Profile brand bass guitars - any info?

[TC2112]

I just snagged this cheapie bass from a goodwill auction. I bought it as something to play around with and mod, plus if that sweet maple neck is in good shape, it's a good looking guitar.

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about "Profile" brand guitars. A Google search and a TB search both turned up zilch, plus "profile" and "bass" in a search engine gets you pointed to neck shapes, headstock designs, and all sorts of other discussions besides what I was looking for.

The headstock looks very much like the old SX headstock, but the truss rod adjustment is down at the heel of the neck. Do cheaper made Chinese guitars do this? Is this thing possibly Japanese?

Here's a few pics. sorry they are a bit crappy, but it's not in my hands yet so these are from the goodwill auction site.

 

[shmoo!]

funny i posted this question a while back and no one responded either...i too have a profile sillhouette bass guitar made in japan and it's about 15- 20 yrs old...i put seymour duncan quarter pounders in it and it is the best feeling bass i have played in a long time....even some higher brand makes don't compare...dunno what to tell you but i love mine..

 

[Getaway Driver]

looks quite heavily rusted. The string tree isn't doing any good either. Could be a gem, but it looks like it'll take a lot of polishing.

 

[TC2112]

Cool - I was hoping Profile was one of those off brand Japanese copies. They are usually pretty good instruments. It may take some work and new electronics, but if the neck is good, I'll be happy

 

[shmoo!]

yep...i put new volume and tone pots in mine too...mine is a fender p-bass knock off made in japan.

 

[Anthbass]

Can't give you much info but I had the same bass with the exception of a rosewood board. It was my first bass, and I think it cost about $150 (in 1988). I had it for about 3 years and then traded it off on something that looked more 'metal' and less 'country'. I wish I had it back. Enjoy yours.

 

[mattsimac]

Hey there, I bought a brand new Profile Silhouette bass in the late 80's. I knew nothing about basses, but I bought it because it was black! As luck would have it, it turned out to be a great bass. Made in Japan, it's a very good (one of the best) fender 'p' bass copies. The only thing I have done to it is replace the pickups with di marzios a few years back. Let me tell you how good it is.... I never really rated it as a serious bass for years, because it wasn't a real fender. About 6 years ago, I bought my dream bass, a Rickenbacker, which I love. Because my band has a permanent practice room, one day I thought I'd drag the Profile out of the cupboard and leave it in the band room as a practice bass. So after 5 years of Rickenbacker, I played the profile again. And I loved it! It felt great, it sounded great and it was a dream to play. I couldn't believe that a Japanese copy bass from the 80s could out perform a $3,000 USA made bass. I still gig with my Rickenbacker because it looks so cool (and isn't that what it's all about) but the Profile is always there as a backup. I have since purchased a Stirling Musicman Ray 34 which is just awesome, but that is, as they say, only played in church on Sundays.... So to sum up, the Profile Silhouette 'P' bass is a very very good quality bass, fender quality without the fender price tag.
cheers
matt

 

[mattsimac]

ps, I meant to mention that Profile made a 'Black Magic' range as well, which I have heard some not so good things about. Stick with the Silhouette range. They also made 6 strings, I have a tele copy too, and it is every bit as good as the bass.
matt

 

[TolerancEJ]

When I was younger, I've seen/played Profiles. As I remember, they were, in general, low cost entry-level models. Around the same time, Series A were also prevalent in the same budget category. I read somewhere which I have not yet confirmed, that Profile was also part of the Matsumoku group (i.e. Aria, Vantage, etc).

 

[harvey minchau]

Howdy
From what I've learned just recently, Profile guitars were ordered out of Australia. Some Australian music company (I have heard an unsubstantiated rumour that they may have been called "Allans Music") sent over some nice American made Fenders to a factory in Japan, they "profiled" them, and made (on the average), very nice copies.
Which Japanese factory, I havn't yet been able to find out, but even here, "down under", most people have also never heard of them.
Good luck.
the
harv

 

[AphekGreg]

Yes they were an Australian brand. Introduced somewhere around '83/4. There were different models and series. The original vintage series Silhouettes were great Japanese instruments. Latter there were some very cheap models. I've seen guitar versions of those, but not basses. The Black Magic series were ok. Ugly, in my opinion, but still pretty good instruments.

I think it might have been Australis Music that commissioned them. I actually know a guy who was involved in their creation.

I used to own a nice Profile P copy, a Strat and Tele. A guy I know who owns a lot of basses, including early an '70s Fender J and 4/5 string Laklands, picked up a Profile P bass a couple of years ago and it's pretty much all he plays now.

 

[Davef1953]

I still have a Profile Silhouette which I bought in 1986. Made in Japan. Black. I replaced the pickups with BassLines 1/4 pound P-bass pickups in 2009. Plays Ok, but has an annoying earth problem so have to touch the strings to stop the hum; not sure if its the pickups or the jack

 

[NymbassOZ]

Just put in a detailed rave about profiles but it just dissappeared - bugger.
FYI In brief they were MIJ for Dynamic Music in Australia from roughly '82 - '87.
I worked there through this period.
Top model in MIJ's is Vintage (made to exact 59 specs), followed by the standard Silhouette (later specs).
Later models were a Gold Top LP and then a Thunderbird looking bass (really good bass) and a Charvel looking strat.
Also the Black Magic mentioned which is a matt black - budget model.
All poly finish, great guitars, crap pickups except for the Thunderbird and Charvel looking ones.
Made in the same factory as Squiers until Charvel bought up all the production.
Then brand was MIK - these were called Vintage models but are rubbish - ply bodies etc.
Enjoy your Profile finds.
I would never sell my Pbass Vintage fretless (Black with rosewood board, replaced pups with Harmonic Design) or my Shadows pink Vintage strat (replaced pups with Benson '62 handwounds)

 

[FRY2144]

just manged to get myself one of theses had one when they first came out paid £150 in the mid 80s a super bass then lent it to a friend while his stingray was being fixed he liked it a lot would use it as a back up then i found love & sold it (what a pillock i was then)
now i have got my first love back again one of the best basses around

 

[timobee4]

I also managed to grab one of ebay, as a second bass at first but now I'm having second thoughts! I absolutely love playing on it finding it hard to put it down. It has the same ironed on fretboard as my original 62 fender jazz that was stolen some years ago this bass has fantastic neck and great old pickups I wanted to change at first but no way. Perfect as it is. I'd be changing only the tuners and happy days! PJ configuration lovely sound. Very tempted to make it fretless and I truly reckon that my current fretless Fender Jazz will end up under the bed. Anyway if you see one I strongly recommend getting it. They 30+ years old, reasonably cheap but boy they sound and play great!

 

[timobee4]

View attachment 396849
Nice little bass!

 

[Trav84]

Hi there, my parents got me a Japanese made Profile Black Magic bass guitar back in 1999 as a first bass when I was in Highschool (see pic), It was purchased for $195 at Cash Converters, I have had it for 16 years now (just pulled it out tonight for the first time in about 5 years) I absolutely love this guitar, It buzzes when I touch the strings and I had the bridge fixed when I first got it and the bridge is on a slight angle now and a bit awkward but it is such a good bass to play, I was told a few years after I got it that it is rare and worth around $1200 (which I doubt) but I would love to know as much as possible about this bass and how much it may be worth. I am surprised to read that people think this bass is ugly, I think the matte black and the red pinstripe around the pickguard is quite cool, I used this bass in a heavy metal band and although the pickups weren't the best quality, It looked a lot more metal than a Fender P.bass would have. I have a few other basses (Yamaha RBX300, B.C. Rich Beast NJ Series) and I keep this one put away in a bag because it is quite old and sentimental. If anyone has any more info on Profile Black Magic basses, I would love to know more, Thanks

 

[Soz]

While this is an old thread, I must reply. I obtained my first Profile Black Magic Bass about 25 years ago and it pumped from the start. Adding brass Badass and Grovers with 105 strings, it's been my main bass for all that time. A nice growl and easy attack. Best thing, for recording and live it can produce brilliant hot P-Bass straight through a desk with no compression or gating. Loverly!!! I found another a year and a half ago and straight from the courier box.., same as the other one. This time, Gotoh Bridge and Grovers and a mirror scratch plate.., think the mighty Phil Lynott.
I have a number of Fender P-Basses and a Tele Bass. They're all great ( with similiar setups, hardware and a great technician to do the intonation etc ), but the Profiles are magnificent. The pickups punch, but I'm just about to put quarter pounders into the 'Lynott' bass.
I understand that they did a Black Magic Strat and I'm looking for one of those. And so....,
If you are someone that would like to let your Profile Bass or Strat go to a great home.., please let me know via this forum.
Also.., I'm interested in the history of these axes.., what's theh Aussie connection? Import, build? Aren't they Japanese?
I look forward to ypur comments.
Soz from Byron Bay NSW Oz

 

[Soz]

I just snagged this cheapie bass from a goodwill auction. I bought it as something to play around with and mod, plus if that sweet maple neck is in good shape, it's a good looking guitar.

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about "Profile" brand guitars. A Google search and a TB search both turned up zilch, plus "profile" and "bass" in a search engine gets you pointed to neck shapes, headstock designs, and all sorts of other discussions besides what I was looking for.

The headstock looks very much like the old SX headstock, but the truss rod adjustment is down at the heel of the neck. Do cheaper made Chinese guitars do this? Is this thing possibly Japanese?

Here's a few pics. sorry they are a bit crappy, but it's not in my hands yet so these are from the goodwill auction site.

View attachment 1542649
View attachment 1542650
View attachment 1542651

 

[Soz]

My latest baby with a full Phil Lynott jobby done with Gotoh and Grovers. The Profile Black Magics are ( for me) ultimate passive machines and I'd like to acquire more if anyone has them. Fear not on the Fender logo.., I'll never sell these guys, it's a cosmetic thing ( and makes them sound better!). I'll take your advice on Quarter Poundersd. Thanks everyone. I'll get back to you all when time permits.
Soz