The Bass Doc

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='387054' date='Jan 21 2009, 12:44 AM']Does the book have a title?[/quote] The title is A Fender Bass for Britain - strange one I know but the fact is the Shermans didn't recognise it's existence since it was only targeted at the UK market. One theory is that it would be used as a 'market tester' towards whether to bring back the original P- bass (as the Telecaster) which of course they did. This was the first return to maple necks as standard since 1959. Better not say much more so that you can enjoy the full story when the book comes out.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='385774' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:40 AM']Wow... I'm looking forward to that! Can you tell us a bit about Baz? I know he's a mine of info on all things Fender, but he's never got involved with discussions online... or has he? It would be great to hear what he has to say...[/quote] I don't think Baz is into online stuff but I could try to persuade him. However at this time it's probably best to let him get the book out and deal with follow-up interest which is bound to occour as a result. You're right that Baz knows his stuff - almost as much as me!(after all I must be one of the very few to have spent some time in the company of Leo Fender)

[quote name='bremen' post='385773' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:40 AM']Did parts of this become the famous Frankenbass as used on Live at Leeds?[/quote] I do believe so

[quote name='Delberthot' post='385779' date='Jan 20 2009, 10:46 AM']I remember reading an interview with Baz in Bassist mag a few years back and he got a pic and a mention in the Fender Bass book. He must be a good age by now. Looking forward to getting a copy of this. Who's going to be selling it?[/quote] Author.com, Amazon.com, also apparently Fender will stock it and 'others'

Hi all, Advance notice that there is a book coming out in a month or so about the history of this ultra rare model. It is so rare I only ever owned 2 of them! One went to U2s Adam Clayton via his guitar tech whilst on tour (my good friend was tech for the support). The other one is now owned by my mate 'Big Baz' Matthews who has written the book. Advance pics are being E-mailed to me by Baz since I helped in some of the research. I still get misty-eyed when recalling my favourite one as I consider it to be the best sounding of all of the many P basses I have owned. The book's foreward is written by John Entwhistle but sadly he never got to do the epilogue.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='384757' date='Jan 19 2009, 10:41 AM']Hello! Glad to hear it... I'll be in touch soon 'cos I have a little bit of pickup juggery-pokery I need a hand with.[/quote] You're asking me to assist with some juggery- pokery? I'm OK with the juggery (how is the missus btw?) but I'm a bit uncomfortable in relation to the pokery - we should talk privately later. However, if you need help involving pickups, wiring etc., no problem. Having retired from the retail side of things, I'm often asked if I will handle queries - my stock reply is "certainly not - I'm heterosexual". Seriously though you've picked a good time to have any work done - my workshop is at your disposal. Just about to help Marcus choose some replacement pickups for his CV Squier Jazz.

[quote name='Hamster' post='384519' date='Jan 18 2009, 11:24 PM']Welcome to the forums! - I work it out at around £129.23 in today's money![/quote] Cripes! - At that price level I feel I should be entitled to a lifetime guarantee so if one string breaks in the next few years I will request a refund. As a matter of interest, when I ran the Bass Place in Newcastle we had a policy of offering a lifetime guarantee on everything we sold. The only catch was if the customer complained, we hired a hit-man to murder him so that the end result was that the item had indeed lasted his lifetime.

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='384633' date='Jan 19 2009, 02:47 AM']Well bugger me boots... Mr. S.! Welcome aboard... how the devil are ya??[/quote] Hiya MB, I'm doing fine thanks - recovering quite well from the heart scare. The only other problem is that on a recent visit to my GP he suggested I may be suffering from Alzheimers. At least I think that's what he said because these days I find it hard to remember things. Are you involved in the gig at the Poachers Cottage on the 24th? It's just down the road from me so I may turn up - in diguise of course as I did for the recent Booker T appearance where it was feared that Duck Dunn may refuse to play in front of one of his heroes

I've been browsing the forum for a little while now and thought I should make myself known as one of the senior citizens of the bass world. I have already exchanged a couple of PMs with the Old Git and find I am older and gitter than him - first paying gig 1964! Iam probably not the oldest member at present but would like to stake a claim to having the oldest set of strings still in use -- my spare Jazz bass carries a set of original Fender strings for which I still have the packet marked £8/15 shillings -a hell of a price to pay back then - anyone care to work out the amount that equates to in today's money? Although new to the vast majority of you, I can say that I am already well known to a lot of fellow North Easterners including Marcus, Wateroftyne and of course Warwickhunt (what on earth were Mr. and Mrs. Hunt thinking?). To those who think you might know me, the clue is in the avatar - the slapping nun of Nun Street.