Thanks mate, yes they were apparently stupid money when released, there's no way I'd be buying this bass new, but I remember think at the time "To all intents it's just a 50's SC Precision with an extra PUP, what's all the fuss?", and then thinking "Actually I imagine that's a pretty good combination. I read a couple of posts on TB by guys who'd modded their SC Precisions similarly and seemed quite happy with the results so the idea stuck. And frankly the used price wasn't much more that standard US Precisions are going for these days.........
In my quest for something with two PUPs but a little out of the ordinary (I've fallen out of love with P/J and never was much of one for J/J anyway) I was also having a good long look at this bass, but over and above being less than impressed by the shop selling it, realised that it lacked a PUP in the all important sport. So I think I made the right choice