The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

My mom said that she bought this bass in 1979. Would love an ID on this, the closest I can find are GRECO but the headstock being rockinger is confusing. Did Matsumoku manufacture Rockinger basses? My mom says that she bought an Aria fretless neck later, but I am wondering if that was actually on originally because it seems Matsumoku did make Aria Jazz basses. I am in the process of buying this neck back for sentimental reasons.

Doesn't ring a bell. There again there were as many brands coming out of Japan during that period as there are fleas on a camel. A lot of re-badges too.

There was a lot of parts trading among the different manufacturers back then so there is a good chance the neck would swap.

That's assuming you're considering buying this guitar for the neck or are you trying to buy the Aria neck back?

I sold this bass and regretted it. The original buyer I bought back the bass from has agreed to give me the neck I sold along with it, at a later date so i just have to retrieve the aria neck. Ill take a pic of that too. My mother is saying that she actually did by the bass with the Rockinger neck attached, so I think it was just switched out by the distributor or traded as you say. Rockinger is a German brand and my mother bought it in Denmark in the 70s so it doesn't seem far fetched that they would just swap out parts.

Manufacturers back then borrowed from each other. Say one ran short of pickups and another had a surplus.

Many distributors just placed orders with multiple makers back then and the makers simply re-badged it to whatever the distributor wanted. C. Bruno is one name that comes to mind. You used to see other brands that looked exactly like a Bruno model. It was. Just re-badged.

Rockinger is probably associated with a single or just a few distributors or possibly a music store chain. A little like Laguna was Guitar Sinner's brand and Brownsville of New York was Sam Ash's brand. Neither made them, just sold them.

I was able to get the neck back. Asked my mom again today and she insists she got the fretless later. Idk if it's a coincidence that Matsumoku made Arias but its looking like the bass is some kind of Frankenbass made by Rockinger distributed in Denmark. Can't find anything on Rockinger Jazz basses that are sunburst, but I did find some interesting history on who made the basses. https://www.dieter-goelsdorf.de/en/stor ... -1982.html if you check this link out and scroll down to "Henner Malecha" you will see that he was a jazz bass enthusiast and "conjured up his own creations of this model from some parts".

Rockinger sold guitar parts, pretty much a German version of Warmoth. The company was founded by Dieter Gölsdorf (Duesenberg guitars) and actually still exists: https://www.rockinger.com
(scope of business has changed a bit over the years it seems)

Just wanted to post to close the case of the mystery rockinger/Aria. this is what BassJapan direct had to say when appraising and evaluating:

"I will tell you in good faith, that the fretless neck is the original and is rare, and the Rockinger neck is a cheap most likely 90s mic or mik neck.

The body and bridge looks good, it is from the early 70s (likely 1972) looks like either camphor and mahogany, or perhaps Agathis. If light weight it would be the latter. I could tell more if you send pics of the neck pocket, it may also be nattowood and agathist ply.

The front pickup looks original, the rear looks like a replacement as it lacks the rounded ends on the casing and is a bit too clean looking. I cannot tell if the knobs are original or not, they look a bit too clean

If you put the fretless neck back on it and get it set up nicely that will be worth a pretty penny on today’s Japan Vintage market, as it is rare. Again if you send more detailed pics of neck pocket to identify wood type and construction I can appraise it."

2nd email
"So that body is solid Agathis, definitely better than a ply body, but it looks like the pocket has been widened to fit the Rockinger neck, so the original neck is probably now a bit loose in there.

Definitely a 70s build, probably worth about 400 Euro now with the original neck, provided it still plays and operates well (would have been worth 550 or so if entirely original, with pickguard and unmodified)"