Solving a mystery...

[BN3Bassman]

It’s been 8 years since I last played in a band… and to get the juices flowing… I decided that I needed a little project.

Well… this has turned out to be a different sort of project!

The bass that I bought off Marketplace came as “spares or repair” and all it took was a new 9v battery and sorting out the short from the output jack to get it working again.

The guitar had obviously been painted (yellow) but was showing signs of age with paintwork fading and cracking. There were no marking or serial number visible.

I posted on several Facebook Bass group chats as to find out its identity… though it has an Omega cut out, I was pretty sure that it wasn’t a genuine Alembic. Many different makers, both mass-producers and custom luthiers were suggested… from all over the world.

A week ago, I received a response from one of its previous owners from Worthing, UK who bought it from Graham Wheeler (The Guitar Doctor) mentioned in many posts on this site.  Including one from May 2010 from ‘parkeriana’ stating, “Graham Wheeler fretless (made by Sussex luthier; smooth & powerful, but the "omega" type shape gave me tendinitis in my left wrist)” https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/2175-basses-owned-is-one-you-want-amongst-these/page/12/#comment-849058

The image linked to the FB message was the same yellow fretless, omega cut-out bass that I now possess. The other distinctive feature is double P-style pickups with red bobbins.

The guitar has now been stripped of its yellow paint and reveals that either side of the neck-thru, the wings are a beautiful dark Bubinga wood. It also revealed a couple of other things… a serial number 012 at the top of the back of the headstock and the work done to fix a broken neck and headstock.

I met with Graham yesterday to show him the bass and even though he didn’t document any of his custom builds, he believes that it was originally a fretted bass and as part of the mend, it was changed to fretless and painted to cover up the damage. The previous owner has stated that the repair was strong and didn’t affect the way it played. It is still strong and plays well to this day.

He recalls that he made the bass for a local Worthing based bassist called Pete/Peter, but doesn’t remember his surname. Pete/Peter is no longer with us, but Graham remembers him having a Samoyed dog (white Husky-like)… this dates back to the early 1980s… if there is anyone who knows who this might be, it would help.

While this would provide me with the start of the guitar’s journey and I have information on its next 35 years… the trail goes cold around 2020 with it being sold in Hurstpierpoint to being found just over a month ago (May 2025) in a house clearance in Woodingdean, on the outskirts of Brighton.

Clutching at straws on this bit but hoping that someone may know someone who knows something… you know how it works.

Thanks in advance for any information.

[Steve Browning]

I was a Worthing resident around this time, and Graham made me an exceptional 62 Precision. I also 'liberated' a lovely Les Paul that he had made, that was caught up with the demise of Broadway Music. 

 

I don't immediately recognise a bass player called Peter, but I can ask my chums from that era. 

 

Graham is a wonderful guy and exceptional luthier. I remember being at his home and him showing me a gorgeous early 60's Strat that he had made two weeks earlier. 

 

This was early 80's and well before relicing was a 'thing'. It looked absolutely genuine to me.