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Double Czech - Jolana DiscoBass & Kolorbass -
- Thread starter JIO
- Start date
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
This is the mate of the Kolorbas called the Rubin bas. Very much the same in most ways with a few interesting differences. 2x2 hs with tuners the same as the DiscoBass, exposed rail-pole version of the same style pu's, a 'Jolana' pressed tail-piece plate, and wood body-binding. (and missing the clear pg and knobs) This one has a small, but not quite mini non-original 3-way pu switch. I wonder, like mine - why the pointer-knob version was replaced? I imagine the 'wood binding' is simply not painted as mine has the perimeter laminate which is the same dimensions. As in, if I striped the black there - the wood strip would look like binding - only on the sides. (the top would reveal the laminate as seen in the neck pocket. A clever way to introduce a nice trim detail. Original screws are all slot-heads including the neck-plate. I could have stuck to that but other than the specific pu height-adjuster screws - Philips-head screws are just better. The floating bridge is horizontal - I angled my floating bridge to get intonation more accurate. The short reach of the saddles (much like a Gen1 T-bird) doesn't offer enough latitude for correct adjustment. You can see how they are all at the limit on either end. Curious why they made 2 basses so much the same at the same time.
This is the version I've seen most. Some with this sort of bursted finish and some just a solid blue.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Out of the two - I like the Kolorbas's more. The hs design is cool. This one has Kluson stamped Y tuners similar to my (generic) ones. Blue neck w/black face.
Check out this very pretty blue one in VGC - https://reverb.com/item/25361580-jo...w-bass-guitar-blue-4-string-selten-kolor-bass Nice presentation too! It has different knobs, a nice chrome bridge cover and a solid black pg. Screws have all been switched to Philips-heads with the exception of the neck screws. A very nice example.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Another interesting tuner design on a Kolorbas. Not sure if they are original as most are the same as on a DiscoBass and for whatever reason many have replacement tuners.
I hadn't thought about it much but I wonder if Rubin was a model name or alternative branding as there were also Rubin guitars - here's one currently for sale in red, very much the guitar version of the bass though - or vice versa: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I wouldn't have thought a trapezoidal control plate could work on such a rounded body, but it kind of works.
In my eyes, it looks certainly better than the rectangular plate of the Höfner Beatle Bass.
In my eyes, it looks certainly better than the rectangular plate of the Höfner Beatle Bass.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Drew the Kolorbas logo freehand after studying it - really dig the cool font!
the guide
Incorporating the same technique as the body artwork - used a fine-point gold paint-pen to recreate the script. A little larger than original decal - but that's ok... I like it bold. Also obviously hand-done upon close inspection. My homage to Elena'a artwork. Satin clear-coat is next. I shoot the first coat very light, just enough to seal it - barely there. The second coat similar - light and even. The third coat can be a bit heavier - but definitely not thick. Usually that's enough. I want the clear coat to be protective - but not 'encased' in clear. A nice even thin coating and buffed when cured results in a very friendly 'glove/feel'. It also allows 'player-wear’ that thick encased clear-coats prevent. Sorry for the out-of-focus pic - more in focus shots when I'm further along. Also need to tighten it up a bit w/black... close-ups keep me honest!
the guide
Incorporating the same technique as the body artwork - used a fine-point gold paint-pen to recreate the script. A little larger than original decal - but that's ok... I like it bold. Also obviously hand-done upon close inspection. My homage to Elena'a artwork. Satin clear-coat is next. I shoot the first coat very light, just enough to seal it - barely there. The second coat similar - light and even. The third coat can be a bit heavier - but definitely not thick. Usually that's enough. I want the clear coat to be protective - but not 'encased' in clear. A nice even thin coating and buffed when cured results in a very friendly 'glove/feel'. It also allows 'player-wear’ that thick encased clear-coats prevent. Sorry for the out-of-focus pic - more in focus shots when I'm further along. Also need to tighten it up a bit w/black... close-ups keep me honest!
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I wouldn't have thought a trapezoidal control plate could work on such a rounded body, but it kind of works.
In my eyes, it looks certainly better than the rectangular plate of the Höfner Beatle Bass.
Yes, it has a purposeful design 'flow' to it instead of having a stuck-on look. It's the only control plate that I've seen that looks like that.
I'll let Jio answer how Jio does it
- I get there with tracing (or kitchen parchment, which may be a lot easier to find these days) paper, drawing the design on the front, flipping the paper and penciling over it on the back, flipping it back over and burnishing (rubbing with a hard, smooth object) to transfer the graphite from the pencil on the back to either the next sheet of paper (having penciled over only the lines you want to keep, and getting rid of various developmental lines more cleanly than erasing, while preserving the original sketch) or where you want the final artwork to be.
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I'll let Jio answer how Jio does it
Yes, it's called tracing paper and comes in different versions bought at an art store. A higher quality version is called vellum or vellum paper. Pencil (art) drawings can be done on vellum and displayed taped to white stock which gives the lines depth as light filters through it being translucent. Drawings of this nature can be quite beautiful. Anyway, I used a standard grade of tracing paper to draw the logo with a fine mechanical (0.5mm lead) pencil, and use a softer lead pencil on the backside lightly over the lettering. You want just enough lead to transfer and not obscure seeing your original lines on top. Then I tape the outline to the hs and used the 0.5mm pencil to trace over the letters I'd drawn. When you pull it away - the lines are transferred on the hs.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
It looks a little big, but not wrong. I like it.
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
There are a few of these Jolana Star IX basses currently on Reverb, but this one stuck out a bit. Looks like the 'floating' bridge floated up-stream. 
Here's one in VGC and the cheapest one being offered. Original tuners have been replaced with standard Y tuners (oddly upside down) but otherwise everything looks original - and it has a bridge cover! (not certain if it's original)
https://reverb.com/item/45692887-jolana-basso-ix-czechoslovakia-ussr-vintage-collection
Here's one in VGC and the cheapest one being offered. Original tuners have been replaced with standard Y tuners (oddly upside down) but otherwise everything looks original - and it has a bridge cover! (not certain if it's original)
https://reverb.com/item/45692887-jolana-basso-ix-czechoslovakia-ussr-vintage-collection
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He wanted a really short scale?There are a few of these Jolana Star IX basses currently on Reverb, but this one stuck out a bit. Looks like the 'floating' bridge floated up-stream.
View attachment 4452548
View attachment 4452551
Reminds me of a short scale I have that someone decided needed to be a long scale so he put a high mass bridge as far back as possible, then realized his mistake and moved up to the proper(-ish) location.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,611
- 222,113
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
He wanted a really short scale?
Reminds me of a short scale I have that someone decided needed to be a long scale so he put a high mass bridge as far back as possible, then realized his mistake and moved up to the proper(-ish) location.
I always like to strum the strings between the bridge & tail-piece for effect and this version would be amplified!
My favorite Jolana!There are a few of these Jolana Star IX basses currently on Reverb, but this one stuck out a bit. Looks like the 'floating' bridge floated up-stream.
View attachment 4452548
View attachment 4452551
Here's one in VGC and the cheapest one being offered. Original tuners have been replaced with standard Y tuners (oddly upside down) but otherwise everything looks original - and it has a bridge cover! (not certain if it's original)
https://reverb.com/item/45692887-jolana-basso-ix-czechoslovakia-ussr-vintage-collection
I too wondered about that bridge, and also why someone went to the trouble of veneer-ing the headstock and converting to 4-in-a-line...hmmm. The tailpiece isn't original either, but that seems to be really common over there. Lots of parts exchanges and make-do fixes. I'm sure OEM parts were hard to come by even then! The second one is really nice (description states: " The guitar was in the hands of a good master restorer and is in excellent condition.") The bridge cover on that one is definitely original. Oddly enough, the tuners on my Basso IX are turned upside-down as well. I wonder if players were used to reverse gear tuners, or just playing with visuals... I've left mine "wrong-way-round" - I think it makes the headstock look pointier!
