Some pics of owners’ actual basses is a welcome change for this thread. 
Look up 
That’s cool, I like it!
1 Like
TBF, I ended up having to order online for those black screws for my P Bass project. I searched but couldn’t find any locally.
Closest thing the Ace had was a #6 x 1/2, but a bought it for .35c so I could measure it at home. Fender uses #4, G&L Tributes use a #5, which is far less common. Pickup screws are Musiclily Ultra M2.6 x 35. $9 on Amazon for 10, or $1.83 from Musiclily direct with $6 postage. Postage for 5 packs is still $6.
picture of bass pre-blackout to keep the F@ndr H8’rs at bay 
6 Likes
Claude says…
SBV-J2: The original Japanese retail price (定価) was ¥65,000. With typical dealer discounts, it was purchasable in the ¥50,000s. 
SBV-J1: No official retail price has surfaced in any source I can find — the J1 appears to have been priced similarly or slightly higher (the UK reseller noted above mentioned J1s starting “over a grand” in GBP while J2s started around £700), but a documented 定価 for the J1 isn’t publicly recorded anywhere I can locate.
As for U.S. dollar equivalents: both were Japan domestic-only releases, so there was no official U.S. retail price. At early-2000s exchange rates (roughly ¥110–120/$1), ¥65,000 would have been approximately $540–590 USD at the time.
The J1 was somewhat pricier, with used examples later selling at Yahoo Auctions Japan for around ¥151,000  — showing significant collector premium over whatever the original retail was.
Worth noting: by 2009, J2s were already appearing on Yahoo Auctions Japan starting at double the original retail price , reflecting how quickly these 100-unit limited editions appreciated.
1 Like
Thanks @John_E yeah this is a real collector item. Quirky killer look and the cool factor is off the chart. I’m hunting down the BB2204 right now then I’d start on the SB series rabit hole. 
1 Like
Yeah in terms of the local market, SBV-500 are common and always available, SBV-550 are uncommon but usually not terribly hard to find - probably have to wait for the color you want. SBV-800MF are rare but obtainable within a few months (I’ve owned one of course).
SBV-J1 and J2 you see probably one or two go for sale a year for each, tops.
The BJB’s - I’ve only ever seen three for sale, and two were just walking around with John
The BJB is basically a TRB5-JP2 in a SBV body.
For the truly vintage ones, they do come up too. There’s a couple ‘60s SB-2A for same right now. A similar vintage SB-7a would be a great snag and there’s a few for sale now too - this was Miki Furukawa’s main bass before they made her signature 800MF for her.
4 Likes
@Al1885 - I just remembered Toby got a 550 a bit before he went in, when he gets out probably a good way for you to check one out if his family kept it for him.
2 Likes
OMG Sherwood green and gold hardware. I want me one of that. My MIJ Squier First year I think
Now I can try to buy it off him. Keeping it in the family,
5 Likes
Yeah! I actually like the 550 more than the 800MF, though I think you would go the other way on that one. They are both awesome.
1 Like
Gotta love the Attitude.
1 Like
The sterling ray34s are fantastic instruments, had one for 15 years played countless gigs with it
2 Likes
That’s a great looking burst.
3 Likes
That’s gorgeous! Congrats. I saw the bridge first and thought it was a multiscale, but it’s not. Interesting. Then I saw the burst. Wow. The lyrics for “If I Were A Rich Man” from “Fiddler On The Roof” popped into my head, only I was singing “If I Were A Leftie”.
5 Likes
Only 4k! 
1 Like
Actually laughing out loud at this.. and singing it!
1 Like