Rick's Fine '52

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1352069003' post='1858474'] Good lord! that is the sort of thing you would expect to see if MDP was let loose with a spray gun!! [/quote]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1352069455' post='1858480'] I wouldn't be surprised if it was true, it would be a single sampler for their colours, which (& my Fender knowledge is slight) were mostly - for custom colours - done with car-paints? Before I parted with that kind of money for it though the least they could do is get an official verification from Fender for it? Is there nothing in the Fender bass history books about such things? [/quote] As Luke said though, a single piece of wood, say1ft square, with each colour would show the finish far better than this does, and much cheaper. It does look factory finished in the flesh though. I've read just about every reference book on Fenders, and never seen or heard anything about it. And yes, for $23k, I'd want a picture of George Fullerton holding it at a Guitar Fair in '65!!

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1352067961' post='1858457'] I kinda like it - would definitely gig with it if I could afford it Price seems like a bargain for Rudy's - they have a $54K '69 Strat up for sale at the moment. . . [/quote] Thats true, they're not the cheapest, but they often have the most unusual items. '69 Strats, thats 'Hendrix era' Barrie, that's gotta be worth an extra $40K on it's own, especially if it was found in a garage sale, or loft!!!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1352067232' post='1858444'] but it fails in even really showing the colours- like a set of photographs and a painted plank would be better/cheaper [/quote] Definitely, most odd!

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1352066344' post='1858433'] ugly! [/quote] I agree, although I don't think it was supposed to be pretty. I just think it's odd that Fender would do something like this, why not just use a proper example of a custom colour guitar in these colours, for shows, knowing they could sell them on afterwards. Unless it's just an example of Fender CBS Management scrimping to the extreme?

I was in New York last week (Yes, great time to go I know, but survived Hurricane Sandy!!), and whilst upstairs in Rudy's, I found this oddity. 1965 Precision. Neck dated November 65, all pots date to the same month. Laurie, in the shop, said it was a bass used to show the custom colour range available at the time, and several of these basses were used at show's, and then sent to larger dealers, not for sale, but to show the finishes available. The bass shows shoreline gold; inca silver; teal green; sea foam green; candy apple red, and lake placid blue. Its kind of a sunburst finish, with all these colours used, the front of which is mainly LPB. The bass shows some wear, but also factory exposed sections of the various finishes. It looks genuine, and all factory applied/exposed colours. Weather checking also looks consistent through the finishes. The pics are terrible I'm afraid, as it was very bright in the shop, and my ipod isnt the best camera! I know a fair bit about vintage Fenders, but have never seen any reference to these, or heard anything about them anywhere previously. Anyone seen or heard of anything similar?? It was $23k!! Heres' the awful pics, but hopefully you get the idea? Any thoughts?

[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1351977754' post='1857585'] I have a lot of empathy with you. Been there got the T shirt. [/quote] I hope it was a white one, with a contrasting black tie??

Thats a real shame, but sounds like everyone had ample warning. I think you'll actually be glad you made this decision, and wish you well with any new venture you embark on, which I'm sure will suit you far better. Rick

Great price, this would be 5x this price in better nick.

[quote name='MrFingers' timestamp='1351622767' post='1853403'] Musikraft does it as well. [/quote] Yeah, stupid price too. Mine cost me less than nothing....really!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1351185684' post='1848456'] Can't wait to see the finished item! [/quote] Me too!!

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1351200304' post='1848740'] It's a nice one though. [/quote] It is! They're not the quickest in the world, but they are one of the best, I'm sure it will be worth the wait!

[quote name='eb2jim' timestamp='1351271875' post='1849601'] This is wonderful. I was going to make one of these about 10 or more years ago (Edenhaus gave me a price to do one) and then I was looking at ordering one of the custom shop ones but it dissapeared before I had the finances in order. Me and everyone else, probably. I never saw one in the flesh, and the only one I find out there is that "wrong" one with the rosewood and tort. Why would anyone bother paying that much for what - for Fender - is less work and is wrong? In spying the tell-tale incorrect feature, I guess it is the maple cap, no? The Roger Waters bass has a slab, and the real ones should be curved and thin like a 66 rosewood board. [/quote] This is mine, it [i]is[/i] a maple cap. Try finding someone who'll make you one!! trust me, I did, searched high and low, not out there. This one is just fine. Thats why this project has been 3 years in the making, because if I couldnt get a maple-cap neck, I wouldn't have done it, I'm a bit obsessed like that, which is not always a good thing. Thanks for the comments, and interest though, genuinly appreciated.

[quote name='MiltyG565' timestamp='1351259991' post='1849387'] W.H.A.T!!!???!!! ............. you might be biased because of your dislike of fender. [/quote] Despite the fact he has 4 !!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1351180423' post='1848352'] OK Rick, when you've finished this one will you build me a 66/67 with a tort guard, rosewood neck and lollipop tuners? [/quote] It would certainly be a lot easier than this one has been, I could have used an original neck too!!! It wouldn't be 'right' though would it, it has to be maple-cap,and the wide-bevel black guard, thats what makes it unique really!

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1351176761' post='1848278'] There is a reference in Barry Matthews' book to a later batch (66/67) made for distribution in the USA, some of which had torty guards and rosewood fingerboards. One particularly rare example (F188559) had 'paddle' or 'lollipop' tuners, too. [/quote] Yes, but they weren't made in '62, as the reference, and they didnt have slab boards, as stated. The second batch definitely exist though, about 5 examples still known about.

OK, it's been a while since i had anything to report on this, I now have all the components, and finally (!!), a pic of the body, after it's final coat of heavy white blonde. Looking good, it's now having the nitro cracked and weathered, and a light relic wear, and I should have it back in a couple of weeks, subject to USPS! I asked for a few progress pics, and got one!, never mind, here it is; [url="javascript:void(0);"][/url]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1351089029' post='1847182'] That's a "I just bought this at the weekend so I'm going to show it off for a bit" pose. [/quote] I think he's thinking "What the fu*k did I buy this for, it looked so cool in the shop, now I just feel like a complete cock!"

[quote name='harleyheath' timestamp='1351074195' post='1846889'] I'd love to see a thunderbird ramped up high mark king style an slapped like larry graham on speed, that would be awesome! video please!! [/quote] Not slapped, but at least 2ft too high IMHO; Thunderbird: You're doing it wrong!

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1350984817' post='1845766'] You told! It's a Levy's strap, mine has been used on three successive long scale basses including the infamous Epi EB3 - and being about 3 ins wide (75mm to the metrically minded) and suede on the inner it doesn't allow neck dive....................................... so far! Though it's still to pass the T-bird test. [/quote] [url="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lysator.liu.se/~wizkid/music/thunderbird_mod/pics/before.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lysator.liu.se/~wizkid/music/thunderbird_mod/&usg=__0CJHau6Nzq-qq73r2pCRULY3pfg=&h=382&w=254&sz=38&hl=en&start=78&zoom=1&tbnid=SIvwgBWovRcRtM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=82&ei=xtGHUPWpKYqe0QW62oD4Aw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgibson%2Bthunderbird%26start%3D60%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dvss%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1"]http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lysator.liu.se/~wizkid/music/thunderbird_mod/pics/before.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lysator.liu.se/~wizkid/music/thunderbird_mod/&usg=__0CJHau6Nzq-qq73r2pCRULY3pfg=&h=382&w=254&sz=38&hl=en&start=78&zoom=1&tbnid=SIvwgBWovRcRtM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=82&ei=xtGHUPWpKYqe0QW62oD4Aw&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgibson%2Bthunderbird%26start%3D60%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dvss%26sa%3DN%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1[/url]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1350984817' post='1845766'] You told! It's a Levy's strap, mine has been used on three successive long scale basses including the infamous Epi EB3 - and being about 3 ins wide (75mm to the metrically minded) and suede on the inner it doesn't allow neck dive....................................... so far! Though it's still to pass the T-bird test. [/quote] Due to the large number of T'Birds used at the Reading Rock Festival, they decided to use this, set up above the stage, this way, T'Bird players simply hooked their headstock to the chain, the driver then raised the chain to the desired headstock height, thus preventing any stage problems, often associated with such use. Fixed.