Long and Curlees

[probonopublico]

A bit of a saga this one.  In 1988 I finished my playing career.  I was never going to make it and the residency in a pub on Hessle Rd (Hull reference) where the audience was mainly sex workers, burglars who wanted to fence gear and Norwegian sailors.  I thought it’s time to call it a day.  I was playing with a guitarist and drum machine and had two basses.  A Fender P to play at the pub and another which I left at the guitarist’s house for rehearsals. 

 

So, one night in April 1988 (I remember as that famous Yorkshire song Reet Petite had just been re-released) I left a rehearsal never to return.  The bass was left with the guitarist.  It went out of my mind as I got a proper job and career.  Fast forward 33 years and whilst I’ve resumed playing (acoustic guitar – yeah I know) I met up with a friend who knew the guitarist.  He’d mentioned the bass and to cut a long story short I rang the guitarist (who at 75 does lighting and PA’s) and arranged to collect it.

 

It’s been untouched apart from moving 6 times with him.  His missus kept on nagging him “when are you going to give that bass back?  Why does it move with us every 6 years?”  It’s moved from Hull to Lincolnshire to Sheffield.  I was in my 20’s last time I saw it.  I acquired it new in 1979 by swapping a jetglow 4001.  I’m now 63.  He put a new set of strings on it and had it set up.  As you can see it needs a bit of cleaning (where there's brass there's muck) and some screws are missing.  It may be me getting old but it weighs a ton, much more than my Fenders or Rick.  Still sounds good.  I’ll post when I’ve got it back to it’s former glory.   

[Skybone]

Cool story and a cool bass.

[Reggaebass]

13 minutes ago, probonopublico said:

residency in a pub on Hessle Rd (Hull reference) where the audience was mainly sex workers, burglars who wanted to fence gear and Norwegian sailors

Sounds like an interesting pub 😁

[OliverBlackman]

Great story 

[Boodang]

SD Curlee... what a great blast from the past. Always thought they looked a bit like they were made of wood from left over crates and carved with a rusty pen knife. I think their rustic charm was why I always wanted one back in the day.

[Bassassin]

That's a proper rarity these days, hardly ever see these & the real US made originals (rather than the licensed Hondo versions) are proper rocking-horse droppings. Look forward to seeing it once it's had a hose down!

[probonopublico]

1 hour ago, Boodang said:

SD Curlee... what a great blast from the past. Always thought they looked a bit like they were made of wood from left over crates and carved with a rusty pen knife. I think their rustic charm was why I always wanted one back in the day.

Yes, you are right.  I noticed when I got it back that the bridge is off centre between the two narrow light stripes.  

[fleabag]

Nice to see a bass that is a true beaten up relic / road and gigged mojo,  rather than those hideous fake reliced jobs.

[probonopublico]

4 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Sounds like an interesting pub 😁

Yes, we played there for a year.  Something happened every other week.  One time the pub emptied into the car park.  We followed and found that they were confronting two local scroates who were removing car wheels.  Magically, the landlord had found a supply of baseball bats and their ford fiesta got a bit of a pounding as it made off.  The faux indignation of burglars was a joy to watch.

[probonopublico]

6 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Nice to see a bass that is a true beaten up relic / road and gigged mojo,  rather than those hideous fake reliced jobs.

I suspect it still has my sweat on it from 1988, All of the relic was done in the 80's.  Same for my 73 P.  I didn't really care if they got dings in them days.  Playing them now though it's like putting on an old glove.  Particularly the P.  In my last job I used to say to my manager - I've got a bass older than you, in fact I bought it before you were born.     

[probonopublico]

There may be a second chapter to this story but it's all still in the air at the moment and you will appreciate that if it doesn't come off I'll end up looking like a bit of a Charlie.

[Reggaebass]

1 hour ago, probonopublico said:

There may be a second chapter to this story but it's all still in the air at the moment and you will appreciate that if it doesn't come off I'll end up looking like a bit of a Charlie.

I’m loving these stories ☝️

[uk_lefty]

16 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Sounds like an interesting pub 😁

Sounds standard for Hull. 

[Reggaebass]

55 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

Sounds standard for Hull. 

I’ve never been but hull sounds exiting 😁

[Rich]

17 hours ago, probonopublico said:

burglars who wanted to fence gear and Norwegian sailors. 

 

You've got to hand it to them... it can't be easy selling a stolen Scandinavian.

 

(BTW, do you have a cat named Elgar?  )

[uk_lefty]

1 hour ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve never been but hull sounds exiting 😁

Imagine the programme Shameless but without the jokes. And more heroin.

[Rayman]

My first bass, around 1980ish was a Columbus Jazz.... meanwhile my mate bought an SD Curlee...  I remember being very jealous, because his bass was really lovely. It played so nicely and sounded great, it felt like a "proper" bass.... my Columbus was a very different story.

[probonopublico]

3 hours ago, Rich said:

You've got to hand it to them... it can't be easy selling a stolen Scandinavian.

 

(BTW, do you have a cat named Elgar?  )

Yes, you are right I've been listening to Vampire Weekend too much.

and

Busted re Elgar - quite the best radio program ever.

[probonopublico]

3 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve never been but hull sounds exiting 😁

uk_lefty is right although he missed out the smell of fish.  I'm not too popular round these parts for my views on Hull.  Although it did give me the opportunity to appear naked in the Guardian.  I once worked in Ilford for 2 years to get away.

[NikNik]

I never knew Curlees had that large back-plate! What's under it?

[Bassassin]

19 minutes ago, NikNik said:

I never knew Curlees had that large back-plate! What's under it?

I think it's a really long neck heel/tenon - like a bolt-on through neck.

[probonopublico]

7 minutes ago, NikNik said:

I never knew Curlees had that large back-plate! What's under it?

It's a curious design.  It's a straight through neck that finishes at the bridge and I think it helps keep the neck in place.  I suppose you could call it an elongated pocket.  I've taken the plate off so you can see.  The non screw hole at the front goes straight through to the truss rod recess.  

 

  

[NikNik]

1 hour ago, Bassassin said:

I think it's a really long neck heel/tenon - like a bolt-on through neck.

Thx.
Check your mail, Jon.

[Dazed]

What a fantastic story and outcome!!

[Dazed]

7 hours ago, Rich said:

(BTW, do you have a cat named Elgar?  )

Used to have a dog named Elgar!