1980s Kawai FIIB Vintage Neck Through Bass Guitar w/ Active Electronics & Case, Japan
Up for sale, a 1980 Kawai F-II B in near-mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This rare, expertly-crafted Kawai clearly takes its design cues from Alembic, featuring maple/mahogany neck-through construction, mahogany/curly maple body wings, and active electronics, including the four-way rotary pickup selector only seen on the earliest F-II Bs.
Each humbucker is powered by its own 9v battery, dynamic and immediate with great upper-midrange burp, and the bass benefits greatly from the articulation, immediacy and roundness of the active electronics. The bridge pickup has a potent sound with enough nasally top end attack to cut through when needed and provide the necessary presence. With both pickups engaged, there are a myriad of subtle variations via the three-way Tone Character toggles, and the interaction between both pickups and tone switches provides many of the most pronounced and thumpy sounds the bass has to offer. The mini toggles are essentially midrange boost/cut controls, neutral in the middle position. At the neck, the bass has a certain softness and breadth, with a pillowy low end that sits well in a mix, and the fourth position on the rotary pickup selector is a mute/kill switch. This F-II B weighs 8lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 45-100 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple/mahogany (five-piece)
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
-Scale Length: 34”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, brass
-Tuners: Schaller-style
-Serialization: 0-prefix (1980)
Body Specs:
-Wood: Curly maple/mahogany
-Pickups: Humbucker x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, “Tone Character” three-way mini-toggle x2, four-way rotary Pickup selector
-Hardware: Rugged brass toplader bridge
-Plastics: Reflector knobs, small ridged knob (pickup selector)
The gloss Natural finish highlights the figuring in the curly maple top and back, with light buckle wear across the back and some minor dings, largely along the lower bout perimeter and on the back. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean, with just a couple shallow nicks.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, with a number of stickers added to the lid.
Each humbucker is powered by its own 9v battery, dynamic and immediate with great upper-midrange burp, and the bass benefits greatly from the articulation, immediacy and roundness of the active electronics. The bridge pickup has a potent sound with enough nasally top end attack to cut through when needed and provide the necessary presence. With both pickups engaged, there are a myriad of subtle variations via the three-way Tone Character toggles, and the interaction between both pickups and tone switches provides many of the most pronounced and thumpy sounds the bass has to offer. The mini toggles are essentially midrange boost/cut controls, neutral in the middle position. At the neck, the bass has a certain softness and breadth, with a pillowy low end that sits well in a mix, and the fourth position on the rotary pickup selector is a mute/kill switch. This F-II B weighs 8lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 45-100 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple/mahogany (five-piece)
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
-Scale Length: 34”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, brass
-Tuners: Schaller-style
-Serialization: 0-prefix (1980)
Body Specs:
-Wood: Curly maple/mahogany
-Pickups: Humbucker x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, “Tone Character” three-way mini-toggle x2, four-way rotary Pickup selector
-Hardware: Rugged brass toplader bridge
-Plastics: Reflector knobs, small ridged knob (pickup selector)
The gloss Natural finish highlights the figuring in the curly maple top and back, with light buckle wear across the back and some minor dings, largely along the lower bout perimeter and on the back. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean, with just a couple shallow nicks.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, with a number of stickers added to the lid.
$560.00
Original: $1,599.99
-65%1980s Kawai FIIB Vintage Neck Through Bass Guitar w/ Active Electronics & Case, Japan—
$1,599.99
$560.00
Description
Up for sale, a 1980 Kawai F-II B in near-mint, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This rare, expertly-crafted Kawai clearly takes its design cues from Alembic, featuring maple/mahogany neck-through construction, mahogany/curly maple body wings, and active electronics, including the four-way rotary pickup selector only seen on the earliest F-II Bs.
Each humbucker is powered by its own 9v battery, dynamic and immediate with great upper-midrange burp, and the bass benefits greatly from the articulation, immediacy and roundness of the active electronics. The bridge pickup has a potent sound with enough nasally top end attack to cut through when needed and provide the necessary presence. With both pickups engaged, there are a myriad of subtle variations via the three-way Tone Character toggles, and the interaction between both pickups and tone switches provides many of the most pronounced and thumpy sounds the bass has to offer. The mini toggles are essentially midrange boost/cut controls, neutral in the middle position. At the neck, the bass has a certain softness and breadth, with a pillowy low end that sits well in a mix, and the fourth position on the rotary pickup selector is a mute/kill switch. This F-II B weighs 8lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 45-100 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple/mahogany (five-piece)
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
-Scale Length: 34”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, brass
-Tuners: Schaller-style
-Serialization: 0-prefix (1980)
Body Specs:
-Wood: Curly maple/mahogany
-Pickups: Humbucker x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, “Tone Character” three-way mini-toggle x2, four-way rotary Pickup selector
-Hardware: Rugged brass toplader bridge
-Plastics: Reflector knobs, small ridged knob (pickup selector)
The gloss Natural finish highlights the figuring in the curly maple top and back, with light buckle wear across the back and some minor dings, largely along the lower bout perimeter and on the back. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean, with just a couple shallow nicks.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, with a number of stickers added to the lid.
Each humbucker is powered by its own 9v battery, dynamic and immediate with great upper-midrange burp, and the bass benefits greatly from the articulation, immediacy and roundness of the active electronics. The bridge pickup has a potent sound with enough nasally top end attack to cut through when needed and provide the necessary presence. With both pickups engaged, there are a myriad of subtle variations via the three-way Tone Character toggles, and the interaction between both pickups and tone switches provides many of the most pronounced and thumpy sounds the bass has to offer. The mini toggles are essentially midrange boost/cut controls, neutral in the middle position. At the neck, the bass has a certain softness and breadth, with a pillowy low end that sits well in a mix, and the fourth position on the rotary pickup selector is a mute/kill switch. This F-II B weighs 8lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 45-100 roundwound strings, easy-playing action, and accurate intonation.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Maple/mahogany (five-piece)
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .800” 1st fret, .935” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, leveled/crowned, no wear
-Scale Length: 34”
-Nut: 1 9/16”, brass
-Tuners: Schaller-style
-Serialization: 0-prefix (1980)
Body Specs:
-Wood: Curly maple/mahogany
-Pickups: Humbucker x2
-Controls: Volume x2, Tone x2, “Tone Character” three-way mini-toggle x2, four-way rotary Pickup selector
-Hardware: Rugged brass toplader bridge
-Plastics: Reflector knobs, small ridged knob (pickup selector)
The gloss Natural finish highlights the figuring in the curly maple top and back, with light buckle wear across the back and some minor dings, largely along the lower bout perimeter and on the back. The gloss finish on the neck profile is smooth and clean, with just a couple shallow nicks.
The original brown tolex hardshell case is included, with a number of stickers added to the lid.
