Author Topic: New Fender Blacktops and.....  (Read 10924 times)

nofi

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #15 on: May 20, 2011, 01:13:42 PM »
what kind of neck is on the tractor. is the headstock cut?
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bassvirtuoso

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #16 on: May 20, 2011, 01:42:07 PM »
It was built by RS Guitarworks, as a custom replica build of Berry's first and last remaining Tractor bass. He had two Tractors: a natural '66 with dots and binding, then a sunburst '69 with blocks and binding. Towards the end, he took the '69 neck and put in on the natural '66 body. That's the only one left today, in his son's possession. So they recreated that one themselves, right down to the exact wear patterns on the bass itself (thus the wear on the bridge body contour).


The original, as seen here in his son's possession:

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Iome

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #17 on: May 20, 2011, 01:47:52 PM »
The original Berry Oakley Tractor had a Hagstrom Bi-Sonic, which was a single coil, so there was never any mud to begin with. Definitely not to be confused with Mel Schacher's Mudbucker Jazz Bass.

Yep, the pole pieces face the bridge. Berry had two "versions" of his Tractor, one with the pole pieces down and one with them up. The reason: he took the pickups off his Guild Starfire and mounted them on the bass so that the pole pieces would match the string spacing.

Sorry mate, i'm doing a mess. I thought the Tractor was Schacher's bass...

bassvirtuoso

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #18 on: May 20, 2011, 02:10:42 PM »
Sorry mate, i'm doing a mess. I thought the Tractor was Schacher's bass...

Ahh, then you want this:

-Dave

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uwe

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #19 on: May 20, 2011, 03:42:11 PM »
Uwe hears and sees everything even in this forum of despaired souls in eternal darkness, but there are no two ways about it how the Gibson Sklar was a flop. A Valley Arts project ripped off from them by Henry J. in a misguided attempt to throw it against the wall for Gibson to see if it would stick. It didn't. Rob spoke top Sklar at the Frankfurt Messe and was told that Sklar never ever owned one. Gibson must have forgotten to send him one. Shit happens.
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Iome

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #20 on: May 21, 2011, 01:01:05 PM »
Uwe hears and sees everything even in this forum of despaired souls in eternal darkness,

The force is strong within us  :vader:  ...you should like these blacktops, Uwe, black body, dark rosewood board, black p.u's and knobs, and almost no chrome. Just throw a 3 point bridge in it and your done   ;D

Dave W

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #21 on: May 21, 2011, 01:36:12 PM »
Uwe hears and sees everything even in this forum of despaired souls in eternal darkness, but there are no two ways about it how the Gibson Sklar was a flop. A Valley Arts project ripped off from them by Henry J. in a misguided attempt to throw it against the wall for Gibson to see if it would stick. It didn't. Rob spoke top Sklar at the Frankfurt Messe and was told that Sklar never ever owned one. Gibson must have forgotten to send him one. Shit happens.

Their other bass endorser at the time was Me'shell NdegeOcello, and I don't think she ever owned the LP Deluxe Bass she endorsed. I remember an interview where she had nothing good to say about her experience.

dadagoboi

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #22 on: May 21, 2011, 04:14:53 PM »
Short scale Squier Jaguar bass P/J pup configuration $169 from Musicians Friend. 3 colors, black headstock.
http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/bass/squier-vintage-modified-jaguar-bass-special-ss-short-scale

You'll have to check the paper catalog for pix.

Psycho Bass Guy

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #23 on: May 21, 2011, 05:35:20 PM »
Their other bass endorser at the time was Me'shell NdegeOcello, and I don't think she ever owned the LP Deluxe Bass she endorsed. I remember an interview where she had nothing good to say about her experience.

I used to laugh at the Mellencamp video where he covered "Wild Night" featuring her on bass and prominently displaying the LP in the video, even though the bass on the track sounded very much like a Stingray. I don't know what she cut the actual track with but the irony was that tone was probably the one sound that you couldn't get out of an LP Deluxe. 

Pilgrim

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #24 on: May 21, 2011, 06:18:45 PM »
Short scale Squier Jaguar bass P/J pup configuration $169 from Musicians Friend. 3 colors, black headstock.
http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/bass/squier-vintage-modified-jaguar-bass-special-ss-short-scale

You'll have to check the paper catalog for pix.

I was looking at those Jags at GC yesterday.  Interestingly, they come with two pickup configurations.   I thought they were all a P/J setup, but some of them have no heck pickup and have a single MusicMan style pickup at the bridge.  Picked one up and noodled around on it - pretty, not too heavy - more like an average P and J in weight. 
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Droombolus

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #25 on: May 22, 2011, 01:22:06 AM »
some of them have no neck pickup and have a single MusicMan style pickup at the bridge.

Those are long-scale .....
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Dave W

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #26 on: May 22, 2011, 08:21:57 AM »

Pilgrim

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #27 on: May 22, 2011, 04:17:08 PM »
Those are long-scale .....

Well, there you are.  I didn't see any visual difference, but I wasn't looking for it and the display was partially obscured by other stuff.
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nofi

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Re: New Fender Blacktops and.....
« Reply #28 on: May 30, 2011, 10:17:59 PM »
double p's remind me the b c rich warlock and company.
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Iome

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