http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=002&item=120041115627

This week’s freak hollowbody bass is an a-typical Hofner copy hailing from none other than Poland, under the brand name ‘Defil.’ Built in the late 70’s, this instrument gets extra freak points for being built by Communists. According to the auction, this bass doesn’t even qualify as a ‘player’s bass’ but would make a nice addition to a cheesy guitar collection. I would agree with that statement.

Check it out:

Slider volume and tone controls! And the F-Hole looks like someone fell asleep at the router:

Nice. The two thin strips of darker wood don’t actually run through the center of the neck - they veer off to the bass side.

And that headstock. Travesty.

A quick search turns up information on the Defil brand from www.CheesyGuitars.com. Apparently, the ‘Romeo’ bass had a guitar counterpart called the ‘Julia’:

The version pictured here is actually the Defil “Romeo”, not the “Romeo 2″ that appeared on eBay. Apparently the original version was of better quality and featured a truss rod, which the Romeo 2 is lacking. Check out the round soundhole on the original. Crazy Commies!