ash

Sometimes the heart rules the head I know - just a thought why not ask Drew at the bass lounge to keep an eye out for you I think they offer a bass finding service - they will take the risk out of it for you?

This is my 70s one, the machinheads are pitted and the pickup pole pieces but the chrome is pretty good given the fact it was sprayed snot green,hacked to death and had the frets pulled out by some Cumbrian punks in the late 70s! Despite all this and the replacement scratchplate and TR cover the pickups and hardware are working and original and the trussrods are fine, it's a great player following a refret & quite few pounds worth of work by my local luthier! I was lucky with this one as I picked it up locally and spent nothing like what you are potentially going to on your lefty. Believe me bargains turn up in the daftest places. I'd hang on for one especially in this financial climate! [attachment=104907:DSCF1539.jpg] [attachment=104908:DSCF1541.jpg]

Post them up if you can it would be good to see them.

Unfortunately its a righty - I'd also be cautious about his offer to lower its declared value although it may save your charges it means it won't be fully insured and it's illegal. I'm not knocking the seller as I have had no personal dealings with him but he does seem a tad keen to shift this on.

I wouldn't spend that much to import an unseen/unplayed bass - especially since you are liable to be paying unpredictable import charges. Most I've paid was £400 for a G&L several years ago and it cost me around £125 VAT, sales tax and import duty on top from the US and that's after shipping! Why not buy my lovely green 4001 and have it professionally refinished and converted - to you sir 650 quid! It may be my overly cautious nature but It's a hefty investment and remember you could get John Carling at John Birch or any number of UK luthiers to make you a lefty to your own spec for £1700. Not that I'm encouraging infringement of any copyright or anything of course.

[quote name='waynepunkdude' timestamp='1334234581' post='1612951'] Probably had an image rights claim from Mr Hall saying he couldn't use it in public. [/quote] Heh! Heh!

[quote name='Bobo_Grimmer' timestamp='1334226234' post='1612726'] They do have a mixed response from people I've always been a fan ever since i listened to the jam [/quote] I recently supported Bruce Foxton's 'From The Jam' locally and in homage to Bruce I took along my bright green (don't ask) and battered old Rick 4001 (and yes it's real Mr Hall). Before the bands started my 4001 was on stage in front of Bruce's giant Marshall rig and all the punter's were taking photos of it! Bruce plays a Fender Precision these days.

[quote name='MB1' timestamp='1334229907' post='1612827'] MB1. Reminded me of Russell Hunter who played Lonely in the cult t.v series Callan? i know youll remember that one Ash? [/quote] I don't rmember him - was Callan the one with Edward Woodward (the name for which the letter 'D' was invented)?

[quote name='razze06' timestamp='1334229804' post='1612822'] Mine is identical to the one Mr Entwhistle is using in the pic, minus the bridge and "pickup" metal cover, and the name on the headstock is CMI. Still a Peter Cook one, mind you If you take out and inspect he pickup, you can see it's in fact a single coil pickup in a very large humbucker-esque casing, probably to imitate the EB0 look. I've strung mine with slightly heavy roundwounds, and it's got a very bright and aggressive sound, giving me a JJ Brunel-ish sound when played through the right amp. The tone control does a lot, so the sound when the tone is rolled off all the way is very smooth. Ive done plenty ska and reggae gigs with it some pics [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/114409-peter-cook-guitar-maker/"]here[/url] [/quote] Very nice too! I'm wondering if mine had a replacement pickup on it. Nice thread about Peter Cook.

The one I had was a real thumper - like my old EBO but it had more variation in the tone control, it was the original UK built version by Peter Cook. I know Mike Oldfield used a Ned Callan - may have been another model 'Cody'? or something. There are a few people on the Shergold site who buy and sell these. They are probably going for over 300ish in very good condition. There were 'Shaftesbury' and other branded Neds too apparently. I also had a UK made Dan Armstrong with a sliding pickup that had that kind of Gibson vibe.

It did - he sold it outside eBay I think anyway - I asked him if he had a price in mind and he told me he was open to offers over £200 - he'd had another enquiry and I have a feeling he was trying to get me into a private bidding war. I gave him a price but heard nothing else then it was pulled. These are nice basses and have a great EBO type feel and sound but not really worth throwing real money at - good luck to him if he got a decent price though as I know these 'Knobbly Neds' have a bit of a following!

Yes I know what you mean. Blame all those 'cash in the attic' type programmes, everyone wants to find a lost classic in a great uncle's loft ; ) or at a car boot sale. In fact if this is a Watkins as I suspect it's a bit of British rock'n'roll history not worth much especially in this state but nice all the same.

Here's a better link to the Watkins Bass page, I've owned a few and they have nice necks - this looks like a 'Sapphire' but they were all a bit 'pick and mix' in terms of hardware and cosmetics. [url="http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/basses.htm"]http://www.watkinsguitars.co.uk/basses.htm[/url]

[i]Compare with these -[/i] [i][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-rare-1960s-Wilson-Rapier-Bass-guitar-made-Watkins-WEM-/261000767461?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cc4dba7e5"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-rare-1960s-Wilson-Rapier-Bass-guitar-made-Watkins-WEM-/261000767461?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3cc4dba7e5[/url][/i] [i][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-vintage-1960s-70s-Wilson-wem-watkins-Rapier-bass-guitar-left-handed-lefty-/250991906020?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a70488ce4"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-vintage-1960s-70s-Wilson-wem-watkins-Rapier-bass-guitar-left-handed-lefty-/250991906020?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item3a70488ce4[/url][/i]

It looks like a Watkins/Wilson Rapier judging by the bridge assembly.

Yes I'm watching this too, I had a few questions to the seller but no responses yet. I've owned a few of these including the later Squier versions and they have great necks but vary in weight and come in short & long scale versions. I'll probably have a punt anyway!

[i][quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1333985801' post='1609197'] Cougar piss I told you Hi Mark! [/quote][/i] [i]Ha! Ha![/i]

I saw this too and thought the same, think its been sanded and given an oil finish or something like that the decal is also in a slightly odd position on the headstock - having said that Marcus Ms Jazz has the logo in an odd place and thats the same era.

OK will do, thanks again!

Thanks for the reply however the problem is that the one on the bass doesn't fit so it would be no use as a template.

I just picked up a JV Precision cheap as it had been modded - it has a really poor non original pick guard fitted so I wondered if anybody knew of the appropriate equivalent I can get for it - if any? There are loads on eBay etc but as you know they are all very varied and for different models - this is a 13 hole early 60s style JV plate. Thanks!