molan

Looks great. My favourite colour for a classic looking P. With a choice of guards, some expensive flats (that won’t need replacing for about 30 years!) and a spare set of DR’s, I’d think this won’t hang around long

The original Signature P is a full CS model in gold sparkle and a production run of just 60. After that came this green one I think and this is a current production ‘unlimited’ build number. More recently were a pair of purple sparkle ones in both J & P configuration. This was another limited edition run of around 500. Not sure if that was 500 of each or in total. I remember that only about 12 of each were originally supposed to come to the UK. The Sherwood Green is probably the most ‘giggable’ of the lot as it’s not as showy as the others - mind you, I gig my gold one quite regularly!

These are great cabs. I don't think Bag End make a bad product!

Came out a couple of years before the Dee Dee (which is why I wondered if the signature model was based on the regular one). Olympic white, black guard, maple board, C profile neck, standard MIM pickups etc. Board had black blocks though which always put me off - remedied on the Dee Dee

Perfect, thanks for that!

So does that mean it is different from a standard Mexican 70’s P? I don’t have one of those so wouldn’t be able to compare.

I never really worked out what made this model different from a regular Mexican 70’s P? Different decal, signature on back of headstock and 1-2-3-4 neckplate but nothing ‘sonically’ changed?

I think it's mostly because Fender didn't offer matching headstocks on a P until much later in their history (maybe not until early 80's I think). There are rumoured to be some 60's matching headstock P's that were one-off builds from the factory but I've never seen any proof that they were 100% original. A 60's looking P with a matching headstock would immediately be identified as a 'replica' rather than the 'real thing' by anyone 'in the know'. Of course, they have lots of other ways to identify they aren't 60's originals but I'm sure some people playing them want others to think they might just be a genuine pre-CBS. The knock-on effect of all this is that not many people specify them on CS builds and, to some people, they don't quite look right, whereas a similar J would be quite normal. Personally I think this one looks great and it wouldn't bother me at all!

Yep! https://www.sadowsky.com/product/vintage-tone-control-vtc-retrofit-kit/

These 70’s UV models sound fantastic. Probably the heaviest of the modern Sadowsky range but they really nail that classic late 70’s J bass tone. I was at a big show a few years back and a top player’s bass hadn’t arrived in time. He had a choice of a wide array of instruments from all sorts of people and he chose out one of these because he said he just knew it was going to sound exactly how he wanted it to. He played it on his clinic and he was right - suited him perfectly and sounded killer!

When you say it’s a Rio fingerboard is that Madagascar rosewood? Also - are the tuners the larger style ones or the little Hipshot lite versions? I think I’ve had both on previous Celinders. Amazing the difference the lites can make to overall weight and balance!

I was an Alleva Dealer for a few years and I think we only ever saw one RA in all that time. I owned it personally for a while just to see how it compared to my LM and LG versions 😉

Oh man, I really, really want this. . .

Nice. The RA series is probably the rarest of the three main Alleva models.

Wow, a passive medium scale Celinder. How cool! I think I still have an original Celinder pre-amp kicking around somewhere as well!

Is your grandmother Keith Emerson?

Is this the ‘classic’ 30.75” scale?

Wow, that’s pretty light for any sort of P bass with a ‘generic’ ash body!

Do you know how much it weighs?

Just checking - it’s a 7.25” radius and 1.75” nut?

I’ve played this one a few times. Might have some history on it buried away somewhere. Definitely a very nice thing indeed 😉

Can you confirm the exact model number for this? Looks like an SHB3N?

Best fretless I’ve ever played was one of these - fabulous instrument.

I think I might have owned this for a while but could just be something very similar. Mine went in to Martin for a full overhaul a few years back and whilst it was there I fell in love with a Flamboyant 4 and Alex agreed a trade deal for me. If it’s the same one then I seem to remember it’s really nice to play