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Raven bass guitar?
- Thread starter hublocker
- Start date
Raven guitars was the house brand of Great West Music in Vancouver from the late 1960s to mid 70s. Most were made at the Matsumoku factory in Japan, while it's sister brand Mann was made at the Fugigen Gakki factory. For all intents and purposes the Ravens are the same as Arias of the time and the Manns are Ibanez. A store in my town sold both back in the 70s. The Manns were generally considered a bit higher quality and were only sold in music stores, while the Ravens were also sold through some smaller department store chains. The Manns I've seen have been more consistent in quality whereas I've seen some nice Ravens and some pretty mediocre ones. I suspect some Ravens were made elsewhere than at the Matsumoko factory. But overall they are pretty nice.
I have a Mann EB3 copy bass that is absolutely beautiful and sounds great. It had to have a little bit of work done as it is a 50 year old bass. I had it gone over by a good tech and everything that needed to be fixed was fixed. Over time wiring comes loose, gets corroded etc. I would suspect that is the issue with the OP's basses and not the pickups themselves.
I have a Mann EB3 copy bass that is absolutely beautiful and sounds great. It had to have a little bit of work done as it is a 50 year old bass. I had it gone over by a good tech and everything that needed to be fixed was fixed. Over time wiring comes loose, gets corroded etc. I would suspect that is the issue with the OP's basses and not the pickups themselves.
Thanks for the reply MakoMan.
I posted the original post years ago under another name. I'm back on with my current handle becauue I got a new computer and couldn't figure out how to get back on with my old name.
There was a single pickup bass similar to yours locally last week in a package deal with a Peavy Strat-style guitar and an amp all for $100 but with Covid 19 I didn't dare to go look or try buying it even though it was in walking distance of my place.
Anyway... My two Raven "sort-of" Jazz bass copies each have two of those pickups just like your bridge pickup. I've been given to understand after considerable Internet surfing that that these are "Fauxbuckers" and actually single coil pickups.
I have another Japanese import; a Les Paul copy purchased around 1975 at the Guitar Cellar in Vancouver. I'm certain that it is another Great west Music import, possibly from Fugigen Gakki. It is branded "JWalkers" which the store claimed was their own brand with extra windings on the pickups. Whatever. It served me well.
I posted the original post years ago under another name. I'm back on with my current handle becauue I got a new computer and couldn't figure out how to get back on with my old name.
There was a single pickup bass similar to yours locally last week in a package deal with a Peavy Strat-style guitar and an amp all for $100 but with Covid 19 I didn't dare to go look or try buying it even though it was in walking distance of my place.
Anyway... My two Raven "sort-of" Jazz bass copies each have two of those pickups just like your bridge pickup. I've been given to understand after considerable Internet surfing that that these are "Fauxbuckers" and actually single coil pickups.
I have another Japanese import; a Les Paul copy purchased around 1975 at the Guitar Cellar in Vancouver. I'm certain that it is another Great west Music import, possibly from Fugigen Gakki. It is branded "JWalkers" which the store claimed was their own brand with extra windings on the pickups. Whatever. It served me well.
Keeping this thread alive! Another Raven, spotted in the wild. Just picked up this fine specimen in Chilliwack BC today. Haven't even plugged her in yet! I'd love to learn more about interpreting the Serial number. From what I've gathered so far, I suspect early 70's, identical to the Aria model presented on this wonderful resource, here: Aria Fender Bass Copy Guitars – The Guitar Gallery
Two raven fender jazz copies slipped through my hands. I live on Vancouver Island, and couldn't convince a buddy to pick one up in Salmon Arm for me. Another popped up on Facebook Marketplace in Nanaimo a couple months ago, ... gone in nanoseconds. Poor soul didn't realize what he had, it was scooped up for chump change.
These are my 1968 Raven and Kawai Teardrop Semi-acoustic basses. They were made by Kawai in Japan and imported by a host of importers under various brand names like Tele-Star and Winston.
TD
TD
Your '68 Raven and Kawai Teardrop Semi-acoustic basses, ... absolutely beautiful. Very rare I expect. (Just spotted a Raven on Kijiji. It is in Edmonton, Alberta. 260 clams local p/u only.)
I just picked up this beauty, generously donated to a 10 year old musician in my kid's band. I am absolutely jealous and am reluctant to hand it over!!! . It's such a great vintage instrument. I hope he appreciates it!
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Another Raven short scale sighting in St. Albert, Alberta Canada. It is hard to convince sellers to ship. However, I had a good experience with a concierge service it Ottawa. They handled the transaction, from paying the seller to arranging shipping. The seller believe it or not, packed the guitar in a Fender box for them. Will post when it arrives. It is a Matsumoku "stencil" branded bass, virtually identical to a Raven Jazz Bass. Still looking for a Raven Jazz bass, ... just sayin'. (NB. The pix are the St. Albert bass geetar.)
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One of my bass students is looking for an electric bass and was asking about this purple Raven she found. I'm guessing it's not from the olden days of Raven, but rather something much newer? Can anybody tell me anything about this bass? And compared to the Squire besides it, which instrument is better?
Looks like an Ibanez (Cor-Tek) product and possibly active with Vol/Bal/Treb/Bass controls
That logo is killer. What a fantastic first bass for that young musician, I hope he was thrilled. Did the strings buzz at all on the bridge pickup? One of these days, I might get around to shimming the neck, and picking that bridge up a bit more..
Greetings:
Recently, I decided to learn bass, so I ended up with a Raven for $99, and it came with a nice molded ABS case. Other than this forum, the only other one I've seen is currently listed at Music Go Round, Duluth, GA-similar to the purple one above. The pic is from the GC listing, which appears to have removed a tuner along with the background.
Recently, I decided to learn bass, so I ended up with a Raven for $99, and it came with a nice molded ABS case. Other than this forum, the only other one I've seen is currently listed at Music Go Round, Duluth, GA-similar to the purple one above. The pic is from the GC listing, which appears to have removed a tuner along with the background.
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