1985 Ibanez Roadstar II RB850 Bass Guitar

Vintage Japanese double humbucker bass, in immaculate condition, inside and out

The last few months included a quest for a bass with a humbucking pickup and after considering more recent Korean models from Schecter, Kramer and a Peavey Grind Bass that was made in Vietnam, this vintage beauty just appeared out of nowhere. I've now had 3 Roadstar guitars and basses over the past few years, two of them came from the Goodwill and both have incredibly been in impeccable condition.

I had no idea that Ibanez made a humbucker bass as part of the Roadstar series, so the ability to fill a need with my favorite brand and era of electric guitars make this an even sweeter find. This neck is super thin, even for an Ibanez and of course, it plays incredibly fast. The body also sports a sleek and slim design.Other features that stand out are the headstock and truss rod cover, which are reminiscent of the older Roadster series.

Also of note on this beauty is that it included both the original boomerang strap holders and odd-shaped, brown leather hardshell case. On the technical side, the bottom two knobs seem to control the two pickups and both are push knobs that turn them off and on. I haven't spent too much time messing around with this one yet, as most of my recent free time has been spent building some pedalboards and playing the Peavey Deuce tube amp and another sweet vintage amp that will be featured tomorrow.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1960s Conqueror Short Scale Bass Guitar

Killer vintage 4-stringer, complete with all-original hardware, in great playing and cosmetic condition 

Another quality Japanese import, this one is likely closer to mid-60s than 1970s, but it's in great shape and even with a set of strings that probably at least 10 years old, it still plays and sounds good too. These were distributed through the C. Bruno and Son company out of Atlanta back in those days and the Bruno makes have developed a following in the collector's market.

There are a couple of minor cosmetic flaws on this one, but when you consider that it could be approaching 50 years old, it's about as good as you're going to find. It looks like all of the original hardware is intact, even though the chrome definitely shows some wear, but the original sunburst finish is absolutely gorgeous.

This bass sounds and plays great, the electronics are still nice and smooth and the short scale makes it easier to play than a normal bass. I'm glad I found this one and will be keeping my eye out for anything else from the Bruno line that gets put out there.

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2000s Ibanez Gio GSR 100 Bass Guitar

Budget line bass guitar from a trusted brand, plays nice and easy

Ibanez is known for making electric guitars with fast necks and this Gio bass continues that tradition. This model has the classic split pickup P-Bass setup, but I've seen others with P/J and even humbucker setups.

For as well as it does play for it's price range, it's probably not up to par for a gigging musician to use even as a backup and definitely not something that you want to reach for if you're laying something down.

It is however, an excellent choice as first bass for a beginner or maybe a guitar player who wants to mess around with one. The price should definitely be right. These retailed for around $200 or so way back when, anything more than $100 secondhand is a crime.

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1990s Customized Squier Short Scale Fretless Bronco Bass Guitar

In near-mint condition, customized with a fretless neck and a Seymour Duncan Cool Rail pickup

Showcased today is a customized Squier bass, upgraded with a nice fretless neck and a Seymour Duncan Cool or Hot Rails guitar pickup.

The candy apple red finish and speckled pickguard give this one a nice vintage look, helped along by the mini Fender Mustang body. Immaculate condition for a 15-year old instrument, with just some light scratches along the bottom and rear from regular playing.

The short scale makes this bass easier to play for students or anyone that has a hard time wrapping their hands around a normal bass neck. The fretless neck also plays smooth as silk and sounds just as good.

Thank you for looking. More high-resolution pictures here.