Looking for a 4 string bass that came out in the mid-1980s

MonkOfBass

MonkOfBass

Nov 25, 2024
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#1
I had this bass I bought from a friend in the mid-1980s. I sold it in the late 1980s and am trying to find it again. I really liked the tone and the feel of the neck. But cannot remember much else (make model, etc). Hope someone here might know what it was.

Here's some things I do remember:

Probably came out in the mid 1980s. Not a high-end bass
Four (4) string
Passive electronics
Natural wood with a gloss finish (light colored wood)
Humbucker pickup (like stingray) by the bridge and j-pickup by the neck
Neck had the plastic white sides on the fingerboard (like a 1970's jazz bass)
Picture of control knobs (see below). I think there was four knobs in total



KNob.jpg
 
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#2
I definitely recall seeing knobs of that style on a Cort bass I ran across in the mid-'80s, but I'd be a bit surprised if they were brand-exclusive.

Good luck in the hunt, though! :thumbsup:
 
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#3
I don't know, sorry.

Here are a few more questions that could help others narrow it down:

Tuners all in a line or on opposite sides of the headstock?
Fretboard dark or light wood? Were markers dots, blocks, other or none?
Neck bolted to body?
Truss rod end exposed at head or heel of neck?
Pickguard? If so describe it as best you can?
Pickups have exposed or hidden poles?
Bridge plate is bent sheet metal (like a classic Fender)?
Strings mounted to bridge or went through bridge and body?
Output socket on side or front?
 
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#4
I don’t think your recollection can be very accurate. You described the pickup combination on a MusicMan hum bucker combined with a Jazz single coil. The first to do that, as far as I know, was Lakeland, and they didn’t start making basses till the mid-90’s. There have been several that copied that pickup configuration since…but I don’t know of any commercially available before that.
 
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#5
ardgedee said:
I don't know, sorry.

Here are a few more questions that could help others narrow it down:

Tuners all in a line or on opposite sides of the headstock?
Fretboard dark or light wood? Were markers dots, blocks, other or none?
Neck bolted to body?
Truss rod end exposed at head or heel of neck?
Pickguard? If so describe it as best you can?
Pickups have exposed or hidden poles?
Bridge plate is bent sheet metal (like a classic Fender)?
Strings mounted to bridge or went through bridge and body?
Output socket on side or front?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Here's what I can recollect.

Tuners all in a line
Fretboard light wood with dots
Neck bolted to body
No Pickguard
Pickups have exposed poles
Strings mounted to bridge
 
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#6
MIMike said:
I don’t think your recollection can be very accurate. You described the pickup combination on a MusicMan hum bucker combined with a Jazz single coil. The first to do that, as far as I know, was Lakeland, and they didn’t start making basses till the mid-90’s. There have been several that copied that pickup configuration since…but I don’t know of any commercially available before that.
Click to expand...
Warwick was doing it in the 80s. Pretty sure Lakland even said their bass was based on the Dolphin.
 
#7
I'm sorry,
it was I who put a laugh emoji on your post.
I try to not be too annoying online, but I've had a few beers, and this is amusing to me.
I've got a bin of random knobs with a few of those in there. I think that a lot of factories used that knob.

Anyhow, I think that Aria 'Thor Sound" (likely other models) Hondo, Cort? plus many more companies used that knob in the late 70s / early 80s.

As far as I know, no other company did a Stingray shaped pickup in the 80s, so don't let that thought steer your journey.
 
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#10
DanAdams said:
I'm sorry,
it was I who put a laugh emoji on your post.
I try to not be too annoying online, but I've had a few beers, and this is amusing to me.
I've got a bin of random knobs with a few of those in there. I think that a lot of factories used that knob.

Anyhow, I think that Aria 'Thor Sound" (likely other models) Hondo, Cort? plus many more companies used that knob in the late 70s / early 80s.

As far as I know, no other company did a Stingray shaped pickup in the 80s, so don't let that thought steer your journey.
Click to expand...
Since you mentioned Hondo, I found this and think the style of the body is similar. I remember the radius of the neck was a bit bigger and thicker feel

View attachment IMG_2867.webp
 
#11
Carvin? I’d imagine it was a mod or custom as the J/MM or J/TJ configuration didn’t really come in until the Warwick Dolphin in late 80s and the Lakland basses in the mid-1990s.

Maybe an SD Curlee?
 
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#14
Close ? P/up fits your description but no jazz p/up

www.guitarcenter.com

Used Vantage Used Vantage Avenger Black Electric Bass Guitar Black | Guitar Center

For greater savings check out our Used Vantage Used Vantage Avenger Black Electric Bass Guitar and get a great deal today!
www.guitarcenter.com www.guitarcenter.com

From an old ad description
"1985 Vantage Avenger electric bass guitar. Made in Japan (Matsumoku factory, right before they closed). Single Omega humbucker with volume and tone controls. Sounds similar to a MusicMan bass,"
 
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#16
lowplaces said:
Close ? P/up fits your description but no jazz p/up

www.guitarcenter.com

Used Vantage Used Vantage Avenger Black Electric Bass Guitar Black | Guitar Center

For greater savings check out our Used Vantage Used Vantage Avenger Black Electric Bass Guitar and get a great deal today!
www.guitarcenter.com www.guitarcenter.com

From an old ad description
"1985 Vantage Avenger electric bass guitar. Made in Japan (Matsumoku factory, right before they closed). Single Omega humbucker with volume and tone controls. Sounds similar to a MusicMan bass,"
Click to expand...

It's close and I do now remember it had a switch. It's been so long my memory is pretty fuzzy on it, but I though there was four knobs and had a switch.

I wonder if the product catalogs for these manufactures have been scanned in somewhere, then I could go through them

As far as the years:
~19881989 - I bought the bass from my friend
~1987-1988 - he had the bass (maybe before that but not too much longer).

I'm deducing that the bass was probably made mid-80s, someone bought it, went to a used music store, my friend bought it. Unfortunately, I lost contact with him, or I'd ask and see if he remembers
 
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#17
burgerdj said:
Carvin? I’d imagine it was a mod or custom as the J/MM or J/TJ configuration didn’t really come in until the Warwick Dolphin in late 80s and the Lakland basses in the mid-1990s.

Maybe an SD Curlee?
Click to expand...
Definitely not a Carvin. I'll check on the SD Curlee. My very vague recollection is it wasn't a big name brand
 
#18
MonkOfBass said:
As far as the years:
~19881989 - I bought the bass from my friend
~1987-1988 - he had the bass (maybe before that but not too much longer).

I'm deducing that the bass was probably made mid-80s, someone bought it, went to a used music store, my friend bought it. Unfortunately, I lost contact with him, or I'd ask and see if he remembers
Click to expand...
If you bought it used it's possible a previous owner had modded it.

The most comprehensive archive of guitar catalogs I'm aware of is on the Guitar Compare site. It's not complete though.
 
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