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SGC Nanyo club!

B

bigbadbob76

Oct 7, 2010
19
1
Scotland
#1
I've had a search around and there seems to be quite a bit of interest in these so lets see just how many TBers have one and why you have it.
Heres mine-

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It doesn't say made in japan but i'm led to believe all sgc nanyo basses were made in japan, other Bass Collection basses were made in Korea, China etc.
the serial number sticker is missing and theres no s/n in the control cavity. it has Gotoh tuners and seems really good quality for the price.
I have mine cos it's light and slick to play with low action and you can pick em up pretty cheap considering they cost £500ish new in the late eighties.
 
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#2
I have a five sting w\ EMGs (p/j set up) and a four string fret less w\ SGC active PUs (p/j setup) and an exotic wood top. I got the fret less first in a pawn shop about 13 years ago. It's a beautiful bass and I could tell it was great quality; they only wanted $300.00 U.S. for it so I bought it. I found three more on ebay over the years. Another fret less w\ passives (not as nice as my first), a regular passive four and the fiver I use as my main right now. I gave the passive four and passive fret less to my nephew because he is interested and I got those two basses so cheap (yes cheaper than the first fret less), and they are great playing basses, (so he wouldn't be getting excessively fatigued playing them; thus burnt out on playing). Last I checked in on him, he loves them. I recommended he upgrade the PUs to EMGs when he saves his money up.
I love my Nanyos. My fiver sounds great; weighs less than any of my other basses; and also since my last set up, plays just as well, If not better than my 1992 modulus Q6. (I know I might catch some grief for admitting that I am playing this instead of a modulus, but this bass just suits me better, right now)
Anyway that's my Nanyo story for right now. I'll post some photos when I get a chance.

\m/
 
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#3
Hi all

I have this beastie (see pic), s/n 883756, and I quite like it but can't find the model number anywhere - not under the truss rod cover on the head or under the electronics cover either... anyone any ideas from the s/n? I gather the 88 means the year it was made.

The jack socket is knackered (new one on order) and I don't like the electronics much, although it's an active preamp - I've been looking at replacing them with the emg p5j set as they fit right in but don't have a spare 140 squids - however, as a bass it's quite fast, light, comfortable and has a good tone unamplified. I paid 180 quid for it in about 1995.

Elsewhere (basstalk) I notice people have stripped theirs back to the timber, anyone else been game to do this?

roto jazz 77 LE strings any good for this? Never used them but they have good reviews for flatwounds, and this is a fretless after all

thx
 

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#5
Big Bad Bob,

Cool that you just recently started this thread.
Spring has sprung 'round here and I'm motivated to snap a bunch of bass photos. Outdoors too.

That sunburst Nanyo really looks great!
All the guitar shows I've been to in the Northeast US and Midwest in the past fifteen or so years,
I've never seen another Bass Collection.

Why do I have mine? Hmmmm. I bought it on a whim when I saw it in a used guitar place a long time ago.
Yeah it was cool and funky and all. But I'm more into my Rics and old Fenders.
The BC has that same modernized P-J sound that a whole bunch of I-been-hads, Jacksons, and no-names have.
That sounds kinda harsh. Sorry. I hardly ever play it now.
But I recently made it a point try to rotate through the basses I haven't played in a while.
And yeah it's pretty sleek and cool looking and I did enjoy getting reacquainted with it.

ad-nanyo002.jpg
 
#10
Hi all, new to this forum though I've searched it many times.

How bout this one? Ebay find years ago, originally purchased in Miami by ex Martha Reeves bass player while on tour after his bass was stolen. (yep, shipped to me from Motown)

Does anyone know about the electronics on these? I find the j pickup really buzzy and am contemplating solutions. It is active and I haven't tried yet to determine see if pickups will function as passive. Thanks.

Dave
 

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#13
hi everybody,
I bought this one in 1994, it is a SB 315 fretless.
Excellent bass, light weight, really fantastic neck, I never regret I bought it and will always keep it!
Funny way though as the Gotoh tuners were set...
 

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#14
I have a similar 5 string fretless as the one from Achille, in the post above.

Differences are: mine has gold colored hardware, stripes as fretmarks, no sloping on the back of the head.

It says "made in Japan" on the electronics cover.
Excellent bass, worth more than what u pay for it.
I think I bought mine in 1996, in the Netherlands.

It was one of two basses in this version that was imported
in my country, so it is quite rare.

The only weak point seem to be that the pot-meters wear out
once every couple of years and need to be replaced, which is not
an easy job on this particular instrument and therefor quite costly.

I am having it refit with passive electronics, as this is what my favorite luthier
recommended. Fretless and passive electronics go hand in hand he says.
I never use any of the low and high boost on it anyways, because I like the pure sound it has. It is an excellent instrument for creating different tones by using your fingers in a different way, so that's how I shape my tone.. not with EQ.
 
#20
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I have seen a few of these basses pop up for sale in the past, and then discovered this thread. I think they are one of the hidden gems on the used market. Since I am always on the hunt for a great deal, I started to keep an eye open for one.

Lo and behold a cherry burst Bass Collection 4 string showed up on the guitar Center used site. No photo was posted, so I called the store and spoke to a manager and requested they send me some info and photos. I checked my e-mail later that day, and was surprised to find a SGC Nanyo SB 301 in absolute pristine condition. I called the store right away and paid for the bass. Price paid was $59.99 with a new gig bag included.

This thing plays like a dream and sounds great to boot!
 
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