never heard of these...

[alyctes]

Not many of these out there. 

TBH, I'm not surprised.  It's very ugly and seriously overpriced (no surprise from that seller).  But an interesting bit of history, I suppose.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Burns-Weill-RP2G-Super-Streamline-bass-guitar-1959/292793545637?hash=item442bdaf3a5:g:8r4AAOSwMjpb1v4U

(It's also misnamed.  "Streamline", my armpit.)

Edited October 29, 2018 by alyctes

[anzoid]

streamline
verb [ T ] UK  /ˈstriːm.laɪn/ US  /ˈstriːm.laɪn/
streamline verb [ T ] (SHAPE)
"to shape something so that it can move as effectively and quickly as possible through a liquid or gas"

Given the shape of that thing, "Streamline" is something of a misnomer  Tis neither effective nor quick...

[TheGreek]

It was built in 1959...I'm sure at the time the design was considered revolutionary 

I wouldn't put my hand in my pocket to get it but I quite like it..

[ash]

I’ve had a few Burns/Fenton Weill - they were known before Steinbergers as ‘Martian cricketbats’ I believe.

Have a look here - 

 

http://www.blackguitars.com/burns-weill-RP2.html

 

...and yes you are correct it is ridiculously overpriced. They are nice to collect but not exactly ergonomic! The bass player from Egg and Jet Harris used them however so they must have been reasonably well regarded at the time - for image alone perhaps? 

Edited October 30, 2018 by ash

[Paul S]

Looks kind of like a primaeval MM Big Al.

[songofthewind]

It is in fact a Big Al in its larval stage.

[mgeek]

I've had one of these- this one, which I sold to Guy http://www.theguitarcollection.org.uk/guitar/burns-weill-super-streamline-bass-2/

Much as I love old UK weirdos and it looked really cool, it was a total piece of stinky poo as an instrument. HUGE body so it weighed a tonne, but neck exactly the same dimensions as a banjo. The fret positioning was totally off too- obviously hand slotted and pre calculators. The first three frets were the same width, which meant that on an instrument with a 29'' scale it just wouldn't play anywhere near in tune.

Seen one picture of Jet Harris holding one (he was given it by Jim Burns, and Marty Wilde was given the matching guitar, when they were both on a tv show called 'oh boy') and he doesn't look very happy! Pretty sure he played it for about a second then went back to his Framus. Kudos to the guy from Egg for actually managing to use his. He *must* have ended up having to bend certain notes into pitch

 

Anyway the listing in the op has gone now, so guessing someone paid the 'on crack price'. God knows why!? I've seen two of these in near mint condition complete with original case and they both went for about 400/450 or so. I paid 150, on ebay, and when I got it, it was in about the same state as the auction one- all there but non original finish, which I stripped

Edited November 2, 2018 by mgeek

[Shaggy]

Seriously cool looking old bass, though I can well beleive mgeek that it's almost certainly fairly horrible to play.

A few years ago I bought an old six-string semi in a junk shop for 30 quid purely with the intention of ripping out the pickups for a '60's inspired project build, but didn't have the heart to - so re-finned it instead (it had a botched brush varnish re-fin job covered with punk-era graffiti) and upgraded the crude original bridge & tailpiece.   Turns out the pickups are Fenton-Weill units (like in the OP) and guitar is probably a"Broadway" - one of Rosetti's budget bitsa brands of the early '60's.

Quite tempted by this thread to use those pickups and circuit for a super-streamline build now though!