Ancient short-scale Epi bass. What is it?

[Bassthang]

I've had an Epiphone bass guitar for years. It was bought by my Dad for my birthday (back in 1979 - a long time ago!). I got a Rickenbacker 4001 a few years later though, and never looked back! Recently though I started playing it again, as it's much more portable, and I find myself humping lots of other gear to rehearsals these days. The only problem is, I can't find out what it is! I think it's actually a bass version of an Epi guitar.

 

It's a red solid twin offset horn strat/jazz shape, short-scale neck, single boxed 3-way selector switch, vol & tone pots. Dot markers on the fretboard. Very low tension on the strings, which is difficult to work with, but allows for some great vibrato effects.

For a picture, see http://www.johnpierpoint.com/images/epibass.jpg. It may date from the 60s or early 70s.

 

Note that the pickups have been replaced with those off my Rick (originals were weedy single-coils with large rectangular chrome covers), the bridge was originally a horrible tinny 2-saddle job, and the small switch next to the jack has been added (by me, but I can't remember why now though). Scratchplate is transparent bevelled perspex, painted black on the back with pearloid Epi logo inlay. It used to have a damper over the bridge (hence the screws) which was totally useless. I'm currently trying out ways to fit the original pickup covers over the Rick pickups. Or I may see what other pickups I can fit instead.

 

Does anyone have any ideas? I can take some more pictures of the missing bits if it helps.

[RobinTheHood]

The image wont load. I get a webpage error.

[Freuds_cat]

Here ya go BassThang:

 

[Guest]

I've had an Epiphone bass guitar for years. It was bought by my Dad for my birthday (back in 1979 - a long time ago!). I got a Rickenbacker 4001 a few years later though' date=' and never looked back! Recently though I started playing it again, as it's much more portable, and I find myself humping lots of other gear to rehearsals these days. The only problem is, I can't find out what it is! I think it's actually a bass version of an Epi guitar.

 

It's a red solid twin offset horn strat/jazz shape, short-scale neck, single boxed 3-way selector switch, vol & tone pots. Dot markers on the fretboard. Very low tension on the strings, which is difficult to work with, but allows for some great vibrato effects.

For a picture, see http://www.johnpierpoint.com/images/epibass.jpg. It may date from the 60s or early 70s.

 

Note that the pickups have been replaced with those off my Rick (originals were weedy single-coils with large rectangular chrome covers), the bridge was originally a horrible tinny 2-saddle job, and the small switch next to the jack has been added (by me, but I can't remember why now though). Scratchplate is transparent bevelled perspex, painted black on the back with pearloid Epi logo inlay. It used to have a damper over the bridge (hence the screws) which was totally useless. I'm currently trying out ways to fit the original pickup covers over the Rick pickups. Or I may see what other pickups I can fit instead.

 

Does anyone have any ideas? I can take some more pictures of the missing bits if it helps.[/quote']

 

Made in Japan by Matsumoku (Aria) c.1972 model number( originally on the first 1971 models it was 1802T) ET-280. Value: <$200 .

[Bassthang]

Wow - that's a quick response folks! Many thanks to Iconoclast for the info. That explains why I couldn't find any reference to it on the web. Strangely enough I have another Aria instrument (it's a mandolin, you can just see the edge of it in that photo)!

At least I know now that there's little value to it, and therefore no harm in me messing with it. Some active pickups are called for methinks!

I've since found mentions of the model on sites like Harmony Central, and a lot of folks seem to like it.

 

So last night I took it along to a rehearsal instead of my Rick 4001. See www.dusk-music.co.uk/gallery for some pics (there's that Aria mando too!).

Amazingly, it sounded quite good through the big Peavey amp they had at the studio. More amazingly, the other lads in the band loved the sound, and want me to use this bass in future (up to now I've used the Rick and a fretless Jazz).

 

Due to the low sting tension, I could bend the stings a lot, to add plenty of vibrato and other expression. The downside was that it was a bugger to tune up, with lots of backlash on the machines, and only a slight turn making a huge difference - and it fell out of tune easily.

 

So the next thing I need to do is find some replacement machines that will look as close top the existinmg ones as possible, but have a better gear ratio and less backlash. Does anyone have any recommendations?