Official TUNE Club

[Watchootognbout]

Gbass6, glad you're happy with your twins! Got any sound clips to share?

Have to say, when I saw the pics, I also wondered what the odd things were on the bridge. I understand some don't like the headstock-mounted tuners (which makes me wonder if they've tried the D'Addario NS Micro), but moving to a bridge-mounted metal clip tuner...is not an aesthetic improvement to me. You've got a beautiful combination of wood and gold, further improved by the gold and abalone knobs, then put an ugly metal and plastic tuner on it?

To each their own.

No clips.
Don't know how to do that.

A clip-on tuner doesn't bother me in the least.
It's not ugly.
It ain't pretty.
It just is.

 

[btmpancake]

In a few weeks this baby will be in my lap. A 'Tune GAP 5 Custom 1991

 

[btmpancake]

View attachment 3608324 In a few weeks this baby will be in my lap. A 'Tune GAP 5 Custom 1991

Since things are slowing down around here, I thought I'd take this time to describe a particulars about this bass 'as advertised' from the seller Bass Japan Direct.
A very rare and early model by Tune Japan.

This is masterfully executed with superb hardware, materials and engineering. We are not certain but we think the luthier name is Ryosho Fujiki, and this is also echoed inside the cavity.

It acheives a very low action and sounds incredible with the newly installed aguilar circuitry.

Condition rank: B+ for year. Some minor wear, small pits and dings, overall very good, very clean. Frets at 80%

Body core. Ash

Top and back. Walnut with ebony accents

Neck. 4pc qs maple

Fretboard. Ebony

Scale. 34 "

Pickups. Bartolini humbuckers

Preamp. Aguilar obp3 (modification)

Controls. Vol, bal / ac/pa sw, bass, mid, treb

Three way coil tap mini switches x 2

Weight. 4.1kg

Case. High grade gig bag
NOTE; I paid seller's asking price w/o haggling and they sent me an email giving me a order#, shipping# which is routine but a video on Youtube of 'my' purchased bass being set-up and played. Who does this? Well this is my first overseas order but WOW! Some British guy/owner named Danny Stewart gives a bio/history of his company in Japan dealing in custom, handbuilt, hard to find Japanese models for 15 years in Japan. This is why I took a gamble ordering, but of course anybody can say anything in sales. We shall see if the hype is true. Will check back and tell you about my first overseas order, why I ordered that particular bass when there's so many choices stateside.

 

[kodiakblair]

I thought I'd take this time to describe a particulars about this bass 'as advertised' from the seller Bass Japan Direct.

Few offer a service as good as Danny's.

It's not just that he's in the right place or knows the right people. He understands the thought of sending money overseas puts Americans in a state of fear so makes the process easy and reassuring

I spoke to Danny about sourcing an extended fretless Maniac. Straight away he knew the bass in question but he also knew how rare they were. "Expect to wait a long time for one and expect to pay £??? for it" he said.

I found mine by pure chance ,ending a 30 odd year search. He was bang on regarding the price.

 

[btmpancake]

Few offer a service as good as Danny's.

It's not just that he's in the right place or knows the right people. He understands the thought of sending money overseas puts Americans in a state of fear so makes the process easy and reassuring

I spoke to Danny about sourcing an extended fretless Maniac. Straight away he knew the bass in question but he also knew how rare they were. "Expect to wait a long time for one and expect to pay £??? for it" he said.

I found mine by pure chance ,ending a 30 odd year search. He was bang on regarding the price.

Thanks for the reassuring facts you experience. Just like you, I also was looking for a particular year/model but was hard to find in the USA. I did as much research as possible about the bass, seller's history, overseas customs checks etc. Apparently Danny Stewart's reputation is super great for what he calls a small business that has manage to cut through the politics of selling abroad. I was shocked when he sent an email about giving it a medium action set-up which I liked but would lower it to medium low if I so desired. It's the little things that add up to fantastic customer service that keeps you coming back. P.S. He said 7-14 days max on shipping and can track with provided tracking#. I will ask him what he thinks about those foreign fake Rics over-there once I receive my Tune. Thanks again.

 

[RodRy]

Few offer a service as good as Danny's.

It's not just that he's in the right place or knows the right people. He understands the thought of sending money overseas puts Americans in a state of fear so makes the process easy and reassuring

I spoke to Danny about sourcing an extended fretless Maniac. Straight away he knew the bass in question but he also knew how rare they were. "Expect to wait a long time for one and expect to pay £??? for it" he said.

I found mine by pure chance ,ending a 30 odd year search. He was bang on regarding the price.

Would you treat us to some fresh pics of your unicorn?

 

[RodRy]

Anyone have suggestions as to how I may be able to find a replacement neck with ebony fingerboard for my Bass Maniac?

 

[Samatza]

I play two NTB-4 and 5 string. I've had these over 30 years, very comfortable and they sound awesome.
I need to have both the necks reset now, one is too straight and the other I can't get straight enough but one that's sorted out their good for another 30 years.

 

[kodiakblair]

Would you treat us to some fresh pics of your unicorn?

Sure. I's even the colour I wanted back in 84.

Flanked by my other Maniac and TWB-4Z.

 

[markwrob]

Hello All, new owner of a used Tune 5 string here. Thanks very much to this list I took the leap on a Craigslist posting last weekend. I already love the bass. Here are a couple pics. I wonder if any on the list can help me ID the model. Serial number suggests MIJ 1996. Let me know what y'all think.

 

[markwrob]

Anyone have suggestions as to how I may be able to find a replacement neck with ebony fingerboard for my Bass Maniac?

I have a similar question as @RodRy. My new/used Tune is a bolt-on neck and I'm interested to know if I can find and fit a fretless neck to it. I have 3 other fretlesses (fretli? fretlai?)

And one more: any ideas on the fingerboard wood on mine ( see prior post)? I have viewed pics of about two dozen Tunes but havent seen a fingerboard that light in color.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Watchootognbout]

New gold/abalone dome knobs have been ordered and are on the way.
Plus a coat of Howards Feed 'N Wax is applied.
And the bass is made ready.

 

[RodRy]

Sure. I's even the colour I wanted back in 84.
View attachment 3610640 View attachment 3610641
Flanked by my other Maniac and TWB-4Z.
View attachment 3610642

Super cool! I remember seeing these in catalog form back in the 80s and dreaming that one day I will be good enough to justify such an amazing bass. That day has still not come...

 

[RodRy]

Hello All, new owner of a used Tune 5 string here. Thanks very much to this list I took the leap on a Craigslist posting last weekend. I already love the bass. Here are a couple pics. I wonder if any on the list can help me ID the model. Serial number suggests MIJ 1996. Let me know what y'all think. View attachment 3610825 View attachment 3610826

Didn't we already play this game in the other thread? It looks like the fretboard is an uncoated maple. But hard to tell from just photos.

 

[kodiakblair]

any ideas on the fingerboard wood on mine

Like @RodRy says maple. As for model it's a TWB-Standard.
Photo of the newer model with plain ash body and Hipshot bridge.

 

[RodRy]

I have a similar question as @RodRy. My new/used Tune is a bolt-on neck and I'm interested to know if I can find and fit a fretless neck to it. I have 3 other fretlesses (fretli? fretlai?)

And one more: any ideas on the fingerboard wood on mine ( see prior post)? I have viewed pics of about two dozen Tunes but havent seen a fingerboard that light in color.

Thanks in advance!

And by the way, welcome to the TUNE group! Hope you continue to love that new bass!

 

[markwrob]

Didn't we already play this game in the other thread? It looks like the fretboard is an uncoated maple. But hard to tell from just photos.

@TerribleTim68 gave a good guess in the other thread. I thought I should go to the source to be sure(r). And while I suspected a maple fretboard I havent seen those before. So I wished for confirmation and got it, thanks!

I got no paperwork with the purchase and the PO did not provide the details. So, thanks for the help! The PO did say he bought it in '98 from Bass Alone, a high end bass shop in San Diego that has closed its doors since then.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Well the knobs came in today.........minus one knob!
Ordered five from GC Online.
One was backordered.

So I canceled that one from GC and went to Ebay and ordered the same brand/style of knob from a different source.

Should be here Thursday next week.
I will post pics of them installed.

Then both of my basses will be virtually identical.

 

[RodRy]

Well the knobs came in today.........minus one knob!
Ordered five from GC Online.
One was backordered.

So I canceled that one from GC and went to Ebay and ordered the same brand/style of knob from a different source.
View attachment 3613673
Should be here Thursday next week.
I will post pics of them installed.

Then both of my basses will be virtually identical.

Nice! I just ordered a transparent green bass with gold hardware from eBay, and I think those knobs will be one of my first improvements!

 

[kodiakblair]

I just ordered a transparent green bass

Do you the finish is transparent or the bass is acrylic ?

If it's acrylic, best get yourself a padded strap. Mine weighed 14lbs.