Half and half

[Delfender]

Hi People.


Could anyone out there help me? I'm trying to remember a bass guitar builder that was about in the 1980's. I can't find anything online so I'm turning to you for help. I think their name was Wilkes or Wilkies. They made a bass that was half fretted and half fretless. The E and A strings were fretted and the D and G were fretless with lines. Does anybody out there have a clue who this builder was and are they still on the go?

Cheers


Del

 

[Rumblejohn]

There is some one still building a half and half but the picture I saw looked like the 12th fret up was fretless on all strings. I saw the ad in a Bass Player or Bass Guitar magazine in the last 6 months. I did a quick search in my archives, but didn't come across it. Try a Google search and see what you come up with.

John

 

[Dincrest]

Rumblejohn, are any of these what you're referring to?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

http://www.brownsguitarfactory.com

 

[Rumblejohn]

Rumblejohn, are any of these what you're referring to?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

http://www.brownsguitarfactory.com

The Brown Guitar Factory ad is the one I saw in the magazine. But the bddy would also give another alternative. By the way, I like the sound clip on the Brown website.

John

 

[Delfender]

Hi

I have had a quick look at the web sites and Bddy one was closer to what I was looking for. Nice idea they have but it was a 4 string I had in mind. I can't find anything online myself which I find strange, somebody must have one. I recall they also made a fretless bass, that had a metal plate at the very top of the neck for playing slap and it wouldn't ruin the neck.

Help

 

[smakbass]

Larivee made a bass like this for awhile I believe Steve Bailey endorsed it.

 

[IvanMike]

last year i saw a small builder at a guitar show that had basses similar to browns but they were only fretted to about the 5th fret or so - pretty cool

 

[JDGA fan]

The luthier you are thinking of is or was Wilkes Guitars run by Doug Wilkes. Doug's original company was based in Stoke-on-Trent in the UK, but I think Doug wound it up to concentrate on being a working musician. That said, I believe he has come off the road and started making basses again - there is someone on TB who had one made for him recently ("lewibassist" maybe?). Just do a search for Wilkes.