Japanese Basses 🇯🇵

[7RIS7AN]

Hello, Talkbassers.

I am curious to know what Japanese companies make quality basses that are not copies of the usual body styles (Fender) and have more of an original vibe, like Sugi.

Perhaps a brand that is not necessarily significant in the market but is known for its exceptional craftsmanship.

I am also curious about Korean, Chinese, and other Asian makers.

Thank you for your recommendations.

 

[Rocket Queen]

Hard to avoid FSOs...@Green Knight thought pretty highly of a Japanese TS Factory bass that he had for sale recently:

For sale TS Factory Japan H/P/J 151A-TSSP Telecaster 34” 2020 w/HSC (final "I must be krazy!" price drop))

Three pickups, 7-position switching, and fast glossy neck

• Green Knight (+29 /0 /-0)
• Oct 9, 2024
• Updated Feb 19, 2025
• Views: 1K
• Reaction score: 6
• Comments: 10
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars

$900.00

5 watching

 

[bass-shy]

ESP makes some incredible instruments. I have examples of their guitars and basses from their Japanese Custom Shop, Japanese Standard Series, and a few different models from the LTD line. All of them are terrific and I think the Korean-built LTDs are on par with other brand's high end offerings.

I have admittedly become a bit of an ESP fan over the years, choosing them over Fender, Spector and Warwick.

 

[BGroovy]

I like what Kanade is doing in the short scales

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[AltecGreen]

This is my kind of topic.


Sago (almost not fair becaise Sago makes almost anything from clones of Western instruments to instrument shaped like an anime mouse). These three are mine.

Combat (another nearly full custom brand with both Fender-likes and their own designs).

Dragonfly

Saitias

Shikagawa

Atlansia

Tune. (do not confuse these with the Korean company that stole their name)

Killer (affiliated with ESP)

Runt. (Runt instruments have very intricate carves on the body)

Nishgaki

Jersey Girl

Hiizuru Union

962 Woodworks

GTI

Ogi Factory

Yellow Gem

Freedom Custom Guitar Research (Dulake model)

 

[Church-Bass]

This is my kind of topic.


Sago (almost not fair becaise Sago makes almost anything from clones of Western instruments to instrument shaped like an anime mouse). These three are mine.
View attachment 7154015


Combat (another nearly full custom brand with both Fender-likes and their own designs).


View attachment 7154021


Dragonfly
View attachment 7154025


Saitias
View attachment 7154026





Shikagawa
View attachment 7154027



Atlansia
View attachment 7154030




Tune. (do not confuse these with the Korean company that stole their name)
View attachment 7154034



Killer (affiliated with ESP)
View attachment 7154035



Runt. (Runt instruments have very intricate carves on the body)
View attachment 7154036View attachment 7154037



Nishgaki
View attachment 7154038





Jersey Girl
View attachment 7154040


Hiizuru Union
View attachment 7154042




962 Woodworks
View attachment 7154045




GTI
View attachment 7154047


Ogi Factory
View attachment 7154050



Yellow Gem

View attachment 7154053



Freedom Custom Guitar Research (Dulake model)
View attachment 7154059

As a fan of Japanese basses, your post has a list of some amazing and beautiful instruments!

 

[Wangus67]

This is my kind of topic.


Sago (almost not fair becaise Sago makes almost anything from clones of Western instruments to instrument shaped like an anime mouse). These three are mine.
View attachment 7154015


Combat (another nearly full custom brand with both Fender-likes and their own designs).


View attachment 7154021


Dragonfly
View attachment 7154025


Saitias
View attachment 7154026





Shikagawa
View attachment 7154027



Atlansia
View attachment 7154030




Tune. (do not confuse these with the Korean company that stole their name)
View attachment 7154034



Killer (affiliated with ESP)
View attachment 7154035



Runt. (Runt instruments have very intricate carves on the body)
View attachment 7154036View attachment 7154037



Nishgaki
View attachment 7154038





Jersey Girl
View attachment 7154040


Hiizuru Union
View attachment 7154042




962 Woodworks
View attachment 7154045




GTI
View attachment 7154047


Ogi Factory
View attachment 7154050



Yellow Gem

View attachment 7154053



Freedom Custom Guitar Research (Dulake model)

 

[Wangus67]

Hmm... Not sure what happened there, but what I wanted to say to @AlteGgreen was.... Dayum!

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[Winton]

This is my kind of topic.


Sago (almost not fair becaise Sago makes almost anything from clones of Western instruments to instrument shaped like an anime mouse). These three are mine.
View attachment 7154015


Combat (another nearly full custom brand with both Fender-likes and their own designs).


View attachment 7154021


Dragonfly
View attachment 7154025


Saitias
View attachment 7154026





Shikagawa
View attachment 7154027



Atlansia
View attachment 7154030




Tune. (do not confuse these with the Korean company that stole their name)
View attachment 7154034



Killer (affiliated with ESP)
View attachment 7154035



Runt. (Runt instruments have very intricate carves on the body)
View attachment 7154036View attachment 7154037



Nishgaki
View attachment 7154038





Jersey Girl
View attachment 7154040


Hiizuru Union
View attachment 7154042




962 Woodworks
View attachment 7154045




GTI
View attachment 7154047


Ogi Factory
View attachment 7154050



Yellow Gem

View attachment 7154053



Freedom Custom Guitar Research (Dulake model)
View attachment 7154059

As far as non-FSOs, looks like AltecGreen covered them all.

I'll second ESP. If you ever come here to Tokyo and check some of their custom guitars and basses in Ochanomizu area, there are some super funky designs. And I've read some TBers' comments that ESP's craftsmanship is as good as some of the top builders in the US.

 

[Killing Floor]

Yamaha

 

[DaveParker39]

Ibanez comes to mind. As does Yamaha.

 

[definenredefine]

Aria?

 

[B String]

Hello, Talkbassers.

I am curious to know what Japanese companies make quality basses that are not copies of the usual body styles (Fender) and have more of an original vibe, like Sugi.

Perhaps a brand that is not necessarily significant in the market but is known for its exceptional craftsmanship.

I am also curious about Korean, Chinese, and other Asian makers.

Thank you for your recommendations.

I have an older Heartfield 5 that Fender gave me before I went on a tour to Japan. It's made by FugiGen. Flat out one of the best basses I've owned. Every note sings and it has a killer B. I put some Nordstrand pickups in it and BOOM! It's a great bass... and I have a pretty good stock of good basses. Worth a look.

 

[Dabndug]

For a more vintage vibe, I present the Rozeo Ladybug bass. Made by Terada Gakki, the firm responsible for reinvigorating Gretsch, so it will be a quality product. It has a full 34 inch scale and weighs just over 2.5kg. Priced at around JPY 250,000. Rare as hen's teeth ?
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[Iristone]

I am also curious about Korean, Chinese, and other Asian makers.

I know a bit about the scene in China. At the top end there's ultra-boutique BQW, DTC, and Bilobba. In the mid-range we tend to buy from reputable multinational brands, but there's Taobass that makes nice headless basses (but are not Steinberger knockoffs). In the low end there's Akama that makes ukulele basses with both steel and rubber strings. Most of them can only be purchased from Chinese websites, though.
Due to proximity, we've also got access to many of the fine instruments from Japan. My favourite one is Atlansia, which is loosely based on Alembic Japan.

 

[pklima]

For a more vintage vibe, I present the Rozeo Ladybug bass. Made by Terada Gakki, the firm responsible for reinvigorating Gretsch, so it will be a quality product. It has a full 34 inch scale and weighs just over 2.5kg. Priced at around JPY 250,000. Rare as hen's teeth ?
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I always thought they were short scale... There's one on Reverb now and I see the description says 770 mm scale, which is 30" and change. If that's wrong and they're actually 34" I'm buying it, heh.

 

[Winton]

Yamaha

Oh, true. Why didn't I think of them, lol. I actually tried their BBP 5 string for the first time couple weeks ago. Man, that neck, instrument balance, the tone was so spot on.

 

[Dabndug]

I always thought they were short scale... There's one on Reverb now and I see the description says 770 mm scale, which is 30" and change. If that's wrong and they're actually 34" I'm buying it, heh.

I was quoting the scale from a listing by Miki Gakki, which states 864mm. Other listings have 770mm. Could there be two different models, or is the Miki Gakki listing an error?

 

[AltecGreen]

Round 2


Minamo

MD-MM Produce. (better known for their guitars)

L's Trust

Oopegg

D's Design. (the insect bass)

Kaminari

Lore Crow

Ruina Miyashiro

Ryoga

Four Spirals (bass on the right)

 

[MisterUbu]

Nobody has mentioned Greco right? They're much more well known for their copies of FSOs/Gibson/Ric's but they've taken a shot at doing their own thing.

Greco Speedway

Greco Go

Greco TVB-45 (very reminiscent of a Gibson Les Paul DC bass, and I sweat there was an EB0 model of theirs that this is a dead ringer for)

Greco Go2 (I have the guitar version of this line!)