The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Back on topic: there's a catalog of APII CS basses on the site ( http://www.matsumoku.org/cm_models/2021 ... sb-series/ ). Does anyone know what year this catalog is from? (EDIT: Oh, I get it now, these are excerpts from one or more catalog, rather than an entire catalog in itself).

It only lists a 300, a 380, and a 450 (plus a Deluxe, which has two PUs). There is no 400 for some reason, but the other models are identical to it in design (but presumably not in materials, and nor is the cream colorway offered for the other models either).

Odd to leave out the 400. But if – as I've previously read somewhere on here – the numbering corresponded to pricing in thousands of ¥, then maybe Aria decided that 380 was a better sounding price/product than 400 and so discontinued the latter. But then why not also change the 300 to a 280?

All very mysterious.

The reason there is no 400 is we don't have any documentation on it.

It is not a catalog, I compiled all the info we had on them and put that in one PDF.

As I said before catalogs are scarce and usually gobbled up by for profit sites that have the capitol to snag them. I simply don't have the funds to compete with them.

The 400 was not "left out." We have nothing on it.

You already have 90% of the specs on it. Color, scale length, number of frets, bolt neck, 1V 1T and sealed tuners. All the CSB models we have documented have an ash body and maple neck so yours is probably the same (although the Deluxe body was ash/alder). The only thing left is the pickup. Pull it out and see if there is anything stamped on the back of it. Someone may know what it is.

There were many variations along the way as Matsumoku was always experimenting, one of the things that set them apart.

Rather than repeatedly pointing out what is NOT here might I suggest you find it and contribute it like so many before you have done? This site is built solely on community contributions and all who contributed did so without compensation for the benefit of all.

When I say that something is not present, it is a simple statement of fact. Not a criticism of you or anyone else. I have no idea why you would take it as such. But perhaps it's a cultural difference.

On top of which, as my edit to the previous post makes clear, when I first viewed the PDF I'd misunderstood it to be an actual APII catalog. Hence "odd to leave it out" means "strange that APPI would leave it out of their catalog", not "why haven't you losers included my darn bass model in all the documentation you provided me for free".

I should also point out that, in response to your earlier request for photos, I have shared all the information I can regarding this model in the hope that it will be useful for others. But I know nothing about guitar tech, or even simple circuitry, and don't really want to go digging around inside the guitar for fear of disturbing things. Consequently there's a limit to how much info I can provide.

This misunderstanding aside, thank you for your continued help.

Point taken. Probably is a cultural difference.

I spent a couple of hours today scouring the net for 87 catalogs that covers the CSB-400 with no luck, not even the Japanese catalogs from 87. Some believe the CSB Black and Gold is a CSB-400 which is covered in a dealer slick and two catalogs but contradicting or ambiguous body woods.

Well, he is called Crusty.

I've never seen a 400 online; I occasionally look at the CSBs because I have a 450. If the 400 is an '87, maybe it was only available for a short time before Matsumoku production ended, and never made it into a catalog.

I associate the neckplate with the script "Aria Pro II" with guitars from about '83 on; not sure if I'm right about that.

-Steve W.

Some pages about the CSB-400, but not much info after translation. Looks like all could be '87.

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/au ... _tr_pto=sc

https://bargitar.ru/aria-pro-ll-csb-400 ... ass-1-blk/

https://www.guitarnhatcugiare.com/produ ... apan-1980s

1987 was a very short production year for Matsumoku.

The Russian site had most of the specs including the pickup.

Construction: Hammered Neck
Body: Ash
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Inlays: Dots
Scale: 32.5”
Frets: 22
Pickups: Aria MB-IV Double Coil
Controls: 1 Volume, 1 Tone
Hardware Color: Chrome
Bridge: Quick-Hook Bridge
Tuners: Aria Pro II Die-cast
Year of manufacture: 1987
Country of manufacture: Japan

Thanks for being understanding. And also for taking the time to search for the catalogs. I'm not sure I've understood your last sentence though. I get the first part, that the Black and Gold might just be a CSB 400 in disguise, but not the "covered in a dealer slick and two catalogs " part. What's a dealer slick? Marketing? And do you mean that the Black and Gold is in 2 catalogs?

I'm aware of the Black and Gold because it's featured quite heavily on an APII bass blog you have linked to in the links section – where I went digging around last night. But as it isn't called a "CSB 400 Black and Gold", and seems primarily to be associated with players of music I'm not interested in, it didn't occur to me to look at it very closely. I will remedy that now.



Makes sense, but if that's the case I'm still a little mystified as to why a 450 would be in a catalog but the 400 not. Do you know when the 450 was first released? And did APII make a habit of not following numerical order when naming models? If that's the case, it would certainly support the theory that model names are simply price tags.




Thanks. Not sure what models this is (truss plate is missing), but it's even cheaper than mine was:
https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/au ... 1108760155 It appears to be from 5 years before mine though.



Cool, going to google the pickup now and see if it matches mine. I suspect it will though, as the other CSB models all seem to have the same as mine too.

I seem to recall coming across some info on a Russian site the other day too. Although it might have been the same one you found. I'm beginning to wonder if it the 400 might have been a Russia-only release. The fact that the next page you linked to is in Vietnamese – a country that in 1987 was very closely aligned with Russia – only reinforces this suspicion. If all the online info comes from either Russia, Vietnam (which some might argue was a Russian puppet-state at the time), or the country of manufacture (Japan), the idea seems quite plausible. Perhaps it only featured in a Russian catalog? But then why name it the 400 (400 roubles perhaps?)?

Nice grab for the price paid.

I would most likely think ( parts made in Japan ) but assembled in Korea... Just like the final productions of Westone instruments.

Vantage line moved mid 84 to Korea and we only have a small amount of the Vantage catalogs also.

In any case, still an amazing deal.

More info keep showing up, so a Catalogue might one day surface or this bass was just made from left over parts not sold to another Co.

_________________
MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

I got sidetracked googling the pickup, and found this:

"Ask about an Aria Pro II CSB Black n Gold. It is a single MB-III pup with fantastic tone."

Source: https://www.talkbass.com/threads/upgrad ... ps.450906/

If the CSB 400 spec on the Russian site is correct, and the comment above re. the BnG is also correct, that would mean that the BnG is not simply a CSB 400 in wolf's clothing; the PUs differ.

Other comments on the above thread would suggest that A) the MB-IV were a budget line of PUs, and B) despite that some people love the sound of them.