1960s Norma (Japan) Hollowbody Electric Bass Guitar

Tone: It's punchy and bouncy-sounding. I like it best in the middle position which gives you a sort-of "Hofner-like" vibe but with a ton more clarity. I'd say it's sort-of somewhere between a Mosrite bass sound and a Hofner bass sound.

Feel: It handles a lot like a mixup of a Hofner Beatle Bass and a Fender Mustang and, while it played alright when it arrived, it did need a lot of straightening-out to be its best. The neck is a medium D shape with a curvy board. It plays quick!

Interesting features: I think the whole thing has a little bit of a Plymouth Barracuda look to it ('60s, not '70s)... or a shark kind of thing going-on. If anyone knows the manufacturer for sure, please let me know. Its neck reminds me of the very early Fujigen ones found on early-'70s Epiphone basses.

Repairs included: I fit a 1/2" dowel running from the neckblock to the endblock inside which helped stabilize the whole thing (Japanese hollowbody instruments from the time tend to be temperamental at the neck joint when they're bolt-ons), a level/dress of the frets, side dots added, a whole new wiring harness (both pots and 3-way switch were on their deathbeds), replacement knobs (the originals were a little wonky), and bridge modification and restring. This bass includes both a made-to-suit normal/rosewood saddle and also the original metal bridge modified to use a rubber bridge. It's currently setup for the normal bridge but I can fit the rubber if desired.

• Maker: unsure (Japanese)
• Model: unsure
• Body style: hollowbody double-cutaway, narrow
• Weight: 5 lbs 3 oz
• Scale length: 29 7/8"
• Nut width: 1 5/8"
• Neck shape: medium C/D
• Board radius: 7 1/4"
• Body width: 13 3/4"
• Body depth: 1 5/8"
• Body wood: ply maple with figured veneer
• Bridge: metal posts/rosewood topper
• Fretboard: rosewood, bound
• Neck wood: maple, 3 piece
• Pickups: 2x original single coil
• Action height at 12th fret: 3/32" bass and 1/16" treble (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 95w-35w
• Truss rod: adjustable
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: medium-lower

Condition notes: It's entirely-original save knobs and wiring harness. There is a sizable shim in the neck pocket but someone cut it at a nice slope. I added a dowel that runs from the neckblock to endblock for stabilization and this thing holds-pat like a solidbody! I have yet to need to adjust it at all since stringing-up.  Oops, and the strap buttons are replaced!

It comes with: Sorry, no case -- but it does have a rubber-bridge adapter that comes with it.

Consignor tag: JW