Is there really a market for the 1966 slab Precision clone?

[ukulelelab]

Would these be 'old' necks? I thought Fender had largely gone over to rosewood by 1966?

Yes mainly rosewood fingerboard but Fender still produced the odd Precision with maple cap veneer neck throughout the early-mid 60's. I bet they had a very small stock of necks at hand for special orders
Here is one from '64 (now belongs to the dude from Artic Monkeys):
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

And another one from '65:
http://www.frettedamericana.com/product/1965-fender-precision-bass-1

 

[Feral Feline]

The author’s unique 1966 commission for a Telecaster Bass forever links him with Leo Fender’s 1950 and 1957 Precisions and 1967/8 Telecaster basses. It spurred on the R & D team at Fender, who, under the aegis of Leo, assembled a Telecaster bodied, maple fretboarded Precision Bass Hybrid of astonishing beauty. Importantly, it was the forerunner to the 1967/8 Telecaster Bass, the first instrument of the Fender reissue programme. On arrival in Britain the genesis instrument quickly generated a second order that have affectionately become known as ‘Slab’ basses. Over the last forty-six years, the author’s Hybrid has become legendary; its reputation is peerless.

It is my belief that the initial 66 'Brit-slab' had a different body contour to the later 'American' version which had the 'tele-slab' body. The FCS version is based on the American, not British slab.

How do these contours differ? I'm thick, like a slab body, so please explain the differences so that even a numbskull like me can understand.

 

[ukulelelab]

I'd guess that .0000000001% of the bass market wants a slab body Precision. Entwistle fanboys and Fender collector completists are the only ones who would buy such a thing. If it were released by Fender in their American Standard model line, it would be discontinued in less than a year due to poor sales.

I wouldn't corner slab precisions to the "Entwistle fanboys and Fender collector completists". Personally I prefer the maple neck - swamp ash combination with split precision pickups and no contours. Even better with trans white finish, lollipop tuners and Tort guard . Did any of the '51 reissues, Telecasters and Cabronitas concepts ever fail because of lack of contours?

 

[kohntarkosz]

So the second run gave us the Canned Heat slab and the white one with the rosewood neck and the tortoishell pickguard?

 

[Slab66]

here is another one I've just finished.

 

[kohntarkosz]

Is that built more to the US Slab specs? I see you are using a hi-mass bridge as well?

 

[SJLee]

Beautiful!

 

[rydeosteo]

Excellent quote Slab66, taken directly from Barrie Midford- Millership's fine book (see above). It is well worth reading this definitive account of the instrument's conception and how the 1968 Telecaster Bass came to be.

 

[kohntarkosz]

What are the crucial differences between the US and UK slabs? Is it just the degree of round-over on the body edges?

 

[Sheldi]

For the full story on the UK slab basses you could read this Invalid Link Removed

Don't read that, it's rubbish and totally discredited.

Read this ... the true story here ...
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Warpeg]

Come on man. Six years?

 

[Sheldi]

Come on man. Six years?

What? You mean there's a Statute of Limitations on sharing relevant info in a thread? C'mon, man yourself

 

[Gunga Din]

Zombie thread revival!! And old Slab66 has been banned in the interim!