Not at the moment, but I found the exact model (the TUNE website is a nightmare to navigate). It's a TWB-4 classic in highgloss metallic purple, pretty much guaranteed MIJ (he sent me a pic of the serial number and a sticker on the electronics cavity that reads "made in japan").
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Official TUNE Club
- Thread starter user362432
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Hell yeah then, get it! Those are great instruments.
Will love to see pictures of it too. The serial number is stamped, not printed, right?
Will love to see pictures of it too. The serial number is stamped, not printed, right?
Here it is, as I said it's a TWB-4 classic in highgloss metallic purple for 360€. I'm not a huge fan of the colour but it's certainly unique and very well done. The ebony on the fretboard is pretty damn nice, a really deep black and you can barely see the wood grain. Frets are very good, bridge, mechanics and trussrod work fine, the tuning mechanics also seem to be of very nice quality. The sound works for me, and you can obviously shape it in extreme ways with the 18V pre-amp and EQ. I love the neck, very slim and even though it's painted it doesn't feel sticky, very interesting.
I think my only gripe with it is that fact that it's active only, I'll maybe add a simple passive switch to it or (as someone else was talking about) turn it passive in the future. I also haven't checked out the trim pots for each pickup yet, but I'd assume they are in the standard position that it comes with because the previous owner barely played it and didn't seem to know about them. Serial number is stamped at the back of the headstock, 6-digit number without any letters.
I think my only gripe with it is that fact that it's active only, I'll maybe add a simple passive switch to it or (as someone else was talking about) turn it passive in the future. I also haven't checked out the trim pots for each pickup yet, but I'd assume they are in the standard position that it comes with because the previous owner barely played it and didn't seem to know about them. Serial number is stamped at the back of the headstock, 6-digit number without any letters.
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Found the trim pots, haven't messed with them yet but I guess there should be information out there on how they affect the character of the bass and what exactly they do (individual pickup gain and mid-frequency selector, I think?). Anyway, very neat electronics compartment, modding also shouldn't be an issue, I'm impressed so far. Even the big names in the guitar world tend to have messy electronics.
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Now that is a lovely bass. Tune in the past did some reverse bursts where red was on the outside and black on the inside; looks like yours is one of those but with purple instead of red.
This picture is from the Korean Tune's website; the preamp is the same at least on the older Tunes. Not sure about the newer Japanese ones but since they both use the GZP2 preamp I'm assuming it's the same.
Enjoy the bass! Got any more pics?
This picture is from the Korean Tune's website; the preamp is the same at least on the older Tunes. Not sure about the newer Japanese ones but since they both use the GZP2 preamp I'm assuming it's the same.
Enjoy the bass! Got any more pics?
The lighting situation is significantly worse now, but I did my best with my potato phone camera. The logo on the headstock is pretty much worn off, but I don't mind. Also you'll have to believe me that the ebony looks stunning in person, just not when you have a flash pointed directly at it. I don't think it's any "-burst" colour, at least when I look at it in person it's all uniform, the reflections in the pics (it's super glossy) just makes it look that way I think. The tuners read "TUNE", although I read that they use GOTOH now, it's probably an older model. Also there's a pic of the serial number at the back, again hard with the glossy finish, but it's definitely 6-digit so it's a japanese model (pretty sure especially with that made in japan sticker at the back). Lovely bass, played it as much as I could today, I absolutely love the neck on it. Just wish it was a 5-string, but at least I have a superb 4-string now.
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Yeah, it's an older model. Pickups are the SWS types that they use only on TWXs now; the newer TWBs have larger EMG sized pickups. I do like the slimmer ones though. Tuners look like either rebranded Gotohs or Grovers, though I'm not sure. I'm guessing Gotoh since they're Japanese.
Try contacting Tune Japan; they might have some more info about the bass.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Try contacting Tune Japan; they might have some more info about the bass.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Mine's identical except for the color, EMG J set. As far as I've seen the P/J basses I see are the Korean ones made by Hatsun. All the 80's Japanese Maniacs I've come across are twin singles, mostly with TUNE in house pickups though the EMG upgrade seems pretty common.
Hello everybody, i need some help , i've bought a beautiful 4 string Bass, the brand is tune technology but i don't know wether it's japanese or korean:
fretless 4 string bass:
neck ?/ fingerboard ebony; length 87cm (34.2)/ neck nut in brass
2 JB Bartolini PUps / 2 vol and one push-pull tone with active system (Bartolini boost?), 1 9V battery / tuner gotoh MIJ fish tail
here are the picts thanks for your posts
fretless 4 string bass:
neck ?/ fingerboard ebony; length 87cm (34.2)/ neck nut in brass
2 JB Bartolini PUps / 2 vol and one push-pull tone with active system (Bartolini boost?), 1 9V battery / tuner gotoh MIJ fish tail
here are the picts thanks for your posts
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From the research I did for my bass it seems like you just need to find the serial number (usually stamped at the back of the headstock). If it is 6-digits without any letters then it's japanese, if it's longer and/or uses letters it's korean.
After a few more days of getting used to it I really dig this bass, as I said the neck is just superb and it's a joy to play. But I also found a few issues. After a lot of troubleshooting it seemed like the grooves in the nut were cut just a bit too deep (or maybe the wood had compressed over time and caused the nut to sit a bit deeper), anyway I popped off the nut and put a shim underneath (a piece of credit card thick plastic), and now (after re-doing the setup and intonation of course) the issues are resolved and it plays extremely well. Still haven't messed with the trimmers, but that's next on the list.
Hi All, - I think I qualify to join the Official Tune Bass Club since I got this Bass Maniac 5 a few weeks ago off CL. I've been obsessively googling and trolling threads (and read all 41 pages of your very informative club thread) to confirm that this is Japanese from the 1980s. I got it for $300, a fair price since it's quite dented and dinged and the bass side of the P pickup is dead. Even so, it's the only instrument I recall owning where there was plenty of room to lower the action below where I like it. I dropped it to the deck largely buzz-free, then raised it again to where I was comfortable. Not a luxury I usually have, the neck on this is superbly playable. This is my first 5 string, and I was looking for something small and well balanced as well as light weight, and this has it all. I think the previous owner(s) didn't appreciate what they had. It has the worst buckle rash I've ever seen on the back where an earlier owner played it (for years?) in a chair with arms, an arm digging into the back above the control cavity. Well, now it's in s nice caring home where the pickup will be repaired and it will be respected for the killer axe it is! I like the sound, although I'm only using the J pickup for now. Also, I swear the fretboard is phenolic resin, it is BLACK without a hint of wood grain. Does anybody know if TUNE used resin or is it just way dark ebony? Sorry for the long post....
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Hey Tune Fans -
I opened up the electronics cavity and I found my official model and serial # !!!
Its is officially a TWB-5 HYB-II WN CN - whatever that is.
I'm thinking early 90's hand made Japanese Tune bass?
If someone has the year for that model and serial #, that would be awesome.
Replaced the electronics with Nordy stuff - amazing difference.
Yea !
I
I opened up the electronics cavity and I found my official model and serial # !!!
Its is officially a TWB-5 HYB-II WN CN - whatever that is.
I'm thinking early 90's hand made Japanese Tune bass?
If someone has the year for that model and serial #, that would be awesome.
Replaced the electronics with Nordy stuff - amazing difference.
Yea !
Hello there. The pots on my Tune Bass Maniac need replacing. I'd like to put a new, replacement PCB in there too. Where can you buy these please? Any links would be much appreciated. Thank you!
@stereo69
tuneguitars
Japanese site is harder to work out but here it is anyway.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
tuneguitars
Japanese site is harder to work out but here it is anyway.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Hey Tune Bass Maniac fans, I've scanned the Japanese BM catalogue from 1985 (I think) and put it up on Dropbox.
I've posted it already on the thread started by ShallowBayXI. For those interested in downloading it, here it is: Dropbox - Tune Bass Maniac Catalogue.pdf
As you'll see in the catalogue, Tune Japan released models with P/J, J/J, P/J/piezo and pure piezo pickups. There's a detailed description of the various configurations on p10.
I've posted it already on the thread started by ShallowBayXI. For those interested in downloading it, here it is: Dropbox - Tune Bass Maniac Catalogue.pdf
As you'll see in the catalogue, Tune Japan released models with P/J, J/J, P/J/piezo and pure piezo pickups. There's a detailed description of the various configurations on p10.
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