Is this a fake?

Hi all, friends bass guitar, 99% sure it’s a fake but just wanted to check with someone who might know something! Any info greatly appreciated, cheers, serial on the back 0110061

Well, I think it's safe to say that it's not a Matsumoku made instrument.

The body style is a typical generic design with nothing remarkable that jumps out at me. But that Westone head stock logo is weird.

I have not seen that particular style of type before. It is completely lower case and appears to be stencilled on. And the asterisk (*) above the word makes no sense to me.

Nether does the curved "professional" stamp on the truss rod cover. That's not something you would see on a Westone.
 
Even with magnification, I cannot make out the information on the neck plate so I cannot comment on it.

My guess is that it could either be a very early neck (Italian?) attached to a newer body, OR it is an Indian made knock off.

What  is important is how does it play? If it's good then be happy and enjoy it.

EDIT:
Looking at the TRC under magnification it looks to be not original, and there is evidence that it may be hiding some damage(?) Perhaps the neck is original with the guitar and the head stock has been "repaired" for some reason. If it was refinished, the "logo" may have been added afterwards.

Thank you very much for taking the time to have a look at it sadly it’s still with my friend, so haven’t had a go at playing it!

Thanks for the extra pic.

The number follows the Matsumoku's pattern for 7 digit serials but that may not be definitive proof. If this is legitimate it would indicate a 1980 build.

I'm starting to think it could be an early Mats build under another label, which has had the head stock or possibly the truss rod "repaired" (badly) by a previous owner. The neck is good quality construction.

All speculation.

Looks like a Mats made Hondo Professional Bass.

Decent guitars, D'marzio pups.

As for the logo, who knows.

Ah yes, most likely a Hondo then, definitely not a Westone.

But that logo and head stock! I would double check that there is nothing weird going on under the TRC.

It is nowhere near a Westone, but an interesting bass.

I had one of these for a while.  It is certainly Japanese but not Matsumoku.  It has a weird 32" neck.  Also the DiMarzio p'ups have a big output and nice sound.  It is a heavy bugger too

Barry wrote:Ah yes, most likely a Hondo then, definitely not a Westone.

But that logo and head stock! I would double check that there is nothing weird going on under the TRC.

I second (or third? I can't keep track) that it's very possibly a Hondo.
My first thought was that the body is shaped identically to my 1979 S.D. Curlee Aspen, which was made in Korea by Samick, who later co-branded as S.D. Curlee  Hondo II, then just Hondo. It was designed by Randy Curlee in Illinois. They couldn't keep up with demand so Randy went to South Korea to teach Samick how to build the Curlee instruments and improve their quality. Samick recycled Curlee's design for a bunch of other brands after S.D. Curlee went out of business.

Neil

Have a read here.

LINK