Mystery Fender, need help with identifying

[Rasmund22]

Hi folks!
Don't know if this is a right place to ask this, but could someone identify this bass?
It may be a Fender-copy but damn the neck feels fine. Better than 2K Fenders I've played.

I scratched logo out and there is a little text next to it saying "Made in USA, sr no. 1"

The "end" of bass neck is not curvy as in other fender basses.

Thanks already.

Someone painted it violet. Terrible.

 

[the art guy]

Not a Fender. Had to tell what exactly it is/was, but likely a copy from Japan or another part of the Asian continent. Gonna restore it? Might be a great project if the neck feels good.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

Sadly, it's not a Fender, but probably a Hondo or a Lotus. I have a Hondo with the same headstock, its not a bad bass, probably worth no more than $80 or so...

 

[MarkoYYZ]

It's possible that it's an older black label Mexican and someone re-shaped the headstock... but the above options (where a Fender decal was applied to a Silvertone or something) are more likely.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

I see that yours has an aftermarket pickup (Seymour Duncan?) That should be a big improvement over the stock pickup (unless it was one of the models that came with a DiMarzio.)

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

It's possible that it's an older black label Mexican and someone re-shaped the headstock... but the above options (where a Fender decal was applied to a Silvertone or something) are more likely.

That bridge screams "Hondo" to me, almost certainly a Deluxe, Fame, or Professional Series 830. I'm vaguely squeamish about how familiar I am with these instruments

 

[BigBigGuy44]

Bridge looks like its from a late 90s Epiphone Accu Bass

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[Rasmund22]

You guys broke my heart. Eh, knew it.
I changed the pickups to Seymour Duncan ones and I have to say that they are great. Very creamy tone.

Neck feels sooo good so I'm going to restore this to... Ehm.. To its old fake gloryness.

What Hondo-model it could be?
Thanks for answers already.

 

[bholder]

You guys broke my heart. Eh, knew it.
I changed the pickups to Seymour Duncan ones and I have to say that they are great. Very creamy tone.

Neck feels sooo good so I'm going to restore this to... Ehm.. To its old fake gloryness.

What Hondo-model it could be?
Thanks for answers already.

 

[Muddslide]

That bridge screams "Hondo" to me, almost certainly a Deluxe, Fame, or Professional Series 830. I'm vaguely squeamish about how familiar I am with these instruments

Yeah, there were many variations of these old Japanese and Korean copies. Some of them have lawsuit headstocks. The bridge on the one in the OP's pic is 100% identical to those I've seen on both the Hondo Professional 830 P bass copy AND the Lotus L700 P bass copy.

Both the Hondo Pro 830 and the Lotus L700 also have identical headstocks, to each other as well as the OP pic. (Minus the fake "Fender" logo of course.)

You guys broke my heart. Eh, knew it.
I changed the pickups to Seymour Duncan ones and I have to say that they are great. Very creamy tone.

Neck feels sooo good so I'm going to restore this to... Ehm.. To its old fake gloryness.

What Hondo-model it could be?
Thanks for answers already.

I got the Lotus version of this bass last year and it's actually pretty impressive. It is by far the heaviest bass I have ever owned, but it sounds pretty darn good and plays well. I enjoy it a lot. I consider it worth fixing up a little to be my backup.

As Bugeyed Earl stated, some of these came with some kind of stock Dimarzio pickups. They are sleepers and can still be gotten for cheap. Some of the later 80s versions can be real junk, but the 70s-early 80s runs MIJ and MIK can range from fairly decent to truly nice. Like you, I dig the neck on mine a lot.

I recently picked up (for $25) an old 70s Lotus brand Strat copy to go with my Lotus P bass. It's got some cheap hardware and rickety electronics, but has a great neck and sounds really good when it's not crackling. I'm gonna clean it up, but I don't think Im going to mod either of my Lotus instruments. Someday I might upgrade the wiring on the bass or something, but it's pretty darn nice as-is and probably not something to sink a lot of $ into (if you are planning to ever get that $ back out of it) or unless you want to seriously upgrade it and make it your #1. Even then, the hardware is pretty deluxe on these. Wiring and pickups are a personal matter. Mine sounds good and thumpy even with strings that may date to the late 70s...

Congrats and enjoy!

 

[Only Onus]

View attachment 567798 View attachment 567798 Hi folks!
Don't know if this is a right place to ask this, but could someone identify this bass?
It may be a Fender-copy but damn the neck feels fine. Better than 2K Fenders I've played.

I scratched logo out and there is a little text next to it saying "Made in USA, sr no. 1"

The "end" of bass neck is not curvy as in other fender basses.

Thanks already.View attachment 567794
Someone painted it violet. Terrible.

 

[Only Onus]

I don't think it's an 830. I know mine has the custom Grover tuning pegs.