Fender pre-CBS Club: pics mandatory!

[Dynacord]

Pyramid flatwounds are supposedly in the same category as the TI's (low tension), but I haven't tried them so I can't offer an opinion.

I love the Pyramids though they do feel somewhat stiffer than the TI. Part of that is just the gauge (the standard Pyramid long scale set having a 105 E while the usual Thomastik JF344 set has a 100 E IIRC). Also the Pyramids have both a smoother finish and more of the old school 'thump' type of tone while the Thomastiks have a more modern character. Both great. I use both but preference is just personal tastes.

 

[Arrow]

Thanks for the replies! I went for the Fender 9050ML and they sound absolutely fantastic! Those strings (flats in general) are made for this kind of bass! In fact, they really were in those days.

 

[Kevin Teed]

I have the Fender flats on my old P. I've tried lots of others, but keep coming back to these.

 

[ExaltBass]

I've had Sadowsky Blue Label Flats (light gauge) on my '59 since they were released a couple of years ago. Black Labels before that since 2009.

 

[Mastermold]

I'm using LaBella 760FL flats on my sunburst '64 P and D'Addario ECB81 Chromes on my CAR '64 P. Both sets sound good on P-basses generally and on these specifically I've been happy. Thinking about trying Dunlop flats at some point, JimmyM has been raving about them lately.

 

[BergiaBurns]

I would like to introduce you to my BergiaBurns Yes I am right here.

It is a 63 Jazz Bass with L Plate. The previous owner was Benny Bendorff bassist of the James Last Orchestra from 1969-2000.
Benny died in 2016.

Some years ago I saw a cool picture of Benny on a record cover.

Via You Tube I found out what kind of
Good bassist Benny is.
I wrote a thread about him and had fun watching old James Last videos.

In summer 2016 I visited a friend of mine. Bassist.
He showed me a bass from Benny.
I didn't understand him why he had this bass. He told me that Benny had died.
He is a painter and did paint Jobs at the house of Benny's widow.
And she had sold him the bass.
I found out that my house is only 3km from Benny's house.

I gathered my courage, called and asked if I could take a look at the bass.
When I saw the Jazz Bass for the first time I asked what it should be. But at the same time I noticed how beautiful the neck felt.
A week later I played all the basses on one amp and the jazz bass flashed me.
I didn't think they would give it away, but I was allowed to borrow it.
At home and at band rehearsals I had a lot of fun and was amazed at the sound and output.
Two weeks after I brought the bass back I got a call if I wanted to buy the bass.
Because I wrote something about Benny before and live not far away I got the bass. Condition of the bass is like he is.
That's no problem for me I think it's cool and how the pickguard picks up the shape of the bass I think is great. i only replace the decal again, the head was too naked for me.

The bass looks like this since the middle of the seventies. It's not clear if Benny found it anywhere in the world.
Or if he was styled according to his ideas. Benny was a big Beatles and Shadows fan.

It's a great honor for me to own this bass and play it.

 

[lucianoxrp]

74 Jazz / 59 P Bass / 64 P Bass / 57 P Bass

View attachment 382292

If you need more space in your house, I can do you a favor and take the 59 P. Also I can take the other two P's as well. Anything for a friend.

 

[9mmMike]

I would like to introduce you to my BergiaBurns Yes I am right here.

It is a 63 Jazz Bass with L Plate. The previous owner was Benny Bendorff bassist of the James Last Orchestra from 1969-2000.
Benny died in 2016.

Some years ago I saw a cool picture of Benny on a record cover.

Via You Tube I found out what kind of
Good bassist Benny is.
I wrote a thread about him and had fun watching old James Last videos.

In summer 2016 I visited a friend of mine. Bassist.
He showed me a bass from Benny.
I didn't understand him why he had this bass. He told me that Benny had died.
He is a painter and did paint Jobs at the house of Benny's widow.
And she had sold him the bass.
I found out that my house is only 3km from Benny's house.

I gathered my courage, called and asked if I could take a look at the bass.
When I saw the Jazz Bass for the first time I asked what it should be. But at the same time I noticed how beautiful the neck felt.
A week later I played all the basses on one amp and the jazz bass flashed me.
I didn't think they would give it away, but I was allowed to borrow it.
At home and at band rehearsals I had a lot of fun and was amazed at the sound and output.
Two weeks after I brought the bass back I got a call if I wanted to buy the bass.
Because I wrote something about Benny before and live not far away I got the bass. Condition of the bass is like he is.
That's no problem for me I think it's cool and how the pickguard picks up the shape of the bass I think is great. i only replace the decal again, the head was too naked for me.

The bass looks like this since the middle of the seventies. It's not clear if Benny found it anywhere in the world.
Or if he was styled according to his ideas. Benny was a big Beatles and Shadows fan.

It's a great honor for me to own this bass and play it.
View attachment 3524130
View attachment 3524132

View attachment 3524136

Great story. Great-looking bass.

 

[Arrow]

I took my 53 black refin apart (#0772 in Detlefs book) for a solid butterscotch nitro refin with some relic to match the neck. What I found out was that the neck is a Tadeo Gomez, signed 1-7-53!
No wonder why she playes liked butta!!

 

[2saddleslab]

Looks like the date TG 2-15-53 to me. But either way, a Tadeo Gomez neck is very cool.

 

[Arrow]

Oh that is very possible!

 

[David Heath]

Awesome neck. I have previously shown my '64P in this thread. I really should get it refretted but I don't want to lose the feel of the neck. Has anyone refretted their pride and joy and then regretted it?
Peace
Davo

 

[Arrow]

My 52 has had a refret. I will get it this saturday.

 

[Mastermold]

Awesome neck. I have previously shown my '64P in this thread. I really should get it refretted but I don't want to lose the feel of the neck. Has anyone refretted their pride and joy and then regretted it?
Peace
Davo

No but if refretting is necessary to make it playable again, and you want to keep playing it, you should take it to someone you really trust. I recall reading Geddy Lee had the neck on his favorite Jazz bass (the black one) refretted a few times before he eventually had to replace the whole neck, and he's really hard on his basses. Getting one refret done correctly should be fine.

 

[Sub Four]

I noticed that on a lot of early sixties pre CBS Precision basses the E and A strings are not centered between the pole pieces. It looks like the E-A split coil is a bit too far to the right, any idea what the actual reason is? It's not just the photo angle, the D-G strings are fine and i don't think that it is a problem with the neck/neck pocket. My '64 Precision has the same string alignment as in the photo below taken from the first post in this thread. The bridge/position looks fine though.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I noticed that on a lot of early sixties pre CBS Precision basses the E and A strings are not centered between the pole pieces. It looks like the E-A split coil is a bit too far to the right, any idea what the actual reason is? It's not just the photo angle, the D-G strings are fine and i don't think that it is a problem with the neck/neck pocket. My '64 Precision has the same string alignment as in the photo below taken from the first post in this thread. The bridge/position looks fine though.

View attachment 3541360

Well, the saddles are there to help with string spacing from each other, if that makes sense. To make sure all of the strings are evenly and comfortably spaced from each other. As long as the string spacing isn't ridiculous, the volume per string shouldn't matter. That is what pickup height is for. Hopefully this made sense, it's kinda hard to explain.

 

[Mastermold]

I noticed that on a lot of early sixties pre CBS Precision basses the E and A strings are not centered between the pole pieces. It looks like the E-A split coil is a bit too far to the right, any idea what the actual reason is? It's not just the photo angle, the D-G strings are fine and i don't think that it is a problem with the neck/neck pocket. My '64 Precision has the same string alignment as in the photo below taken from the first post in this thread. The bridge/position looks fine though.

View attachment 3541360

That photo is my bass from the store where I purchased it, it's just the set up. Split coil P-pickups can be raised and angled and the strings moved on the threaded saddles to suit. I've since set it up to my preference.

 

[shadven]

What are nice flats with not too much tension for a 52P?

I've never had a problem with any strings on my '52, '54 or '63. I usually string them with Rotosound 77 flats.

 

[shadven]

View attachment 3509347

Today I bought 2 early Precision basses from Detlef Schmidt in Germany. Both are in his book!
The black one is a 1953 not very original, the natural is a 1952 and pretty much original. Tomorrow I bring the 52 to a luthier for a refin in nitro blonde.
Both sound absolutely stunning!

How did the refin workout on the 52?
BTW - I also have a '52 (original finish) and a '54 that was stripped a long time ago.

 

[Arrow]

Picked up the 52 yesterday and it is lovely! The bass also was PLEK-ed so it plays like a new one. Sound is increddible, even better than my other slabs (2 53's).