NBD: Possible Vintage Lotus Bass!

[Raw N Low]

So over the weekend I got a call from a friend who got a bass through a trade he made and decided he didn't want it. (He's a guitar player) and he said that he was having a garage sale and I needed to come by and check it out. Said he need $80 to take it off his hands. I was a bit reluctant to check it out thinking it was a starter pack or just a cheap bass I really didn't need.

Well when I got there I was floored needless to say by the looks of this Lotus bass. I've never seen one in this color not to mention with a matching headstock. This one is bridge through and the neck is killer!!! I can't find any info on this bass when it was made or anything. I plugged it in and the pots are garbage and I'll need to change 'em. The passive sound is really awesome on this bass. I really wanna say it's a late seventies bass by the looks of the bridge. Not bad for the money. Does anyone have any info on this?

Excuse the picks I was in a hurry.

 

[Pilgrim]

Looks very decent - and pots are cheap!

Is the neck wide side to side, but thin front to back? I have what I think is a de-branded Lotus in my stock o'basses. Pretty decent bass - nice neck, laminate body.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Interesting headstock. Almost looks like a Hondo or Hondo II...Other Lotus' I've seen have a more 'hawks-beak' like headstock (pffft! Like an SX URSA!).

The bridge looks very much like the one on my [now fretless] Washburn B-20 Stage. The solid brass and string through body adds to the tone.

The only thing I'd object to is cream p'up covers. If it plays nice and sounds nice then it is nice. Well done, you.

 

[Raw N Low]

Looks very decent - and pots are cheap!

Is the neck wide side to side, but thin front to back? I have what I think is a de-branded Lotus in my stock o'basses. Pretty decent bass - nice neck, laminate body.

I would probably say it's your typical P-bass neck. The polished maple makes it a really quick player. I have a few P-J basses ones even with a Pbass body and this is my first Precision only bass. I love it's simplicity.

 

[Staccato]

Congrats on your bass 'find'!

 

[KramerBassFan]

Made in Japan.

Early 80's most likely.

Matsumoko axe i do believe...

 

[Raw N Low]

Made in Japan.

Early 80's most likely.

Matsumoko axe i do believe...

Wow, I heard that they were made between the 70's and 80's in either Korea or Japan. How did you find the info?

 

[cbyrd2200]

I collect Lotus instruments, that one right there is from the Mid 70's made in the Matsumoko factory. The defining feature of the 70's Lotus' is the flower UNDERNEATH the Lotus logo. These are also the rarest Lotus Instruments.

All of mine have the flower in line with the logo. These were made in the late 70's early 80's in the Cort factory in Korea, the same as all the old school Ibanez models.

In the mid to late 80's and 90's until Lotus' disbandment, they moved production to the Samick factory in Indonesia and dropped the flower from the headstock. These instruments are (IMO), the lowest quality Lotus instruments you're going to find (not to say that they're bad!). These guitars have non-contoured slab bodies similar to Ibanez RG's and a ridiculously thin neck like the Ibanez wizard profile. I'm pretty sure this was Lotus' attempt to compete with the 80's rock scene that made Ibanez popular.

Also, String through body makes ZERO impact on your amplified tone. That's like saying that the tuners and string tree on your instrument also affect the amplified tone.

 

[cbyrd2200]

How did you find the info?

Dissection and analysis of the instruments supplemented with a couple of high connected phone calls and shop visits.

 

[imabeatlesfan]

I used to have one of these. A friend of mine baught it brand new in the mid 80's. I got it off of him a couple years later. It wasn't a bad bass. Unfortunately, I traded mine in on a different bass.

 

[gregoire1]

My first bass was a blue Lotus. I regret selling it and still look for it at pawn shops and CL.

 

[bolophonic]

Sweet! I found that same bridge for dirt cheap in the classifieds and put it on one of my Precisions. Great find for $80.

 

[Muddslide]

I realize this is an old thread but I stumbled upon a Lotus p-copy today at a local pawn shop and I think I'll end up taking it home. They were about to close when I went in so I didn't plug it in, but though it weighd a ton it felt really well constructed. Played it unplugged and it felt good. Aside from color, it's identical to the candy apple red one the OP posted. The one I saw is sunburst (matching headstock) with a black guard and pup covers. Same bridge, same string tree, same logo. It had a very late-70s vibe to it. It was taken care of pretty well but I really want to be sure about the neck...the action was a tad high. Due to time I didn't get to inspect it too thoroughly...the neck may be a bit bowed or twisted. I have a neck from an old SX P-copy I could try out on it I guess...

I'm excited because I've been broke for so long (even though I work my butt off) and I haven't had a bass in a while. Miss playing terribly...

I was hoping to find an Epiphone Ripper bass but if I can score this Lotus P cheap it'll
be just fine with me.

 

[JIO]

I realize this is an old thread but I stumbled upon a Lotus p-copy today at a local pawn shop and I think I'll end up taking it home. They were about to close when I went in so I didn't plug it in, but though it weighd a ton it felt really well constructed. Played it unplugged and it felt good. Aside from color, it's identical to the candy apple red one the OP posted. The one I saw is sunburst (matching headstock) with a black guard and pup covers. Same bridge, same string tree, same logo. It had a very late-70s vibe to it. It was taken care of pretty well but I really want to be sure about the neck...the action was a tad high. Due to time I didn't get to inspect it too thoroughly...the neck may be a bit bowed or twisted. I have a neck from an old SX P-copy I could try out on it I guess...

I'm excited because I've been broke for so long (even though I work my butt off) and I haven't had a bass in a while. Miss playing terribly...

I was hoping to find an Epiphone Ripper bass but if I can score this Lotus P cheap it'll
be just fine with me.

good luck!

 

[Simper-Glover-Hughes]

I realize this is an old thread but I stumbled upon a Lotus p-copy today at a local pawn shop and I think I'll end up taking it home. They were about to close when I went in so I didn't plug it in, but though it weighd a ton it felt really well constructed. Played it unplugged and it felt good. Aside from color, it's identical to the candy apple red one the OP posted. The one I saw is sunburst (matching headstock) with a black guard and pup covers. Same bridge, same string tree, same logo. It had a very late-70s vibe to it. It was taken care of pretty well but I really want to be sure about the neck...the action was a tad high. Due to time I didn't get to inspect it too thoroughly...the neck may be a bit bowed or twisted. I have a neck from an old SX P-copy I could try out on it I guess...

I'm excited because I've been broke for so long (even though I work my butt off) and I haven't had a bass in a while. Miss playing terribly...

I was hoping to find an Epiphone Ripper bass but if I can score this Lotus P cheap it'll
be just fine with me.

Looks like I might be picking up a Lotus P bass copy, one of the 'rare" ones , white in color. Really looking forward to comparing it to the other ones I have, sound wise. I had a SX bass. Never again. I saw a vid on youtube that showed a guy with a wall of basses and he compared his SX with jazz, P, Squier and a few more....the SX in the vid sounded great. I ordered one. No tone, whatsoever. Traded it at a loss. Love the older P bass copies.

 

[Bugeyed Earl]

A few months ago, I picked up a de-branded and refinished bass that's probably a Hondo or Lotus, looks identical to the OPs Lotus and many Hondos I've seen. Mine has a solid wood body and is a pretty decent player.

 

[Muddslide]

Earl, I do so love that white Lotus of yours.

As you say, it could be either a Lotus L700 or a Hondo 830...

 

[Muddslide]

Looks like I might be picking up a Lotus P bass copy, one of the 'rare" ones , white in color. Really looking forward to comparing it to the other ones I have, sound wise. I had a SX bass. Never again. I saw a vid on youtube that showed a guy with a wall of basses and he compared his SX with jazz, P, Squier and a few more....the SX in the vid sounded great. I ordered one. No tone, whatsoever. Traded it at a loss. Love the older P bass copies.

Good luck and post here if you get it! Mine is real fun to play. Decent bass. Sounds good but the E and A strings are quietet than the D and G.

I am slapping some new strings on it soon and will look at adjusting thr pup height on the north side to see if that might fix it.

 

[Muddslide]

I put these pics up on a similar thread, but I'm going to do it again here. Heck, someone someday might find this to be invaluable research material!

The first three pics are of a Hondo Deluxe Series 830 P copy. The next three are of a Lotus L700 P copy. Both are, I imagine of a similar vintage (which I believe to be roughly 1977 - 1979) and clearly look to have been produced in the same factory.

The Lotus is more or less identical to the one I own.

 

[bholder]

Made in Japan.

Early 80's most likely.

Matsumoko axe i do believe...

Yeah, them one of those factories around there. Interesting, and massive, for the times, bridge design, I don't know what Fender was using at the time, but this looks impressive.