Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
NBD- Oddball alert.
- Thread starter Paulabass
- Start date
TUNE TJH-51 - 5 String Active/Passive Bass with 35" Scale Ebony Fingerboard - Custom Model
$829 US or $1099 Canadian Dollar
The new TUNE TJH51 is the newest model in TUNE lineup. While sharing the similar body shape to the legendary Hatsun TWB line, everything else is changed to reflect demands of the modern bassist of today.
This bass is available as custom order only, but luckily VSN Guitars was able to obtain 2 out of total of 5 made so far.
Main differences fro the TWB models are:
Alder Body
Ebony Fingerboard with 35" scale
GOTOH Machine heads
Advanced GMP5 active/passive preamps with extended controls
Dual Jazz bass humbucking pickups with alnico 5 magnets
Full Specs:
•3 piece hard maple neck
•Ebony fingerboard
•24 frets
•35 inch scale
•16" Radius
•2 pc alder body
•Matching Headstock
•GOTOH GB350 RES-O-LITE Machine Heads
•Tune CSB5 Quick release high mass bridge
•Tune BTJA5 Dual Jazz Bass pickups
•Tune GMP5 18V Preamp
•Active Mode Controls: Master volume, master tone, pickup blend, Treble, Bass, Hi Middle, Low Middle
•Passive Mode Control: Master volume, master tone, pickup blend
$829 US or $1099 Canadian Dollar
The new TUNE TJH51 is the newest model in TUNE lineup. While sharing the similar body shape to the legendary Hatsun TWB line, everything else is changed to reflect demands of the modern bassist of today.
This bass is available as custom order only, but luckily VSN Guitars was able to obtain 2 out of total of 5 made so far.
Main differences fro the TWB models are:
Alder Body
Ebony Fingerboard with 35" scale
GOTOH Machine heads
Advanced GMP5 active/passive preamps with extended controls
Dual Jazz bass humbucking pickups with alnico 5 magnets
Full Specs:
•3 piece hard maple neck
•Ebony fingerboard
•24 frets
•35 inch scale
•16" Radius
•2 pc alder body
•Matching Headstock
•GOTOH GB350 RES-O-LITE Machine Heads
•Tune CSB5 Quick release high mass bridge
•Tune BTJA5 Dual Jazz Bass pickups
•Tune GMP5 18V Preamp
•Active Mode Controls: Master volume, master tone, pickup blend, Treble, Bass, Hi Middle, Low Middle
•Passive Mode Control: Master volume, master tone, pickup blend
TUNE is one more Far East axe that unfortunately after their heyday in America in 80's never regained a firm marketing presence, no doubt aided by the fallout between the original TUNE company and the Korean-made versions. They are brilliant axes, and one day I really, really hope to have a pair of TUNE fives, a Bass Maniac and the amazing WB5 fretless, both axes that were way ahead of their time when introduced in those days.
Great score PB. Another axe, like your Alembic, that we don't see every day.
Congrats,
JW
Great score PB. Another axe, like your Alembic, that we don't see every day.
Congrats,
JW
Wow...Good job, that's certainly it. Nice bass, that I'm sure sounds pretty awesome too.
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
- 14,723
- 20,970
- Disclosures
- I suck, but nobody really notices
Wow! Thanks for digging this up for me. Seems it's even more of an odd duck than I previously thought.
Those photos are of THIS ONE (tell by grain of back of the neck). Mine finally has strap lock buttons
These specs may have been from the designer, pre production, as this one is definately a compound radius- My flattest gauge is 24" and this is flatter than that at the nut, to 16" at the 24th. fret. The pickups are stamped with the Nordstrand logo and dual-5S in sharpie. I can't find a dual 5S in the nordy catalog, probably made for Tune.
I can sell the pickups and tuners for more than I paid for the bass.
Super nice bass. It's an odd duck for sure as we're all over the place trying to identify it although Tvrtko absolutely nailed it from the beginning. Tune basses remind me of carboard cutout basses because they're so thin from the side, body and neck. Absolutely love them as they're so playable, I'm almost afraid to ask how much you paid for this, sounds like you got a heck of a deal on it.Wow! Thanks for digging this up for me. Seems it's even more of an odd duck than I previously thought.
Those photos are of THIS ONE (tell by grain of back of the neck). Mine finally has strap lock buttons
These specs may have been from the designer, pre production, as this one is definately a compound radius- My flattest gauge is 24" and this is flatter than that at the nut, to 16" at the 24th. fret. The pickups are stamped with the Nordstrand logo and dual-5S in sharpie. I can't find a dual 5S in the nordy catalog, probably made for Tune.
I can sell the pickups and tuners for more than I paid for the bass.
Congrats on your awesome bass.
I think it is one of the kind in existence. Congratulations! Join our Tune club!Wow! Thanks for digging this up for me. Seems it's even more of an odd duck than I previously thought.
Those photos are of THIS ONE (tell by grain of back of the neck). Mine finally has strap lock buttons
These specs may have been from the designer, pre production, as this one is definately a compound radius- My flattest gauge is 24" and this is flatter than that at the nut, to 16" at the 24th. fret. The pickups are stamped with the Nordstrand logo and dual-5S in sharpie. I can't find a dual 5S in the nordy catalog, probably made for Tune.
I can sell the pickups and tuners for more than I paid for the bass.
SO
FREAKIN'
COOL!!!
Love it, Paula... you did good. I bet that thing sounds killer. Back in the day, a local shop had a few Tunes in stock... I made an offer on one, but they didn't take it. Always been a fan of their work.
That bridge is coooooooool! And that color is badass.
Way to go!
FREAKIN'
COOL!!!
Love it, Paula... you did good. I bet that thing sounds killer. Back in the day, a local shop had a few Tunes in stock... I made an offer on one, but they didn't take it. Always been a fan of their work.
That bridge is coooooooool! And that color is badass.
Way to go!
Is it really the same company, or did the Tune name get passed around? I recall them from the '80s and pondered them some...
Original Japanese company went bankrupt. Their Korean supplier did not want to lose it, and since Japanese did not have copyright outside of Japan, they decided to continue. So, they registered Korean company Tune guitar technology and they are doing it to this day. Koreans manufacture all of the parts.
However, Original constructor has registered his small company again and continue to manufacture hand-made instruments in Japan. He, I think, passed away. But, his people continue Japanese production under the name Tune Guitar Maniac, mostly under artist Joshihiro Naruse from Casiopea band (bass player).
Both companies are trying to diversify their production. Japanese company is mostly boutique manufacturer, while Korean company is mostly mass production (even their production is very small and could be also considered boutique manufacturer) and they are not so much in marketing business, except they come to NAMM almost every year, while Japanese Tune is not making such effort. They have, Facebook promotions, mostly in Japanese language. I do try to follow up both of them as much as I can. Some people consider Japanese Tune of much higher quality and I still have to see significant difference between two.
Gebass6 answered this in the previous page. There are now two Tune companies, one in Japan, the other in Korea. Essentially the company split, share some of the same technology and designs. Both make exceptional instruments in my mind.
