Happy Jack

Yup, the usual 30.5" scale used by Hofner and many others.

[quote name='4000' timestamp='1491664332' post='3274655'] ... what's it sound like and what's the neck profile/string spacing like? [/quote] Always dodgy territory, trying to describe a sound. Closest I can get is a Precision with SD 1/4-pounders and the tone wide open. It's a bass with some real presence. The nut is 1 5/8", string spacing is 19mm, all very familiar territory.

[quote name='ash' timestamp='1491640458' post='3274441'] Has it got the little serial number plate on the back of the headstock? Is the refinish nitro or poly? cheers [/quote] It has indeed - 6595. Nitro.

[url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT/DSCF3373.jpg.html"][/url] File under 'they don't make them like this any more'. eBay used to be awash with basses claimed to be the Sutcliffe model ... virtually none of them were - wrong colour, wrong pickups, wrong logo etc. This is the real McCoy, an all-original 1959 500/5 that is pretty much identical to the one played by Stu Sutcliffe. [url="https://daytrippin.com/2011/06/22/stuart-sutcliffes-bass-playing-id-like-to-set-that-one-straight/"]https://daytrippin.c...t-one-straight/[/url] [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT/DSCF3391.jpg.html"][/url] Neck has been properly reset many years ago and has no joint problems. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT/DSCF3389.jpg.html"][/url] Floral logo retains all its mother of toilet seat. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT/DSCF3381.jpg.html"][/url] Lovely bit of wood, that. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT/DSCF3383.jpg.html"][/url] No idea what caused that 'mottled' effect. Loads & loads of photos here: [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/library/Hofner%20vintage%20instruments/Hofner%20500%205%20Sutcliffe%201959%20CURRENT"]http://s1128.photobu...01959%20CURRENT[/url] So that's the good news. And the bad news? Well, this bass is so old that it pre-dates trussrods in Hofners. Over the years the neck has bowed slightly and there's not a great deal you can do about it, certainly not if you want to keep it all-original. Played down by the nut there are no issues, but if you want to do chordal work at the 12th fret then you will have some major problems with intonation. Also, the tiny screws holding the control panel in place have long since worked through the wood, leaving the panel free to fall out of its socket. This would be a really easy thing to fix if you wanted to play this bass live on stage. I don't, and fixing it would again impact on the whole all-original thing, so I've been happy to leave well alone. The bass is kept in a big impact-moulded plastic case, designed for a rather larger bass, and is cushioned in bubblewrap. I'm not prepared to post a piece of history like this. The bass is collection only from either Harrow (London HA1) or the West End (London WC1).

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Miller%20Ultralite%20Fretless%204%20CURRENT/Miller1_zpsb8a26b84.jpg.html"][/url][/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]German made.100% carbon fibre construction, single-piece moulding, completely hollow.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Exceptionally light, c.5lbs.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Miller%20Ultralite%20Fretless%204%20CURRENT/Miller5_zpsd614e7dd.jpg.html"][/url][/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Fitted with Haussell MM-type pick-up.2-way switch for series/parallel.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Miller%20Ultralite%20Fretless%204%20CURRENT/Miller7_zps2cfcf457.jpg.html"][/url][/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Passive bass but very high output. Uses either conventional strings (clamped at the headstock end) or double ball-ended such as Status.[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Miller%20Ultralite%20Fretless%204%20CURRENT/Miller2_zpsb8ee06c5.jpg.html"][/url][/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]This bass is a real head-turner and (apparently) a total slap monster (I wouldn’t know). Bizarrely, given the construction, it can also do a remarkably organic, woody tone. Who knew?[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I'm selling this in a decent gigbag, preferably with collection from either Harrow (London W1) or the West End (London WC1). P&P would be extra.[/font][/color]

[url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Shergold%20Marathon%20CURRENT/Shergold%203_zpstgu9j7hc.jpg.html"][/url] I bought this off eBay a couple of years ago ([url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/264338-shergold-marathon-sweet/page__hl__shergold"]http://basschat.co.u...e__hl__shergold[/url]) and it's a truly delightful bass, but I just don't seem to be playing it ... too much competition! [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Shergold%20Marathon%20CURRENT/Shergold%202_zpsqjzgkui1.jpg.html"][/url] It's all original apart from the refin, which is exceptionally nice. White. Very white. No, seriously, I mean really really white. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Shergold%20Marathon%20CURRENT/Shergold%204_zpsnqssh8mx.jpg.html"][/url] I can't say that it plays like butter, since it never leaves grease on my fingers. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/user/h4ppyjack/media/Basses%20CURRENT/Shergold%20Marathon%20CURRENT/Entire%20bass%201_zpswdb0ib7n.jpg.html"][/url] I can't even tell you exactly how old it is ... late 70s/early 80s is about as good as it gets. I'm selling this in a decent gigbag, preferably with collection from either Harrow (London W1) or the West End (London WC1). P&P would be extra. I'm offering this here on Basschat for a week or so at what I paid for it (although I'll be down a gigbag). Then it will go back to eBay.