Fender fans - please help identify this bass

[Jimtoonz]

Sorry, no photos, but here goes...

Sometime in 1998, I went into a GC in Utah and played a Fender that can be described as follows:

P-bass body with original-style P-bass pickgard(black) that goes to upper horn. The pickups were a split-coil P-bass style toward the neck and a J-bass pickup toward the bridge. The neck had the Tele-style headstock and the bridge(IIRC) was the old twin saddle design. The color of the bass was similar to(if not exact) the original P-bass color, a "transparent" Tele-blond, that I seem to remember as being a little more "cream soda" than true Tele color. Sorry, but I don't remember the control configuration.

The interesting thing to me was that the bass carried the logo of the Fender Custom Shop on the back of the headstock.

Does anyone know this beast?

Thanks!

 

[Luckie]

Sounds like a CS '55 Precision with a jazz pup installed.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

sounds interesting...so it had the older Tele style body too? but split coil P PU's?

Weird...

 

[73jbass]

The Cowpoke maybe?

 

[EighthNotes]

Sounds like the Robert DeLeo custom shop bass that I saw in a Frontline catalog a while back. He plays Schecters but I think there was a fender one too.

http://www.belowempty.com/bandinfo/equipment_robert_signature_4-01.jpg

 

[ricca]

It's one of the first mass production custom shop instruments from the 90's.
It has P contour body, P&J pickups, concentric pots and 51 style pickguard and headstock.A great instrument. A frien of mine had one of them, but I don't remember the model.

 

[Drewbacca]

sounds Cowpoke-y.

 

[Jimtoonz]

sounds interesting...so it had the older Tele style body too? but split coil P PU's?

Weird...

Yes, one split-coil P and one J on the Tele style body.

 

[Jimtoonz]

The Cowpoke maybe?

It does have a similar look to the Cowpoke, but is not the same thing. I am somewhat familiar with the Cowpoke, and IIRC, it is a MIM model. This one was definitely USA Custom Shop.

 

[Jimtoonz]

It's one of the first mass production custom shop instruments from the 90's.
It has P contour body, P&J pickups, concentric pots and 51 style pickguard and headstock.A great instrument. A frien of mine had one of them, but I don't remember the model.

What you describe sounds exactly like what I was playing. I have long kicked myself for not buying it, but I was in Utah for a conference and didn't want to ship it back to TN.

 

[Tommygunn]

Dirnt with a j pup added?

 

[kazuhank]

At that time Fender had a "stock" custom shop model that the Tele body with a split p and jazz pickup and stacked tone/volume pots on a two pot control plate (output jack on the side).

IIRC it listed at $2000 and we (the Fender shop I managed at the time) sold them for $1599 or so. If only I had pulled the trigger on one. Or at the least if I had some of my old Frontline issues to remember what they called it back then.

In any case, they were sweet and Gary Day (Morrissey's bass player at the time) took one out on one of Morrissey's US tours in the late 90s.

 

[EricF]

Dirnt with a j pup added?

Not in 1998. I don't think the Dirnt model started until after that.

 

[mongo2]

Sounds like a Vintage Precision Bass Custom...

It looks like this?

 

[Jimtoonz]

Sounds like a Vintage Precision Bass Custom...

It looks like this?

You nailed it. Thanks! Now, anybody know where I can find one?

 

[trunkshope6]

maybe the A/E Thinline made in japan.......................i said it first!

 

[Tommygunn]

Not in 1998. I don't think the Dirnt model started until after that.

Ah didn't see the 98 part.

 

[ricca]

Sounds like a Vintage Precision Bass Custom...

It looks like this?

THIS ONE!!!!!!

 

[acebase62]

I have a 1995 "Daddy's Home" Fender bass brochure that shows this bass listed as a "Vintage Precision Custom Bass".

It was listed under the Custom Shop Classics series.

 

[bassplayer8953]

One of these was on the bay a few months ago, as a Custom Shop Fender P. I believe it went for around 1200.