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Just played a "Karera" P-bass. Anyone else?

Eilif

Eilif

Grooving under the MDW runway.
Oct 1, 2001
9,756
9,645
Chicago
#1
I just stopped off at a music store and tried out a Karera brand p-bass. I was pretty impressed. The neck was great, it felt like my t-40, but had a more substantial fingerboard (the side dots didn't overlap into the neck). The finish was a very catchy shoreline gold. Top it off, the tone was nice and round and punchy. Better than the Corts, Jay Tursers and Samicks, and nearly as nice as the tribute SB-2 they had there. The headstock is almost exactly like a Peavey except that has a tiny dip between the hook and tip. It just felt like a nice solid p-bass.

They were willing to deal from $135 sticker down to $125 out the door. My friend who works there says it's been around a while. Should I just offer $100 bucks and hope my wife doesn't kill me for bringing another bass into the fold.

Anyone ever played one of these? I assume Karera's are just cheapo beginners but this one felt like a real cherry. I don't need another bass, but I really liked the feel, tone and sweet gold color.

Any Karera anecdotes appreciated.
 
#6
It felt and sounded better than any rondo that I've played. Not that Rondo's are terrible instruments, but it didn't have the super thick neck finish, the pickup was better, the neck profile was really nice, and the frets had been nicely dressed by the shop.

In short, it felt as good or better than a MIM fender.
 
#10
Sorry to neglect this thread. Before I had a chance to go back to the store to pick this one up, I ran accross a MIJ squire that I just couldn't pass up. The MIJ squire wasn't hugely better than the karera, and didn't feel quite as well broken in, but it's sunburst (which I've always wanted in a P-bass) and it's basswood body is extremely light. I wish I could get both, but I don't want to tempt my wife to spouse-i-cide!

If anyone wants to have a stab at it, it's at Perry's Music in Villa Park, IL. http://www.perrysmusic.com/
 
#11
I own a Kerera bass, I dont remember the model right off hand, but i love it it's a decent bass for me to learn on. i picked mine up used at a pawn shop for $86. its still in really good shape considering.
 
#12
Eilif said:
Sorry to neglect this thread. Before I had a chance to go back to the store to pick this one up, I ran accross a MIJ squire that I just couldn't pass up. The MIJ squire wasn't hugely better than the karera, and didn't feel quite as well broken in, but it's sunburst (which I've always wanted in a P-bass) and it's basswood body is extremely light. I wish I could get both, but I don't want to tempt my wife to spouse-i-cide!

If anyone wants to have a stab at it, it's at Perry's Music in Villa Park, IL. http://www.perrysmusic.com/
Click to expand...

Can't believe Perry's is still there. GC has put so many small shops out of business. The last time I was there I bought a PV BW basket from them. That had to be 10 - 12 years ago. I'll have to take a ride up there sometime soon.
 
#13
Eilif said:
I just stopped off at a music store and tried out a Karera brand p-bass. I was pretty impressed. The neck was great, it felt like my t-40, but had a more substantial fingerboard (the side dots didn't overlap into the neck). The finish was a very catchy shoreline gold. Top it off, the tone was nice and round and punchy. Better than the Corts, Jay Tursers and Samicks, and nearly as nice as the tribute SB-2 they had there. The headstock is almost exactly like a Peavey except that has a tiny dip between the hook and tip. It just felt like a nice solid p-bass.

They were willing to deal from $135 sticker down to $125 out the door. My friend who works there says it's been around a while. Should I just offer $100 bucks and hope my wife doesn't kill me for bringing another bass into the fold.

Anyone ever played one of these? I assume Karera's are just cheapo beginners but this one felt like a real cherry. I don't need another bass, but I really liked the feel, tone and sweet gold color.

Any Karera anecdotes appreciated.
Click to expand...

This sounds like a "real" Karera. [As opposed to a Galveston Karera which is newer] I own a Karera guitar. It's a Gibson hollow body clone. Cost me about $100. It's LEGENDARY! Go see reviews on Harmony central. "10" on a beginner import guitar! [I give it a 10 too!]

Seems these were made in Asia for a while as beginner instruments. SOME became vintage legendary. Anecdote is that a local pawn shop bought the entire warehouse full of Karera instruments when they went out of business and sold them here for years. I only found out about this recently so I just got in on the tail end of the fad.

The hollowbody guitar is one legend. Some of the basses are supposed to be legendary too. I will say that I scoured the pawn shop in question and all they had were a few Karera Strat clones left (I had offered to buy any decent kareras they had but they were all but gone.). Well, sorry to say the Strat clones were TOTAL CRAP. Not even worth the insignificant prices they were asking. An SX Strat simply blows them away.

So the deal is since you've tried that bass and love it, then clearly it's one of the legendary ones. I presume it kills just like my guitar and is worth FAR more than the entry level pricing and doubtless will be an excellent investment as time goes on (you should see the current pricing on guitars like mine now!).

Nuff said.
 
#14
I was stumbled on this post because I have a Karera p bass as well. It is a dented red color, lol. Karera is the only thing written on the headstock, no model or serial. My parents bought this one for me as my first bass back in '99-'00. That has been my only electric until about two years ago. This is a really nice p bass, very solid, with a touch of neck dive.
 

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