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Official TUNE Club

#721
djscax said:
Now the Big question..

Does a Bass Maniac 6 Strings has ever existed?

I remember when I was a kid playing with my red Maniac 4 string looking at video on MTV feauturing a big funky bassist playing what could have been a red Maniac 6 strings..

is getting me crazy guys..remembering that player and that bass and still never having seen that kidn of instrument on the bay..(maybe it was a Zi Somnus?)

cheers
Click to expand...
I have a 6 string Maniac. Nice bass but string spacing is a little tight.
tune front2.jpg
 
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#725
desymostro said:
Hi folks! I am new in this forum and i am glad there is a tune bass thread!!!
I own this Bass Maniac since a long time, taken by second hand, and i never understand if is a japanese or a korean one! Please someone help me! :D
(in both cases i love it)
Desimostro has shared 1 photo with you!
Desimostro has shared 1 photo with you!
Click to expand...

Hi...can you tell me how old it is? Also are there's any serial numbers on the back? From what I can see in the picture, it looks like the pickups are not the stock one (either MIJ or MIK)- they're EMGs? (can't quite read it). I'm inclined to say it's a Korean one as it looks "newer" than most of the MIJ ones I've seen. It also has 5 knobs instead of the 4 you typically see in most Maniac models MIJ. Speaking of knobs, if the ones on there are the original ones, they look different from the knobs the MIJ Maniacs usually have.

Fretboards on the TWB basses- on the Korean they're rosewood, on the MIJ, they're ebony. I don't think this holds true for the Maniac model as I've seen MIJ Maniac basses that look like they have rosewood fretboards- so sadly, I don't think we can use that to determine the country of origin.
Any info on the back if any would help to identify the country of origin. If the serial number starts with "s" followed by the year, it's Korean.
Also can you tell me the make or stamp on the back of the tuners? That should also help.

Regardless, that's one beautiful bass you have. Congrats!
 
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#726
Maxdusty said:
Hi...can you tell me how old it is? Also if there's any serial numbers on the back? It looks like the pickups are not the stock one (either MIJ or MIK)- they're EMGs? (can't quite read it). I'm inclined to say it's a Korean one as it looks "newer" than most of the MIJ ones I've seen. It also has 5 knobs instead of the 4 you typically see in most Maniac models MIJ. Speaking of knobs, if the ones on there are the original ones, they are different from the knobs the MIJ Maniacs have.
Fretboards on the TWB basses, on the Korean they're rosewood, on the MIJ, they're ebony. I don't think this holds true for the Maniac model as I've seen MIJ ones that look like they have rosewood fretboards.
Any info on the back if any would help to identify the country of origin. If the serial number starts with "s" followed by the year, it's Korean.

Regardless, that's one beautiful bass.
Click to expand...


That is really nice looking rosewood. Love the markings.
 
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#727
Maxdusty said:
Hi...can you tell me how old it is? Also are there's any serial numbers on the back? From what I can see in the picture, it looks like the pickups are not the stock one (either MIJ or MIK)- they're EMGs? (can't quite read it). I'm inclined to say it's a Korean one as it looks "newer" than most of the MIJ ones I've seen. It also has 5 knobs instead of the 4 you typically see in most Maniac models MIJ. Speaking of knobs, if the ones on there are the original ones, they look different from the knobs the MIJ Maniacs usually have.

Fretboards on the TWB basses- on the Korean they're rosewood, on the MIJ, they're ebony. I don't think this holds true for the Maniac model as I've seen MIJ Maniac basses that look like they have rosewood fretboards- so sadly, I don't think we can use that to determine the country of origin.
Any info on the back if any would help to identify the country of origin. If the serial number starts with "s" followed by the year, it's Korean.
Also can you tell me the make or stamp on the back of the tuners? That should also help.

Regardless, that's one beautiful bass you have. Congrats!
Click to expand...

Hey Maxdusty - I'm curious as to what other basses in your collection compare to the quality of build / feel the Tune bass has?
 
#728
InnerBass said:
Hey Maxdusty - I'm curious as to what other basses in your collection compare to the quality of build / feel the Tune bass has?
Click to expand...
I've sold most of the basses-just keeping a few. One of the ones I'm keeping is my "beater" bass in my user pic to the left. It's a very inexpensive Ibanez Talman. Great sound on these basses for the money.
Other basses include ones that I anticipate will be difficult to find or replace- I have a Riverhead Spector prototype bass, it has a little finish damage but the bass is amazing acoustically speaking. Modeled after the Spector NS2, this prototype was Riverhead's attempt at getting the contract from Spector to produce basses in Japan. Brass nut, Alembic electronics inside, Badass bridge and it's so well made. Riverhead basses were high-end basses in Japan back in the 80s and 90s, the parent company now goes by a different brand - Bacchus. Riverhead came out with the Unicorn (headless), Phantom, and Jupiter (a Spector-ish type bass) among other models. I also have a handmade "Mr. Potato" bass- strangest name or brand for a bass- used to be made by a rather eccentric individual at his store in S. Korea. Very well made bass, great sound, albeit an odd choice for a brand name. I won't see another one of these I'm sure. I'm also keeping a headless bass because I was a teen in the 80s and always wanted a headless. Not a Steinberger but a Hohner- I don't like actually playing on headless basses that much..ha ha.. so it's really a decorative piece more than anything. I have an Ibanez Ergodyne EDA900- really love the shape-not an expensive bass by any means, but one basically came my way and as time progresses, these will be harder to find. It has the soapbar pickup and also the piezo under the bridge. I had a MIA Fender JP-90 and a MIJ Ibanez SR800. There's a thread on these hidden gems, the older SR800s. Often mistaken for the budget Ibanez models and often mistakenly priced as such, these were Prestige class basses of their day selling at $800-1000. Active preamp and pickups, graphite reinforced necks, great sound too. I always keep an eye out for these at pawn shops.
Attached is a pic of my Riverhead bass.
100_0348.JPG
 
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#729
That's a nice looking bass. I've seen the vids on Bacchus and I was wondering how they compared with Tune/STR and the like.

I'm really diggin' the 5 string journey.

I have some gear I need to sell so I can pick up one more really nice 5'er that can cop more of there vintage tone/feel than the Tune - but with a 24 fret 34" scale.
 
#730
takatori said:
I've been doing research myself and I can't really find a bass that looks similar to that one. It only has 3 knobs, most of the Tune Bass I saw has 4 or 5 knobs.
So how do I identify if its Japanese or Korean? What I can tell though is the owner is an old guy 60's I guess. Could that mean maybe that bass belongs to 1st Gen or early basses of Tune?
Click to expand...
That looks like a Zi II or III which were Japanese. Never saw a Korean copy of those or the GAP series.
 
#731
InnerBass said:
Here she is - absolutely amazing instrument.

It was sold to me as a Japanese Tune TWB-53, late 90's, mahogany/walnut/ebony/3 pice maple. Black pinstripes in the center?

Not sure if the toggles were installed post production?

It doesn't matter, I'm falling hard.

I'd love some feedback from any Tune experts.

Like I said, I've tried many name brand/boutique 34" scale 5 string basses and yesterday became the owner of a Tune - who knew!

And I still can't find a serial #....custom?

Love me some Tune.

Oh, and do I get a number? : )

Cheers fellow Tune owners !


BTW - that photo of the red Maniac bass keeps showing up - don't know why.
Click to expand...
That's a TWB Hybrid. I have a 6 string. One toggle locks the position of the pickups wherever you have them balanced. The other is a coil tap, guess single or humbucking.
 
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#733
Maxdusty said:
Hi...can you tell me how old it is? Also are there's any serial numbers on the back? From what I can see in the picture, it looks like the pickups are not the stock one (either MIJ or MIK)- they're EMGs? (can't quite read it). I'm inclined to say it's a Korean one as it looks "newer" than most of the MIJ ones I've seen. It also has 5 knobs instead of the 4 you typically see in most Maniac models MIJ. Speaking of knobs, if the ones on there are the original ones, they look different from the knobs the MIJ Maniacs usually have.

Fretboards on the TWB basses- on the Korean they're rosewood, on the MIJ, they're ebony. I don't think this holds true for the Maniac model as I've seen MIJ Maniac basses that look like they have rosewood fretboards- so sadly, I don't think we can use that to determine the country of origin.
Any info on the back if any would help to identify the country of origin. If the serial number starts with "s" followed by the year, it's Korean.
Also can you tell me the make or stamp on the back of the tuners? That should also help.

Regardless, that's one beautiful bass you have. Congrats!
Click to expand...

Hi Maxdusty i really don't know how old it is...i take it by second hand more or less 10 years ago. Pickups are not the original ones, this are EMG, and the previous owner add also a 5th knob on the body. There is no serial number and i think also the tuners are not the originals (not sure but there is nothing written on).
 
#736
fruitlabor said:
I finally got the Tune bass. Nice. Very well build, good feel. Has anyone ever changed the preamp? I like it. But it is going to take a little to tweak it. Very unique.
Click to expand...

I have the original pickups/preamp as well. I've adjusted the 3 filters inside the battery compartment and it's still real high endy.

Everything is still stock on it - I'm pretty sure the batteries are the original ones as well.

I'm, seriously considering changing out the whole thing, as long as I can return it back to original if I want to - with no battle scars.

Anyone have any ideas? Mahogany with a walnut top and a maple neck, ebony board.

Not really looking for a vintage sound - just one that's appropriate fore the instrument, but that is a bit smoother.

I'm also wondering how those toggle would work with a different set-up.

I would appreciate suggestions!

I'm going to take it to Mike Lull and have it done and would like to have some info before I go.

Thanks everyone!
 

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#737
InnerBass said:
I have the original pickups/preamp as well. I've adjusted the 3 filters inside the battery compartment and it's still real high endy.

Everything is still stock on it - I'm pretty sure the batteries are the original ones as well.

I'm, seriously considering changing out the whole thing, as long as I can return it back to original if I want to - with no battle scars.

Anyone have any ideas? Mahogany with a walnut top and a maple neck, ebony board.

Not really looking for a vintage sound - just one that's appropriate fore the instrument, but that is a bit smoother.
Maybe you can have the toggle that locks the pan pot changed to active passive if that's possible.
I'm also wondering how those toggle would work with a different set-up.

I would appreciate suggestions!

I'm going to take it to Mike Lull and have it done and would like to have some info before I go.

Thanks everyone!
Click to expand...
 
#738

Yeah, these original Tune pickups are active only. They just have too much high end for me.

I really need to switch them out but I'm wondering what would actually fit in there without carving it up, for starters.

Love the way it plays - neck is perfect. Just needs a bit of a smoother preamp/pickup combo, not necessarily less aggressive.
 
#740
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