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My old Fleishman Bassic IV Headless (pics)

jamzcl

jamzcl

Jul 21, 2004
760
476
Des Moines, IA USA
#1
Figured I'd put up some pics of my old Harry Fleishman Bassic IV headless after reading some old threads and noticing alot of people unable to find pics of this bass.

I bought it in about 1982 or '83 and was the original owner. The shop I bought it from had 4 of them (red, white, blue and black). I bought it for $700...which was pretty expensive for a 16 year old back in the early '80's :eek:

Some of the features:
Single J pickup & a piezo pickup under the bridge
Dual truss rods
3 full octaves (top frets a little tight though ;) )
Case was a gun case...fun taking it to the airport :D

This was the only bass I owned for about 15 years and then I started buying more traditional bodied basses. This sat for a few years before I realized it probably wasn't gonna get a lot of play anymore and I sold it a few years ago.

Trying to find a little more info on it I tracked down Harry Fleishman's shop in Denver and he replied to be personally telling me that only about 250 of these were ever made. Mine was #139. I think Hondo got the design after Fleishman stopped producing them.

This thing probably had the fastest neck I will ever play on.

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Reactions: 6stings, HaphAsSard, Matt Liebenau and 2 others
#11
I too bought one of these new back then. Carried that shotgun case into the bank a couple of times, always got funny looks.

For the life of me, I can't remember selling it but I must've. It was a cool bass but I do remember the neck being a bit flexible and requiring adjustment.
 
#12
#13
I have one too - natural finish, different font for the logo (80's computeristic, maybe?). Haven't played it in years - as a matter of fact, I think I cannibalized the side by side humbucking J and used it in a different bass (which I managed to sell). Might just have to put the whole thing together again.

Oh yeah - mine is a lined fretless. ;)
 
#16
 
#18
That's cool. There was one on eBay about a year or so ago, did anyone here buy it?

The only headless/bodyless Hondo I know of is based on the Kramer Duke, I'd be interested to see one based on the Fleishman design.
 
#20
BigRedX said:
That's cool. There was one on eBay about a year or so ago, did anyone here buy it?

The only headless/bodyless Hondo I know of is based on the Kramer Duke, I'd be interested to see one based on the Fleishman design.
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The Hondo "Flash" looked almost identical except to me the hardware looked cheap.

I thought with such a low production number of 250 or so that Mr. Fleishman to me, that all the models were exactly the same - I had no idea there was a fretless or one like Thunderthumbs73 has that's active with what looks like 31 frets instead of 3 octaves like mine?

I think I did hear of the optional "leg rest" attachment for sitdown playing that was offered in the later models. Looks like Thunderthumbs73's might have had that option. I think some of the Steinberger's had that too.
 

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