Rick's Fine '52

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1353109839' post='1871847'] Do the Skodas have "[size=6]Skoda [size=3]by VW" on them though? Some Squier stuff has the "Fender" bigger than the "Squier Series".[/size][/size] [/quote] Indeed, like this. This is a Squier bass, all original. Is it unreasonable to mention Fender in the ad title? I'm always a bit baffled by peoples hang ups on this subject, Its a Fender Squier, a Squier Series Fender, a Squier by Fender, whatever it is, it's still a Fender. I would add though, that they should put [i]all[/i] the information in the ad, but I don't think anyone is ever fooled, life's to short to be bothered, but thats just my point of view.

[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1353181216' post='1872557'] When did Fender introduce those paddle tuners and for how long were they used? [/quote] late '66 to mid '68

I personally don't care much for Custom Colour Fenders, especially this colour or black, but having said that, this is a very, very rare example, in fine condition. It also has the rarest neck spec. Is it worth $12k? Yes, a custom colour bass collector would sell body parts for something like this.

Kill it with fire!!!

Jaguar Bass prototype?, ahem, no. [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-USA-Jaguar-Bass-Neck-1970s-More-than-rare-/121021738768?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c2d752f10"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-USA-Jaguar-Bass-Neck-1970s-More-than-rare-/121021738768?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item1c2d752f10[/url]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1353079162' post='1871411'] involving a bass starting with R? [/quote]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1353072831' post='1871274'] I'm pretty sure Sterling Ball will know about this latest sale also - there's a thread posted by Gav (the Aussie expert, Musicman org website owner and Musicman bass forum moderator) on the Musicman bass forum. The old adage that you basically convert the value in dollars to £ Sterling for the same item for sale in this country seems to apply here - plus a bit of profit/reimbursement of shipping costs for the owner, and a bit for the shop fee makes it about right as far as I can see. I really think it ought to be in a museum on display or on display at Musicman - has anyone been to look at it from here? It would be an experience just to look at it let alone play it - not sure I can get up there in the next week (if it's still there) - it looks fantastic - as new - in the photos. The point made about pick up cover colours and control knobs - this is the first production Stingray - the ones with X series numbers are pre-production prototypes and all the ones I've seen have been natural finish, have white pu covers, black pick guards, and normal knurled control knobs. The 'radio' knobs appear to occur on very early Rays but knurled ones appear as well. The white pick up cover was an option on new instruments up to about 1979 (indeed I looked at a 77 Inca Silver Ray at Bass Centre a few years back which had a white pu cover). I know it's possibly a heinous crime uttering anything in this place about those six string things our guitar toting colleagues usually play far too loudly................ but Stingray guitar #0001 was also for sale not too long ago (also previously owned by Forrest White IIRC). [/quote] I'm down at Andy's next Tuesday or Wednesday, for a spot of trading, so, if its still there, I'll try and have a whirl on it, and let y'all know how it plays. I just hope it doesnt draw me in too much. As has been said, it should be on display at MM. Looking forward to seeing it though!

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1353052952' post='1870892'] Word has it that it was sold in the USA recently for quite a lot less than that. [/quote] Interesting. Any evidence of that?

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1353022792' post='1870780'] £325? That's the combined cost of three of my basses I know what I'd rather have! [/quote] So do I.

Compared with others I've seen, this is actually reasonably priced. If you have a £7k bass without one, then it's well worth the money. In fact, if I had a £1600 CS relic, then I would consider this as a replacement, while I owned and played it, the Fender CS torty guards are appalling, and make a bass they sell for $4000 look sh*te. Then, when I sold it, I'd swap it back, sell the original guard for a similar price, no probs. Simply priced based on supply and demand, find another!

[quote name='jaydentaku' timestamp='1352835620' post='1868196'] [/quote] I'm not sure whats worse about this?, the fact that someone actually made it, or the fact that somebody, presumably ordered it!

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1352987793' post='1870176'] Ah, but does it have [i]that[/i] sound? [/quote] My slab body is all finished, packaged, and with USPS mid-Atlantic as we speak, should be with me in the next couple of days, so I can start the assembly of my 'slab'. Will be interesting to see how [i]it[/i] sounds! All components are as the original, with many of them from '66, so we'll see!

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1352981898' post='1870041'] Fender "luthiers" have no idea how to make something like that... [/quote] Thank god for that!!!

[quote name='charic' timestamp='1352978892' post='1869995'] Hmm... Masterbuilt Fee $2,600 Custom Classic Jazz Bass 4 $4,900 Ash Body $300 Contoured Neck Heel $50 Sunset Orange Trans AAA Flame Maple Top $800 AAA Flame Maple Neck Figure $500 P Bass Neck ( I think that's Modern C) 1 - Piece Maple Neck Base Model Radius Brass Nut Black Binding and Blocks (can't see option) Black Hardware (can't see option?!), if not then Base Shaller Machine Heads $50 BA3 Bridge $50 Black 1 Ply Pickguard $50 S-1 Switch $100 Hand Wound Bass Pickups $250 Total Cost... Drumroll Please! $9650 [b]£6,086.51[/b] [b]Although I'd be tempted to ask for EMG's instead [/b] [/quote] I know someone who just ordered (last week in fact) their own Custom Shop Jazz bass from Fender, their own specs, total cost £2100 to your door, not masterbuilt, but still a CS certified build, I think thats pretty good, and you don't pay all until its delivered, they do a payment increment scheme, where the final installment is made prior to collection, all through UK dealer too.

[quote name='Kiwi' timestamp='1352962684' post='1869767'] Headless, graphite bolt on neck, chambered body, semi parametric eq. and custom soapbar pickups. [/quote]

[quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1352939017' post='1869724'] If that were the case then surely the jazz and the stingray need never have existed. [/quote] Eh?, different instrument, the same as a Strat is a different instrument to a Telecaster. The point was, and as examples, the Stratocaster you buy today, is the exact same format and construction as it was in '54, and still the best selling guitar, how many brands can say that they are unchanged since their first production model?, the same can be said for the telecaster, jazz bass, precision, and even most of the early amps. Your reference to the stingray?, obviously he couldnt go and make another precision after he left, as that was a Fender product, so he had to do a variation on a theme, take the pickguard of a stingray, put in split coil bucker and a precision pickguard, and its almost identical, including body and neck shape. He experimented with electics, circuits, and pickups because he was an inventor, thats what they do. But the instruments he made in the 50's are still made today, and are still the best selling, and instrument of choice of the vast majority of players, both guitarists and bass. That was the point, and its a fact, not my opinion.

[quote name='obbm' timestamp='1352932855' post='1869634'] I was always led to understand that the early Stingrays had "radio knobs". This one doesn't which makes me suspicious. [/quote] I'm no expert either on MM's, but I read somewhere that the first ones had white pickup covers? Sure someone will put the record straight on these two issues??

[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1352929029' post='1869575'] It is amazing how little the design has changed. I'm speaking the bleeding obvious here, but I'm still amazed! [/quote] Like most things Leo was involved in, he got it right first time, if it ain't broke......

Their attention to detail is not always great, although better than Bravewood etc in my experience, they could do sooo much better though, with the resources at their disposal. For me though, it would be a '65 Jazz, dot neck, burgundy mist, matching headstock, white guard (they can't make tort guards for toffee, not that it should have a tort guard...just saying!), chrome covers, medium Relic. Black tolex case, red lining.

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1352900457' post='1869038'] A bang-on replica of the mid-60s slab Precision bass. [/quote] They've already made it.

Lovely. As Luke says, tuners are switched, but if it was sitting in liquid, head first, then they had probably rusted, nevertheless, rare bass, real shame about the headstock though. If the neck has survived any playability damage, then it will be a fine bass to play, one of the best, the headstock, tuners, and lack of pickguard will stop it reaching investment/collectors pricing levels, but certainly worth £700 of anyones money if it plays well. Nice find.

Not cheap, but what an item to own. 1st ever 'Ray. Holy Grail Lovely [url="http://www.andybaxterbass.com/details.php?id=385"]http://www.andybaxterbass.com/details.php?id=385[/url]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1352817960' post='1867786'] It's just a 6 string though really [/quote] So, is that 2 more strings than you need, or 8??

[quote name='Graham' timestamp='1352632594' post='1865283'] My goodness Though I'm guessing you get that a lot [/quote] Thanks Graham, I'm fortunate to have this set up, took many years of searching, and upgrading, but worth the wait!!