My Carl Radle '68 "Tele-P-Bass" Project !!

Here we go folks. We'll watch this reproduction of the modified '68 Telecaster Bass that legendary bassist Carl Radle http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=572174&highlight=carl+radle played from the late 60's into the early 70's. Yes, he played this bass with Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett and Friends, Derek and the Dominos 'Layla', George Harrison 'All Things Must Pass', Joe Cocker and his infamous Mad Dogs & Englishmen Tour, Leon Russell, Freddie King, John Lee hooker, and others.

This reproduction is being constructed from these parts that a wonderful fellow TB'er named Marc sold to me a while back for this very project:

Original 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass neck
Original 1970 Fender Telecaster Bass ash body (previously routed by parties unknown)
Original 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass volume & tone control pots & harness (found this on ebay)
Original-era Fender bass tuners
Original Fender Telecaster Bass mint/white pickguard
Original 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass input jack
Original 1968 Fender Telecaster Bass single-coil pickup (dated 7-10-1968)

In ref to the original pickup, I sent it to Lindy Fralins as it was dead and had it rewired to the exact same specs as the Fender did with their original '68 Tele pickup.

Carl Radle has altered his '68 Tele bass in that he removed the original single-coil pickup and had it reinstalled in a custom routed slot about 2 inches further toward the bridge. Then, he had the original single-coil's pickup slot routed to accomodate a 1960's Precision-bass split-coil pickup. We assuem these were wired together to the same tone control pot since there were no stack-knobs on this bass or toggle switches. Just two pots.

I purchased a new Lindy Fralins 1960's Precision bass split-coil pickup that was wired exactly to 1960's specs with formvar wire, etc.

I did not want to alter an untouched original Fender Tele body so I was glad to get one that was already routed in years gone by.

Carl's bass was opaque blonde and had the same mint/white pickguard and since I want to keep this bass as close to the Radle Tele bass as possible I am having this 1970 body (natural finish) re-shot with Nitro to the same opaque blonde finish. Plus, the neck is already loaded with mojo from ithe checking in it's original nitro finish so I may just keep it original if it works ok for us. The luthier said it appeared to be straight but since it had not been under string tension in years it maybe a bit too flat/straight. So, we have had the neck in a clamp hoping to make sure it will give us the relief we want once the strings are back on and it's under tension again. Time will tell. I think this will work okay from the looks of it.

FYI, the luthier on this project is a 30-year experienced fellow from Tulsa, Oklahoma named Jerry Reno. http://www.GHReno.com He does excellent work.

I had to pickup a Fender thumbrest, Fender 2-saddle Tele reissue bridge, control knobs, and strap buttons to complete the project with.

I have another link on one of Carl Radle's main sunburst P-basses as well on this site as well if you would like to read up on that at: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=572174&highlight=carl+radle

I'll keep posting photos as the work progresses. I'm dying to play this thing when it is done. Here is a photo of this bass when Carl was playing on tour with Joe Cocker's "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" Tour. I hope the final project will turn out like this or very close to it:



And another shot of Carl playing this bass with Delaney and Bonnie and Eric Clapton in Copenhagen. Photo taken from the cover of their live album "Live from Madding Crowd"



More photos to follow!

Here's some photos of the body before and after filling the routed holes:





Ash plugs inserted:



And with the small holes and edges filled:

How about this original '68 headstock with all that nitro aging away?



Here's the pickup I had rewound to original specs by Lindy Fralins:

You got fellas !!

If you all want to shoot Jerry an attaboy email to let him know that you like what he is doing, his email is: [email protected]

Tell him I sent you. Take a look at some of the axes he pumps out. Really nice stuff.

I'm going to go by his shop in the next couple days and he and I are going to get our heads together with a bunch of photos and pinpoint EXACTLY where we want the new routes to go on this baby. I think we have enough photos now of this original but elusive bass (no one knows where it is) to get them in the right spot.

I spoke to Bobby Whitlock (keyboardist, vocals, and songwriter with Derek & Dominos) a few months ago and he told me that Carl was playing a blonde bass when they recorded the Layla album in the Criteria Studios in Miami with Tom Dowd. I guarantee you this was that bass. One of Carl's very close friends told me that this blonde bass was one fo his favorites.

If you get a chance go to my other post on Carl Radle. There are some videos of him playing this bass with Joe Cocker. Especially on the song "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" that posted is on YouTube. There is a great closeup of him laying the groove on this unique axe at 1:50 into this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiXh2gnasw0

Man, I am so proud to say I live in Tulsa where the Tulsa Sound made its fantastic music. Carl was THE BASS PLAYER of the Tulsa Sound.

Check his discography on the Carl Radle web site Invalid Link Removed when you get time. Without a doubt, this cat belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Again, as soon as I get photos from Jerry I'll keep them posted. I'm dying to play this sucker through my Ashdown EVO 300 hooked up to my 1968 Sunn 4 x 12 monster cab !!

Thank you gentlemen. Will keep you advised!

P.S. Here's another shot of Carl with this bass at the Fillmore East in Feb 1970. Music history: