit. This one does have a truss rod. Intonation is 'iffy' but it does have a good tone.

 

[jd56hawk]

 

[Loring]

Well you’ve confirmed my fears. I looked for a bass Fyrebyrd but couldn’t find anything. I’ll have to look out for an Ibis.

Lucky to have one but at some point someone swapped out the pickup for a reverse p and ditched the cover.

 

[Dynacord]

Lucky to have one but at some point someone swapped out the pickup for a reverse p and ditched the cover.

View attachment 4583995

Nice! I'd sure like to find the chrome pickup cover for mine but figure that's pretty much impossible. I did see there's a guy who's trying to make reproductions.

 

[Loring]

Nice! I'd sure like to find the chrome pickup cover for mine but figure that's pretty much impossible. I did see there's a guy who's trying to make reproductions.

Only thing I don’t like is the bridge - can’t get my action low enough for my taste.

 

[Dynacord]

Only thing I don’t like is the bridge - can’t get my action low enough for my taste.

Add shimming the neck is not an option as it's a set neck.

 

[Loring]

Add shimming the neck is not an option as it's a set neck.

Sounds great though - although mine is different than stock.

 

[blacktocomm]

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I’m also a big fan of the Vista Sonic. Very cool basses. That one makes me

 

[H K]

Nice. This is the one I have that I used on the recording above. I did add a ground wire - it was ungrounded - one could unscrew the pickguard and lift all the electronics out as a single unit. This one does have a truss rod. Intonation is 'iffy' but it does have a good tone.

View attachment 4583875

whats the one in the back? Looks strangely familiar

 

[Dynacord]

whats the one in the back? Looks strangely familiar

'64 Epiphone Embassy Deluxe.

 

[H K]

'64 Epiphone Embassy Deluxe.

AHA! I thought it looked like an embassy. I had no idea they existed back then tho. Have you tried the new ones? How do they compare?

 

[Dynacord]

AHA! I thought it looked like an embassy. I had no idea they existed back then tho. Have you tried the new ones? How do they compare?

The new ones don't have the iconic 'batwing' headstock and the necks are very different - wider and thicker on the reissues. The original is thinner at the nut than a Jazz Bass. Bridge spacing is the same as a T-bird (it's all the same hardware and pickups as on 60's T-birds). Body shape is also modified with the bass side horn extended on the new ones. I think the reissues are great value for the money - even if they look and feel weird to me compared to the originals.

 

[H K]

The new ones don't have the iconic 'batwing' headstock and the necks are very different - wider and thicker on the reissues. The original is thinner at the nut than a Jazz Bass. Bridge spacing is the same as a T-bird (it's all the same hardware and pickups as on 60's T-birds). Body shape is also modified with the bass side horn extended on the new ones. I think the reissues are great value for the money - even if they look and feel weird to me compared to the originals.

I hope to come across a reasonably priced used one soon, or atleast a store that has them in stock so I can try them out. Seems Gibson/epiphone has just been flat out ignoring the EU market since the pandemic hit. On the plus side, I will likely be the first person in my country to get the reissue reverse bird, which is nice. Hopefully early march...

 

[Dynacord]

I hope to come across a reasonably priced used one soon, or atleast a store that has them in stock so I can try them out. Seems Gibson/epiphone has just been flat out ignoring the EU market since the pandemic hit. On the plus side, I will likely be the first person in my country to get the reissue reverse bird, which is nice. Hopefully early march...

Those Epi Vintage Pros are a great deal

BTW the Embassy headstock:

 

[JIO]

Curious what you'll think of the Bass IV. I've long wanted to get one - and there's actually one of the Grass Roots ones for sale at a not too bad price here in Poland (but too many basses as is for me right now). I love the look and they stand out more to me than the Jaguar basses but I've never had the opportunity to play one. I believe it was essentially an artist signature model in Japan - late 90's - early 00's I think.

Yes, Tetsuya, bass-player with L'Arc-en-Ciel. Apparently they are/were big in Japan as the phrase goes. I haven't found definitive dating but as you stated it appears it was introduced in the late '90s. His looked like the pic below - with ESP IV decal and the gas-station stickers. (?) It was also branded "Edwards" - maybe the E in ESP is Edwards. It also came in 3TSB. I was just made aware of it and felt the same way as you - a better "Fender bass that never was" than the Jaguar and with three pu's! Early ones were alder and later bodies were basswood. I kinda hope it's basswood because from what I've researched they weigh about 10lbs, which is my limit for owning a bass regardless of how cool they are. I can always lighten it a bit by doing chambering under the pg. I also may swap-out the tuners - I have a set of '66 Mustang lollypops that might fit it.

Here's a demo of a Grass Roots Bass IV - sounds pretty good.

 

[H K]

Those Epi Vintage Pros are a great deal

BTW the Embassy headstock:

View attachment 4584210

yeah I had a goog and checked em out Yeah I owned a epi vintage pro tbird for a while. Passed it on to fund other stuff. I cant play the shape I guess.