70's Japanese Epi Newport ET-285.

uwe · February 28, 2008, 06:14:53 AM

Herr Gweimer has. IIRC he was quite fond of the ric'ish structure.

Needless to say he had to fidget with the pups

, but to his defense one of them didn't work.

gweimer · February 28, 2008, 09:45:49 AM

Yes. You have the pickups from mine. The thing that my luthier told me when he looked it over was that the neck was perfectly straight, but that they hadn't allowed for neck relief very well. The action on mine was pretty bad. I ended up routing the body, and dropping the bridge down about 3/32", and then using the TI Rounds for low tension. It's pretty much a paint peeler! Other than that, it's a fun bass. I finally found out the real model name on this from the last Ebay listing I saw. They are the ET-288M, and I guess the M is for Matsumoku, where they were made.

uwe · February 28, 2008, 10:36:23 AM

And those formerly LP DeLuxe pups in there work passive, i.e. without the dreaded Bart TCT circuit and still don't sound sterile/are loud enough?

gweimer · February 28, 2008, 01:54:02 PM

Passive as passive gets. I just had them dropped into the existing harness. I think the model is the GCB something or other.

uwe · February 29, 2008, 05:02:25 AM

And they sound fine?

gweimer · February 29, 2008, 06:01:08 AM

They have this very warm midrange rumble to them. I wish the E string was a little more pronounced, but may be the bass itself. The Holy Crap bass runs hotter than any active I've ever heard, and is fatter sounding with rounds on it than most basses with flats. Mike's heard me use this bass, so I'll let him comment on what it sounds like in front. I've never really heard it in a room mix.

btw - Mike, I still think I have that CD we cut that night of The Waste Wheelers.

OldManC · February 29, 2008, 10:29:32 PM

I totally want a Holy Crap bass. They've always struck me as a cross between a 4001 and an Embassy. BTW, Kylierider, nice score!

kylierider · March 03, 2008, 07:07:08 AM

Quote from: gweimer on February 29, 2008, 06:01:08 AM

btw - Mike, I still think I have that CD we cut that night of The Waste Wheelers.

I'd like to have a copy of that...

Gary's bass sounded good out front. It's been a while ago, but I remember it having a very round tone. Nice and fat. I do remember it cutting through the mix well also. I remember the guitar player and I both commenting how great it sounded.

I'm pretty impressed with the ET-285. I'm still experimenting around with it. It's got a nice bassy round midrangy tone with both pickups full on. If I play back on the bridge pickup I get a nice clear almost piano like tone. This thing has some old rounds on it right now and I'm so impressed with it, I may just stick with rounds instead of my traditional flats. This bass sounds incredible and may have bumped my 78P to second choice fretted four string. If this is a taste of the gibson sound, I've been missing the boat a long time. I have two issues with the bass so far. The first is that some idiot drilled two holes in the headstock. Why I have no idea. But as this will be a players bass I'll not worry about it too much. The second issue is the truss rod nut is stripped. I got it to adjust to where the neck is correct, but it will need replacement before I do any other adjustments. Has anyone ever replaced one on this type of bass?

I'll post further reviews, as I have not played it in a band situation yet. I'll be using it to play music for a play at the end of the month. I have my first play practice with a drummer, two guitar players and a couple singers on Tuesday. I'm excited to hear how it does.

Barklessdog · March 03, 2008, 07:13:14 AM

Funny as they are kind of "neither world" basses. Between straight vintage & low budget asian marketing arm.

You don't many come up for sale that often.

I imagine they will continue to become collectable along with older Carvins.