John Deacon’s “Live Aid” Fender Precision (A Gear Abstinence Failure)

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 minute ago, stingrayPete1977 said:

I'm hoping he's going to get a tobacco burst Stingray with a white pickguard just for another one bites the dust, be rude not to add it into the set? 

Now Stingray’s I’m not short of 😂

[bassfan]

2 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Now Stingray’s I’m not short of 😂

To be fair it’s only fender precision’s you are short of!! 😂

[Dood]

Hey folks, Just chiming in here. Thank you for the tag!

Andy has pretty much answered everything you need to know!

I did indeed do two JD tribute basses and my latest Fender is a nod to JD as well.

My first, which I foolishly sold was a "Wembley 86 era" tribute which started life as a CIJ (non-export model) PB70-US. I actually had a special order with Fender Japan as they stopped making the all black version at the time. I would highly recommend this instrument to cover the '68 Fender JD had as it is a very close version - but also it has the 40mm nut width which would suit your request in the OP.

My second tribute bass also featured a PB70-US neck, but I had Jon Shuker mate it with a stunning piece of timber for the body. This version went with the tortie pickguard and I alter sold it on BC as I knew I had a huge pang for the real thing!

 

Pictures below:

My JD tribute, but in this image it has a black guard and Billy Sheehan P pickup.

Picture two is a snapshot from Wembley 86. You will see, with reference to the discussion about bridges, that after the refurb, JD had a Schaller 3D (2000??) bridge added. Not necessary if you are going with the natural look.

and speaking of natural, picture 3 is my near-UPS-disaster and utterly gorgeous '76 precision bass. (I would have saved up for a 68 and found a couple I liked, but this one is my birth year) I LOVE it!!! Sounds amazing!

[Dood]

oh, and if you can find a Fender PB70-US ASH R/W model you will be laughing!!!!!! Stunning Japanese made basses! I would grab one in a heartbeat , funds allowing. I'd say that that's a great place to start for your John Deacon bass.

[stewblack]

This is Basschat at its best. Knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, a little bit eccentric and not a snide sarcastic comment in sight. 

Love it. 

[la bam]

This is where you'll struggle - almost every manufacturer at the moment has stopped doing anything in a natural precision but really high end, high cost, basses. Cant find decent priced ones for love nor money! Loads and loads of jazzes, but no precisions.

Then, when you do find one, you'll need a custom made scratchplate, as I found, they've run out of making those at a decent price too, and those that are available wont fit!

The best option would be to find a squire or affinity in natural (I've been looking for months to no avail) and mod the decal. Failing that a fender fsr in natural.

PS Doods basses look awesome!

Edited April 11, 2019 by la bam

[martthebass]

12 hours ago, bassfan said:

Where will you find a wig like that H? From memory you have as much hair as me! 😂

H......I've got a JD wig that I'm not using in Glam Fever - It's seriously hideous.

[Dood]

And here's the black-on-black babe. I believe it is still owned by the BCer who bought it from me. I did try to buy it back at one point, but understandably, the owner liked it too much!  Good on him I say.

[ezbass]

12 minutes ago, martthebass said:

H......I've got a JD wig that I'm not using in Glam Fever - It's seriously hideous.

[Dood]

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

Yeah gonna need to see this...   

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by Dood

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

1 hour ago, martthebass said:

H......I've got a JD wig that I'm not using in Glam Fever - It's seriously hideous.

Well, that’s a very kind offer and I do think we need to see it 😂

EDIT: Being worn by you obviously 😜

Edited April 11, 2019 by hiram.k.hackenbacker

[stewblack]

2 hours ago, Dood said:

And here's the black-on-black babe. I believe it is still owned by the BCer who bought it from me. I did try to buy it back at one point, but understandably, the owner liked it too much!  Good on him I say.

Dood. My God. Jeez. Good grief. That is a dream.

[krispn]

@dood I still have the natural finish PB70/Shuker and it's a keeper

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by krispn

[la bam]

3 hours ago, Dood said:

And here's the black-on-black babe. I believe it is still owned by the BCer who bought it from me. I did try to buy it back at one point, but understandably, the owner liked it too much!  Good on him I say.

That's fantastic.

[martthebass]

1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Well, that’s a very kind offer and I do think we need to see it 😂

EDIT: Being worn by you obviously 😜

I'm afraid that it was so hideous that it never made it to a gig.....I will don once more for posterity and photo taking though so you can see what you're letting yourself in for

[Ricky 4000]

5 hours ago, Dood said:

And here's the black-on-black babe. I believe it is still owned by the BCer who bought it from me. I did try to buy it back at one point, but understandably, the owner liked it too much!  Good on him I say.

*does a quick homage to Dood's picture* 😀

 

 

It's JD's desert island bass.

If he was washed up on a desert island, and a Westfield was all that was there - he'd have to play it. 👍

Edited April 11, 2019 by Ricky 4000

[Slappindabass]

16 hours ago, Dood said:

oh, and if you can find a Fender PB70-US ASH R/W model you will be laughing!!!!!! Stunning Japanese made basses! I would grab one in a heartbeat , funds allowing. I'd say that that's a great place to start for your John Deacon bass.

Here you go.

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/c718894225

 

Factor another 150 shipping and fees. Be here in a week.

[Slappindabass]

Ahh but you need a rosewood neck

[Beedster]

5 hours ago, la bam said:

This is where you'll struggle - almost every manufacturer at the moment has stopped doing anything in a natural precision but really high end, high cost, basses. Cant find decent priced ones for love nor money! Loads and loads of jazzes, but no precisions.

Then, when you do find one, you'll need a custom made scratchplate, as I found, they've run out of making those at a decent price too, and those that are available wont fit!

The best option would be to find a squire or affinity in natural (I've been looking for months to no avail) and mod the decal. Failing that a fender fsr in natural.

PS Doods basses look awesome!

Bitsa will have it sorted, plenty of natural bodies and rosewood necks out there. Even if you have to go the full Warmoth approach, it'll still be not cost much more

[Steve Browning]

I went more for the Bohemian Rhapsody vibe.

[Slappindabass]

Shame I have a nice 1977 natural pulser bass I would let go but maple neck.

[Slappindabass]

How about this?

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/b374719808

 

 

[AndyTravis]

Now that would work. Needs that nicer brown shell pickguard, but it’s lovely. 

¥135k isn’t cheap though, then factor another 25% ish for shipping and duty 🤔

[Steve Browning]

Nice bass but typically horrible attempt at a tort guard. Far too red.

That's always going to be the problem, good tort guards are like hen's teeth. Great starting point though as Japanses Fenders are superb instruments. I bought 2 or 3 from Ishibashi.

[Slappindabass]

Not sure if this is a better tort. Its old! But will be coming off the bass when It comes thru customs. Cant stand them!