MrWalker

Bassassasin did most of the work here. I didn't see the link to the catalogs on Fernandes page when I visited it. The rest was just footwork. But I agree, it seems the color and logo are the only difference. I don't know why, but maybe further investigation of the catalogs could yield an answers. I see other similar basses on the web with other colors and pickup combinations as well. Keep in mind that Warwick Rockbass are also produced in Asia. Could be that they are produced in the same facility. I don't know...

And in 1998, this bass appears. It's the same bass, upgraded with the Basstec pickups and the Kahler bridge. You were right, @Bassassin!

In the 97 catalog, this bass appears for the first time. I don't think it's there earlier. Obviously this is the basis for the model above. I also found Basstec pickups in the catalogs (I think it was in the 96 catalog). Maybe the model here was an attempt to make an improved model for the Western markets. I don't know.

I don't think it's a "rebuild". It seems like a custom job from the start, unless they did a reshape of the headstock with the rest. I can't find any other Fernandes basses with the same headstock or body shape, either. It's definitely a strange bass :-) But very nice.

I just bought a Yamaha BB5000 from Tyler. It has been a very good transaction including international shipping to Norway. The communication has been awesome throughout. The bass was described accurately and honestly and there were no surprises. The bass plays sweet, Tyler did a prefect setup for me according to my preferences. The bass was very well packed and arrived safe and unharmed. The paperwork was quick and accurate. I can wholeheartedly recommend doing bass business with Tyler. Thanks for a great transaction and an awesome bass! Cheers, Jon-Inge

I live in Norway, and ordering instruments untested is getting to be a habit. :-) I ordered the Chowny SWB-1 (standard, as this was before the Pro was introduced) untested, and got the deal with the fretless neck added for a small upcharge in price. It is a great instrument, there's no doubt about that. It's made in India, actually (that's a first for me). I don't know how the weight of the Pro is, I guess it might depend on the woods used, but my mahogany bass is by no means lightweight. Not too bad, either, but it's quite heavy. I like it, though. It sits well and it plays beautiful, and with the Pro-version featuring EMG pickups, I'm positive it will sound even better. :-) Enjoy the wait, those Pro-models really have the looks, too! Mine is just natural mahogany, and I think it's sweet as well... but some of those Pro models look stunning. Which finish did you order? My experience with Stephen and Chowny company is truly great. So much so that I did add a CHB-1 to my arsenal, as well. It's getting new strings, too, one of these days. I have a vintage Hagström Concord C-1 from 1967, and I'm hoping that the Chowny can recreate some of the thumpiness from this bass with the right strings. ;-) Let's see photos when you get it!

And it seems Basstec pickups are back, they are German.... Häussel Pickups are apparently making them now. http://www.basstec.de/

I guess this must have been ordered via the Fernandes Custom Shop USA, which was active and gaining some popularity in the market in the 90s. The custom shop is mentioned on the Fernandes Guitar history page. I have never seen any Fernandes bass that has a similar design, though, especially the headstock. But it seems to be a good quality bass, with high quality components. Probably a lot of bass for the money. And interesting story. Maybe the family can confirm it?

Very nice bass :-) here's more information for you to drool over. http://www.buddlejagarden.co.uk/hamer/bass.htm http://www.buddlejagarden.co.uk/hamer/92imp.htm

Congratulations!!! Enjoy the honeymoon!! And you know what they say.... No photo, no bass! :-D

Which sound are you looking for? For the Jaco sound, the best fretless 5-string would be Jazz bass with epoxy coated fingerboard. The Pentabuzz has a very distinctive voice, lots of treble mwah from the coated fingerboard as well. Slightly more "modern" sounding than a Jazz bass with epoxy, I think. Then there's Tom Clement in US, he makes fantastic fretless basses. I have two, both have swamp ash bodies and one-piece maple necks with bloodwood fingerboards. They will mwah for hours on end without costing extremely much money. Tom's fingerboard leveling makes the action go super-low, which allows for just as much mwah as you could possibly request. On mine I cut the nut low enough to allow the open strings to mwah as well. It ridiculous. I own (or have owned in the recent past) all of the aforementioned instruments, so I know these things for facts. :-) I have heard excellent reviews of both Roscoe and Zon fretless basses. There are a ton of basses out there than will be world-class fretless basses. There's no such thing as "the best", since it all depends on your preference. The world's best fretless players all play different basses.... :-)

Hohner B2, or something to that effect, will do. A Status Streamliner maybe? But that's very expensive. I have a Riverhead paddle bass that I got cheap a long time ago, upgraded the failing electronics with Status mics, and it sounds beautiful and plays extremely nice. A cheap bass that I don't have to worry too much about. To me, it's the best option for a travel bass, as it's got a full scale length and works like "the real thing". I have tried various other alternatives from eBay, such as those strange star-basses, but they don't work.... There's something new on the block, called the Wingbass, but they only have the upper octave. Nice for practicing scales, maybe, but I'm a bass player, not just strictly a solo player. :-) There is also the Traveler bass, which is available in various scale lengths. Might be an option. The good thing with the headless paddle basses is that they are actual basses... not just light traveling companions. I've been thinking about getting one of those ukulele basses as well, but I don't like those rubber strings.

You got your Precision base covered, now, to find something nice for £2000 that will give you a different option is pretty easy. Just try whatever they have and that you like and that sounds different than your Precision and that costs £2000, and that will solve your problem pretty quickly. :-) No, I'm not really joking. The Precision bass has a very distinctive voice, and it's not that many basses that nails exactly that. However, there are so many other voices that the Precision doesn't nail, and for £2000 you will get a very good instrument that will do different tricks than the Precision. I would look for something with two pickups and with a preamp. That will give you complete control and will allow you a ton of different voices. I would strongly suggest you go with a 5-stringer, because that low B will come in extremely valuable in a lot of situations, and will definitely give you another aspect that the 4-string Precision isn't nailing. Whether you choose something like Status or Warwick on the "modern" end to Music Man, Fender, Mike Lull or Sadowsky on the more "traditional" end is totally down to what you like and what feels best to you right there and then. I would still recommend you get something with variation possibilities, since it will give you more playroom. It's an incredibly fortunate and enviable situation you are in. Enjoy it to the fullest extent!! :-)