Thanks for all the comments and info guys, Ive been busy this summer and haven't been too responsive lately.
It hasn't kept me away from kiijii though.
I picked up this Ventura 2100 hollowbody (EB2 copy) a month ago. It just fit within my "I can buy any bass I want as long as it costs $100.00 or less" constraint.
It needed a few things (bridge saddle, strings) and has had a couple of so-so separation repairs, including one by me. I already had a bridge saddle as the bridge and pickup are same as my EB0 copy. Also missing the "string cover / hand rest" thingy. Somewhere there must be a big pile of these things.
It is in nice "3 foot" condition, the triple-bound neck is gorgeous and plays very nicely. It has a 3 position switch instead of the EB2's "bass boost" button, it does nothing other than hum in the first 2 positions so it stays on position 3.
Then a couple of weeks ago this popped up 5 blocks from my place.
It's an Ibanez 2388B circa 1973-74. I found a catalog reprint on the web that indicates there were 2 models of this bass those years. The 2388DX was neck-thru construction, stereo output and had a different pickup in the neck position. The 2388B is bolt-on neck, mono output and both p'ups are of the same construction. This one is all original except for the missing bridge p'up cover.
It was one of those "he who hesitates is lost" moments. This is now my most expensive instrument. So much for "any bass as long as it's $100.00 or less". I do agree with the seller that if I ever get tired of playing or just looking at the thing I'll have no problem getting my money back out of it.
The fretboard on these early ones is interesting, it looks to be epoxy coated and the fret markers are what I would describe as "crushed abalone in epoxy" and run the full width of the neck. I also love the checkered binding, like on pre'74 Ricks.
Dave
