70's style Fretless P bass

godofthunder · March 01, 2013, 06:36:53 AM

I recently learned that my old bass teacher Joe Noto had passed, I found him online, I was so excited but as I read the page I found out he had passed the year before. Joe was a very cool cat, mainly a trumpet flugle horn player he was also a fine bassist. He even toured with a 60's act that had a number of hits, I wish I could remember the name. He played a beautiful sunburst /maple neck 70's Fender Precision. I wish I could find out what happened to his or buy one just like it but I really can't afford a real 70's right now so in tribute to my old teacher I am building a replica of his bass. This is the start! http://www.ebay.com/itm/190795207294?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Basvarken · March 01, 2013, 09:04:38 AM

That's a cool way to pay tribute!

chromium · March 01, 2013, 02:17:17 PM

Man the same exact thing happened to me! I had stopped playing for years, and when I picked it up again it was around 2002. I had looked up the guy I had taken lessons from for four years (mid-1980s) thinking I'd send him a note and say "Hi"... and found out that he had passed away a few years prior from pancreatic cancer. His name was Ethan Atkinson. Really sad- he was a good guy, and very gifted jazz guitarist and equally proficient bassist. In fact, I had approached him for guitar lessons but he convinced me to give bass a try due to the demand he saw for bassists at that time in the Houston area. Learned a lot from him, and he always seemed to be into gear too - he had an early Precision (~65, IIRC) and I remember REALLY liking how that thing played. Also had a nice playing black Precision Elite II, and one of those all-walnut Precisions. Had several nice guitars as well. He was a big early influence on my GAS!

I'll never forget one year- I had gotten into electronics mainly just so I could build effects and other music stuff that I couldn't afford to buy. I had built a little envelope follower pedal and gave it to him as a Xmas gift... The next week he brought in a milk-crate with a bunch of old pedals that he gave to me. Two original Dunlop Cry Babys, a Ram's Head Big Muff, some channel-switcher pedal for a Sunn, and (still) one of my favorite pedals - a Sola Sound wah. I was probably 14 or so- and needless to say I was beside myself!

So... I know the feeling

Good luck with the project - that'll be a nice tribute

Highlander · March 01, 2013, 02:24:54 PM

Nice idea...

I have nothing similar to look back on as when I bought my first (electric) bass I just listened to LP's and that's how I learned to play - I never got into playing the upright properly whilst at school and just dabbled at playing... I never took anything seriously in those days...

Hörnisse · March 01, 2013, 05:55:04 PM

I've got a BWB pickguard (used) I could send your way. I have a couple of rosewood board necks but no maple board ones.

drbassman · March 02, 2013, 04:57:20 AM

Sorry to hear that Scott. Cool idea you have! I think about a couple of my old long gone professors all of the time and how they influenced my life. We meet so many wonderful people on our journey, it is good to pay tribute. Keep us posted on your progress.

godofthunder · March 02, 2013, 06:47:44 AM

Thanks for the offer! If the guard doesn't have the cut at the base of the neck for the truss rod I am interested in it! Thanks!

Quote from: Hörnisse on March 01, 2013, 05:55:04 PM
I've got a BWB pickguard (used) I could send your way. I have a couple of rosewood board necks but no maple board ones.

Hörnisse · March 02, 2013, 06:59:28 PM

No cutout for the rod. It doesn't have the holes for the pickup chrome cover nor that extra screw hole in front of the pickup like the real late 70's pickguards have. Has some swirling but not real bad. PM me your address and I'll send it out in Monday's mail if you still want it. This is the only pic I have of it at the moment. Dr. Sox was helping me out when I was cleaning up the bass a bit. It has a bit of screw driver wear up by the rod adjustment area.

OldManC · March 02, 2013, 07:47:21 PM

Dr. Sox looks like a cool dude.

godofthunder · March 03, 2013, 06:37:14 AM

Pmd on the pg! Thanks. I am looking forward to this, I have really been enjoying dabbling in fretless. I do use my walnut '75 for three songs a night. More and more when I sit on the couch to noodle it's the fretless I have in my hands. From three years ago when I first got the fretless. This is before I bought the walnut body. The body in the video is what came with it, it's Japan something or other.

Highlander · March 03, 2013, 04:10:00 PM

I barely touch frets these days...

godofthunder · March 07, 2013, 05:43:12 AM

Totaly bummed. The neck showed up yesterday. The fingerboard has been refinished. I paid a premium for this thing $500 bucks. The finish is way to new and thin to be stock, also it is tinted amber and doesn't match the back of the neck as it should. Who ever refinished it tried to match the amber of the headstock. 70's headstock were shot in lacquer which ambers over time the polyester used on the back of the neck and fingerboard does not. The seller won't drop the price but will take it back. Back to square one again.

Highlander · March 07, 2013, 05:53:52 AM

[zen] Patience, Glasshopper... [/zen]

At least you get payback and not a critical loss...

drbassman · March 07, 2013, 07:53:57 AM

Quote from: godofthunder on March 07, 2013, 05:43:12 AM
Totaly bummed. The neck showed up yesterday. The fingerboard has been refinished. I paid a premium for this thing $500 bucks. The finish is way to new and thin to be stock, also it is tinted amber and doesn't match the back of the neck as it should. Who ever refinished it tried to match the amber of the headstock. 70's headstock were shot in lacquer which ambers over time the polyester used on the back of the neck and fingerboard does not. The seller won't drop the price but will take it back. Back to square one again.

What a douchbag. He had to know better! Good luck with your hunt.

Dave W · March 07, 2013, 10:07:28 AM

Too bad. Agree with Bill, if the seller knew enough to charge that much for a vintage neck, he had to know what he was selling.