Sting Fender Signature Model - Who has/had one?

[BassApprentice 479]

Sitting listening to The Police and remember trying one of the Sting signature models years ago when I was too young to appreciate it. 

Can't remember seeing one for sale or anyone posting about them so just wondering what the general opinion of them is. Are they just a simple 50's P Bass with his signature slapped on the 12th fret? 

[Doctor J 2,143]

Pretty much yes, but with the 54 contouring which makes them comfortable to play instead of the way the slab 51 reissue can be uncomfortable to many. If only it wasn't for that aesthetically jarring inlay!

[bloke_zero 151]

Ouch - yes - jarring!

[therealting 871]

@police squad knows lots about them!

[police squad 507]

yep I had one. It was a lovely bass. Fantastic neck and I loved the glass like finish. It sort of purrred when you played it. Not a sound I've ever really heard again from a bass.

I sold it when i took delivery of my Bravewood (gratuitous pic opportunity)

[Mickeyboro 479]

Ooh! The thumb rest's moved

[police squad 507]

1 minute ago, Mickeyboro said:

Ooh! The thumb rest's moved

one is the fender Sting bass

The other is a Bravewood

[Mike 41]

That Bravewood is absolutely exceptional! This is very high on my list to get at some point.

[Mickeyboro 479]

4 hours ago, police squad said:

one is the fender Sting bass

The other is a Bravewood

The wink obviously wasn't ironic enough... So here's a tale.

I have just re-bought the first album Outlandos D'Amour as part of the latest Police box. My diary tells me I first bought it on (blue) vinyl in early 1979.

I was a major fan at that point and had got Cant Stand Losing You on its first time round as a single (25p in Woolies bargain box). Persuaded my band to play it, and we played it well, but when it was a hit we dropped it like a stone.

Come a gig at the Moonlight Club where we supported Furniture (remember them?), we were so whizzed off with their shoddy treatment of us - a mic went missing and we had hired the PA - we encored against their will with said song. It brought the house down! So gawd bless you Sting, for about a year you were my idol.

PS A BBC camera crew filmed us. Wonder what happened to the footage...?

 

[yorks5stringer 1,791]

1 hour ago, Mickeyboro said:

The wink obviously wasn't ironic enough... So here's a tale.

I have just re-bought the first album Outlandos D'Amour as part of the latest Police box. My diary tells me I first bought it on (blue) vinyl in early 1979.

I was a major fan at that point and had got Cant Stand Losing You on its first time round as a single (25p in Woolies bargain box). Persuaded my band to play it, and we played it well, but when it was a hit we dropped it like a stone.

Come a gig at the Moonlight Club where we supported Furniture (remember them?), we were so whizzed off with their shoddy treatment of us - a mic went missing and we had hired the PA - we encored against their will with said song. It brought the house down! So gawd bless you Sting, for about a year you were my idol.

PS A BBC camera crew filmed us. Wonder what happened to the footage...?

 

There's lots of repeats on at the moment, your day may come!

[uk_lefty 1,216]

Sting. 

[bassbiscuits 1,137]

I could live with that inlay no problem, if it was a good bass. I think they look fantastic basses. 

[Geek99 1,484]

3 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

The wink obviously wasn't ironic enough... So here's a tale.

I have just re-bought the first album Outlandos D'Amour as part of the latest Police box. My diary tells me I first bought it on (blue) vinyl in early 1979.

I was a major fan at that point and had got Cant Stand Losing You on its first time round as a single (25p in Woolies bargain box). Persuaded my band to play it, and we played it well, but when it was a hit we dropped it like a stone.

Come a gig at the Moonlight Club where we supported Furniture (remember them?), we were so whizzed off with their shoddy treatment of us - a mic went missing and we had hired the PA - we encored against their will with said song. It brought the house down! So gawd bless you Sting, for about a year you were my idol.

PS A BBC camera crew filmed us. Wonder what happened to the footage...?

 

Driving away from home ...

[Mickeyboro 479]

17 hours ago, yorks5stringer said:

There's lots of repeats on at the moment, your day may come!

I’ll...er...keep em peeled Keith!😄

[grenadillabama 78]

Didn't that bass have reverse-direction machines ? I played one with a big neck and tiny frets. It had a different tone than any Fender I have. Oh well, ...

[gareth 702]

On 02/04/2020 at 21:13, bassbiscuits said:

I could live with that inlay no problem, if it was a good bass. I think they look fantastic basses. 

They are good basses 

Same as 51s but with body contours making them more comfortable and less weight due to there being less wood 

[Lozz196 4,722]

54 minutes ago, gareth said:

They are good basses 

Same as 51s but with body contours making them more comfortable and less weight due to there being less wood 

I love the 51s, there’s something special about them, never tried the Sting but am sure that those contours must make them a lot easier to play/wear.

[bassbiscuits 1,137]

3 hours ago, gareth said:

They are good basses 

Same as 51s but with body contours making them more comfortable and less weight due to there being less wood 

I played a custom shop 55 P I think it was a while ago. I really really wanted to like it but it felt really like quite an antiquated design. I play a P and a Mustang so I’m into a fairly retro approach, but the old style P was just a bit too far into the past for my tastes.

Which is a shame because I think they are among the coolest looking basses on the planet  (alongside the late 50s maple/sunburst/gold pick guard Precisions and 1960s Thunderbird IV) 

[karlfer 824]

Had one, great sound from a surprisingly versatile pup.

Wasn't fond of the bridge but the fat neck blew it for me.

 

[Delberthot 829]

Never owned a Sting model but had a couple of the '51 reissues in both 2 tone sunburst and colonel mustard finishes. They do have a completely different sound to a regular split coil precision.

When I decided to have Warmoth build me something I went with the '54 shape with contours as the '51 shape was a bit uncomfortable. I went for the vintage look including a Lollar pickup, single screw tug bar and Gotoh reverse lightweight tuners but that's a Gotoh 201 under the bridge cover as I wanted to have the full range of adjustment. I also specced a jazz width neck.

I think that I also had a set of Optima chrome roundwound strings on it. It sounded so amazing through my Trace V-type combo

Edited April 6, 2020 by Delberthot

[merello 147]

On 02/04/2020 at 13:36, police squad said:

yep I had one. It was a lovely bass. Fantastic neck and I loved the glass like finish. It sort of purrred when you played it. Not a sound I've ever really heard again from a bass.

I sold it when i took delivery of my Bravewood (gratuitous pic opportunity)

Beautiful. Dare one ask how much Bravewood charge for their services? 

[police squad 507]

1 hour ago, merello said:

Beautiful. Dare one ask how much Bravewood charge for their services? 

the Bravewood was £1500. I think I've had it 7 years

[AngelDeVille 337]

I have one, the contours and the reverse tuners are the only drawbacks.

 

LOVE the single coil  

 

I don’t mind the inlay.

 

 

it did inspire me to build a slabside.

 

[merello 147]

On 09/04/2020 at 08:15, police squad said:

the Bravewood was £1500. I think I've had it 7 years

Thank you. Their site is eclectic....

[police squad 507]

15 hours ago, merello said:

Thank you. Their site is eclectic....

he builds lovely guitars

My wife has a daphne blue 63 P bass, non relic