Author Topic: Anyone else played a Fender Slab Precision Bass? (Read 260 times)

bassicinstincts · « **on:** September 23, 2005, 02:13:38 PM »

Went to Andy's music shop in Denmark Street, London, and had spotted a very familiar-looking bass in the front window.
The bass was a white, with blue-ish veins appearing through the paint layers, and the body had 90 degree edges. I thought, That must be a Slab P-Bass!! It turns out I was right - and it's for sale too.
I went inside and had a look around over the 4 floors - Dave who kinda runs the shop asked me if I would like to try it out! I couldn't believe it when he grabbed it out the window and handed it to me. It played fantastic, (even through a Marshall bass amp!) and the famous hint of distortion when at full volume was there. You could get all the Live At Leeds sounds out of the instrument with subtle flicks of the tone knob. Nice that it had the bell and ashtray covers still in place. Great one-piece maple necks with dark (clay?) fret markers and plenty of varnish over it. Seemed thinner than most P-Bass necks at the nut.
John Entwistle's picture is in the window, showing him playing this bass, along with a Status Buzzard 2, and his Slab hybrid, Frankenstein (in Pink). Bargain if anyone else is interested at ?4,500.

Also had an Epiphone 1958 Les Paul, signed by John (with a Boris drawing!), Roger and Pete for ?2,500 for all you other Who fans!

Just have to hope my numbers come up tomorrow on the National Lottery / Lotto / whatever it's called now!

Ben

David Houck · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2005, 04:59:06 PM »

Did it have the extra control knob and toggle switch; and if so, what did they do?

bassicinstincts · « **Reply #2 on:** September 27, 2005, 04:45:10 PM »

Hi Dave,

The Slab P-Bass appeared to have a single pickup and there were just the 2 knobs for volume and tone on the scratchplate. I wasn't aware they had extra switches and knobs! I'm not sure if the bell and ashtray covers were original thnking about it - I thought all original, Fender-fitted ones had an engraved 'F' on the ashtray. It did appear to have some foam remnants around the bridge, but I don't know if it was just dust!!

As far as the LP went, appeared to have 2 vol + 2 tone knobs and the t/r switch.

Ben

David Houck · « **Reply #3 on:** September 27, 2005, 05:14:46 PM »

Apparently, and Oliver probably knows the answer, John owned three slab basses and at least one had the extra controls.

bassicinstincts · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2005, 05:28:13 PM »

Dave,

You're right - Oliver probably does know the answer to this question! Looking at the photos, Frankie appears to only have a standard P-bass layout. Must have been one of the other 2 slabs of his! Oliver, do you know what happened to them?!!

Ben

Apologies for any spelling mistakes - 1.30am over the Pond, and have work in 6.5 hours

lembic76450 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2005, 06:32:47 PM »

The only reference I ever came across is in The
Fender Bass by Klaus Blasquiz that says, We must finally note that there were a few P. Basses made in non-contured bodies, (most were done in blond with maple neck, tortoise shell pickguard, and sometimes a rosewood neck), all of whice seemed destined for Europe, surly the fruit of some strange attempts by the 1966-67 R&D team to come up with a hybrid Telecaster/Precision Bass. I also came across a reference somewhere that mentioned the use of Kluson tuners. I have one of these, although mine has the maple fingerboard. The bass looks like it was used as a cricket bat, deep gouges in the maple fingerboard, broken nut, broken controls, missing string tree, the body is the most beaten-up bass I have ever laid eyes on. The only cream finish left is under the pickguard. I managed to rescue it, but, it may be beyond help. It does appear to be loaded with pre-CBS goodies though.
I hope this adds a little info to the Slab question.
Kenn

ox_junior · « **Reply #6 on:** September 30, 2005, 01:46:02 PM »

As the photos show, the slab basses have one extra knob and toggle, but I am not sure what they are for. A friend of mine in another Who tribute owns one of John's slab basses, I can ask him.

Frankenstein has the standard knob set-up as the body of it is a regular contoured body. Only the pickup is from a slab bass.

Hope this helps!

Mike

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2005, 05:46:03 PM »

Thanks Mike!

ox_junior · « **Reply #8 on:** October 03, 2005, 05:33:19 PM »

Here's the feedback from my colleague/fellow Who tribute bassist who happens to own one of John's slab basses:

The modified slab that he used between ?66 and ?68 was adapted by Peter Cook and to the best of my knowledge had an in/out of phase function it also included a bass boost circuit from a Gibson EB2 or Epiphone Rivoli. John said that it didn?t work very well and ended up getting trashed as a result - another bass that met with the wrath of Entwistle!

Hope that answers it!

Mike

David Houck · « **Reply #9 on:** October 04, 2005, 05:48:50 AM »

Thanks for the report! Another mystery solved!

ox_junior · « **Reply #10 on:** October 04, 2005, 12:32:56 PM »

He also mentions that the neck from that slab that had the non-working phase and bass boost circuits MAY be the neck on the bass that became Frankenstein. FYI.

senmen · « **Reply #11 on:** October 04, 2005, 01:25:12 PM »

Hi Guys,
I went into the archives and can tell you something:
the bass that is sold by Andy?s is definetely a 66 Slab bass, but not owned by John before.
John did own 4 of these Slabs. Three of them have been smashed and the last one, s/n 131287 was sold at the Sotheby?s auction for GBP 3840. A bargain!
Mike, you are right, the neck, the pickups and the circuitry of Frankenstein have been taken from one of those earlier three Slabs.
As said thesse Slabs were produced by Fender in 1966 exclusively for the UK market. Basically they were identical to a 66 Precision but without any contouring of the body (Slab). This feature added weight to the body. Also the Slabs showed generally a black pickguard. It has generally the two knob layout and was equipped ex works with the pickup and tailpiece cover. There is a person in the UK named Mr.Matthews who has researched and documented the ones that still exist. And this is really a rare bird: there have been only 20 Slab basses produced in 1966, and only for the UK market.

All clear now? :-)
Oliver (Spyderman)
BTW: here is the photo of Andy?s Slab bass
(photo courtesy of Andy?s Guitar Centre)

ox_junior · « **Reply #12 on:** October 04, 2005, 03:19:03 PM »

I want it.

borisspyder · « **Reply #13 on:** October 08, 2005, 12:44:59 PM »

According to John Frankenstein was...the neck, pickups & circuitry are from a dead slab bass, the tail piece from a Jazz bass, the pickguard from a black P-bass and the machine heads from 2 white P-basses. 2 hours with a soldering iron & I was ranting around my hotel room screaming it's alive, it's alive...