Help me ID this bass (Samick?)

[MoD_Scotty]

If this bass is indeed a Samick, it's gotta be pretty old, because I can't find anything like it ANYWHERE on the internet. I googled the crap out of "Samick" with no luck. I originally mentioned this bass in a Samick thread, but I'll repost it with the new pics I took tonight.

"After practice tonight, I was looking around our rehearsal space, and noticed a bass case on top of a shelf. I asked my guitarist what it was, and he said it was his brother's (our keyboard player) old bass. Apparently he played bass a long time ago. I asked if I could check it out and he said I could.

He thought it was a "Lamick," but I'm pretty sure it says "Samick." The logo on the headstock is in cursive, and is a little confusing, but I'm almost positive it's a Samick. It's a jazz bass copy, probably a 70's era (due to having a thumbrest). I plugged it in to my amp and I was blown away! The tone was incredible. It hadn't been played for years, and the strings were nasty, but you could tell the bass had real potential."

So here's what it looks like:

Engrish! LOL@"The First Runner in Selection Performance"

Still has the plastic covering on the pickguard

Serial #?

String-through body

Crazy looking brass string saddles

So does anyone know how to find more information about this bass? I sent an email to Samick on their webpage, but who knows if anything will come of that. Thanks in advance.

 

[jtlee]

Yeah, it's a Samick. Looks like an early 80's to me. Big brass saddles...oh yeah!

Han-kook made (that's Made in Korea for you roundeyes).

 

[MoD_Scotty]

I figured it was probably KDM

 

[Spector_Ray]

Wow...I had the same bridge on my first bass, a plywood Mako Warlock. Ah..good times.

 

[Rodr-Evil]

Ugh, other "Fender wannabe" bass, why the heck not create their own designs?

 

[ProfGumby]

My mid 90's Ibanez was a Samick made bass. I was told this - at that time, any bass that said "Made In Korea" was a Samick, no matter what the brand on the headstock.

That Ibby/Samick was a damn fine bass!

 

[MoD_Scotty]

UPDATE:
I finally ganked the bass from my keyboard player (actually, he totally just let me take it). I got it home and started cleaning it up. I removed the original plastic covering on the pickguard. It's been on there so long, it left a gluey residue....which I removed with some throttle body cleaner. The pickguard still needs to be polished up, but it looks way better now.

Then I got rid of the at least 10 year old strings. I just swapped in some D'addarios, but I strung it B F# B E, so I'll be able to play it with my band. I spent another 15-20 minutes getting the action just right.

I plugged it straight into my mixer, just so I could run it through my computer's speakers...and this thing ROCKS! I was worried it wouldn't pick up the .130 B-string, but it does! It's got an awesome tone, even completely dry! I can't wait to take this thing to practice and run it through my rig!

If I can get something decent worked out, I'll record some samples. Then I gotta figure out how to get my buddy to let me keep this thing!

 

[MoD_Scotty]

Here's an audio sample. Sorry for the lame quality...still trying to get a decent sound out of my computer.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Tsal]

I've heard that Samick has the largest Korean musical instrument manufacturing plant, so a lot of other brands' MIK's are made with their machinery, including Ibanez. I've seen a few Samicks here in Europe, the instruments tend to be in the sub-1000 price class, mostly budget stuff.

I suppose Samick got started in Japan, so I would guess it's most likely a MIJ one, which would explain the decent quality. I have no idea about Samick's history, though, so I'm not sure about this.

 

[iamlowsound]

I thought that most of the stuff made in Korea was coming out of cort plants? Looks sweet anyway. Nice find.

lowsound

 

[Wayne Damage]

WOW great to see this post , I just got one today and the strange thing is it's the same color different bridge BUT the same serial #EB7012MS but it's definitely not the same bass ?????????????