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**SOLD**: Bravewood Guitars "Punk Jazz" ♯1
£1000

EddieG

By EddieG,
in Basses For Sale

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EddieG Explorer

EddieG

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[b][i][u][size=5]**NOTE: THIS BASS IS NOW SOLD, THANKS FOR ALL THE INTEREST**[/size][/u][/i][/b]



Up for sale, I'm now offering my Bravewood Guitars version of Jaco Pastorius' famous "Bass Of Doom" (pre-Kaufman resurrection!).

I noticed that a chap called daveski [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/49149-bravewood-relic-jazz-bass-fretless"]sold one of John Elliot's Jaco fretless basses in 2009[/url], and said that his was made in 2002. I cant remember the exact date mine was made, but I can say without fear of contradiction that it was before his, because mine was the first that John built; every other Jaco-style sunburst fretless was built after mine, some with less wear, some with much more. John had to learn from scratch how to do the epoxy coating on the fingerboard, and the difficulty in doing so is one of the reasons why he made it abundantly clear afterwards on his website that this was a service he DIDN'T offer! After I had mine done, and posted pics at various places (including on the now-defunct message boards on JacoPastorius.com) John received a lot of orders for them, including one from Sweden IIRC.

At the time I had it built, Fender were selling [i]their[/i] Jaco Pastorius relic for £3100, and given that John's work looked so much more realistic, it was a complete no-brainer to have him build it for me. As I recall, it was around 4 months from start to finish. The original page and listing for mine can be found on the [url="http://web.archive.org/web/20040813063931/http://www.bravewoodguitars.co.uk/punkjazz.html"]Wayback Machine[/url], and I think the review that I sent John after I received it is still on his website somewhere.

First off, let me make it clear for all the purists that [size=5][b][u]THIS IS NOT A FENDER[/u][/b][size=4], ok[/size][/size]? It may look like one, but it is all handmade by John Elliot at Bravewood Guitars.

As you can see from the pics, its an absolute double of Jaco's bass, but the wear is much more realistic looking than the Fender equivalent, on which the wear looks like it was stencilled in my opinion. John worked from loads of pics and other material that I emailed him from throughout Jaco's career to get the bass looking as authentic as possible. All the similar wear marks are there. The back of the neck has a worn-in, almost honey-like appearance to it and plays super-fast, and the sound is virtually identical; punchy and burpy from the back pickup, almost upright-esque from the front, and a 100/75% balance of the two in favour of the back pickup gives you that Jaco tone straight away. Finish is nitro, so it'll wear even more as you play it, the fingerboard is virtually free of any string wear marks as you can see in the pictures, but in the interests of disclosure I should point out a tiny wee compression on the edge of the fingerboard in the area of the 4th fret, which I only just noticed today on taking the bass out of its case. I've absolutely no idea when this happened but this in no way affects the playability or the sound, and I've enclosed a picture of the area in question, which strangely makes it look much worse than it is. All other damage is intentional! ;)

As I said, I've had this bass since it was born; it was made for me. I've just had a quick batter round on it, and it still plays and sounds like it did when I first got it. In all the time I've had it, it has never left the house in anything other than a hardshell case I already had, which it will be shipped in. I can count on one hand the amount of times it went to a rehearsal studio, and on one finger the amount of gigs it has played (which was on one song in a billionaire's house at a party, no less!). I had it built to be my number one bass, but shortly after I received it the opportunity to put my ideal Warmoth together presented itself, and once that was done the Jaco was relegated to its case, more out of the gigs I was accepting requiring a fretted bass than anything else, and that has continued. The only reason I'm looking to move it is purely and simply that I dont play it at all, today is the first time I've played it in over a year. I've thought about having it fretted and using it out, but I already have a '75 RI Jazz and my Warmoth to cover the fretted 4-strings should I need one, and it would really be a shame to get it fretted just because I dont play fretless any more. It should remain a fretless.

I'm looking to get £1000+shipping or [i]very[/i] nearest offer, and it will be packaged up safely and bubble-wrapped in its case to within an inch of its life! I know how much Bravewoods cost (when John offers them for sale), how much the equivalent Fender model costs, and I think this is a very fair price indeed for what is essentially a handmade and handfinished instrument. Bank transfer preferred, and any other questions just fire me a PM.

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Edited by EddieG
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EddieG Explorer

EddieG

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Would just add that if anyone is interested and wants to contact John Elliot directly to confirm whether he made this bass or not (my invoice has long been lost....I didnt think I'd ever be selling! ;) ), feel free to use any of the pictures I have uploaded on this listing, or PM me for my address details which will help you should you decide to contact John, cheers.

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ebenezer Mentor

ebenezer

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somebody mentioned that john elliot has been touched by the hands of god!!...i agree....his basses are without doubt
the best relics available, if you visit his website you will see the painstaking detail he takes building these
masterpieces!...john obviously has a great love of vintage fenders.

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dudi8 Enthusiast

dudi8

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[quote name='CBR75' timestamp='1373394148' post='2137110']
She will be loved. I've already another Jazz Bass Bravewood in my armory. Love it. This guy is a genius !
[/quote]

if you change your mind one day, contact me :)

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jimbobothy Mentor

jimbobothy

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[quote name='CBR75' timestamp='1373394148' post='2137110']
She will be loved. I've already another Jazz Bass Bravewood in my armory. Love it. This guy is a genius !


[/quote]

+ 1, they do all seem fantastic basses B)

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cameltoe Community Regular

cameltoe

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[quote name='police squad' timestamp='1373384365' post='2136956']


He builds amazing instruments...
[/quote]

Not as much these days judging by his website!

He rather grumpily lists a string of things he won't do, which seems to include building instruments to order these days. Seems you now have to hang around and buy whatever he decides to make, whenever that might be. Shame, I'd really like a '57 P relic in the not too distant, and I'd rather not go Custom Shop if I can help it.

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LukeFRC Grand Master

LukeFRC

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[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1373404124' post='2137292']
Not as much these days judging by his website!

He rather grumpily lists a string of things he won't do, which seems to include building instruments to order these days. Seems you now have to hang around and buy whatever he decides to make, whenever that might be. Shame, I'd really like a '57 P relic in the not too distant, and I'd rather not go Custom Shop if I can help it.
[/quote] I was emailing him late last year about something else bass related. He seemed a nice guy and talked a bit about the stuff he makes.

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police squad Veteran

police squad

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[quote name='cameltoe' timestamp='1373404124' post='2137292']
Not as much these days judging by his website!

He rather grumpily lists a string of things he won't do, which seems to include building instruments to order these days. Seems you now have to hang around and buy whatever he decides to make, whenever that might be. Shame, I'd really like a '57 P relic in the not too distant, and I'd rather not go Custom Shop if I can help it.
[/quote]
I thought that, but I emailed him anyway and he took my order.
Try it, you never know.
I promised to leave him to it and not bug him.
It took nearly 9 months as he needs to let the paint cure before he distresses it

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EddieG Explorer

EddieG

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[size=5]TRANSACTION COMPLETED![/size]

The bass is gone, and will very shortly be winging its way to beautiful Paris to join a fretted Bravewood Jazz.

Many thanks to all for their interest, and special thanks to Charles (aka CBR75) for such an enjoyable and trouble-free sale. Cheers bud, its been a pleasure doing business with you! ;)

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