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Show Your SOVIET Basses - also, some GAS advice needed

Soviet Basses, Good Idea?

  • Total voters
    70
#23
Dradder said:
You gotta admit, you'd be considered a real rock star if you showed up on stage with one of these:

i-1.jpg


http://www.cheesyguitars.com/tonika_bass.html
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I think I saw that bass advertised on the "Worker & Parasite" show.

Worker_and_Parasite_by_spacecoyote.jpg
 
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#26
At one time I collected guitars from Russia they were quirky, inexpensive and looked cool hanging on a wall since then I've noticed some of the prices have been creeping up which is funny because they really are an acquired taste I only have one guitar left from that collection because it was the least terrible. :)
 
#29
My very first bass was russian, don´t know the model or brand....all I remember it was 3 colour burst. The electronics were buzzing like....., the hardware was crap, it weighted a ton.... I gave it to a friend of mine and never heard of it anymore. I would love to have it back...you know, my first bass.
 
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#30
Emanuel Apascaritei said:
My very first bass was russian, don´t know the model or brand....all I remember it was 3 colour burst. The electronics were buzzing like....., the hardware was crap, it weighted a ton.... I gave it to a friend of mine and never heard of it anymore. I would love to have it back...you know, my first bass.
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Really? The pics make these basses look totally unplayable… The ugly colors don't help. Sure, I'm American, but I spent a great Easter with a wonderful Russian family of musicians in NYC one year in the early 90's. All the kids could play something (violin, piano, singers, etc.). I felt like the Russians had a better love of music than we Americans. I get why they came to America, now. Much better instruments! They also had real film of the homeland that they showed me on a wall in the children's bedroom. I had a blast as the whole family seemed to be artist of some sort.
fnord!
 
#32
Soviet\Russian basses are the most unplayable and ugly looking stuff I've ever tried. I'm Russian and I was born in USSR so I am legible to speak:) I've had one at school time for just a little while until I could find something more adequate like Czech-made Iolanas and Teslas. These were a bit better but still a crap. Once I bought my first Ibanez I've never looked back since....after I bought my first Spector I realized that Ibanez was just a starter :)
 
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#35
Bigmuffdiver said:
If you played music during the USSR-era, you were deported to the goelag... or so I heard..
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No. I played music and lived in USSR. If we go further to specify the sort of music than I can say if you played rock music you could be pressed by propaganda and soviet mass media which most commonly resulted in public offences but nothing serious. But if you sang songs with anti-sovietic content you could put yourself in jail for sure.
 
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#36
anton72 said:
Soviet\Russian basses are the most unplayable and ugly looking stuff I've ever tried. I'm Russian and I was born in USSR so I am legible to speak:) I've had one at school time for just a little while until I could find something more adequate like Czech-made Iolanas and Teslas. These were a bit better but still a crap. Once I bought my first Ibanez I've never looked back since....after I bought my first Spector I realized that Ibanez was just a starter :)
Click to expand...

My dad told me how crappy Russian instruments were, were the wah wahs poopie too? He always told me about them but not their quality.
 
#37
I was lucky enough to do a semester of College at Lenigrad Polytechnic in 1990. Just before the walls fell.....As anyone from the former CCCP can tell you it was a crazy time. I collected watches, ( mostly raketa....all fell apart) pre revolution coins and artifacts ( totally against the law to posses) and art. I was in the Soviet Union before hard currency was allowed. I was able to fly across the country for 3 dollars. I could have bought 100 basses for 150 dollars if there was a way to get them out!!

i saw many shows and performances while there.....the best bands played western gear.

You cannot imagine how powerful dollars were on the black market in a country with modern technology for the most part and corruption at EVERY level. Madness.....I had 1000 dollars to spend in 12 weeks and the entire economy was geared for a salary of 10 dollars a month!!!!!! I have so many great stories.....and pictures. Madness.
 
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#40
ferdinandstrat said:
My dad told me how crappy Russian instruments were, were the wah wahs **** too? He always told me about them but not their quality.
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I haven't heard about wah wahs made in Russia. Do you mean this modern AMT Electronics stuff or something made in 20th century? They only assembled EHX Big Muffs in the city I lived, those old green "Made in Russia" ones.
 

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