Vester precision copy, c1993

[keirensimms]

I have had this beautiful Vester P copy from new - I have replaced the pick ups for better sound, but it has a fantastic jazz like neck, always plays like a dream, and I find it hard to pick my favourite between this and my Fender P bass!

Does anyone else have a Vester? If so, what are your experiences of the products? I have done some research into the Vester history, etc (which is also very interesting). Also, has anyone else found bass-love with a 'budget' instrument to the extent that they play it more than their supposedly better quality basses?

Just goes to show, no one can tell you which bass is the right one for you!

 

[Gord_oh]

that is a legit copy.
did a quick search with little to no results, but i have heard the name before...

 

[mmbongo]

I remember Vester from catalogs I think. That's about when I started playing, brings back memories!

 

[keirensimms]

Apparently the copies were so good that Fender got jumpy, took them to court, and the resulting damages put them out of business.

I hated the colour when I first got it as a present (in my goth days!), but now I think its just awesome.

 

[Shawn Luckman]

I remember them here in the UK,they also had a good looking Warwick Thumb copy as well. Another company at the same time called Fexix, did a good line of Fender copies I had the 3TS Jazz.

 

[Hoves]

I have three Vester Basses, two bought off E-Bay and one I found as a wreck in a Cambridge Junk Shop. These guitars and basses are brilliant, they were distributed in the UK by Zildjian UK (yes the Cymbal Maker!!) and as the histroy showed, they ceased production in 1994 after Fender threatened to take them to court over the Logo!!. The models I have are:
Vester Clipper (Warick Thumb Copy) bought from e-bay
Vester Stage Jazz (replaced the pickups with Kent Armstrong 'Sky' JJs, new bridge and electrics!) bought from e-bay
Vester VE1335 5-string (Yamaha copy) found as a wreck in a junk shop - now fully restored, except for a few dinks!
All are fitted with Elixir Strings

PS I also have a Vester 'Sharp Edge' 6 string guitar with Floyd Rose trem system, coil tapping and a fast neck !

 

[CORBS]

Any chance we could see some pictures? I'd like to see the logo they got sued for.

 

[ghostdog93]

Any chance we could see some pictures? I'd like to see the logo they got sued for.

If you click on the attachment in the first post, you can see it pretty clearly.

Here's another one:

I would think the headstock shape got some attention, too.

 

[The Mighty 'V']

I tried one like that in a second hand shop only today (black body, maple neck, white pickguard, black pick-up) - Played like a dream! I agree: The neck's very 'Jazz'. No idea what the pick-up's like as there was no amp around to plug it into. But had a pretty good acoustic sound already! Not a light instrument, though. It was only $250 NZD, which is around $170 USD, I think; Veeery tempted to buy this one!

 

[blacktocomm]

My first bass was a black Vester P/J I bought in 1990. It served me well for about 5 years then I foolishly sold it. It was a well built and fine sounding instrument.

 

[JimmyThunder]

I sure remember their old ads in the guitar mags

 

[The Mighty 'V']

...I have replaced the pick ups for better sound...

I did go back to that place and bought the bass; Nice surprise: It came with a proper, fitted hardcase! Bad surprise however: No sound when plugging it into my amp at home, but a terribly loud hum! (To be honest, I'd had almost expected something like this) It turned out that the output jack needed replacing. And while I was at it, I thought I might as well rewire all of the electronics, just to be sure.

So now it's working, but man, that thing is noisy! Is that why you had replaced the pick-up in yours, keirensimms? I'm going to put a Duncan SPB-1 or similar in mine.

And it looks as though the current, white pickguard isn't the original one; Big gaps around the neck's heel. I've ordered a black one, so this will be my JJ Burnel / Simon Gallup / Phil Spalding 'tribute bass'; black / maple

Cheers, v.

 

[The Mighty 'V']

There you go: My Simon Gallup / Phil Spalding / JJ Burnel tribute bass
I've replaced the original pick-up with a Tonerider 'Precision Plus', the
white pickguard with a black one and shielded all the cavities.

Now we're rockin'!