Saunders

[JIO]

I am wondering if anyone has info on the maker of this odd looking but really well made P-style neck. All I know is he was a boutique builder in the late 80's/early 90's. I got this neck relatively cheap NOS and I'd buy another if I could. Supposedly he did a few complete basses but have never seen an example. If you own one or have pics, please pass them along. THXS

 

[lowphatbass]

I've NEVER seen one.

 

[nixdad]

The maker was John Saunders, who was located in the L.A. area in the early 80's. They featured active electronics and bodies with a curvy, unique shape. Some called them the "elephant's d_ _ _" bass.

 

[JIO]

Here's the rest of the bass I used it on. It's a mahogany Epi or Gibson (never knew which) with active/passive electronics, 2 Wilkinson buckers and a Hipshot Supertone bridge w/string-thru. A really versatile sounding bass that comes very close to mimicking my 64' T-bird II when I want it to. The body shot is more recent w/added jack washer and ramp between the pu's, one poled and the other clean for string spacing taper.

 

[JIO]

The maker was John Saunders, who was located in the L.A. area in the early 80's. They featured active electronics and bodies with a curvy, unique shape. Some called them the "elephant's d_ _ _" bass.

Wow, I'd love to see what it looked like! The Cougar, the Maverick and the Concord - four stringed basses w/one or two pu's from 86-92.

 

[frostforests]

Howdy folks, firstly a huge thanks to JIO for helping provide information on these.

Well...picked this up today, this is probably perhaps the only remaining complete Saunders bass out there.

I haven't taken it apart yet but everything is pointing to it being 81-82' Charvel. Very, very well made. Quality and craftsmanship is very obvious.

I bought it to resell but keeping it is tempting, it's really quite awesome. And the condition is astounding for its age. Thanks again for the info!

 

[frostforests]

Attached is a pic of the cavity, I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this...so there was a aluminum plate covering this, 2 9v batteries, but I couldn't get a look at the actual pots, they seem to be attaching the whole active circuit to themselves so I would have to take the knobs and nuts off to actually see what's what. Yet the pots all seem to have a square section like you'd see on a push pull, yet they don't.

Does anyone have any info on what circuit this might be? 81-83 range.

 

[frostforests]

Pics

 

[seedokebass]

That's wild and mega zombie thread revival!

Where did you get it?

 

[frostforests]

I got it locally from a CL post.

Some number of years ago, I used to buy and sell rare gear on the side. I kinda fell out of it, but my wife is pushing me back into it, she says it's good for me haha!

I'm one of those guys that will risk the rare duck guitar or bass or amp because there's someone out there for it, you just have to wait a very long time for some things.

I paid more than I usually would for such an item, however once I got it in my hands, I understood. Yes, haha, it's funky as all hell. It's very weird. Zombie all the way.

 

[JIO]

OMG doesn't begin to cover that bass! First off - yes, mega zombie tread, over 9 yrs old! As I've read there were three models; the Cougar, the Maverick and the Concord so there may be more surprizes down the line. Let's blow the pic up so we can all marvel at the audacity of John Saunders! And that 'Screaming Yellow Zonkers' yellow! It does look like it would balance well - the strap peg being at the 12th fret and it appears to have a belly bevel for player interface. Sitting down may be interesting depending on the 'hooked' lower horn but it may work. Basically a P-bass otherwise, but an active one. Would love to hear an players assessment when you get a chance @frostforests - weight, balance, ergonomics, sound/tone etc. Looks to have reverse-wind Fender tuners.

Looks to be a mahogany body

 

[sleddogn]

i'm more scared of the items on the floor, lube, pills and nips, way to go, lol

 

[JIO]

Here's my Saundersbird which has gone through some changes since starting this thread.

Had Hipshot use the late '80s Fender small plate/big clover tuner for their Drop-D machine

A better pic of the hs - crazy grain pattern! Strings are GHS Progressives.

A while back it went through a makeover installing a 9v Fender/Kubicki pre and pg/plate.

Also have lightened the heavy mahogany Epi body by routing under the pg and on the back wing covering it with the same material. It's down to 9lbs/3oz, and it has gained a bit of acoustic resonance in the process. You can see that I have also beveled the back to be more ergonomic. The Saunders neck is still one of my favorites - and it's cool to finally see John Saunders' 'unique' bass after all these years thanks to @frostforests

 

[frostforests]

Love the Saundersbird! Very cool bass!

In reference to the bass, yes, it is mahogany, I was a bit taken back by that section being clear coated, definitely mahogany. It's actually a reasonable weight, I'd say not much over 9. With a strap it's balanced, leaning on neck heavy however that's just me being a stickler.

I don't currently own a bass amp, so I couldn't say one way or the other on actual tone, maybe I'll run it in the local music shop this weekend.

It resonates *very* fully, the bridge looks to be a milled Star(kahler) brass bridge and likely same brand brass nut, tuners show no markings so I'd assume you're correct on the fender style, probably whatever brass bass tuners they could get per my understanding of the early charvels, they didn't do a ton of basses that era.

The pickup is a replacement, who knows what the original was. I assume it's a quarter pounder or lightning rod, will check this weekend.

As per sitting down, yes, it's rather, well as noted, neck heavy, but with the curved bottom horn and giving it a little vertical angle, quite comfortable, but this is coming from a person who played the extreme metal guitars for many years.

And yes, that finish. I smiled inside when I saw it in the sun, it's not just nuclear yellow, it metallic nuclear yellow. I didn't look at it close enough to determine if it's metallic or pearl, but it certainly has a nice sheen to it in person. Doesn't hurt that early charvels seem to use this finish too.

The only flaw if you can call it one is that I can feel the skunk stripe through the finish a few inches worth closer to the headstock.

Weird, wild, very cool bass. Can't wait to take her apart and get some dates, but 81-82 is looking right per the information I can find. The stuff that pops up being models from 86-92 per some bluebook like site don't really mesh with the stories of people, I highly doubt there was ever a actual run durring that time, seems like only a handful were made around 82'

 

[JIO]

Love the Saundersbird! Very cool bass!

In reference to the bass, yes, it is mahogany, I was a bit taken back by that section being clear coated, definitely mahogany. It's actually a reasonable weight, I'd say not much over 9. With a strap it's balanced, leaning on neck heavy however that's just me being a stickler.

I don't currently own a bass amp, so I couldn't say one way or the other on actual tone, maybe I'll run it in the local music shop this weekend.

It resonates *very* fully, the bridge looks to be a milled Star(kahler) brass bridge and likely same brand brass nut, tuners show no markings so I'd assume you're correct on the fender style, probably whatever brass bass tuners they could get per my understanding of the early charvels, they didn't do a ton of basses that era.

The pickup is a replacement, who knows what the original was. I assume it's a quarter pounder or lightning rod, will check this weekend.

As per sitting down, yes, it's rather, well as noted, neck heavy, but with the curved bottom horn and giving it a little vertical angle, quite comfortable, but this is coming from a person who played the extreme metal guitars for many years.

And yes, that finish. I smiled inside when I saw it in the sun, it's not just nuclear yellow, it metallic nuclear yellow. I didn't look at it close enough to determine if it's metallic or pearl, but it certainly has a nice sheen to it in person. Doesn't hurt that early charvels seem to use this finish too.

The only flaw if you can call it one is that I can feel the skunk stripe through the finish a few inches worth closer to the headstock.

Weird, wild, very cool bass. Can't wait to take her apart and get some dates, but 81-82 is looking right per the information I can find. The stuff that pops up being models from 86-92 per some bluebook like site don't really mesh with the stories of people, I highly doubt there was ever a actual run durring that time, seems like only a handful were made around 82'

Interesting and surprizing - I always assumed my neck was from the late '80s and that he commissioned the then new FCS to make them. I saw another one on eBay shortly after I got mine (about 10 yrs or more ago) and bid on it but didn't 'win' it. The info I had was from a site like you referred to, "Bluebook" something. I wonder if John Saunders is still alive? It would be interesting to get some inside info on this wild beast.

 

[frostforests]

Yeah, I'd certainly, at this point, discount that info. I'd really think this was early 80's. I'm very curious if there were later models but I think not. If I had to guess, somewhat educated, if say these saunders were ,81-83.

 

[sleddogn]

very nice bass, love the knobs, and you could scratch your back with that headstock in between sets, lol

 

[JIO]

Yeah, I'd certainly, at this point, discount that info. I'd really think this was early 80's. I'm very curious if there were later models but I think not. If I had to guess, somewhat educated, if say these saunders were ,81-83.

Ok - when I got my Saunders neck - it was NOS. (no holes in the heal) Little did I I know it was that old. If you can take 2 pics of it straight-on front & back, I'd appreciate it. Although I see that strange shape, the angle makes it hard to wrap my eyes around it.

 

[frostforests]

Sorry for the delay, a lot of life happened. Here are some additional pics. No markings on the inside neck, pocket simply says 183 as far as I could tell.

 

[JIO]

Sorry for the delay, a lot of life happened. Here are some additional pics. No markings on the inside neck, pocket simply says 183 as far as I could tell.

Thanks - I appreciate sending them. Yes, things are very uncertain - best to you and yours.