Anyone who remembers this guy and what he could do will know exactly what to expect from this Bass, but yes, its a Paulman 5 String Custom and they're becoming rare as the proverbial rocking horse droppings...
This one was custom made for my father who is no longer around, about 15 years ago was the last time it was used in anger as a gigging bass, and there a few nicks and bumps that I've tried my best to reflect in the images. She's recently (this week) been re-stringed and given a once over, but is in need of a proper setup on the bridge and the pickups repositioning, which I can arrange for a serious buyer unless they would rather do it themselves.
Custom made by Paul McNab who I believe passed away around 2010? He had a reputation for crafting quality instruments and not cutting corners with materials, this thing weighs a ton!
Edit 18/7 : the bass actually weighs 4.3kg which surprised me actually, as she feels really chunky compared to my other basses.
A generous member of this forum has also been in touch and kindly reached out to Exotic Hardwoods UK for an opinion on the wood
"looks like a Sapele body with a quilted dyed Maple top on it with an ebony guitar fingerboard on a flamed Maple neck!"
Anyone who has been waiting to find one of Paul's instruments will know they don't often change hands, the last 5 string I can find online was from around 2018. But its time for this one to find a new forever home, as I don't play enough these days to justify owning such an instrument.
The list price reflects the rarity as well as the quality of this instrument, and is also not far off what Bass Direct in the UK have already suggested to me if I was to sell it via them, but that means I have to take her down to Warwick!
Feel free to make a serious offer, but ideally it will have to be collection from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, or I can probably deliver a reasonable distance or meet someone halfway, long as its not some crazy trek around the M25!
International buyers are going to have to do some convincing for me to put this baby in a shipping crate or the like.. and anything of the sort would need to be arranged totally at the buyers expense and insured up the yin yang!
**Sorry but the images are in a mess, I can't figure out how to rearrange them using the editor