Moon J-J165 Transparent Red 1985
Moon J-J165, red, made in Japan circa 1985. Moon are a high end custom builder based in Tokyo. The standard procedure if you want one over there is to fill out their online order form, from your A$3-6k and you wait... they have a strict 'can't rush art' policy, so waiting 6-12+ months is not uncommon. Moon basses rose to a certain prominence when a JJ model landed in the hands of Larry Graham, who's more or less credited with inventing the slap bass technique. Moon JJs have also been played by Victor Bailey (Weather Report) and Darryl Jones (Sting, Rolling Stones), among many other notable luminaries over the years. This shining example dates to the mid 80s, and things worked a little differently back then, as Moon had some catalog models. The J-J165 sold for JPY165000 at the time, around twice what you would have paid for a Fender Japan Jazz Bass at the same time. The extra yen gets you some good stuff: ebony fretboard, two piece ash body, gold hardware, fancy pickups, reverse tuners... lots of nice touches. Lots of 80s Moon basses are over 5kg, so this one is relatively light at 4.6kg; no featherweight to be sure, but manageable. It sounds amazing: super tight, bright and snappy, with a fast low end kick, snarly mids and a generous ping on the top. You can always roll out that crystal clear treble if you need to, but it's very difficult to make a muddy bass sound articulate. This is perfect for funk and slap stuff, but it will happily cover rock, punk and metal with glee to spare. The woodwork really is impressive: this is high end, custom shop style stuff, and it shows. The red and gold makes for a showy look, although the muted hue the gold adds a bit of old world charm to the mix. I love this, it's so good. Go full Moon.
Model: Moon J-J165
Made: Japan, 1985 approx
Serial: 14946
Finish: transparent red, gloss poly
Body: ash, two piece centre join
Neck: maple, ebony fretboard, 38mm nut, 34" scale, slim C shape
Weight: 4.620kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Moon 4-pole single coil x2, passive
Accessories: basic gig bag
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dimples on the end and bottom edge and some minor scuffs on the back. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor dimples and rub wear on the back only. The back has dimples on the top horn, surface scratches near the neck plate and widespread minor scuffs around the whole body. The sides have a small dent on the top horn and some dimples in the elbow area, near the jack and on the bottom horn. The front has dimples around the knobs, light scuffs around the bridge and elbow area and some play wear around the pickups and on the horns.
Overall: very good condition (7.5/10)
Playing Condition Notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 45/105 Moonshiners strings.
Fret Life: 8/10, minor wear only