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Surfin' Bird album cover:
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Interesting that they posed with a Dano Longhorn bass.
In the early '70s, I had a Jag just like those on the cover, mine was a '63.
I saw the 3 remaining members play last summer, the bass player still plays that same Dano
Awesome. I love that song. Used to play it in our set when I was in an "oldies" band in the seventies (American Graffiti craze and all). We played a medly of six to eight surf songs. And it really wasn't that old back then!Oh yeah this bass also recorded 'surfin bird' by The Trashmen
Last weekend my lady and I went to Chicago to attend the David Gilmour show at the united center, which was amazing and a life changing experience.
On the way home we stopped in Dubuque, IA where she was born/ raised. Her dad is a full time professional bass player and is actually in the Iowa Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. (I had no idea this existed prior to meeting her, I'm from Omaha)
Her dad and I always chop it up about basses, technique, talk smack on drummers/ prima donna vocalists, etc, and I usually talk about my latest requisitions. But this was the first time for me being on his turf. And I had forgotten about his #1.
He produced a 1962 fender jazz.
Back story: (all info below is a direct quote from him, I haven't looked up the serial # yet)
-1962 jazz with a late 60's refin to Candy apple red w/ matching headstock. Originally sunburst but appears to have been stripped prior to primer and new paint.
-he acquired the bass in the early 1970's, it was found behind a refrigerator in the basement of a bar in Dubuque Ia. He payed $170 for it
-no modifications of any kind besides the paint job.
- also apparently in the 1980's his band's van caught on fire and the bass and his weed stash were the only things he saved from the burning vehicle, so there is some fire damage to the back of the headstock around the tuning keys.
I will say this bass sounds and plays AMAZING. It looks like it has gone through hell but oh my god it is like a big ole stick of lazer straight butter. The neck is phenomenal, it could use a refret but it's straight as an arrow and with perfect action. The tone is out of this world and is truly beautiful.
He said he wanted to retire it 20 years ago but couldn't find anything that could touch it tonaly. The closest he could find in terms of playability was a stu hamm but it still didn't trip his trigger and he's just continued playing the 62.
Anyway I just wanted to share some pictures and the backstory of the bass with you guys here because I don't have a lot of bass player friends in general that would appreciate it.
Oh yeah this bass also recorded 'surfin bird' by The Trashmen
Oh yeah this bass also recorded 'surfin bird' by The Trashmen
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]Oh yeah this bass also recorded 'surfin bird' by The Trashmen
Well it's red here, so that won't be a late 60's refin. More likely a refin less than a year after it was made