Washburn 1000 Series S70 Status

In the late 1980s, Washburn collaborated with Status and produced the Status 1000 series, bringing the distinctive design, hardware, pickups and electronics of the English Status basses to a considerably lower price point. The S70 has the characteristic Status headless layout, with a maple neck running all the way through the body, walnut wings and Status brass hardware. Unlike the carbon-fibre construction of the British Status instruments, the Washburn uses a conventional all-wood construction. Status supplied the pickups and electronics for these instruments.

This S70 is an exceptionally rigid and responsive bass, yet remains lightweight, compact and remarkably comfortable to play. Its active electronics have that unmistakable late-'80s hi-fi character: clear, articulate and punchy, with aggressive, woody mids that help it sit particularly well in a mix. It has plenty of attack whether played with fingers or a pick, while retaining enough warmth and definition to keep the sound from becoming sterile.

The headless design is more than a visual statement. With no conventional headstock, the tuners and string anchoring are incorporated into the substantial Status bridge system at the body end. The result is a very compact instrument with excellent balance, and the Status hardware is exceptionally solid. The S70 can also use conventional single-ball strings, rather than requiring the double-ball strings associated with some other headless basses of the period.

Headless basses from this Washburn/Status collaboration have become increasingly sought after, particularly as original, affordable Status basses become harder to find. The S70 is an interesting piece of the late-'80s transition towards the highly engineered, modernist bass designs that became increasingly influential in the following decade.

This example is in excellent, fully original condition, with only light signs of use. The most noticeable marks are a few scratches on the rear of the headpiece and a small nick on the side of the body. The original transparent blue finish has naturally faded towards green over time, while the hardware shows light tarnishing consistent with its age. It has been professionally set up with low action and a fresh set of Rotosound flatwound strings.

Specifications

• Model: Washburn Status 1000 S70
• Era: Late 1980s / early 1990s
• Origin: Japan
• Construction: Neck-through
• Body: Ash wings with walnut top and back
• Neck: Maple
• Fingerboard: Ebonized fingerboard
• Scale: 34"
• Frets: 24
• Pickups: 2 × Status single-coil pickups
• Electronics: Active Status electronics
• Hardware: Status brass
• Design: Headless
• Finish: Transparent blue, naturally faded towards green
• Weight: 3.90 kg
• Condition: Excellent, fully original
• Repairs: None
• Modifications: None
• Setup: Low action, fresh Rotosound flatwound strings
• Includes: Original hard-shell case