FS: Fender Custom Shop '55 heavy relic (Musikmesse special build) **NOW SOLD** £4000

[Beedster]

I'll let you guys be the judge of the quality of the relicing, what I will say is that it ain't no coincidence, and as Custom Shop replicas go, it's a far more accurate account of Sting's instrument than they ever managed of Jaco's

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/Sting_zps63ohq0lk.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/Beedster/Sting_zps63ohq0lk.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/IMG_1140_zpssbalki8e.jpg.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/Beedster/IMG_1140_zpssbalki8e.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[krispn]

oh my Mr Beauregard I do declare!

[koghazzaoui]

pm

[Beedster]

Flea Bass sold, '55 still available.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Beedster

[Beedster]

As requested, a close up of the bridge of the '55, note the serial number matches that on the Custom Shop certificate above. Andy's post on the origins of this bass said the following [i]"In 2005, Fender Custom Shop made some special pieces for the Frankfurt Musikmesse, one of which was a 1955 Precision bass in a very heavy relic. In a very familiar wear pattern In total 6 were made and the bass we did a deal on was one of them. Somewhere along the line in it's 11 years, an owner has (albeit sympathetically) removed the custom shop decal on the back of the headstock - I've had the bass apart and everything else you'd expect to denote it as a Fender custom shop is present as are the certificate and an email correspondence from Fender after sending detailed photos. Either Sting has owned it and wanted to hide the fact it was custom shop (heard he tours with replicas of his bass to save wear on his...allegedly) or someone, somewhere has tried to pass this off as an original mid 50's instrument."[/i]

[url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/IMG_1192_zpspwmjaaqt.jpg.html"][/url]

And a couple more pics of the '55 wearing some of its accessories

[url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/IMG_1194_zpsilbtlwmf.jpg.html"][/url]

[url="http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/IMG_1197_zpshpqpwcwm.jpg.html"][/url]

Edited June 1, 2016 by Beedster

[Beedster]

Thanks for the many trade offers on this, but just to restate, it's for sale only

Chris

[Chiliwailer]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1464974304' post='3064338']

I had this very bass in my hands this afternoon. All I can say is it's a good job I didn't have the money in my pocket at the time.

Buy with confidence here people. This one is a cracker!
[/quote]

+1, I love this bass and have played it many a time, I wouldn't hesitate if I had the space for it.

So mate, if you've been at Chris's house today I guess you'll be doing some funky slapping tonight with your NBD? Enjoy!

[Beedster]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1464974304' post='3064338']
I had this very bass in my hands this afternoon. All I can say is it's a good job I didn't have the money in my pocket at the time.

Buy with confidence here people. This one is a cracker!
[/quote]
[quote name='Chiliwailer' timestamp='1464975746' post='3064367']
+1, I love this bass and have played it many a time, I wouldn't hesitate if I had the space for it.

So mate, if you've been at Chris's house today I guess you'll be doing some funky slapping tonight with your NBD? Enjoy!
[/quote]

Hi Warren, great to meet you today mate, thanks for making the journey, I'm only sorry I couldn't be slightly more hospitable, half-term's a nightmare isn't it! Hope the return journey wasn't too bad and that you're happy with the bass.

Thanks to you both for the comments re the '55, it's funny, I thought it was the best instrument the Fender Custom Shop have ever produced until Warren opened a case today and pulled out the Dusty Hill Sig! Man, man, man, that is one absolutely stunning bass. They really pulled out all of the stops on that one! I'm doing everything I can to be GAS free and you do that to me! What a bass!

Anyway, '55 with a striking resemblance to one played by a famous Geordie still for sale here folks

[Beedster]

I've just made a rather large commitment to a new DB that, whilst it has come in a little cheaper than anticipated, still needs paying for! So, my gain is your gain, I will accept £1750 for this stunning bass. Thanks, but no offers, no trades and no part exchanges. This is about the going price for the standard CS 55's for what is on many levels a very special, unique and outstanding instrument. I know I'll regret selling this - not a new experience for me to be honest - but moving from live work to recording using mostly DB really is my priority, and it's around those objectives that I want to focus my resources at present (which is why I have got to stop looking at the Basses For Sale forum here, really)!

So, to restate, £1750 for this cracker in OHSC plus case candy plus certificate plus spare CS PUP. I might however change my mind so be quick

[Beedster]

A rather moody pic from Andy's original thread

[URL=http://s80.photobucket.com/user/Beedster/media/55_zpswcxhjchs.png.html][IMG]http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j199/Beedster/55_zpswcxhjchs.png[/IMG][/URL]

[Dazed]

I'm so loving this bass.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1465297403' post='3066843']
I'm so loving this bass.
[/quote]

Cheers mate, you should see it in the flesh, it's one of those rare example in which the photos really don't do it credit. FCS really did pull out all of the stops when they did this bass. I've put it back in the case and put the case under the bed, that way I don't keep looking at it and/or picking it up and playing it and questioning whether I'm doing the right thing by selling it

[krispn]

Grrrr I know I should stop looking at this

[Beedster]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1465394407' post='3067820']
Grrrr I know I should stop looking at this
[/quote]

It has that effect doesn't it

[AndyTravis]

https://instagram.com/p/BCTcSUauQR0/

Just in case anyone is wondering...

Have also seen this handwriting in the pocket of a telecaster done for the same show.

And my wife still hasn't forgiven me for selling this bass 😩

Edited June 8, 2016 by AndyTravis

[Beedster]

Folks, I originally listed this bass at £2000, but dropped the price substantially on Monday this week because I needed to pay for my new DB. I've now sorted that from another source, so will be withdrawing the £1750 price on this bas this Friday (also in part because I won't be able to post it after that date for quite a while). Whilst I could do with the money, I'm more than happy to have it sitting around the place, and am not in a rush to sell it.

Anyway, I thought I'd mention this as I know there's a couple of you think I might drop the price further. Trust me on this 100%, I won't, it will in fact go back up again, sorry

Chris

[Beedster]

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1465406290' post='3067981']
[url="https://instagram.com/p/BCTcSUauQR0/"]https://instagram.com/p/BCTcSUauQR0/[/url]

Just in case anyone is wondering...

Have also seen this handwriting in the pocket of a telecaster done for the same show.

And my wife still hasn't forgiven me for selling this bass
[/quote]

Thanks Andy, appreciated, those are great pics (and please apologise to your wife mate).

Chris

[Shaggy]

If I hadn't recently bought Chris's '57P this would be mine in a heartbeat, and no question that the CS '55 was the real looker of the two
Bump for best bass FS at the moment

[Beedster]

[quote name='Shaggy' timestamp='1465420377' post='3068153']
If I hadn't recently bought Chris's '57P this would be mine in a heartbeat, and no question that the CS '55 was the real looker of the two
Bump for best bass FS at the moment
[/quote]

Thanks Greg, if my old '65 hadn't re-landed this would be going nowhere, so I blame you mate

Putting a few folks out of their misery here, now sold

[therealting]

[quote name='Beedster' timestamp='1465486423' post='3068682']

Putting a few folks out of their misery here, now sold
[/quote]

): and (:

[Beedster]

I will now put a few folks back in their misery

The bass sold, was paid for and was about to be couriered when two and two were put together and it transpired that it had sold to an ex-member of BC who had been banned and had come back under an assumed name. For a number of reasons related to this I pulled the sale and refunded the buyer (Ped and iCastle are in possession of all of the details around this).

So, one way or another, I suspect the gods are telling me to keep this lovely instrument. I'll leave it here for a little while as I know there was a lot of interest and because I still have a few more pre-CBS/70's/CS Precisions than any man should. However, having covered the cost of the DB, I'm quite happy to keep this if no-one jumps at it. I'll leave it at £1750 as frankly it seems a little petty to put the price back up again, even if it's less than I paid and less than the bass is worth.

Chris

[krispn]

You say the gods are telling you to keep it and there's a bunch of us telling ourselves the gods are intimating to us directly we should buy it 😉

Ahh the mind!

[Beedster]

[quote name='krispn' timestamp='1465901998' post='3071936']
You say the gods are telling you to keep it and there's a bunch of us telling ourselves the gods are intimating to us directly we should buy it 😉

Ahh the mind!
[/quote]

They're not doing any of us any favours are they

Just to confirm folks, this is sale only, I keep receiving trade offers but it ain't going to happen - if I needed another bass I'd be keeping this one

[eevespete]

B E A U T Y

[Beedster]

[quote name='eevespete' timestamp='1466253103' post='3074434']
B E A U T Y
[/quote]

Thanks Pete.

Folks, just back to the UK. The bass is still nicely packed in a very big cardboard box with lots of padding and ready to send. Given I'm able to stay home for a courier collection tomorrow, it could be with you by Tuesday.......