SOLD - Wilkes Fretless £299 North East UK

[Mike Rennie 12]

Beautiful example of late 80’s Doug Wilkes Fretless, set up by himself about 5 years ago. Brazilian mahogany body, Canadian rock maple neck, Indian rosewood board, Schaller hardware. One humbucker and one neck set piezo pickups. Sounds and plays like a dream, fantastic value for money.

Edited May 20, 2020 by MB1

[Gaucho 5 37]

I had the same in Black with an ebony board + quarter markers!

Was my main Bass most of the mid-late'80's...…. served me very well!

GLWTS

Gaucho

 

[Bassassin 2,296]

That's a crazy, crazy bargain for a high-quality, hand-made vintage bass. Would bite your arm off if it had cheat lines!

[three 542]

Fabulous luthier and fabulous bass - I agree entirely with the above!  Crazy bargain - these are beautiful instruments and the equal of pretty much any contemporary hand-built in the UK

[ezbass 3,989]

The famous ‘slap plates’ bass! I must now go to my happy place and repeat the mantra, “I don’t need three fretless basses.”

EDIT: Oh hang on, that’s the piezo p/up (should’ve gone to a more reputable optician). I think I’m safe - phew!

Edited May 19, 2020 by ezbass

[cloudburst 7]

26 minutes ago, ezbass said:

The famous ‘slap plates’ bass! I must now go to my happy place and repeat the mantra, “I don’t need three fretless basses.”

EDIT: Oh hang on, that’s the piezo p/up (should’ve gone to a more reputable optician). I think I’m safe - phew!

You’re right about the slap plates - that was exactly their purpose.

I had one of these in the ‘80s, mine being exactly the same but in black, and equally markerless 🙂

I believe the actual name of the bass was a “Wilkes Percussive Fretless”.

CB 

[ash 477]

I owned this bass for a while Years ago it is an excellent example of Doug’s work. A steal at the price. GLWTS

[W1_Pro 108]

A genuinely quirky British eighties classic. GLWTS.

 

[Hellzero 4,852]

What's the weight, please ?

Would you ship it ?

[Gaucho 5 37]

Definitely percussive with "slap plates" !

Ash did I not sell you mine many years ago???

Gaucho

[Steve Browning 1,889]

I had a Wilkes Stingray in the 80's. Glorious bass that I wish I still had.

[ash 477]

46 minutes ago, Gaucho 5 said:

Definitely percussive with "slap plates" !

Ash did I not sell you mine many years ago???

Gaucho

Yes probably I’ve had four of them over the years. Always searching for the right bass and then I go back to my old Precisions and the Grabber! 

[Hellzero 4,852]

No shipping and no weight, in case someone else asks !

[jmlbasses 36]

Beautiful

Edited May 19, 2020 by jmlbasses

[MB1 268]

....Whereabouts in the North East are you Mike?

Edited May 20, 2020 by MB1

[LukeFRC 2,239]

give the seller his due he has apologised in a status update.

BTW where in NE UK are you @Mike Rennie? Aberdeenshire?  

[yorks5stringer 2,058]

Here's the full text of his apology, posted in 'Status',  a newbie can't be expected to navigate himself around our site as well as us old uns..!

'Hello everyone, just wanted to offer apologies for my perceived rudeness. I have been targeted by courier scammers on other platforms so may have become over sensitive. Sorry. I should have been clear I will only sell in a direct meeting and that’s not easy in these crazy times. 
Having said all that, the bass is still there and I’m sure I can work out how to deliver to the lucky buyer

Best

Mike'

[Sibob 1,489]

Tidied the post. Please keep all personal comments to PM's.
Back to selling the bass.

Thanks
Si

Edited May 20, 2020 by Sibob

[Rich 6,369]

This has got to be #1 on the Ludicrous Bargains list this week. Superb classic bass for an absolute steal. GLWTS!

23 hours ago, Bassassin said:

Would bite your arm off if it had cheat lines!

At that price, you could get a luthier to add lines and you'd still have a bargain bass.

[cloudburst 7]

41 minutes ago, Rich said:

This has got to be #1 on the Ludicrous Bargains list this week. Superb classic bass for an absolute steal. GLWTS!

At that price, you could get a luthier to add lines and you'd still have a bargain bass.

At this price, you could even view it as a “losing the cheat-lines dependency” trainer 🙂

Only small complaint I had about my Wilkes Percussive Fretless back in the day was that the body was heavy. Someone else will be able to confirm or deny my memory in that regard.

CB

[Gaucho 5 37]

Yes, but I had mine back in the day when there were very few lightweights around..... and I was a much younger, fitter and devilishly handsome Gaucho back then …...

[W1_Pro 108]

PM'd.  

[W1_Pro 108]

Just heard from Mike- who was very nice after the intial misunderstanding- the bass has been sold. So good luck to whoever got it. 

[Gaucho 5 37]

…….and a happy ending...all good

[W1_Pro 108]

Balance has been restored to the force...or something....😎