The Last Bass Outpost

I read in the interview John assembled the bass himself, soldering iron in hand. I have no idea if this is correct. So I wonder was one pickup from the carcase basses just a bit hotter? Or maybe a capacitor of a different value? Maybe it was a odd pairing of potentiometers?

John Kallas told me that the Slab circuitry was bone stock, as per regular P basses. He got to explore an original one. Likewise the one I've seen dissected online had normal Precision circuitry, though two different coloured bobbins were used on the pickups; a real mutt.

My unproven theory was that Jazzmaster 1 M ohm pots were used, because the original request had been made for a 'Telecaster bass' from Fender, and the first run of slabs was a response to that. 1 M pots would be brighter, and more Tele-like, and were a standard Fender component in 1966, though I have no evidence to back this up and evidence that refutes this idea! The classic Leeds tone doesn't have any perceptible treble roll-off, so surely the cap would be less of an issue?

Gareth, who is behind the Slab 66 basses, builds them with a hotter pickup apparently. I've quizzed him and he doesn't do anything else deliberately to get slab tone. Conversely I've got a pretty good Slab tone out of a Yamaha BB bass with low action, fresh rounds and a tube amp emulation.

Hands where I can see them! 

As I mentioned in another thread, I had a chance to buy a white Epi T-bird that Martin Turner turned down, here in Edinburgh. I was told he had bought the other one, though I've yet to see him rock anything other than the original white Overend one or the Orville sunburst one.

I turned the Epiphone down too.  Somebody bought it though as it wasn't in stock last time I looked. I enthusiastically agreed to attend a band practice on Monday (wozzat?) and realise I don't have a case for my new T-bird. I've panic-bought a 'Rok Sak' for it. Here goes nothing. 

What's that...?

I found the picture on Flickr, and the photographer claimed they were TSR2 formers. I don't know what formers should look like, so I cannot comment.

It is now yesterday's tomorrow, God of Thunder! 

I've got the bass in front of me now, and I've replaced the pickguard screws and machine heads with chrome variants. It already looks happier. These basses come with highmass Badass-style bridges, again in black. I've had a 3-pointer on an Epi EB-0 bass, and if I had to pick a favorite from either the 3-pointer or the BBOT, I think I would get kicked off this forum, have to think about it for a while...

I joined the TSR2 page on FB. Seems like they enjoy a rumour as well. 

I'm slowly replacing the black tuners with chrome ones on my Tokai T-bird. It already looks better!

I guess Dee Dee Ramone never used a T-bird?

Hello Highlander!


These are supposedly the TSR2 formers, as recovered at Brooklands. Another piece of the TSR2 puzzle that was officially lost but then skulked back out into the open.



I was under the impression that XR222 was the best of a bad bunch. Visually it is most complete but there is still avionics missing and many cut wires.

As to the famous Foulness image of XR219...



Supposedly a similar quantity or XR219 was removed from Foulness in the late '70s or so, and was disposed of by the much loved Hanningfield Metals. A collector discovered the front fuselage under a tarp and somehow saved it. Given the politics behind TSR2, the nasty chemicals tested on the aircraft on Foulness (radioactive or furiously corrosive) and the fact that Hanningfield had a contract to honour, I find it hard to believe that they would let stuff slip out the back gate. Given the size of the Brooklands cockpit trainer it would be some job to smuggle that sort of thing around.

Wing sections of XR219 did survive into the early '90s and were supposedly saved by the late John Hallett, whose Sea Vixen resides at Solent Sky. The wing sections were subjected to chemical testing, so the Hallett story might also be a myth. I've seen an aerial image of the Foulness ranges from the early '90s, and large panels in anti-flash white are visible, alongside Vulcan parts. From the ground;

I agree about the Isle of Wight film, the bass sound on that one is crap, and I've heard the same thing where John's treble gets audible whenever Roger is near the amp. It's a really comical audio effect on the bass sound when he twirls the mic.

Cheaper than a Leslie. Great to hear Moon's cymbals flying past as well.

Swish swish swish.