Very cheap Epi Newport

[Basvarken]

A guy on a Dutch forum walked in a recycle store and scored an Epiphone Newport for 35 euro 

although it is a refin,
and the three point bridge obviously isn't original
as well as the bridge pickup plus extra switch.

Still an incredible score...
(in fact: I'd suspect it's a stolen bass for that kinda money...)

[Chris P.]

That's a cool score!

[Highlander]

There is something very wrong with that story, Rob... even the most ignorant of shops would not be selling something looking that good that cheaply... well, the more she gets posted the more the truth will out...

[shadowcastaz]

That is cool but is smells like some bad herring to me.

[uwe]

With the Union Jack headstock obscuring everything they possibly did not even know what kind of bass they had.

[Basvarken]

It was sold by a second hand store or recycle shop as we call 'em here. Those stores collect all their items for free. From what people throw away when they move house, up to left overs from inheritances.
Back in the day when I was still a student, I bought some furniture and a leather jacket in a shop like this. I didn't pay more than a few guilders.

It is most likely they were totally clueless about this guitar. (and so was the person that did away with it, of course)

[uwe]

Of course, ever after that unsavory G-4 affair and its manipulated pics, we never quite know what to make of your threads. 

[Basvarken]

Oh we're well past the first of April, so you're safe Uwe.

[gweimer]

Wow!  That's pretty nice.  I remember one very similar to that showing up on Ebay a few years back.

[EvilLordJuju]

They look good in white don't they... but someone PLEEEEESE refin that garish headstock

[uwe]

Or put some ME 109 gunshot holes in it. (nosediving away ...)

[godofthunder]

Nice score ! yeah the headstock has to go.

[Basvarken]

Remember this one? The ultra cheap Newport?

The guy emailed me he hasn't been using it much since he bought it. He's a guitarist, not a bassist.
He tried to sell it on Marktplaats (Dutch second hand site). Nobody wanted it, for the money he asked for it (800 euro)

If I was still interested.
I couldn't help myself...
I bought it for 325 Euro. (which is almost ten times as much as he paid for it, but still a bargain I like to think.)

Neck is good. No signs of headstock fracture yet. It may show when I remove the union jack.
Fret are very good. Almost no signs of wear.
Refin looks professionally done.
Underneath the union jack you can clearly see the Epiphone logo is still there. You see a very shallow relief.

Pickups and electronics all work 100%.
Pots look original. The three way switch and bridge pickup obviously aren't original. But the pickup does look contemporaneous.

On the body you can see the footprints of the handrest that once was there between bridge and the mudbucker.

When I removed the pickguard to check the electronics. There were some chips around the screwholes. The original color was transparant red.




I am definitely going to remove the union jack.
Not too sure about the white fin.

Nice light weight bass. Definitely the lightest I have. Worst neck diver too 

[Highlander]

Go Dutch...

No, it might be meant in humour, but wipe the UK flag out and replace with your own flag...

The white body looks just fine...

[Basvarken]

Nope, I don't like flags