early
1957 Fender Precision Bass - a beautiful old P-bass, with
characteristics of both the original 1951-54 model and the 'modern' post-June
'57 model. Both body and neck dated March 1957, and serial number is -20072.
Body professionally refinished more than 20 years ago, now ageing beautifully.
Original hardware. These are VERY rare and ultra cool basses! 3.6 kilos
of pure Mojo! Comes with Fender tweed case - went to Geoffrey
1950s
or '60s Hoyer bass - be different!! This is one super-quirky,
very individual bass. Very rare, very interesting, very cool, and in very
bad taste! - went to Dan
1960
(approx) Teisco BA-2 semi-acoustic short-scale bass - delightful
time-capsule short scale bass which looks and plays great! - went to Lorenzo
in Italy
1960s
Italian-made Crucianelli Elite fretless teardrop bass - yes,
a very interesting instrument that both looks amazing and could be a lot
of fun. The bass has been professionally de-fretted, which, with the fully
hollow body, sounds very close to a double bass when amplified - went
to Ken
1960s
Aria Violin (Beatle) Bass, in perfect collector's condition
with OHSC (serial 2146340) went to Geof
1964
L-series Fender Precision Bass - in original Custom finish
Candy Apple Red. A stunning 2-owner bass, in incredible condition, and
totally original in every tiny detail, right down to the original case
with its 2 keys and strap in the pocket! Was on sale at The Bass Player
in Sydney (before it folded) at $27,000, and comes with a written valuation
from Jacksons Rare Guitars of $29,990 - went to Dayna in the USA
1964/5
National Newport bass - now here's something different for
you lovers of Retro! This bass also had its moment of fame on a film clip
by The Angels! Extremely original, lightweight, and with just a 25 inch
scale, but sounds awesome! - went to Lorenzo in Italy
1965
Vox Phantom Mk IV Bass, white, original and rare!! - went
to Connecticut, USA
1965 Maton Mastersound MS1100 Bass, in the most characterful,
vintage-vibe condition you could imagine!! - went to a collector in Melbourne
1966
Fender Jazz Bass - if you are looking for a genuine, collector-grade
1960s vintage Fender Jazz Bass, move quickly on this one, as it is only
being offered for sale for a limited time before I withdraw it and add
it to my personal collection! Dead original in all respects, and comes
with OHSC - went to Billy
1966
Hofner 500/1 Beatle bass - a very original and low-mileage
example with the highly-regarded 'staple' pickups - a beautiful vintage
bass! Comes with OHSC - went to Chris
1966 VOX Wyman 'teardrop' bass, in fantastic condition -
totally restored by Australia's best, comes in original vintage hard case.
- went to Geoffrey
1967
Guild Starfire bass - a very original and low-mileage example
of a bass that is surprisingly important in the development of bass in
Rock music. Fantastic sound, looks, playability and investment potential,
and with the coolest original case! - went to Martin
1967
Maton Sapphire semi-acoustic bass - model 402/4, in glorious
under-the-bed condition. This is a very early example - serial 265 - and
Maton records indicate only 60 of these original 1967/8 models were made.
It comes complete with its original case and strap! - went to Richard
in The Netherlands
1968
(approx) Maton El Toro Bass - a beautiful example of this
highly-collectable and distinctive model from Maton. Very rare, with only
45 ever made! Comes with OHSC - went to Ken
1968 Hofner "Beatle" bass, a great old original!
Great investment and player in one - went to Byron
1968
Fender Telecaster Bass, awesome with OHSC (serial 236095)
- went to Richard in The Netherlands
1968
Fender Jazz Bass, one owner since 1971! Body was refinished
back in the late '70s, but otherwise gloriously original and complete.
Comes with OHSC - went to Dave
1968
Maton L-101 Lute Bass, one very cool limited edition (102
made) semi-acoustic bass from Maton. Changed tuners for tuning stability,
but otherwise dead original and in great condition! - this bass sounds
awesome through the Goldentone
18" piggyback! - went to Greg
1969
Fender Telecaster Bass - Telecaster Basses are my favourite
Fender bass model, and are effectively Fender's first 're-issue', as
they are almost exactly the same as the first Precision Bass Leo designed
and started producing way back in 1951. This is a very original example,
and displays plenty of very cool play wear and ageing. Case is an earlier
'60s non-logo Fender tolex case - went to Billy
1969
Fender Jazz Bass - this will definitely be one of my favourite
gigging basses until it sells! Street cred by the truckload, and playability
and sound to die for. Aftermarket pickups fitted by the previous owner,
but I have to admit they're damn good! - went to Martin
1969
Ampeg Dan Armstrong clear lucite bass - this would be one
of the best of these very rare short-scale plexiglass basses in existence.
Early build number D757A, fantastic condition, and with OHSC - went
to Norman in Chicago, Illinois, USA
1970s
Kasuga Japan lawsuit copy of a Rickenbacker® 4001® bass
- a very rare instrument, with MIJ quality and attention to detail.
Get the looks of the real thing at a fraction of the cost, and it's
super-cool and collectable in its own right! - went to Greg in Canada
1971
Fender VI bass - a very, very rare instrument in absolutely
superb original condition. Sold new in Melbourne from Clemes Musical Services
in Russell St, still in its mint Aussie Stamford case, with original manuals,
documentation, strap, tremolo bar, bridge covers and mute - went to Jason
1971
Fender Precision Bass in Sonic Blue! - a beautiful lightweight
(just 3.9kg!!) bass from the very early '70s which still displays '60s
characteristics. Aged and slightly faded refinish in Sonic Blue, awesome
tone and playability. Pickups are original October 1966!!
Replacement pickguard. Comes with HSC -went to Byron Luiters, and it's
since been his favourire recording and gigging bass
1972
Maton B-250 Goldline (Telecaster®) Bass, I've been looking
for one of these for years - there were only ever 66 made - and then uncovered
two in Sydney! This one - serial number 30 - is in a translucent walnut
finish, and is in the later dual-cutaway body style. All dead original
and in good condition, in OHSC - went to Phil
1973
(approx) Ibanez 2387B bass - super cool 'lawsuit era' Flying
V bass made in Japan by Ibanez. Looks amazing, sounds great! Dare to be
different! Comes with worn OHSC - went to Tony
1973 Fender Telecaster Bass series II - seriously
cool and seriously solid, thumping bass from its Seth Lover humbucking
pickup. These have been a real sleeper, but players and collectors alike
are now realising what a great bass these Tele Basses are! Comes with
tweed hard shell case - went to Russell
1975
Fender Precision Bass - a nice low-mileage Fender P-bass
in original custom Black finish. Has an absolutely glorious Rosewood fingerboard.
Owned by previous owner for 30 years, but for last 20 years sat untouched
in her wardrobe! Comes with '67-'72 Fender hard shell case and original
Fender strap! - went to Tony
1975
Fender P-bass in factory custom Dakota Red - a very interesting
bass, as it was factory-fitted with full Schaller hardware throughout!
Awesome output from the adjustable-pole p'ups, and Schaller/Hipshot D-tuner
on the E string - went to Simon
1975
Rickenbacker 4001 stereo bass - a beautifully original example
of a truly grouse bass. Original 4001 basses are very hard to find, and
this is a corker. Complete with its very tidy OHSC - went to Nigel
1975
Maton BS Sullivan bass - a very, very rare bass which preceded
the legendary JB4 bass from Maton. Barry 'Big Goose' Sullivan was a huge
part of Australia's Rock and Blues heritage, and Maton issued just 25
of these basses in 1975. This is serial 007! Comes with OHSC - went to
a collector in Sydney
1976
Ibanez 'lawsuit' copy of a Rickenbacker 4001® bass -
a fantastic example of why the 'lawsuit' guitars from Japan are now so
sought after! - went to Tony
1976
Fender Precision bass in exceptional condition. Original
factory custom Fiesta Red finish makes this beauty stand out. For 20 years
this bass has sat in its case in a wardrobe. Comes with vintage Aussie
Stamford hard case - went to Billy
1976
Gretsch 7605 Broadkaster bass - a stunner, in as-new condition
despite its 30+ years of age. With original documentation and mint original
case - went to Wayne
1976
Fender Precision Bass - this is an extremely low-mileage
and dead original '70s vintage Fender bass. Virtually no play wear, no
fading of its original Sunburst finish, and a nice light weight for a
'70s Ash-bodied P-bass. Perfect for either the musician or investor! Comes
with original owners handbook and OHSC - went to Graeme
1976
Gibson Thunderbird Bicentennial bass, only made in 1976,
reverse body, 34 1/2" scale, all original except input jack. Case,
2 pickups, pickguard with red & blue Centennial Thunderbird figure,
3-point adjustable bridge/tailpiece, and vintage sunburst finish all original
- went to Nigel in Cornwall in the UK
1976
Fender Precision bass in beautifully aged original factory
custom Olympic White finish. In glorious, gently 'reliced' condition -
went to David
1977
Fender Precision Bass - Just one very careful owner since
1977, when his father bought it for him as a gift in Austin, Texas. He
brought it to Australia when he emigrated, and the bass has been barely
played since. Stunning condition, and comes with its OHSC, all case candy,
period curly cord and strap, and even the owner's original instruction
books!- went to Graeme
1977
Gibson G3 bass - an extremely well-kept and original example
of the G3, with the optional Maple body adding to the punchy sound of
the single-coil pickups. Comes with OHSC - went to Mitch in New Zealand
1977
Gibson G3 bass - these awesome basses powered early AC/DC,
Green Day and ELO! Three single-coils wired in humbucking configuration
give these great Gibsons heaps of punch; you will LOVE the sound and playability
- went to Rod
1977
Aria Pro II lawsuit copy of a Rickenbacker® 4001S (Paul McCartney)
bass - left-handed, in mint, NOS condition is this stunning
MIJ lawsuit copy of a Rickenbacker® 4001S bass as played by Paul McCartney
in The Beatles days. Ridiculously accurate copy, made from top-grade tonewoods
and with legendary Japanese workmanship. Comes with OHSC - went to Neil
1977
Fender Precision Bass - the famous Fender P-bass needs no
introduction, having powered probably 90% of popular music since its inception
all those decades ago. The '70s vintage Fenders are shooting up in value.
Comes with a brand new HSC - went to Graeme
1977
Greco lawsuit copy of a Fender® Jazz Bass® - this
Made in Japan (MIJ) Greco Electric Bass is a superb copy, using great
quality Ash for the body and Maple for the neck. You'd swear this was
a vintage USA guitar, except for the name! 4kg weight, awesome looks,
playability and sound. Grecos from this era are amongst my favourite instruments!
- went to Geoff
1977
Ibanez 'lawsuit' copy of Fender P/J bass fitted with EMGs
- a delightful and professionally and sensitively upgraded lawsuit era
bass which is gorgeous to look at, to play, and to listen to! Original
Olympic White finish is ageing beautifully, and active EMG pickups have
been professionally installed. Comes supplied with HSC - fantastic performance-per-dollar
- went to Kim
1977
Ibanez 2609B Black Eagle bass - very individual bass which
has a bit of a cult following. Nirvana's bassist, Krist Novoselic, used
one, and so can you at this price! went to Daniel in Sweden
1977
Fender Jazz Bass, The best, most mint vintage Fender Jazz
Bass we've ever seen. Resplendent in original factory Olympic White with
white neck binding and white pearl block inlays - STUNNING! Comes with
mint OHSC - went to Norman, then resold at Jacksons for a premium!
1978
Greco lawsuit copy of a Rickenbacker® 4001® bass
- this must be the best example of arguably the most accurate of the 'lawsuit'
Japanese copies in existence. Faultless, mint condition, and stunningly
accurate. Extremely collectable! Comes with OHSC, which is also mint -
went to Gus
1978
Fender Precision Bass Olympic White - a very cool vintage
Fender P-bass in one of my favourite custom colours - Olympic White! Comes
with OHSC, and written valuation from Jackson's Rare Guitars - went to
Steve
1978
Aria Pro II lawsuit copy of a Fender® Jazz Bass®
- a fantastic 'lawsuit' copy from the Matsumoko factory. In stunning condition,
and extremely playable, collectable and affordable! - went to Chris
1978
Fender Jazz Bass - this is a player, with bucketloads of
street cred. Bargain-basement way to get into owning and playing a '70s
vintage Fender bass, and it looks cooler than anything on the planet!
Pickups are later replacements (previous owner advises they are Fender
American Standard), and bridge seems to have been replaced by a correct
pattern item as well (as the saddle adjustment screws aren't rusted solid!).
Comes with OHSC - went to Ron
late
1970s MIJ Fernandes 'lawsuit' P-bass® - a really nice
bass, made at the height of the 'lawsuit' copy era by a highly-regarded
Japanese manufacturer. Great looks, playability, weight and tone from
the Ash-bodied, Maple-necked beauty. Very low miles, and comes with its
original and extremely rare black tolex plush-lined case!- went to Kim
1980
(approx) Tokai Jazz Sound - early 'lawsuit' Tokai instruments
(pre-1982) are becoming legendary as their qualities are appreciated.
Stevie Ray Vaughan himself realised back in the early 1980s! This is a
collector-grade Jazz Sound (1960s Fender® Jazz Bass® copy) which
comes with its OHSC - went to Tom
1980
Greco copy of Rickenbacker® 4001® bass - an amazing-sounding
bass, with Seymour Duncan humbuckers and high-grade electronics. Extremely
high-quality 'lawsuit' copy from the height of the lawsuit period, but
with amazing period mods that make this bass sound like nothing else!
Amazing tone, and super-cool looks and playability - went to David
1980
left-handed RS-924TVI Ibanez Roadster bass - a great low-mileage
example of a great model.Awesome quality right through, and switchable
passive or active operation. Comes with OHSC - went to Paolo in Italy
1980s Maton JB-4 bass - just after we sold 'old faithful'
(see here) we were offered another JB4
- almost identical. Slightly later build (mid '80s), has 'studio' option
of additional balanced output jack. With OHSC -went to Martin in New Zealand
1981
Maton JB-4 bass with interesting history and OHSC (serial
472) - went to a collector in Brisbane
1981 twin-neck 4/8 string bass MIJ by Tokai for Hondo. This
is in mint condition .Made in Japan by Tokai for the Hondo Corporation
in 1980/81. It comes in its original case. U.S.-made Dimarzio pickups
are standard equipment. - went to Ryan
1982
Gibson Ripper bass - these are rippers in every sense of
the word! Extremely versatile, giving tones from thunderous bass through
to quite delicate 'quacky' tones. This example with factory Ebony finish
(with Ebony fretboard) dates from the last year of production - went to
Richard in the UK
1982
Maton JBIV (JB4) bass - these are fantastic basses, which
rarely come up for sale because the owners simply hang on to them! P/J
pickup configuration and awesome construction, tonewoods, hardware and
electrics make these extremely usable basses.! Comes with OHSC - went
to Chris
1982 Maton JB-IV bass!! - yes, another one! Modified back
in the '80s with active EMG pickups, and a doubling of the Jazz® pickup
to even up the balance. A truly awesome player's bass with tone and playability
that will not disappoint!. With OHSC - went to Phillip
1984
'Leo Fender' era G&L L1000 fretless bass (son of Musicman)
- These fantastic basses were the next progression in the evolution of
the Fender Bass after Leo left Musicman, where he designed the legendary
Stingray bass. The L1000 was the first bass Leo designed after founding
G&L in the late '70s, and is often referred to as 'son of Musicman'.
Great selection of passive sounds, beautiful FRETLESS bass with Ebony
fingerboard and resonant Mahogany body, totally original and in OHSC -
went to Matt in Sydney
1987
Greco 'lawsuit' copy of Gibson® EB-3L long-scale bass
- a beautiful example of a great 'lawsuit' bass guitar from the Golden
Age of Japanese manufacturing - went to Vernon
in New Zealand
1990
Greco Japan 'lawsuit' copy of a Rickenbacker® 4001® bass
- in well-played but good condition. Greco made some of the best 'lawsuit'
copies in Japan, and this bass is a corker. Comes with HSC - went to Derek
in New Zealand
1990
Gibson Thunderbird IV bass - by far the most highly desirable
and collectable bass model ever made by Gibson. This 1990 example is super
tidy, all-original in its original case. Dynamite sounds and looks - went
to Thaddeus in New Zealand
1990
Greco fretless hollow acoustic/electric bass - We have NEVER
seen nor heard of these before - a stunning fully hollow bass with laminated
maple top and neck, solid mahogany body and Fender® Precision Bass®
pickup and under-bridge active piezo pickup so you can blend sounds from
full electric to full acoustic. This bass will be the closest you'll ever
get to the sound of an upright bass. Made in the same factory as the Fender®
version we sold to a Victorian recording artist recently, who is extremely
enthusiastic about its sound! - went to Will
1990
Fender Japan Hollowbody Precision Bass - an opportunity to
get a very rare Fender Japan bass. This is the fretted brother to the
fretless Greco listed below!. It has
a hollow solid Mahogany body with solid Spruce acoustic top, and fully
active electronics including piezo bridge pickup and Lace Sensor P-bass
pickups for everything from classic P-bass through to acoustic bass sounds
- went to Robert in Germany
1990
Fender Japan fretless hollowbody acoustic/electric Precision Bass
- a very rare Fender Japan bass. Made in 1990 (and only available as a
special order) with fretless neck, hollow Mahogany body with solid Spruce
acoustic top, and fully active electronics including piezo bridge pickup
for all those acoustic and double-bass sounds. Amazing, and in perfect
condition! - went to Peter
1990
Fender Japan fretted hollowbody acoustic/electric Precision Bass
- an opportunity to get a very rare Fender Japan bass. This is the fretted
brother to the fretless version we just sold. It has a hollow solid Mahogany
body with solid Spruce acoustic top, and fully active electronics including
piezo bridge pickup for all those acoustic bass sounds - went to Dave
1990s
Frank Grubisa custom-made Tearbyrd bass - incredible quality
and total individuality set this bass by renowned Sydney luthier Frank
Grubisa apart. Active EMG pickups with custom active circuitry make this
extremely adaptable for all musical styles. Dare to be different! Comes
with HSC - went to Steve
1993/94
Fender '51 P-Bass re-issue - an early issue '51 P-bass re-issue
from Fender Japan. One of the earliest MIJ reissues, which began in 1994.
Comes in a late 1960s Fender tolex case - went to Geoff
1994
Philip Kubicki Factor 5 bass - the best bass in the world?
Many bassists think so. This one is just number 11 off the production
line from the Santa Barbara workshop, in November '94, the year of the
introduction of the Factor series. This bass is MINT MINT MINT!!! - went
to Billy
1995
Fender fretless Precision Bass USA made - a truly gorgeous
bass in phenomenal condition. This bass has the fretless 'growl' more
than any other fretless we've ever played. Black is beautiful! - went
to Beelee
1999
Ken Smith BSR 'B' Custom 4-string bass - absolutely as-new.
Stunning timbers from their in-house timber yard, and playability and
sound to match. The Custom was the highest-spec (and priced) model of
the BSR series, now discontinued. Comes with OHSC - went to Jeff in the
USA
2002
Fender Jazz Bass - a stunning looking and sounding Jazz Bass
from Fender Japan. Just look at the quality of the timbers, and the craftsmanship!
Truss rod issues (read description). I gig and love this bass as-is -
went to Martin
2003
Greco VB-100 'Beatles' bass - in unplayed, NOS condition
is this stunning MIJ Greco copy of a Hofner 'Beatle bass'. Ridiculously
accurate copy, made from top-grade tonewoods and with legendary Japanese
workmanship. Comes with OHSC - Sold to Shon
2007
Neil Shoemark (UK) Royale Carve Top custom fretless bass
- a very high-grade custom-built fretless bass from NS Custom Guitars
in the UK. Kent Armstrong pickups plus phenomenal quality tonewoods add
up to a tone bargain! - went to Shane
|