Seiwa Jazzman Bass - Take 2. . . . . .

I was going to do a feature on a one off, custom bass, that is just
that little bit different but I will come to that next time.

Any regular readers will remember this bass.
Seiwa Jazzman, that I covered in July, 2012.
Seiwa 

I can honestly say, I have never, ever seen another one. . . . . . . .
until now.

I was contacted by Frank, who was happy for me to include his
details on this feature, who told me that he had just acquired one.
Not only that but it came with a pristine Original case, tools and
some details on a yellow sheet.
It is in VERY good condition. 
His seems to have been upgraded, with a DiMarzio P pick-up.

Frank is very pleased with the bass and he thinks it will be a keeper.

Frank has quite a few instruments of his own - this is his site.
http://www.franksguitar.info/

Nice one, Frank!

I would love to hear from anyone who has the third one!! :)

Custom bass - Next time!

Cheers. :)

Aria CSB-450 Medium Scale Bass. . . . . .

Happy New Year!!!

It's been a little while since my last post, I've been busy over the
last few weeks.

This is a great piece of kit!!

I bought this, along with a few other medium scale basses, when
I had a problem with my left hand, a few years back.

Set neck, nice feel, quality build and a great sound.
This was gigged by a friend, just before Christmas and I was lucky
enough to be able to see it in action.
As I play what I have, I don't very often get to see and hear an
instrument, from an audience point of view.
Very pleased with it - a serious bass but more compact.

I had a 300, some years back - the 450 is the top of the range, in
the Cardinal series.

Top job!

 

I'll be back next time, with something else a little different.

Cheers. :)

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Peavey Foundation - Line around head. . . . . . .

This is something I have been using quite a bit, over the last few weeks - so
I thought it would be a good time to give it a mention.

This is the Made in the USA, earlier "line around head" version, with the 
Peavey "P" control knobs.
It has the same Super Ferrite pick-ups that my Foundation Fretless has,
which is one of the main reasons I wanted a Fretted version.
See here:
Peavey Foundation Fretless 

There have been various descriptions of these pick-ups but if you put 
them all together, the message that comes through is "like a Jazz but 
with more muscle"! 
They really do have a tone of their own.
This guy does a really great demo.
 
 

It has a slender Jazz type neck, that is so easy to play.
Just a really nice bass - what more can I say.
As with a lot of other Peavey products, they are often overlooked for
the "more established" brands but trust me, if you ever get the chance 
to have a go on one, I think you'll be hooked.

Next time I will do my old Aria CSB-450, set neck, medium scale - in 
an AV - Antique Violin finish - I think that's what it's called??
It was out gigging with a friend, at the weekend, so I thought I would
strike while the iron is hot.
The 450 is one of the Medium/Short scale basses I bought, when I was
having some issues with my left hand, which thankfully is now all sorted.

Cheers. :)

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Ritchie Blackmore's Pick-ups. . . . . .

What has this image got to do with the one below it??

Well, during my recent "clear out", this box came to light and in
the box was another box - the one with the blue on it and you 
can just about see that it has "Fender Pickups and pots, written
on the top.

This is what is inside the box - with me so far?????

This is a tale I have told many times, to many people but this
is the first time it's been documented.
So, here we go. . . . . .

I have been a fan of Ritchie Blackmore and Deep Purple for as
long as I can remember and this story goes back 36 years ago.

When I was in the shop, we used to get many regular customers.
Some would come in for a chat, buy a couple of picks and leave
and others would be buying things on a more serious level.
One of the regular "lads", who I got on with quite well, despite
his limited budget in the shop, had got tickets to see Rainbow.

 























As the days passed, he got more and more excited about the gig.
You have to remember that this is way before the internet and 
you tube, so the only way you could see your guitar heroes, was
live - in the flesh, at a gig, or read about them in the musical press.

 





















Ritchie was as well know for smashing up guitars, as Jimi Hendrix
and Pete Townshend. . . . . 

. . . and on the night of Thursday the 17th November, 1977, 
another Strat bit the dust!!!
This act was actually documented.

On the Saturday, in walked the lad who I mentioned above,
(I'm sorry, after all these years I have forgotten his name)
who was holding a bag with something in it - a black Fender
scratch plate, fully loaded!

"You'll never guess what this is", was his statement - "yes
I can, it's a Fender plate, complete" was my reply.
Well, not entirely complete - the extension over the lower
horn had obviously been "liberated" by another fan.
"Ah but there's more to it than that. . . ."
He then went on to explain that what he had pulled from the 
bag was actually from Ritchie's guitar that had been "sacrificed"
at the gig, on Thursday!

Now I was interested!!
Apparently, bits flew left, right and centre and he was just lucky
enough to be in the right place at the right time.

He was short of money and I was interested, so a deal was done.
From a vague memory, I think I gave him about £35.00 for it,
which was quite a lot of money, about £185.00 in today's money!!

What happened to the plate??
Well, the plate was cut up (sacriledge) and used on a guitar that
I still know exists, as well as one of the pick-up covers - shown
here, being played by someone I have known for over 30 years.
Top slide player. . . . . Nice!! :)

The knobs weren't with it but the switch top was, along with the
pots - which I still have, the switch was used on a repair.

So, I still have the original 3 pick-ups. . . . . . I wonder what I will
do with them, after all these years??

There you go, the story of "Ritchie Blackmore's pick-ups!!

Back next time with a bass I have been using and enjoying over
the last few weeks.

Cheers. :)

 

Jedson Telecaster and Simms-Watts Ike Isaacs Combo. . . . . .

Like the other recent posts, these images date back to the 1970's

Copy guitars that are available now, are so much better than some of the
ones that were available around 40 years ago.
Jedson was one of the more sought after makes and this is the actual guitar
that was mentioned in one of my earliest posts.
Ahh, those were the days!
Jedson, as a name/brand is taken from the name of the company involved,
J E Dallas & Son JED Son - Jedson!!
Simples!!! :)

It's worth having a look on here - there is loads of info.
Jedson Solid Body Guitars 
Jedson

Also in the shot is my old Simms-Watts Ike Isaacs Combo - mine had the
optional reverb on it.
Below is another shot, with a friend's guitar.
Check out the curly lead!!!!!!!!!! Priceless!

It is so long ago, now but I recall it had a pretty good sound and was plenty
loud enough for what I wanted it for.
I sold it it the early 80's - it was time to move on but I would love to have
a go with one, all these years later! :)
Simms-Watts was a well respected brand, with many bands in the 70's using
them at some point. 

Have a look here for more info on the Simms Watts Combo. 
Simms-Watts Ike Isaacs Combo 

Next time. . . . . . . . . . . . . Ritchie Blackmore's pick-ups!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers. :)  

Sumbro Les Paul. . . . . .

This is the one!!!!!
Yes. . .  . THE ONE!!!!!

Again, this is for anyone who has followed this blog from the beginning and this 
guitar is the very same one that I described in my blog entry of April, 2010.
Sumbro Les Paul

This was my first "proper" guitar, that was mine. . . . . all mine.
Sumbro was sold through Charles Summerfield Ltd, who also had a brand  
called CSL.

If you have a read of the April entry, it will tell you all about getting the guitar.

During rehearsals, this little beauty would be playing stuff from the Stones,
Climax Blues Band, Ace, Bad Co. Lizzy. etc, etc.
I just loved the thing and a bit like the bit in The summer of 69. . . . I played
it almost - "til my fingers bled"
Happy days.

I think this shot would date from around 1976 ish???

I am so glad I have found these long lost pictures. :)

Next time, my very first guitar, ever and my old Simms Watts combo.

Cheers. :) 

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Ladies and Gentlemen, The Falcon Hypercaster. . . . .

For readers who have followed this blog from the beginning or have found it
and managed to read the whole thing, you will be familiar with the legend
of a guitar. . . . . . The Falcon Hypercaster! 

This is the actual guitar!!!

See here: Falcon Hypercaster

I knew that I had at least one shot of it and I have also found many more
very early pictures of the birth of my collection - The Sumbro Les Paul,
the Jedson Telecaster and my old Simms Watts Combo!!

 



















Brilliant.
I will do them next time.

Cheers. :)

Rickenbacker - Not quite. . . . . .

For those of you who read the blog on a fairly regular basis, you may have
seen "Mr Lee" featured and a Rickenbacker "Tribute", made by Greco.
Well. Mr Lee had a recent outing but guess who forgot the camera.

Yep, me! This is a very dodgy phone pic, which I have tried to brighten up
but is still a long way from "David Bailey"
Sorry, Mr Lee!

Anyway, I thought whilst I was on the subject, I show another one that hasn't
been done yet but I will get around to.

 




















This image was taken 2 or 3 years ago and I have never managed to organise
some more pics of this one.
There seems to be a bit of an issue with Rickenbacker, over the various "Tributes"
that are out there - which are still in great numbers.

I can sort of see why they would be upset at current manufacture, of which there
are several out there but some of the "Ric copies" as we all refer to them, were 
made almost 40 years ago and they're not just going to disappear.

Some, I have played over the years - play, feel and sound as good/better than the 
originals but because of recent events, many of these "Tributes" have sort of gone
underground.

So, if you have a Ric Copy and you love it - whip it out and show that you are 
proud of your instrument.
The most prominent brands were Ibanez, Hondo, Aria, Greco, El maya, Kasuga
and probably several more I may have missed out.

If you know of any others, drop me a line in "comments" and I will edit the post.

And finally, here is another one, that I used to have but now lives in Prague.

This one is a "bolt neck" - the other Aria I've shown, is a neck thru.

For more on this one, go here: Aria Rickenfaker

Back next time with something different.

Cheers. :)