This item is new, having only been opened to take the photos for the listing and never actually used. The purchase price was around 50,000 yen, so this is a great deal. I use a bass with the same pickups as this one, and the sound has a quick attack with a thick, full tone. I play with a pick, but even when I lightly pluck the strings with my fingers, it produces a sound that is thick enough to cut through a guitar or vocal track without getting buried.