Chiliwailer

Case 1 looks like it could be the '66. It's hard to tell without proper shots of the logo. Even broken that'd help a lot. The logo on case 1 looks smaller, I could be wrong about that, but if it is smaller then 3&4 that looks like a '66 type to me. It could also be case 2 for the 66 but the clasp in the wrong place on 1 is odd and typical of hand made gear from that period which regularly has anomaly's, a batch could have been experimented on, made wrong or just cocked up by the new guy in the factory. I've had a late 60's P Bass with a logo minus the tail, so case 2 could be for that one. I've found that the cases can vary in the 60's. Perhaps either the factory guys or guitar shops just reached for the nearest case in the store room or Fender did the usual thing of using up old stock later on. I hope this helps a little, problem with old Fender is that they often made up the rules as they went along and not everything is set in stone.

As above, plus all the magnets, especially the MM ones, would most likely affect your tuning and intonation due to the magnet pull on the vibrating string. If you lower the pickups to avoid this then the tone will suffer quite a bit. That'd be one hell of a bass though if it works!

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1402602192' post='2475303'] I didn't get away with it completely. That particular bass cost me a £700 running machine! She's happy. I'm happier. We're both happy. Maybe that's the trick? [/quote] No not completely, but you did get off lightly considering you got a killer bass and paid quite a bit more than £700.... Let's hope she's after a new rowing machine soon, then you can start trawling the For Sale section again!

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1402589654' post='2475104'] My wife only bothered asking me how much that Custom Shop was that I picked up from yours the other week whilst I was on my way home....and that was without one of your magic receipts! [/quote] Haha, good on you Warren, all those lovely basses PLUS an understanding wife, cake and eat spring to mind!

When I used to manage guitar shops I offered worried customers a 'fake' reciept to show the wife (along with the proper one). The fake one would state that the guitar only cost whatever the customer asked me to state. Worked well with international customs too

Good luck to you on your personal journey, only you can make the decision where to turn and there may be one or many turns ahead of you. My thoughts are that the beauty about music is that it never leaves you and there is always a way back, be it church bands or other. If you get back to music then you broke a cycle that bothered you and you did it in your own time and on your terms (perhaps with a new outlook on it). And it you don't play again, you found peace with your struggles so made the right choice. I guess you're going to do what you have to do and then go with the flow, there's nothing that can't be replaced later if you do sell your gear. Keep the faith

Black pickguards can soften Antigua too, melancholic fusion? Example: [attachment=164578:XWJ1Xkx.jpg]

[quote name='alembic63' timestamp='1402163102' post='2470653'] ....but if you offering me a substantial wodge for the case then its yours.... [/quote] Haha, that's the spirit, see you do want to sell it really!!!! Seriously though, cheers for the offer but I've nothing that's period appropriate to put in there. Good luck with sorting the bass out.

[quote name='simon1964' timestamp='1402094009' post='2470129'] Predictable, but Paul Young, Wherever I Lay My Hat has to get a mention. Pino at his best. [/quote] I learned Everytime You Go Away today, blooming heck that took some work, i only just got back into fretless and think I'm hooked....

A new colour sounds like a great idea. Perhaps then you could sell the case on for plus or minus £100 to go towards it. Personally I always felt that an original case only belongs to an original untouched guitar, a refinished one isn't collectable anymore so why not cash in on the case to go towards the cost of the refin?

Some great suggestions coming in

Please can someone shed any light here? I have a 1980 Ibanez Musician MC924 fretless (similar to the one Sting used). I noticed that when the pre amp is switched on there is a background noise. I've read about another person having this issue so I'm wondering if it's an inherent issue with these basses or something that needs addressing? Cheers

Hi foiks, Looking for suggestions so I'm wondering what tunes you like playing on a fretless? (I've had a peek and I can't see a thread that's similar to this one - please direct me though if I'm just repeating one!). Cheers!