NBD.....Something Fender should have built.

[mb94952]

I agree 100% that the Unicorn is MUCH better than a "stupid" Fender made signature model that would just water down the coolness factor of it, and most likely just like the Pino Paladino bass it would cost WAY too much for what you get.

You did it the right way, IMO. That bass is PERFECT.

On a second note, I would have SUCH a hard time NOT overplaying that bass line from the video above, "How Do You Sleep". It's one of those bass lines that sounds like any beginner could do it, and they COULD, but coming up with it and keeping it simple is the hard part. Or maybe I'm looking to deep into it. I don't know. The bass line serves the song, not the ego, and that's my problem. My inner Geddy always gets in the way.

 

[dave hope]

Great work. I’m applauding
Next time do King Crimson’s first album cover.
It would play the role of the evil twin brother

 

[JimmyM]

Now you have to learn the intro A min arpeggio for You’re So Vain.

 

[BOOG]

View attachment 4410108 Hey there...this is my first thread. (above-Klaus Voormann in the studio 1973)
MY SUMMER PROJECT.......
Back on June 23rd I decided that Klaus Voormann (Who's Klaus Voormann???https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Voormann) played a very nice looking bass back in the 60's into the mid-70's on many great albums by John, George, Ringo and others. Why hasn't Fender paid homage to this wonderful German bassist? So on that day I decided that I would build a Klaus Voorman Tribute Precison Bass. I ordered the ash body from Warmoth 6/30 and waited over a month to get it. I slowly ordered all the parts like pickup, bridge, pickguard etc. When I got it I had to prepare it for painting so that meant sanding and filling the pores and two coats of shellac. Then I shipped it off to Aurora, IL to my artist friend Sara Gauthier who did an amazing job recreating Klaus' bass from the the scarce photos we found on the web. I got it back and then had to spray 3 coats of nitrocellulose satin lacquer on the body and waited 14 days for it to dry. Finally I put all the parts including the expensive Fender neck in the new brown case and brought to luthier Jerry Pietrzak who skillfully assembled and setup everything within a week. All in all it took 12 weeks to create this very cool bass. It plays/sounds awesome! I'm very pleased with how it came out! I took many photos but the best ones were taken today by my photographer friend Frank Little. Also, I decided to include a portfolio in the case just like Fender Custom Shop guitars get and that was made possible by Kim Thornton. This bass is essentially a Fender American Original 60's Precision except for the body. All the other parts the same Fender parts of that bass. View attachment 4410112 View attachment 4410116View attachment 4410118 View attachment 4410119View attachment 4410122 View attachment 4410123

Genius.

 

[JimmyM]

I agree 100% that the Unicorn is MUCH better than a "stupid" Fender made signature model that would just water down the coolness factor of it, and most likely just like the Pino Paladino bass it would cost WAY too much for what you get.

You did it the right way, IMO. That bass is PERFECT.

On a second note, I would have SUCH a hard time NOT overplaying that bass line from the video above, "How Do You Sleep". It's one of those bass lines that sounds like any beginner could do it, and they COULD, but coming up with it and keeping it simple is the hard part. Or maybe I'm looking to deep into it. I don't know. The bass line serves the song, not the ego, and that's my problem. My inner Geddy always gets in the way.

That’s why Klaus had the gigs. He could be busy at times but he didn’t mind keeping it simple. Geddy had to start his own band to play how he wanted

 

[2cooltoolz]

Beautifully done. Brilliant concept, and a remarkably educational thread! Adding Klaus Voormann to my musical heroes list.

I was in my teens, and stupidly unaware. I considered John and Yoko as Henry and Meghan, now. "Who cares??"
I considered the Beatles as "The Establishment". I still don't love their music, but I understand their place in the history of music.
There was genius, but it wasn't what my rowdy friends and I were into.

My ears are much more open now, and I watched that video 3 times through, tonight. What an amazing moment!

Thanks to the OP for his devotion to a concept, and to all of you for teaching me something I should have known...

 

[JimmyM]

It is indeed an American Original '60s neck and a Fender Pure Vintage 63 pickup. I made it as Fender as possible.

Oh good, you didn't leave that VMod pickup in it! I know some folks dig them but it seems so foreign to me to play a P with a mid scoop.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

View attachment 4410108 Hey there...this is my first thread. (above-Klaus Voormann in the studio 1973)
MY SUMMER PROJECT.......
Back on June 23rd I decided that Klaus Voormann (Who's Klaus Voormann???https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Voormann) played a very nice looking bass back in the 60's into the mid-70's on many great albums by John, George, Ringo and others. Why hasn't Fender paid homage to this wonderful German bassist? So on that day I decided that I would build a Klaus Voorman Tribute Precison Bass. I ordered the ash body from Warmoth 6/30 and waited over a month to get it. I slowly ordered all the parts like pickup, bridge, pickguard etc. When I got it I had to prepare it for painting so that meant sanding and filling the pores and two coats of shellac. Then I shipped it off to Aurora, IL to my artist friend Sara Gauthier who did an amazing job recreating Klaus' bass from the the scarce photos we found on the web. I got it back and then had to spray 3 coats of nitrocellulose satin lacquer on the body and waited 14 days for it to dry. Finally I put all the parts including the expensive Fender neck in the new brown case and brought to luthier Jerry Pietrzak who skillfully assembled and setup everything within a week. All in all it took 12 weeks to create this very cool bass. It plays/sounds awesome! I'm very pleased with how it came out! I took many photos but the best ones were taken today by my photographer friend Frank Little. Also, I decided to include a portfolio in the case just like Fender Custom Shop guitars get and that was made possible by Kim Thornton. This bass is essentially a Fender American Original 60's Precision except for the body. All the other parts the same Fender parts of that bass. View attachment 4410112 View attachment 4410116View attachment 4410118 View attachment 4410119View attachment 4410122 View attachment 4410123

She's a Beauty!!

 

[Gregc57]

wonderful idea, and fantastic execution. Color me VERY impressed. Let us know if should Klaus reply. He's a quiet hero to many.
Regards,

 

[ndukane65]

wonderful idea, and fantastic execution. Color me VERY impressed. Let us know if should Klaus reply. He's a quiet hero to many.
Regards,

I will indeed! And thank you!

 

[mb94952]

Now you have to learn the intro A min arpeggio for You’re So Vain.

Haha - I never really thought about the song "How Do You Sleep at Night ?"as being a song about John bitching at Paul. I know "You're so Vain" was about Carly Simon speaking to James Taylor, but I don't know if you meant to be so extremely clever with you comment.
Both songs feature Klaus on bass and both songs are about band members feuding with each other like children.

 

[Eilif]

I googled "Klaus Voormann autograph" and found it, printed it on waterslide paper in my printer and put it on.

Love everything else about the bass but for some reason the copied autograph doesn't sit right with me. Does your documentation note the ” replica" autograph?

Still it's your instrument, you have been very up front about it's origin and I certainly have to give you credit for an excellently executed tribute instrument. I don't think I've ever seen a bass used as canvas for a painting that I like as much as this one.

 

[JimmyM]

Haha - I never really thought about the song "How Do You Sleep at Night ?"as being a song about John bitching at Paul. I know "You're so Vain" was about Carly Simon speaking to James Taylor, but I don't know if you meant to be so extremely clever with you comment.
Both songs feature Klaus on bass and both songs are about band members feuding with each other like children.

Actually I am just so impressed with how Klaus plays that opening arpeggio once I learned how he did it (thumb and 3 fingers) that I spent about a week trying to perfect it. Still haven't got it quite there. Subject matter of the lyrics was the last thing I was talking about.

 

[Lowbrow]

Very very cool! Now to make it perfect, you have to go to Spitfire and order yourself an appropriate RED tortoise pickguard.

 

[EagleMoon]

That is a thing of beauty. Gorgeously done.

 

[bobyoung53]

I agree 100% that the Unicorn is MUCH better than a "stupid" Fender made signature model that would just water down the coolness factor of it, and most likely just like the Pino Paladino bass it would cost WAY too much for what you get.

You did it the right way, IMO. That bass is PERFECT.

On a second note, I would have SUCH a hard time NOT overplaying that bass line from the video above, "How Do You Sleep". It's one of those bass lines that sounds like any beginner could do it, and they COULD, but coming up with it and keeping it simple is the hard part. Or maybe I'm looking to deep into it. I don't know. The bass line serves the song, not the ego, and that's my problem. My inner Geddy always gets in the way.

I agree 100%, It's actually more difficult to play simple like that, at least it was for me, I think the last bass playing skill I acquired was simplicity and taste , plus Klaus has such a great sound, he was even at that young age a very tasteful player. Concentrating on making the bass sound great rather than on how many notes you can fit in and knowing it's place in the music are the mark of a mature player and I certainly didn't have it when I was the age Klaus was when he played all this stuff. When I was young I used to wonder how guys like him, Duck Dunn etc even got work and why they were so well known, .
I'm not saying that busy players are inferior, everything has its place but playing like he did on this tune when I was in my early 20's would have bored the hell out of me hence I would have been able to make it sound good or fit.

 

[bobyoung53]

Now you have to learn the intro A min arpeggio for You’re So Vain.

I noticed that right away the first time I heard the song when it was new, very cool part.

 

[Wood and Wire]

View attachment 4410108 Hey there...this is my first thread. (above-Klaus Voormann in the studio 1973)
MY SUMMER PROJECT.......
Back on June 23rd I decided that Klaus Voormann (Who's Klaus Voormann???https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klaus_Voormann) played a very nice looking bass back in the 60's into the mid-70's on many great albums by John, George, Ringo and others. Why hasn't Fender paid homage to this wonderful German bassist? So on that day I decided that I would build a Klaus Voorman Tribute Precison Bass. I ordered the ash body from Warmoth 6/30 and waited over a month to get it. I slowly ordered all the parts like pickup, bridge, pickguard etc. When I got it I had to prepare it for painting so that meant sanding and filling the pores and two coats of shellac. Then I shipped it off to Aurora, IL to my artist friend Sara Gauthier who did an amazing job recreating Klaus' bass from the the scarce photos we found on the web. I got it back and then had to spray 3 coats of nitrocellulose satin lacquer on the body and waited 14 days for it to dry. Finally I put all the parts including the expensive Fender neck in the new brown case and brought to luthier Jerry Pietrzak who skillfully assembled and setup everything within a week. All in all it took 12 weeks to create this very cool bass. It plays/sounds awesome! I'm very pleased with how it came out! I took many photos but the best ones were taken today by my photographer friend Frank Little. Also, I decided to include a portfolio in the case just like Fender Custom Shop guitars get and that was made possible by Kim Thornton. This bass is essentially a Fender American Original 60's Precision except for the body. All the other parts the same Fender parts of that bass. View attachment 4410112 View attachment 4410116View attachment 4410118 View attachment 4410119View attachment 4410122 View attachment 4410123

Klaus Warmoth.

 

[tvbop]

Nice job. He actually did the artwork on a Beatles cover too. Great musician...that intro to carly Simons Ur so vain is ve ry cool.

 

[ndukane65]

Love everything else about the bass but for some reason the copied autograph doesn't sit right with me. Does your documentation note the ” replica" autograph?

Still it's your instrument, you have been very up front about it's origin and I certainly have to give you credit for an excellently executed tribute instrument. I don't think I've ever seen a bass used as canvas for a painting that I like as much as this one.

It actually does note it. The way I approached this whole project was I imagined I could step into a parallel universe in which Fender actually made a Klaus Voormann bass. A thing that Fender likes to do is put signatures on their guitars. The Geddy Lee bass has it on the back of the headstock. The Noel Redding bass has it on the headstock and some have his actual signature on the pick guard. The Sting P-bass has it on the 12th fret and both the Jaco and Tony Franklin basses have a signature on the neck plates. I'm aware Fender didn't always do this in every instance but I kind of liked the idea. I wanted to "Fender it up" as much as I could. My brother recently got a Custom Shop guitar which comes with a black leather portfolio with COA and build sheet. That inspired me to make something similar (not leather) with a 5x7 photo and a build sheet. Once again I wanted this bass to be special and seem as "legit" as possible as if I walked through a door from that other universe with the bass in my hand.