This is an early Fender Custom Shop in excellent + condition. It has a Sonic Blue finish with a maple neck and fingerboard. The bass has "PROTO" stamped into the neck pocket and was reportedly made as a one off instrument for David Steele of The Beat and Fine Young Cannibals. Fender have not been able to verify it was made for David Steele but have verified it being a one off instrument and not a production run from the custom shop. On the back of the neck you will find the signature of Mark Kendrick who joined the custom shop in early 1991. In addition it has been stamped by Herbie Gastelum the highly respected Fender neck carver who's time at Fender began way back in 1961.
It's certainly a unique instrument given its combination of features from different instruments and periods of Fender production. It has the early Precision (or later Tele Bass) style headstock with reverse tuners, 2- saddle bridge and pickguard shape with the later split coil Precision pickup. The neck is closer in both profile and dimensions to a jazz and there is of course the Jazz pickup at the bridge and stacked knobs. The modern twist is active electronics. I'm unsure if the case is original to the bass or not. The top controls ( chrome) are volume and tone. The black controls underneath are pickup blend and bass/treble cut/boost.
It has a great playing straight neck and the frets are in excellent condition with minimal wear. There's a few very tiny dings in the finish but nothing major. The electronics all work and sound great. The truss rod is fully functioning and works correctly.
This bass has been fully set up by in our workshop and is strung with a set of DR Black Beauty strings. Serial:0103. Weight 9lbs. Nut width: 38.6 mm. Depth at 1st fret: 20.8mm. 3-month warranty included
| Condition | Excellent + 9/10 |
| Case | Fender HSC |
| Weight | 9 lbs |
| Serial Number | 0103 |
This is an early Fender Custom Shop in excellent + condition. It has a Sonic Blue finish with a maple neck and fingerboard. The bass has "PROTO" stamped into the neck pocket and was reportedly made as a one off instrument for David Steele of The Beat and Fine Young Cannibals. Fender have not been able to verify it was made for David Steele but have verified it being a one off instrument and not a production run from the custom shop. On the back of the neck you will find the signature of Mark Kendrick who joined the custom shop in early 1991. In addition it has been stamped by Herbie Gastelum the highly respected Fender neck carver who's time at Fender began way back in 1961.
It's certainly a unique instrument given its combination of features from different instruments and periods of Fender production. It has the early Precision (or later Tele Bass) style headstock with reverse tuners, 2- saddle bridge and pickguard shape with the later split coil Precision pickup. The neck is closer in both profile and dimensions to a jazz and there is of course the Jazz pickup at the bridge and stacked knobs. The modern twist is active electronics. I'm unsure if the case is original to the bass or not. The top controls ( chrome) are volume and tone. The black controls underneath are pickup blend and bass/treble cut/boost.
It has a great playing straight neck and the frets are in excellent condition with minimal wear. There's a few very tiny dings in the finish but nothing major. The electronics all work and sound great. The truss rod is fully functioning and works correctly.
This bass has been fully set up by in our workshop and is strung with a set of DR Black Beauty strings. Serial:0103. Weight 9lbs. Nut width: 38.6 mm. Depth at 1st fret: 20.8mm. 3-month warranty included
| Condition | Excellent + 9/10 |
| Case | Fender HSC |
| Weight | 9 lbs |
| Serial Number | 0103 |