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Thank you BassAgent!It's a Hamer Cruise, that was custom built for Benjamin. Not many of those in existence.
One other was made for him but he never took delivery of it. It was then owned by Tom Peterson who eventually sold it.
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Cool stuff! Heck, I used to work for Kaman (which owned Hamer) and I'd never seen a photo of either of those Cruise Bass v1 models with the hooked headstock. Well, you learn something new every day.It's a Hamer Cruise, that was custom built for Benjamin. Not many of those in existence.
One other was made for him but he never took delivery of it. It was then owned by Tom Peterson who eventually sold it.
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Me either, and even though I could not make out enough detail to SEE the octave strings, I'm assuming they are there.
JIO: Starting at 57:34 in this vid shows Ben playing his Fender Performer. There's a good view of it at 58:56.....
So is @SactoBass. Look again, at the 58:56 timestamp he mentioned: it is definitely a Performer, not a Precision.
Assuming the concert date is accurate, is there any chance Fender put a pre-production specimen in Orr's hands at this point, and only later did he get a regular one?
^ [emphasis mine]Revisiting this thread with updated info - I'm pretty sure this gentleman (in Florida) is the guy I mentioned in an earlier post who has one in each colour they offered. (I can't recall his name or tb handle) Here he is holding an early '80s Performer prototype in what looks like Fiesta red! It has a couple interesting differences; a more standard looking Fender hs reminiscent of the later thinner width style that came on early '90s Jazz+ basses. It also has a cool slanted-base micro-tune Schaller bridge similar to what came on the early '80s Precision Elite - must have been a one-off as it's the only place I've ever seen one. It also looks to have two mini-switches.
In the early 80s John Page was tasked with creating the Elite Jazz Bass to join the Elite Precision Bass, and the Strat and Tele Elite guitar models. When all was said and done, the Elite Jazz was tabled after the prototype, also pictured but not for sale, was sent on tour with Benjamin Orr of the Cars, and Billy Idol, and found to be of good quality, but a bit too radical in design. Because there was a lot of R&D expense it was decided to salvage the project. The decision was to cut back on the bells and whistles, remove the active electronics, micro tune bridge, change the headstock to swinger style, etc., and produce it in Japan. (A USA version was planned, even made it to a catalog, but never made it to the prototype stage). In January 1985 a employee buyer group purchased Fender back from CBS and determined to focus on the Precision and Jazz. For that reason, the Performer was a one year and done bass, five colors, a few hundred produced - exact quantity unknown, but certainly in the hundreds, not thousands.
Hah! I looked at the wrong segment of the live vid. I must have read the 8 as a 3 and that's when he was playing a black P. (or possibly P/J as it had three knobs) But by my stumble that specific bass was identified with your help uncovering my old post. I saw a red Performer with a black pg once many years ago on eBay - possibly another of the prototypes as it had the same angled Schaller locking bridge & Fender hs as on this one. (it never came in red) Yes, Elite it was... thanks for clearing this up.
JIO: regarding Ben's P bass with three knobs, that's a Fender Precision Special. I believe Fender manufactured those from 1980-1983. It has a built-in preamp. It does not have a J pickup in the bridge position. It only has a P pickup in the usual neck position.Hah! I looked at the wrong segment of the live vid. I must have read the 8 as a 3 and that's when he was playing a black P. (or possibly P/J as it had three knobs) But by my stumble that specific bass was identified with your help uncovering my old post. I saw a red Performer with a black pg once many years ago on eBay - possibly another of the prototypes as it had the same angled Schaller locking bridge & Fender hs as on this one. (it never came in red) Yes, Elite it was... thanks for clearing this up.
Here's what looks to be another (Burgundy Mist Metallic) prototype with a standard-style Fender bridge played by John Page (I think).
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Good detective work figuring this out, @HaphAsSard and @JIO!
One w/o white pu covers which most had. In the pic I posted of the Burgundy Mist Metallic Performer being played in what looks like a parking-lot, the black bass leaning against the Fender SS amp with the maple neck could be a Precision Special as it has three metal control knobs.JIO: regarding Ben's P bass with three knobs, that's a Fender Precision Special. I believe Fender manufactured those from 1980-1983. It has a built-in preamp. It does not have a J pickup in the bridge position. It only has a P pickup in the usual neck position.
Also, thanks to you and to @HaphAsSard for the info on the Elite Jazz.
