I want a Blazer, settle for a Cimar or Roadstar II?

[XrisThaBassman]

A few years ago I sold (and almost instantly regretted doing so) an '82 Ibanez Blazer Bass. If you are familiar with this bass then you know it's joys - basically an early P at Rogue prices. Well, I want to get one again, but I keep missing the ones that are at a price point I want to pay (<400). So my current options are either an '83 Cimar P config that looks identical to the Blazer (MIJ, not the later, less awesome Cimar by Ibanez that's made in China or Korea). Or there's an '85 Roadstar II in a PJ config. Both have the same headstock as the Blazer, and both were manu'd in the same factory as the Blazer. Any thoughts? I'm looking for what would be an acceptable substitute, both are around $350-400. Or should I just wait for a Blazer to pop up in my price range?

 

[brett adams]

i have an 82 blazer and an 85 roadster pj. the neck profiles aren't the same on the blazer and roadstars. the blazers are ash. the roadstars are basswood. tuners are the same. blazer bridges are a bit heavier duty. both measure up to american special fenders and probably to fender japan basses of the 80s. i would buy a cimar if i couldn't get a blazer or roadstar.

 

[XrisThaBassman]

i have an 82 blazer and an 85 roadster pj. the neck profiles aren't the same on the blazer and roadstars. the blazers are ash. the roadstars are basswood. tuners are the same. blazer bridges are a bit heavier duty. both measure up to american special fenders and probably to fender japan basses of the 80s. i would buy a cimar if i couldn't get a blazer or roadstar.

Would you go Roadstar over the Cimar?

 

[RobTheRiot]

I don’t have experience with Cimars, but I’m a bit of an late 70’s / early 80’s Ibanez junky.
I’d say go with the 85 Roadstar. In 85 they started making them out of basswood, which made them a lot lighter / less solid feeling than Blazers & older RS’s. They also started using different tuning machines, but still wonderful Basses for the money.
You said it had the same headstock as the Blazer, but I’m guessing it has matching paint colors on headstock & body? They started that in ‘85.
Also, the lighter bodies can be a blessing - I have a few and they come out when I know I have a marathon show... a lot easier on the shoulders.
As I said, I have no experience with Cimars even tho I’ve been curious, but you can’t go wrong with a bass with Ibanez on the headstock from that time frame...
Good luck & post pics of either one you go with!!

 

[brett adams]

Would you go Roadstar over the Cimar?

there's a decent looking roadstar bass on guitar center for 299 plus shipping. i would probably buy that. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
but if the cimar is one of these, i might flip a coin.

 

[XrisThaBassman]

This is the Cimar, for $350 shipped.

This is the Roadstar II, $400 local sale:

 

[brett adams]

This is the Cimar, for $350 shipped. View attachment 2942426

This is the Roadstar II, $400 local sale:

i don't know about that cimar. roadstar and blazer pickups are hot and it doesn't appear the cimar has the same pickup. also curious if it's a plywood body with a veneer. does the seller know?

 

[kesslari]

Is there a time pressure other than what you're imposing on yourself?
I'd keep watching for a Blazer. You can save searches on Ebay...

 

[two fingers]

This is the Cimar, for $350 shipped. View attachment 2942426

This is the Roadstar II, $400 local sale:

I know virtually nothing about that line of basses. But that red and black is bad@$$.

 

[XrisThaBassman]

Is there a time pressure other than what you're imposing on yourself?
I'd keep watching for a Blazer. You can save searches on Ebay...

No, just that I want it and I want it NOOOOOWWWW!!!! Just call me Veruca Salt, lol. I might pick up that Roadstar II and then also get a Blazer when one comes available - I can always sell the RS2 if I want down the road.

 

[brett adams]

No, just that I want it and I want it NOOOOOWWWW!!!! Just call me Veruca Salt, lol. I might pick up that Roadstar II and then also get a Blazer when one comes available - I can always sell the RS2 if I want down the road.

i bought my blazer 3 weeks ago after waiting for maybe a year for a good looking specimen to show up at the same time i had the money to buy it. roadstars are a lot easier to come by. i'm partial to the 83-85 models that are a bit bigger, don't have a belly cut, and have vintage style tuners and vintage style bridge. but that red 650 looks alright for the money.

 

[rocu]

If you want a Blazer, wait for a Blazer.

 

[GIBrat51]

I can certainly understand your wanting what you want - NOW, but... we can't always get what we want (there's a song in there, somewhere..). Thing is, you say you want a Blazer; if you settle for a Roadstar or a Cimar, then yes, you'll have something NOW; but it will be a Roadstar or a Cimar - and you still won't have a Blazer. And, if your luck runs anything like mine usually does; guess what will pop up a week after you got that substitute bass? A Blazer; in my case, 2 or 3 of them would show up. IME, patience is usually rewarded; I waited for about 8 years for this Gretsch Broadkaster. Fortunately, I did have other basses to play, though...

 

[bigtone23]

I would choose a Cimar last. I have a feeling they are made of plywood and have cheaper electronics. That red RB650 is a solid choice in the meantime.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

Is Cimar an Ibanez product? I can tell you I have an early Roadstar and it's worth every penny I paid for it at the time. It has outlasted two other marriages and still sounds often. I've had great offers on it but it's my baby until I'm gone. It's the one with dual soapbar pickups, a Ric shaped body with the cherry sunburst finish. It's a killer bass. You wouldn't be making a mistake buying a Roadstar.

 

[pudgychef]

Am I remembering correctly that there were Roadstars and Roadsters at one point?

 

[Eric Swaim]

I have 2 Ibanez Roadstar II Model 620 if I am not mistaken. Great basses for the price.

 

[charlie monroe]

I have 2 Ibanez Roadstar II Model 620 if I am not mistaken. Great basses for the price.
View attachment 2942622

Those are RB650's. I have 2 myself, an '84 and an '86. They are fantastic basses.

An RB620 has a p pickup only.

 

[Maxdusty]

My very first bass back in the 80s was a Cimar Jazz copy and to be honest with you, I wasn't all too happy with it. It is a fairly inadequate copy compared to the Ibanez ones or even some of the other Japanese copies available at the time -all of which I couldn't afford (or was it my parents weren't willing to help me purchase as I was new to bass then). Even as a beginner, I could tell there was a big difference between the Cimar basses and the similar Ibanez copies - the pickups were woefully inadequate and weak (I had a 60 watt Roland Cube amp and it sounded like something that would come out of a 40w in terms of output), the neck was okay, not great, I replaced the bridge early on too as that was a piece of junk. My bass wasn't plywood as it was a natural finish but it wasn't the best quality nor made with good craftsmanship -it definitely felt like a budget bass which it was. The Squier basses today are much, much better in quality, there was a much wider chasm of difference between Ibanez and their budget Cimar line in comparison to Fender/Squier today. The Cimar bass left such a bad impression on me that I didn't have a Fender style bass for many years after that - my next bass was an Ibanez Musician.

In other words, stay with the Ibanez line, I would go for the Blazer and Roadstar for sure - I wouldn't recommend settling for the Cimar.

 

[aaronious]

I have a Blazer and a Roadstar. If the Blazer is a Cadillac and the roadstar is a well equipped Chevy, the cimar is a junkyard Ford pinto. You'll be happy with either a Blazer or a Roadstar.

I thought I wanted a cimar to round out my whacky Japanese collection.... Then I played one. They are the same in looks only.