When Leo Fender met a Basschat Legend

[Bikenbass]

"Na, it was a different one that killed Irwin, this one kills your back."

Edited January 22, 2010 by MSL

[tony_m]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='720512' date='Jan 21 2010, 08:43 PM']This has been posted on here before, but I think it deserves it's own thread.

One of these chaps is a font of knowledge on all things Fender. The other is called Leo.

Oh, aye.. forgot to mention that one of them is one of BC's own.

[/quote]
"And that knob's for remotely turning your guitarist down again..."

Edited January 22, 2010 by tony_m

[Dandelion]

"Okay you seen the Thunderbird, you have now held the Stingray, Wanna see the new Captain Scarlet?

[Ou7shined]

[The Bass Doc]

Caption quotes seem to have ground to a halt - I'll decide on the winner in due course.
For those who don't know the background, I entered a competition after buying a Musicman Stingray from Rock City, Newcastle in 1979. Here is the letter received after a phone call which I first thought was a wind-up.

[attachment=40998:SnT_letter.jpg]

Oh, sorry it hasn't scanned very well.

Don't think this next pic lends itself to captions but I bet some of you will prove me wrong.

L to R Rod Bradley, (boss of Strings and Things), Bill White (of Rock City Music), Elizabeth Pedraza (Export Manager of Musicman and our host(ess) for most of the 10 days), Alan Grant (Sales bod of S'n'Ts), Ray Todd (ditto), then Moi and some old Geezer who wandered in off the street.

[attachment=41001:Group_photo_0004.jpg]

Proud to show one of my bits of memorabilia from the trip - the man's signature on the owner's manual for the Stingray.

[attachment=41002:Booklet_0002.jpg]

I still speak regularly to Ray Todd at Strings 'n' Things - must point out how skinny he was then ( and I really hope the 70s porn star 'tache has gone).

I will do my best to answer any questions about my chat with Mr. Fender but bear in mind lots of things occured to me AFTER being in his presence and it was quite a long time ago.

H.

[Beedster]

[quote name='Huwberry' post='720663' date='Jan 21 2010, 11:22 PM']'See that coil there? Quieter output than the rest. No particular reason why. Sometimes I just feel like f***ing with people.'[/quote]


[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='723624' date='Jan 24 2010, 10:11 PM']Caption quotes seem to have ground to a halt - I'll decide on the winner in due course.[/quote]

That's the winner by miles. I love the idea that what we assume is the only thing Leo didn't get right bass-wise was just a practical joke

C

[The Bass Doc]

OK Chris, that's the winner - not sure what the prize will be.

[MythSte]

[quote name='Beedster' post='723665' date='Jan 24 2010, 10:46 PM']That's the winner by miles. I love the idea that what we assume is the only thing Leo didn't get right bass-wise was just a practical joke

C[/quote]

Couldnt agree more! I really chuckled at that one!

[XB26354]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='723681' date='Jan 24 2010, 11:00 PM']OK Chris, that's the winner - not sure what the prize will be.[/quote]

Surely, an all-expenses-paid trip to Tyneside to see [i]you[/i] (well, the economy has gone down a bit so we can't stretch to California).
Do you feel in a position to "re-create" the photo?

Great photo and an irreplaceable piece of bass history.

[deathpanda]

The picture has so much potential for captioning, shame I'm not in a funny mood.

That bass must be very precious to you, assuming you still have it.

[chardbass]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='720848' date='Jan 22 2010, 09:37 AM']Leo: "I'd file down the tuning pegs and lower the pick ups and the bridge as far as you can. Then I'd cover the neck with Vaseline"

BCer "Why - will that make it sound better?"

Leo; "No but it will make it easier to shove that Korean copy up your ass"[/quote]


I like Huwberry's caption too but this made me snort in an involuntary manner at 3.20am.

[The Bass Doc]

I've decided Huwberry's prize is a personal greeting from a man who has shaken the hand of Leo Fender.

Here goes:-

"Hi there Huwberry. Oh, and ........... have a nice day".

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='deathpanda' post='723716' date='Jan 24 2010, 11:52 PM']That bass must be very precious to you, assuming you still have it.[/quote]

Oh, here's the sad bit. A year or so later I was a bit hard up, not playing the 'Ray, and sold it to a friend on the basis that when I got sorted I would have first option back. Fews months went by and he rang me so I gets all excited only to hear that the bass had been stolen from his car outside a gig. Never been seen since.

[voodoobassman]

Howard Satterly methinks?

[The Bass Doc]

Correct.

But there's no prize.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='723814' date='Jan 25 2010, 08:25 AM']Oh, here's the sad bit. A year or so later I was a bit hard up, not playing the 'Ray, and sold it to a friend on the basis that when I got sorted I would have first option back. Fews months went by and he rang me so I gets all excited only to hear that the bass had been stolen from his car outside a gig. Never been seen since.[/quote]
Wouldn't it be cool if we somehow found it and all chipped in to buy it as the forum bass. It would of course reside in the Tyne area.

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='724271' date='Jan 25 2010, 04:54 PM']Wouldn't it be cool if we somehow found it and all chipped in to buy it as the forum bass. It would of course reside in the Tyne area.[/quote]

What a jolly good idea - I'll see if I can find the serial number - someone may have registered it.

[warwickhunt]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='724282' date='Jan 25 2010, 05:05 PM']What a jolly good idea - I'll see if I can find the serial number - someone may have registered it.[/quote]

I hope you won't get upset if it doesn't have the original strings on Howie... saying that you can get a 30 year old set off one of your other basses!

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='724287' date='Jan 25 2010, 05:07 PM']I hope you won't get upset if it doesn't have the original strings on Howie... saying that you can get a 30 year old set off one of your other basses! [/quote]

The originals were flatwound so there should still be some mileage in them yet. After all my '62 Jazz is carrying a set for which I still have the box marked £8.15s.0d.

[hillbilly deluxe]

What would that £8.15s.0d.equate to now ?

[Tinman]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='724378' date='Jan 25 2010, 06:46 PM']What would that £8.15s.0d.equate to now ?[/quote]

If it was 1965 it would be worth £112. 1970 would be £90. that's according to this site [url="http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/"]http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/[/url]

[blamelouis]

[/quote]


"See this back problem i have here , that heavy bastard was to blame"

[phil_the_bassist]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='721858' date='Jan 23 2010, 03:55 AM'][/quote]

my personal favorite, pure silliness!

[Musicman20]

Just read this thread fully.

Remarkable story!

Huwberry definitely had the funniest caption.

Was the Natural/Maple/Black guard one of the original colours? Just wondering....as that was always my favourite Ray colour and I ended up buying one!

[BT!]

[quote name='Dandelion' post='721698' date='Jan 22 2010, 09:59 PM']"Okay you seen the Thunderbird, you have now held the Stingray, Wanna see the new Captain Scarlet?[/quote]


im still in tears laughing