Moon Owners Club

[Alle]

PGM logo on headstock

Thank you. I bought this BASS.

It definitely has the letters PGM on the palm tree mark.

The EGM logo is faintly visible on the pickup, and when I asked the store, they told me it's an active-only BASS.

However, they didn't answer the question about the year of manufacture, so I asked the MOON fans here.

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[600 Ohms]

Thank you. I bought this BASS.

It definitely has the letters PGM on the palm tree mark.

The EGM logo is faintly visible on the pickup, and when I asked the store, they told me it's an active-only BASS.

However, they didn't answer the question about the year of manufacture, so I asked the MOON fans here.

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What did they say? 何て言ったのか？

 

[Alle]

What did they say? 何て言ったのか？

This is all the communication I had with them.
The bass will arrive at my house tomorrow.

-Is this an active/passive switch type?
->Only active.
-What kind of battery does it use?
->9V battery.
-Do you open the battery box by unscrewing the back cover?
->Yes.
-Is there any rust on the metal parts?
->I don't see any rust, but there is some tarnish typical of gold parts.
-There seem to be scratches on the back, but are there any other major scratches?
->There are some dents and other marks on the side.
-The serial number is 11945, but do you know when it was made?
->Unknown.
-Is a manual included?
->No.
-Is it possible to have the gig bag disposed of when I purchase it?
->Yes, but in the case of mail order, it is difficult to dispose of it from the viewpoint of protecting it from shocks during shipping, so it will be sent in a case.

 

[600 Ohms]

This is all the communication I had with them.
The bass will arrive at my house tomorrow.

-Is this an active/passive switch type?
->Only active.
-What kind of battery does it use?
->9V battery.
-Do you open the battery box by unscrewing the back cover?
->Yes.
-Is there any rust on the metal parts?
->I don't see any rust, but there is some tarnish typical of gold parts.
-There seem to be scratches on the back, but are there any other major scratches?
->There are some dents and other marks on the side.
-The serial number is 11945, but do you know when it was made?
->Unknown.
-Is a manual included?
->No.
-Is it possible to have the gig bag disposed of when I purchase it?
->Yes, but in the case of mail order, it is difficult to dispose of it from the viewpoint of protecting it from shocks during shipping, so it will be sent in a case.

Most likely, the bass has PASSIVE tone controls, but uses ACTIVE EMG pickups. The battery should be only powering the pickups and there is probably no preamp inside. I have this same bass, it's my favorite I've ever owned.

 

[Alle]

Most likely, the bass has PASSIVE tone controls, but uses ACTIVE EMG pickups. The battery should be only powering the pickups and there is probably no preamp inside. I have this same bass, it's my favorite I've ever owned.

Thank you for letting me know. So this BASS is equipped with an EMG PU without a preamp. That's interesting!

After I received the BASS, I carefully cleaned it and strung it with D'Addario XL165 strings that I had at home. I'm going to play with these strings for a while, but as for the next strings I should put on, if you have any recommendations, please let me know.

 

[TomB]

Thank you for letting me know. So this BASS is equipped with an EMG PU without a preamp. That's interesting!

After I received the BASS, I carefully cleaned it and strung it with D'Addario XL165 strings that I had at home. I'm going to play with these strings for a while, but as for the next strings I should put on, if you have any recommendations, please let me know.

Not to split hairs, but with those EMG pickups the preamp is essentially inside the pickup.

 

[Alle]

Not to split hairs, but with those EMG pickups the preamp is essentially inside the pickup.

Ah, that's what it means. Thanks for letting me know!

 

[600 Ohms]

I like to pair EMGs with DR Nickel Lo Riders because they have a little more midrange, which compensates with the tone of the pickups.

 

[Alle]

I like to pair EMGs with DR Nickel Lo Riders because they have a little more midrange, which compensates with the tone of the pickups.

I think I can buy it in Japan so I'll give it a try. Thank you!

 

[tandem_jump420]

Hello all. Google image search led me here. I bought this ESP bass from a local seller in the NYC area a couple years ago. It's great but also a complete mystery. It came with an ESP gigbag, and I figured it was one the custom ordered basses you could get through 48th St Guitars in NYC or from a catalog from Japan. But then I decided to try Google image searching my bass, and it led me here. It seems that my bass is very Moon like and might be more than a coincidence that it shares features with them, most notably the slanted j-bass pickup and the fretboard "overhang" extension where it meets the body. I thought I would see if any of the Moon fans knew anything about this era of ESP basses. Not a lot of resources online besides some vague confirmation of the serial number format (but not dating scheme).

 

[MIJ Enjoyer]

Hello all. Google image search led me here. I bought this ESP bass from a local seller in the NYC area a couple years ago. It's great but also a complete mystery. It came with an ESP gigbag, and I figured it was one the custom ordered basses you could get through 48th St Guitars in NYC or from a catalog from Japan. But then I decided to try Google image searching my bass, and it led me here. It seems that my bass is very Moon like and might be more than a coincidence that it shares features with them, most notably the slanted j-bass pickup and the fretboard "overhang" extension where it meets the body. I thought I would see if any of the Moon fans knew anything about this era of ESP basses. Not a lot of resources online besides some vague confirmation of the serial number format (but not dating scheme).

Here’s a little something about Kazuhiko Nyui-san, founder of PGM (Moon Custom Guitars).

“Born in 1945, originally from Aomori Prefecture. President of P.G.M. Studied guitar making under Yukinobu Chai, a classical guitar luthier based in Machida City, Tokyo. After working at Fernandes and ESP, he founded P.G.M., where he has crafted guitars and basses for many renowned musicians both in Japan and abroad, including Steve Lukather and Larry Graham.”

 

[600 Ohms]

Hello all. Google image search led me here. I bought this ESP bass from a local seller in the NYC area a couple years ago. It's great but also a complete mystery. It came with an ESP gigbag, and I figured it was one the custom ordered basses you could get through 48th St Guitars in NYC or from a catalog from Japan. But then I decided to try Google image searching my bass, and it led me here. It seems that my bass is very Moon like and might be more than a coincidence that it shares features with them, most notably the slanted j-bass pickup and the fretboard "overhang" extension where it meets the body. I thought I would see if any of the Moon fans knew anything about this era of ESP basses. Not a lot of resources online besides some vague confirmation of the serial number format (but not dating scheme).

Looks like you have a pre-Moon Moon in ESP livery. Kinda cool and rare. Is the fingerboard ebony?

 

[tandem_jump420]

Looks like you have a pre-Moon Moon in ESP livery. Kinda cool and rare. Is the fingerboard ebony?

Very interesting! The person I bought it from said that the fingerboard is rosewood, and I would say that's accurate. It is on the dark side (hah). The year was estimated to be 1987.

 

[tandem_jump420]

Here’s a little something about Kazuhiko Nyui-san, founder of PGM (Moon Custom Guitars).

“Born in 1945, originally from Aomori Prefecture. President of P.G.M. Studied guitar making under Yukinobu Chai, a classical guitar luthier based in Machida City, Tokyo. After working at Fernandes and ESP, he founded P.G.M., where he has crafted guitars and basses for many renowned musicians both in Japan and abroad, including Steve Lukather and Larry Graham.”

Thanks! That's a solid bit of info!

 

[Les Fret]

Question for ‘80s Moon owners (basses with trussrod access at the neck pickup side). What screwdriver do you use to adjust the trussrod? And do you completely detach the neck? Or can you just loosen the neck screws for 3/4 or so and only slant the neck while keeping the loosens strings on?

 

[600 Ohms]

Very interesting! The person I bought it from said that the fingerboard is rosewood, and I would say that's accurate. It is on the dark side (hah). The year was estimated to be 1987.

My Moon is from 1984 so I wonder if ESP was using that design throughout that time, even after he’d started the PGM venture?

 

[600 Ohms]

Question for ‘80s Moon owners (basses with trussrod access at the neck pickup side). What screwdriver do you use to adjust the trussrod? And do you completely detach the neck? Or can you just loosen the neck screws for 3/4 or so and only slant the neck while keeping the loosens strings on?

I doubt you also have a “tsubadashi” fingerboard that hangs over like mine, but it makes it tricky to get the driver in. I have to use a very specific screwdriver in order to get in there. Nothing else quite works. It’s a USA-made “No. 1” Philips head branded by Popular Mechanics (the magazine?).

I can get this angle and it works:

 

[MIJ Enjoyer]

My Moon is from 1984 so I wonder if ESP was using that design throughout that time, even after he’d started the PGM venture?

Both ESP and Fernandes have the slanted pickups J bass in the late 70s. Moon is founded in 1978.

 

[600 Ohms]

Both ESP and Fernandes have the slanted pickups J bass in the late 70s. Moon is founded in 1978.

I was not aware!

 

[Les Fret]

I doubt you also have a “tsubadashi” fingerboard that hangs over like mine, but it makes it tricky to get the driver in. I have to use a very specific screwdriver in order to get in there. Nothing else quite works. It’s a USA-made “No. 1” Philips head branded by Popular Mechanics (the magazine?).

I can get this angle and it works:

View attachment 7255376
View attachment 7255377View attachment 7255378

So you loosen the back screws and have the neck tilted to reach the trussrod screw? I also have the neck hangover at the last fret.