http://www.ebay.com/itm/221724245130?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTE3OFgxNjAw/z/fiUAAOSw34FVEWZH/$_57.JPG)
For the bassist who wants a long scale but needs an even narrower neck than a Höfner. :)
There was a bass version of these too?? What you can learn in a day...
Midrange, midrange and more midrange: the three tones it can do. I've actually played a factory fretless and fretted that showed up at the long-since extinct awesome local music store back in the day, white and that off-creme respectively. It's a shame that its tone is as thin as the rest of it. I like the look, and give credit to Fender for trying to innovate.
Diamond Strings in Rochester NY always seemed to have a few Performer guitars and basses for sale about 10-15 years ago. Just checked, none in their inventory now.
I don't recall ever seeing or even hearing about these. WTF ???
Rick
Another one Fender probably wouldn't admit to, like the Katana.
An interesting chapter in Fender history but not one that appeals to me.
This came up about a year ago.
origin of the Performer Bass prototype a/k/a Elite Jazz (http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=92715)
+1 on the lack of appeal... an interesting attempt to break a mould, but...
They are coming out of the woodwork! That white one is still for sale, the red one was bought, the green one was bought and now another white one (in poor shape) is on offer.
At least they lowered the starting bid on the white one to $750. That's more reasonable although I wouldn't pay that much.
As write this, there are three white ones on Ebay! One auction is expiring in 7 minutes, one is beat up a bit and one is advertised as being a nice specimen.
I see three current ones. A candy green one that was listed for $1350 was sold by best offer accepted on 4/13. And a sunburst sold for $1595 in February. :o No wonder they're popping up now.
The Burgundy Mist one which was offered at $849 + sold around that level after the auction expired last week. I'd be curious about what price the green one actually went for.
I'd never heard of these babies until this thread started. Now they are popping up like mushrooms after a rain!
I remember playing on a couple of these when they were new. Always thought the body was kinda cool, but that Katana headstock is hard to warm up to.
I wish the first-gen Dynabass I ended up buying instead was worth $1K+ now! That sucker would be gone ;D (although it is a decent bass - I don't use it anymore)
What's the new avatar, Joe...?
Hey Ken- it's just a pic of my pointy head from a gig last weekend :P
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/avatars/b4s-01s.jpg)
Ta... threw me a bit... :o
I had a Surf Greeen Performer Bass. Sold it about 10 years ago on EBAY. If I recall, it sold pretty quick due to the color.
I kind of liked the bass.
Well I'll fess up and admit that I bought the red one.
I pretty much require a skinny necked bass. As a consequence I have not owned a Fender bass since I traded away my first bass in 1969.
I'd never heard of this model before I saw this thread.. .It inspired me to wave in the red one.
So far the description of mids, mids and more mids seems right. But that's using the tired rounds it came with through my new mid-heavy tube head.
I figure on throwing on a set of Ricky rounds once I clean it up and use it when I don't want to carry out my Blackstar. But then, do any of you think it would be worth trying out some bassy flats on it? If so, whaddaya suggest?
Thanks!
.
Great! Now you'll be the resident Performer expert. ;D
If it were mine, I'd just get a new set of EB Super Slinkys or another roundwound with a balanced sound. But when it comes to bassy flats with some top end, I prefer LaBella DTB flats, the 760 FL (043-104) or the FX (039-096). The larger sizes aren't especially high in tension but that neck is so narrow I wouldn't want to overstress it.
Quote from: Dave W on April 17, 2015, 10:02:53 PM
Great! Now you'll be the resident Performer expert. ;D
If it were mine, I'd just get a new set of EB Super Slinkys or another roundwound with a balanced sound. But when it comes to bassy flats with some top end, I prefer LaBella DTB flats, the 760 FL (043-104) or the FX (039-096). The larger sizes aren't especially high in tension but that neck is so narrow I wouldn't want to overstress it.
The 760 FL set is my all-time favorite. not very high tension, they sound great, and last practically forever.
Thanks for the suggestions. LA Bellas have a good following for good reasons.
For years I only played Rickies and migrated from Rotos (one refret too many) to the Ricky brand rounds. (Sticking with one brand meant so much less work setting up new strings.)
But on my pair of Guild shorties, in recent years I always threw on TI Jazz Flats, but swapped one over to the Pyramid flats which sound almost as good and have a bit more tension on the right hand.
A long way of getting to the news that I went with what I know and put a set of Pyramid flats on the Performer today. Even before intonating the bass, it sounds so much better. I figured I'd put rounds on it, but so far it sounds wicked with the flats. May I say, really "Fendery?" I'll prolly leave it as is.
Still got regular Rotos on my PC and the last fret work was done by PC at his garage in Ealing in the early 80's... mine has fat frets, mind you...
Congrats on the purchase... I use the Roto Jazz flats on my (surprise-surprise) Jazz and enjoy the sound... also used (still in dock and will be for some time) them on my fretless RD with the same viewpoint on the sound... they are not as popular with some folks here, mind you...
Quote from: Happy Face on April 18, 2015, 07:05:47 PM
A long way of getting to the news that I went with what I know and put a set of Pyramid flats on the Performer today. Even before intonating the bass, it sounds so much better. I figured I'd put rounds on it, but so far it sounds wicked with the flats. May I say, really "Fendery?" I'll prolly leave it as is.
I'm not surprised. Flats and Fender go together!
Quote from: Pilgrim on April 19, 2015, 12:47:10 PM
I'm not surprised. Flats and Fender go together!
Except in some cases when rounds go better with them! ;)