A John English 1955 Reissue Precision Bass

Specially Made for the 2002 NAMM Show

2001 Fender 1955 NAMM Precision Bass (John English - Fender Custom Shop)

One of six custom color (lightly relic'd') Precision Basses masterbuilt at the Fender Custom Shop by the late great John English specifically for the 2002 NAMM show. This being the one in Teal Green (blue/green) Metallic 1955 style. It conforms perfectly to an original 1954-1957 guitar with the exception of the serial number "1048" (1953) being stamped on to the bridge-plate as per the earliest 1951-1953 examples. This lightweight bass weighs just 8.00 lbs. and has a nut width of 1 11/16 inches, a scale length of 34 inches and a wonderful medium to thick neck profile. Solid alder body contoured on bass side, one-piece maple neck with 20 thin frets and black dot position markers. Spaghetti decal with "Fender" in silver with black trim and "Precision Bass" in black beneath (1951-1961 style). On the back of the headstock is a small oval gold decal "Custom Built / J.T. English / Fender U.S.A.". Individual Fender 'No-Name' bass tuners with cloverleaf buttons. Single round string tree secured by one screw. Four-bolt neck plate. Single black-bottom four 'staggered' polepiece P-Bass pickup with an output of 6.31k. Single layer white ABS plastic pickguard with seven screws. Two controls (one volume, one tone), all on metal plate adjoining pickguard with 'Telecaster' style domed chrome knobs with knurled sides). The potentiometers are stamped "019064" (CTS [2000] - the last four digits obscured by solder). Cloth wiring. With the original (painted wood) thumbrest on the treble side of the pickguard secured by one screw. Combined bridge/tailpiece with four individually adjustable deep-grooved 'spiral' steel saddles secured by three screws. The neck is dated on the end in pencil "12-19-01" and the on the bottom in pencil "J.T. English / 12/01". The neck pocket is also signed in pencil "J.T. English / 12/01/NAMM". This mint (9.50) condition bass was lightly aged by John English with some very light and attractive finish checking. Complete with both of the chrome-plated bridge and pickup covers, the original Fender Certificate of Authenticity signed by John English, the original black leather Fender guitar strap, guitar cord, polishing cloth and Fender Custom Shop Booklet. Housed in the original Fender three latch "Tweed" hardshell case with burgundy padded lining (9.25++). Quite simply the best Precison Bass built by the Master…

Senior Master Builder John English who passed away June 2007 at the early age of 57 was raised on ‘50s and ‘60s rock ’n’ roll. He joined Fender in 1970, working alongside company pioneers such as Freddie Tavares and Bill Carson, and was a driving force in the early days of the Fender Custom Shop, helping to define the creative environment that continues in the shop to this day. One of the original Custom Shop builders, he was internationally renowned for his custom, concept and art guitars. He was a guitarist, drummer and artist who worked in the United States and Europe, and was a true original whose creations used exotic woods, metals, plastics, stones and bone, and were inspired by music, art, architecture and nature. He built custom guitars for countless musicians and collectors, ranging from Eric Clapton to President George W. Bush. His collaboration with surf guitar king Dick Dale resulted in one of the first Fender Custom Shop signature model guitars; he created Fender’s first Japanese signature guitar with Michiya Haruhata, and his trio of concept guitars created with art phenomenon Shag caused quite a sensation at the 2003 NAMM show.