SOLD (New Price: $1500) Bossa BUS6: Japanese Goodness

A beautiful Bossa BUS6 string that's just a real piece of craftwork. I believe these started at around $3,000 when they were new.

Bossa was the brand of Japanese luthier Toshio Setozaki who I believe left the Japanese brand Tone to start Bossa. He no longer builds and I *think* the BUS6 was his last design, a designed-six from the ground up that sounds, plays and sits beautifully.

Sound-wise, I'd describe it as a hi-fi. Very transparent and clear but warmer than my old MTD. Great slap machine.

The top is a beautiful piece of bubinga, I believe, on an ash body. 18mm string spacing on an adjustable black Hipshot bridge and Gotoh tuners with a brass nut. 24 frets on a three-piece maple neck with a cocobolo board, with beautiful abalone fret markers. Weighs in at 9.9oz and ships with a high-quality Gator softshell.


I believe this very bass can be heard in this video:


Trade interests: fretless 5 (or possibly 6 with 18mm spacing or less). If you think you have something really enticing though, don't hesitate to try me. Buyer pays insured shipping, though local pickup is doable as well.

 

Trade interests: fretless 5 (or possibly 6 with 18mm spacing or less). If you think you have something really enticing though, don't hesitate to try me. Buyer pays insured shipping, though local pickup is doable as well.

 

Posting the response to a couple of questions I received.

"After a bit more research, I believe the finish was sanded down-- and rightly so, in my opinion. It feels great, quite similar to my mid-90s Lakland 44-94, if you've ever played one. There's an old BUS6 listing from Ishibashi that appears to show the finish on the back of the headstock was uniformly applied, but also perhaps that it wasn't the most durable as it seems to have worn through on that bass around the second position.

(Bossa BUS 6 Natural [10/27] | Reverb)

The truss rod cover is actually not attached to the bass at all. It appears to be a custom mod where someone took a nice piece of wood, finished it with softly-edges and attached a nub on the unfinished bottom that nestles in the truss rod slot to keep it in place. Easily removed with no issues if the strings are taken off, but a cheeky little design that keeps it in place otherwise."

 

Updated with correct string spacing.