Daion Basses

[lightfingers]

Sorry........Almost 2 years since the last thread and over 8 years since the original thread I'm very late......I had a Daion Mark XXB that I paid $350 for brand new in 1986. IMO it was one of the nicest available basses in that price range at the time and a steal at that price. I remember seeing it in the store, playing it and expecting for for the salesman to say it was in the $500-$800 range. It's to this date the fastest purchase I've made on any instrument!! Foolishly I sold it because I wasn't playing my 4-string basses at all, the other was an Aria Pro II SB-1000 that I still have. I truely miss the Daion, I would love to have it back.

 

[Crossedwires]

Basspalace.com has the Daion bass in stock from time to time.Never seen a fretless one offered though.They are usually in the $350.00-450.00ish range.

I recently purchased a Power Mark XX (1981 model) for $500.00, fantastic bass. Before I purchased it I did a fair amount of research on the Daion Bass and from what I found, Daion never made a fretless and all the ones out there are after market fretless basses. (just thought I would share that)

 

[bholder]

I recently purchased a Power Mark XX (1981 model) for $500.00, fantastic bass. Before I purchased it I did a fair amount of research on the Daion Bass and from what I found, Daion never made a fretless and all the ones out there are after market fretless basses. (just thought I would share that)

Interesting, I just bought one recently as well, though I paid quite a bit more. Still, it's a great bass, well worth what I paid - I'm extremely impressed. (Mine's fretted of course.) Just interesting coincidence this thread would pop up now.

 

[GretschWretch]

The host of the Daion website has a factory fretless Power Mark XX; so do I. Daions are remarkable basses, and to score one -- even a Savage -- for $500 is a great deal.

My Savage also is a fretless. Fine instrument and very light. I'd love to find a fretted to pair it with.

 

[bholder]

The host of the Daion website has a factory fretless Power Mark XX; so do I. Daions are remarkable basses, and to score one -- even a Savage -- for $500 is a great deal.

My Savage also is a fretless. Fine instrument and very light. I'd love to find a fretted to pair it with.

Yeah I look at all of the hardwood laminations in my Power Mark XX B. and it looks like it should weigh a ton, but then with all that contouring, it's really remarkably light on the strap, balances really well and very comfy to wear.

 

[Mbechmann]

I recently purchased a Power Mark XX (1981 model) for $500.00, fantastic bass. Before I purchased it I did a fair amount of research on the Daion Bass and from what I found, Daion never made a fretless and all the ones out there are after market fretless basses. (just thought I would share that)

That is incorrect info. They did make fretless, and they made half-fretted basses as well, and my favorite: Marked frets. We even found info that a they did a quarter fretted guitar... Where it was only the E-A-D string that was fretted - and it was only fretted to 12th band.

As for the half-fretted... Check the black one here:
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I really love those marked fretted. It has the fretless sound, but is just as easy to play as a fretted bass.

Daion was made by Yamaki from December 1977-July 1984. There were a total of 33000 instruments made. The owner of the website posted in this old thread - and myself - have done loads of research into Daions the last 6 years. Through that we have managed to get in touch with one of the people that worked for Daion in Japan.

You can find more info in our Facebook group:
Log into Facebook | Facebook

 

[lowendblues]

There used to be a music store in Dayton, Ohio called the Drinking Gourd. They had a Daion double neck that seemed very nice.

 

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There was an XXB at GC last night. They were asking $750 with no case. I went back today to help stimulate the economy and the bass was gone.

G

A steal at that price...