Turner Model One on eBay

[Dave W]

Both very nice!

I'd look into having the Turner refretted and restored.

[gearHed289]

Couple of great looking rare birds you got there, congrats! Those Turners are really cool. I'd be on the fence about re-fretting because I'll bet it sounds great as a fretless!

[Highlander]

The key questions are do you want the beastie as a rarity or as a player, then, do you prefer the idea of fretted or fretless...?

A quality luthier could replace the board to give you an unmarked, unlined neck or a refret on the original... that's easy...

To me, the bass looks like she would suit a fretless, but I'm not the owner... (love that Magnum; weighs a ton, right...? )

[Dave W]

Regardless of what you decide, Rick will repair his own instruments.

[saltymonkey]

I want it as a player. If it's a player and a rarity then great. But if I don't play it they generally don't last. I'm leaning towards having it refretted. It's not really singing as a fretless. The filler in the fret lines is raised just enough that i think its acting like mini frets and killing a lot of the mwah. And maybe it's the uncoated board too. I don't really know. I've only owned one fretless previously. I know I could easily sand the lines down but I know that I'll play it more fretted and I really like the bass. I'll most likely send it back to Turner to have the work done. His website says that they'll repair their own instruments at discounted shop rates. And this way it gets a good going over from the man who built it.

And yes the Magnum weighs a ton! But it sounds so good and plays really well. It really sounds like what I want a bass to sound like. Lots of weight to every note and beautiful, full, punchy tone. That big humbucker is fantastic. The tone is worth the weight. It's in pretty fine shape too and you don't see very many with a tort guard. They're usually black. A US made bass with excellent tone and a graphite reinforced neck for under $800. You don't find that in very many instruments.

[saltymonkey]

So my Turner Model 1 is on it's way back to me From Rick Turner Guitars after the refret and repairs. It was refretted. The control cavity cover and rotating pickup surround were replaced. Both were cracked. There was a small crack in the face by the preamp that was glued. The batteries were secured in the control cavity. They were loose. As per my request the preamp and truss rod were inspected, both were fine. And of course it was set up. Total including return shipping and insurance from CA, $454. As far as the connection to someone from Yes, Rick didn't know. They didn't keep detailed records back then. But he did find a handwritten page in an old record book with dates and such. He left and signed a note to send back with the bass for me. He says, "It falls a little more than halfway through our first run of Model 1s, and is one of about 24 basses we built in that 1979-1981 time period. It was made in my old shop in Ignacio, California in the middle of 1980". First run! I'm pretty psyched! He also said that its value today is approximately $5900.00!!! I think I did pretty good considering with the refret and repairs I'm into it for a little over $2000. Can't wait to get it back and play it. $5900, wow. Not that I'm looking to sell it but it makes me feel pretty good!

[Dave W]

That seems like a very reasonable price to have all that work done by Rick and staff. And even though you want it as a player, it's great to know the age and value.

[Highlander]

Think about it like this - with such limited runs, I just don't believe these people just do not remember if they supplied an instrument to a pro ... but if they gave the lady provenance then it might raise the value and the prospective owner or seller could make more out of the sale for nothing other than a piece of paper ...
When PC saw mine, back in the early eighties, when he still worked out of his shed, he just said "oh that one!" I never even knew of the JAE connection, but he skipped the answer to who she was built for ... when Eric did his research he still could not remember ... give the provenance and the value might change ... sometimes irrationally ...
Just enjoy the instrument, like I do mine ...

[saltymonkey]

Yes it is great to know the age and value. And just because a first run Turner is reportedly worth $5900 doesn't mean that someone would actually pay that much for it. If it was known to be owned by Chris Squire or Steve Howe it would just be another part of the interesting story of a rare bass. Between Junior HS and HS I think I saw Yes 6 or 7 times. It would be cool but wouldn't change how I treat the bass or make we want to cash in and sell it.

[chromium]

That's awesome news that you were able to have RT do the work.  I would have also re-fretted it.  For several years in the the 80s-early 90s, I was playing a fretless bass almost exclusively, but from the 90s up I've barely touched it ('83 MM Stingray;  sold it recently and bought a '79 Mockingbird - which I do play quite a bit).

I remember the auction text on this one stated that it belonged to the "touring guitarist for Yes".  That would narrow it down  .  If true, it would have been around the Drama tour I s'pose.  I was wondering about that provenance- if any more info had been revealed from the seller.

BTW, there's some footage of one in action here:


(unfortunately it's being used to back Van Morrison....    I kid)

[gearHed289]

"Touring guitarist for Yes" to me would say Billy Sherwood. He wrote and toured with them as a side man in the mid to late 90s. He also plays a lot of bass. Steve Howe was still on board for Drama.

[saltymonkey]

I must admit I haven't kept up with Yes since the 80's. I saw them first on the Relayer tour and last I think on the Tormato tour.