The great unrealised signature bass?

[The Admiral]

I've noticed that on eBay and also on Basschat - there are a lot of black p basses with the mirror scratchplate a la Phil Lynott, yet Fender never actually made a signature model in his lifetime as far as I know. Which made me think : 1. who else has gone unmarked as a player without a signature model in their lifetime, and 2. what happened to Phil's bass? I'm sure I remember it being given as a prize in a competition - after his death : or have I got that wrong? I certainly couldn't find anything on the net about its whereabouts. I'd certainly love to see something that was modelled on his actual bass by the gurus at Fender.

For those who would like to remember the man - From Sydney Opera House : - [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgST27FIzNg&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgST27FIzNg...feature=related[/url]

A

[Lozz196]

JJ Burnell from The Stranglers doesn`t have a Signature Fender Precision, tho he does have a Signature Shuker Precision-a-like. Surprised really, as he was a Precision man for years, though maybe him using a relatively standard Precision was the reasoning behind it. Black/black/maple - in fact, what I`m currently gassing for. He did used to get a great sound out of that bass!

And Bruce Foxton from The Jam - everyone thinks Rickenbacker when hearing The Jam, even tho he used Fender Precisions after the first album I think, due to them being meatier-sounding. Surprised that a Foxton/Jam Ricky was never produced (unless it was, and I missed it).

[AndyTravis]

I Agree on the Lynott model, although i thought there was a Japan only version years ago. Could be totally wrong.

I want them to do a Deaky...one Natural, one Black.

They did a UK only Satus Quo Telecaster set in 2003/04 and a Chris Rea strat, so why not do a UK only version of these basses?

I think Fender will do specail runs from 250 units out of the Mexico factory.

[basshead56]

There was a Fender Japan Phil Lynott sig. Only made for 2 years IIRC. (sure there was a thread here before)

I´d love to see a Bruce Foxton P Bass!

[Cat Burrito]

Skip Battin from the last incarnation of The Byrds didn't have a sig model so I made my own

[risingson]

I love Phil Lynott's bass but I reckon it would just be easier getting a black P and whipping a mirror pickguard on it! Job done!

[Mateybass]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='936423' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:19 PM']JJ Burnell from The Stranglers doesn`t have a Signature Fender Precision, tho he does have a Signature Shuker Precision-a-like. Surprised really, as he was a Precision man for years, though maybe him using a relatively standard Precision was the reasoning behind it. Black/black/maple - in fact, what I`m currently gassing for. He did used to get a great sound out of that bass![/quote]

I remember reading an interview with him in the 70's ( in International Musician I think) that he tried lots of P-basses before he found one with the right sound.

[Chris2112]

Tony Butler of Big Country never got a signature guitar. He played a few Fender P's in the days when Fender didn't make signature basses (that would have to wait until 1992 for the Fender Urge with Stuart Hamm). He did notably play a hell of a lot of Aria basses, I'm surprised they didn't make him one!

Hell of a player too, as good as rock players get and one of my favourites!

[cetera]

[quote name='basshead56' post='936447' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:35 PM']There was a Fender Japan Phil Lynott sig. Only made for 2 years IIRC. (sure there was a thread here before)[/quote]

Correct!
I have one... and I believe one other board member has one too (but changed his scratchplate to a black one...)

[cetera]

[quote name='Johnston' post='936409' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:07 PM']Did Phil not end up with peaveys towards the end??

I know I watched a thing on the Bio channel yesterday and a lot of the footage was none fender!![/quote]

He used an Ibanez... and a Roland bass (when not using his famous P's)

[Gust0o]

What about the guy from Feeder? We could economise on build costs by only including the E-string

[doctorbass]

[quote name='risingson' post='936646' date='Aug 26 2010, 12:23 AM']I love Phil Lynott's bass but I reckon it would just be easier getting a black P and whipping a mirror pickguard on it! Job done! [/quote]

I agree, its purely cosmetic. I think for a sig bass to be worthwhile there has to be something non-standard about it. Theres be quite a bit of talk about a Carl Radle Fender sig. P bass, body and electrics, J bass neck with inlay markers. Still easilly done as a DIY job though. The thing with personalised/custom build bass's is that they were done to suit that player and while the idea is attractive to many it doesn't always work out. How many guitarists like the idea of an SRV strat only to find the neck too big etc??

[cetera]

[quote name='Johnston' post='936955' date='Aug 26 2010, 11:21 AM']Any ideas what this one is??



I couldn't find a clip of the red one I thought was a peavey Looked a bit like a T-40 but single pick up I think.[/quote]

That's the Roland bass I mentioned before...

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='Lozz196' post='936423' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:19 PM']JJ Burnell from The Stranglers doesn`t have a Signature Fender Precision, tho he does have a Signature Shuker Precision-a-like. Surprised really, as he was a Precision man for years, though maybe him using a relatively standard Precision was the reasoning behind it. Black/black/maple - in fact, what I`m currently gassing for. He did used to get a great sound out of that bass![/quote]

Good reasoning. However, i present the evidence against such a theory:



Which i think rather goes to show that if they can stick a badge of some famous player on a bass and flog it even if it's no different from one of their standard basses, then that's fine by them.

[hillbilly deluxe]

Billy Sheehan (the wife) they allready have all the bits on other models
Precision body/Tele bass neck/Tele neck pickup/precision pickup.

[gafbass02]

Really I think the Gaf signature jazz is way overdue and I reckon they'd shift a few!! Sonic blue with maple neck, stripes, aged hardware a gaffer pickup and of course relic'd! (although mines all real wear n tear but y'know!)
Like that
<--
;-) heh heh

Edited August 26, 2010 by gafbass02

[Mog]

[quote name='Johnston' post='936409' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:07 PM']Did Phil not end up with peaveys towards the end??

I know I watched a thing on the Bio channel yesterday and a lot of the footage was none fender!![/quote]

Yep thats true. I'm fairly sure the first black & mirror bass he used was a Burns.

[Delberthot]

I remember talk about a Cliff Williams AC/DC signature Musicman Stingray being made that was tuned E E E E

definitely +1 for a John Deacon model

I built myself a Phil Lynott tribute bass. pictures are lurking in the bowels of the gear porn section and I still have the scratchplate which is designed to fit a Mex Precision if anyone's interested. I haven't got round to firing all my bits and bobs up yet

Edited August 26, 2010 by Delberthot

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='gafbass02' post='937365' date='Aug 26 2010, 05:50 PM']Really I think the Gaf signature jazz is way overdue and I reckon they'd shift a few!! Sonic blue with maple neck, stripes, aged hardware a gaffer pickup and of course relic'd! (although mines all real wear n tear but y'know!)
Like that
<--
;-) heh heh[/quote]

They could do a Me signature Squier Jazz really easily: They could take a normal Squier Jazz, keep meaning to change the pickups but never quite get around to it.

[gafbass02]

Hah hah ace.

[WHUFC BASS]

[quote name='risingson' post='936646' date='Aug 26 2010, 12:23 AM']I love Phil Lynott's bass but I reckon it would just be easier getting a black P and whipping a mirror pickguard on it! Job done! [/quote]

It looks like its got a Badass type bridge on it too. Certainly not the bent tin bridge on his bass.

[Simon.]

[quote name='The Admiral' post='936405' date='Aug 25 2010, 09:02 PM']and 2. what happened to Phil's bass?[/quote]

I'm pretty sure I read somewhere, possibly on here, that Phil's 2 iconic Fenders basses are now residing with his Mum.