Does anyone recognise this bass?

Looks to me like one of the old Samick archtop f-hole acoustic-electrics. I don't see them on the current Samick site, so they may not be making them anymore. There's are a couple of them on the GBase dealer database site, though--just go to www.gbase.com and do a search on Samick basses. I'll atach a photo.

Mike

 

looks like that yamaha A/E bass they make, i'm almost positive it is. Maybe someone can prove me wrong.

 

You could both be right. They might be made in the same factory. I've seen both the Yamaha and Samick versions and they're virtually identical, if I recall.

 

Well, the Samick is a set neck and a fairly deep acoustic-style body, while the Yamaha is a bolt-on with a fairly thin body (IIRC). Also, the Yamaha has a magnetic pickup, while the Samick doesn't. They do both have F-holes, but that's not really enough to make them "virtually identical".

Mike

 

You're right...my mistake. So since this appears to not have a magnetic, you would guess Samick?

Any clues from the funky sunburst finish on there? I've seen the same type of sunburst with a big blob in the center surrounded by black on some Gibson LPB's, and never found it very attractive.

 

Seems like I may have seen the Samick in that ugly 'burst before--I could be wrong, though. But yeah, my guess would be that it's a Samick, unless there's some other bass model that I'm forgettng about.

I just went back to dig up the old BP acoustic bass review that included the Samick (Jan/Feb '94), and it seems that it did come in sunburst, and the model number was HFB-390 for the four string. They made a five and fretless, and a fretless five, too. Anyway, BP thought the acoustic tone was puny, but the amplified sound was good. The list price was about $700 at the time.

More detail than you wanted, right? Just call me a master of stupid bass trivia...

Mike

 

The bass detective! Actually, awhile back, I was listening to Heart's live acoustic record "The Road Home" (I think), and I was really impressed with the amplified ABG tone that Fernando Saunders was getting. I asked some of the guys at BassNW and they said he was using the Samick with D'Addario flats. I haven't listened to that CD in a long time, but I think JPJ is on it, and produced it.
fc

 

Interesting! Back when I lived out there, a guy from one of the regional Pennsylvania bands, the Badlees, used to whip a Samick fretless 5 acoustic out for a couple of songs. I remember it sounding good, though not spectacular. Then again, he wasn't Fernando Saunders. ;-)

Mike