The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: ilan on September 16, 2012, 04:58:23 AM
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When I was 15 (in 1977) I wanted to replace my little Höfner 500/1 with something better, preferably a solid body with Fender-like shape. A friend of my Dad offered a Klira bass, with a chipboard body covered in glitter vinyl, and we bought it. It took me two whole days to realize that this was the worst bass ever. If crap crapped, this is what it would crap. I ended up selling it two weeks later for half of what my Dad paid for it, and getting a MIJ Prima brand J knockoff - that was a major uprgrade over the Klira, even with its weak pickups and mile-high action.
35 years later, I see the same model bass on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Klira-Arkansas-Bass-Rio-Vintage-Sparkle-Framus-EKO-/271044739074?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D2084656699633489013%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D1%26)... what a nightmare. :sad:
I should add that in Hebrew, Kli Ra translates as "bad instrument". How appropriate.
(I hope the seller isn't a Forumite...)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1960s-Klira-Arkansas-Bass-Rio-Vintage-Sparkle-Framus-EKO-/00/s/MTI0NVg4MzI=/$(KGrHqZ,!o!F!NG+C1yMBQOqv2uSJQ~~60_57.JPG)
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Here's my past trauma. It was a horrible bass, but I will say that it forced me to learn how to play. The picture isn't of my bass, but the memory lingers.
(http://cdn1.gbase.com/usercontent/gear/2706179/p6_u0b4fs1yv_so.jpg)
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When I was 15 (in 1977) I wanted to replace my little Höfner 500/1 with something better, preferably a solid body with Fender-like shape. A friend of my Dad offered a Klira bass, with a chipboard body covered in glitter vinyl, and we bought it. It took me two whole days to realize that this was the worst bass ever. If crap crapped, this is what it would crap. I ended up selling it two weeks later for half of what my Dad paid for it, and getting a MIJ Prima brand J knockoff - that was a major uprgrade over the Klira, even with its weak pickups and mile-high action.
35 years later, I see the same model bass on eBay (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1960s-Klira-Arkansas-Bass-Rio-Vintage-Sparkle-Framus-EKO-/271044739074?_trksid=p2045573.m2042&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D27%26meid%3D2084656699633489013%26pid%3D100033%26prg%3D1011%26rk%3D1%26)... what a nightmare. :sad:
I should add that in Hebrew, Kli Ra translates as "bad instrument". How appropriate.
(I hope the seller isn't a Forumite...)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/1960s-Klira-Arkansas-Bass-Rio-Vintage-Sparkle-Framus-EKO-/00/s/MTI0NVg4MzI=/$(KGrHqZ,!o!F!NG+C1yMBQOqv2uSJQ~~60_57.JPG)
But the seller says it's a high quality instrument. LOL
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$950?! ??? He needs to move that decimal point to the left. A chipboard Kalamazoo wouldn't bring a third of that. I don't think even a Beatle-style Klira Twen Star would bring near that much.
If crap crapped, this is what it would crap.
I'll have to remember that. ;D
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Reminds me of our old bad memory bass thread! :puke:
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=6319.0
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My second bass was the PC... mistakes don't come much more costly than that... ;)
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My buddy had the Klira Beatle-ish bass. It was actually very good, and not far off my real Hofner at all. I guess everone got to make a Kalamazoo level thing.
I had a Kent Basin St bass that I really loved for looks and color and most fun aspects, but the action - completely unadjustable - was painful and impossible to play beyond F. My Hofner came right after and while a major improvement as far as playability, my technique was so caveman after the Kent that I constantly knocked the strings off the bridge for ages.