Unlike any other Urge l model I have ever seen, this one simply has volume one, volume two and tone, like a regular Jazz Bass. There are no stacked controls and the input jack appears on the body edge like most basses. The commercially produced models of the Urge I had the jack mounted right on the front of the body and all of the early Urge l models I have seen also have "stacked" tone controls.
From Wikopedia:
"There was also a short-lived Urge Standard which was made in Mexico between 1993 and 1999, featuring a medium 32" scale length, two standard Jazz Bass pickups and passive circuitry with dual concentric volume and tone for each pickup."
With this in mind, I have no idea what is up with the standard jazz bass controls on this bass. Also my EMG pickups - which appear to be factory installed - are active, not passive. It is also very odd about the location of the input jack. If anyone has any further thoughts or has any explanation for this I would love to find out more. Has anybody even seen another bass like this one? It's perfect, by the way, nary a wart or a scratch.
ACCORDING TO URGE I DESIGNER - JOHN PAGE
I have been in touch with John Page of John Page Guitars, who worked for years at Fender and was the production guru assisting Stu on the Fender side with the design and build of this Urge I model. He was also the creative force behind the Fender Performer bass as well. After taking a look at the photos below, John told me that yes, this was either an early prototype of the original Stu Hamm Urge I, or else it could possibly be a special employee build. As you might suspect, a lot of the guitar manufacturers allow the employees to do one-off designs for their personal collection, based on many of the production models. It could fall into this category, but either way, it is certainly a one-of-a-kinder.
I am not sure of the body wood, but it feels so light I am thinking basswood - but according to the manufacturing notes I have read, they were apparently made of poplar or alder. I absolutely adore the neck - definitely a personal favorite. As far as I know, it's the only 24 fret, full two-octave medium scale production neck ever made by Fender. It is maple with a walnut or mahogany skunk stripe and it has a beautiful pau ferro or rosewood fingerboard. Again, looks like a fine piece of rosewood to me, but the manufacturing notes I have read say the fingerboards on these models were pau ferro. This bass sounds great - bright but a nice round bottom - and I keep round wounds on it. As a side note, my band Happy the Man's second drummer, Ron Riddle, toured with Stu Hamm in the early 1990's - around the time this bass came out. I saw the tour and Ron and Stu were definitely a delightful rhythm section and Stu's Urge I sounded great!!
Is this bass for sale? Good question, I say...
