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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 6:26 pm
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Still digging.

The 3rd Edition of Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Basses says that a Performer Elite was available from 1985-1988, "two white single coil pickups, 3 knobs, active electronics, white pickguard, rosewood fingerboard, sunburst finish".

This is interesting in that, if you read the lead in disclaimer of the book, it says it does not list basses that were put in catalogs but ultimately not made. So, since the bass is listed, I still have a glimmer of hope to find one.

Of course, this disagrees with Fender. Their data says it had an ebony fingerboard and no pickguard.

Hmmmm.....

I have never had a puzzle so complicated. But, as there are no pictures of an Elite Performer, at least no place accessible through the internet, I am still inclined to think this bass was never produced.

But you know me, I will keep looking. If it is there, I will find it. If you have any leads for me, I would appreciate hearing them. Consider this an update...not the story's end.

Steve

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:23 am
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Hi folks,
Well admittedly, it's been a few years and my "views" are from "worker-bee" positions so there is certainly stuff i may not have seen. At the same time, I did have a good amount of contact with both John Page and Dan Smith in those days and am still happy to call them friends and mentors. John has a pretty amazing memory, though i read the wiki post over a couple of times.... he doesn't come right out and say that No Performer basses were produced in the U.S. but its the inference I get.......and it is also my recollection. My recollection is that production didnt start in Corona until around Fall of 1985. I was working on Import inspection in Brea at the time. In Spring/summer of '86 i began working in Corona as Quality coordinator and i can guarantee that no U.S. made performers (guitars OR basses) went through while I was there. It was hard enough just getting the Vintage Reissue line back up and going.....and we then transitioned right into addind American Standard Series. I DO recall seeing a Pink performer bass in Fullerton before CBS sold Fender, but i don't remember any details. I BELIEVE that was one that John's daughter was selling recently.
That being said----the pricelists in 85 (mimeographed sheets from my archives) DO contain them, and they are in all of the 1986 sheets as well. Note that the U.S. made is denoted by a part number beginning with "019-" while the import version begins with "027-"
Anyway..........here's some stuff from the archives just for the heck of it.....see below.

P.S. The March 1987 Price list (the earliest one that year I believe) no longer has the U.S. Performer bass in it....but does have the MIJ one (027-6300-xxx).

All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:25 am
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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:05 pm
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Hi Rob,

I really appreciate you jumping in.

I spent some time with John this past February when I bought the Page Pink proto from his daughter. It was a really nice day. I have also communicated with Paul Gagon, who sent me some pics of three other protos, all getting closer to the Performer except one. So they were built after the pink one. I have also tried to trace the 5 string proto that John's son sold, but have not been successful.

As you know from reading this thread, it has become a bit of an obsession with me to determine if there ever was an Elite Performer built in CA. I am still going to keep my eyes open but I think it was not, you seem to think it was not, John seems to think it was not, Paul left right then and was not sure...hearing from you has helped a lot.

Thanks man. Very much appreciated. If you have any other documents available, I would sure enjoy having them as part of my collection.

Best Regards,
Steve

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 7:11 pm
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Wow, thanks for the info, Rob. Another nail in the coffin of the USA built performer. If the Performer Elite was in the catalog though someone must have ordered some. If someone ordered one and Fender didn't deliver it's probably safe to assume they weren't produced. Of course there is the chance a small number were built and delivered on a one-off basis but no production line was built. If one's out there leave it to Affprod to find it. If Rob Schwarz is still reading this thread my question as an original owner of a standard Performer is' is the body alder or basswood?' I thought it was alder but last spec sheet said basswood or are they the same thing? Also any recollection of how many Performers were imported? Thousands? Hundreds? DOZENS!!?? I know it was a long time ago.


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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2014 8:23 pm
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Brandreaus wrote:
Wow, thanks for the info, Rob. Another nail in the coffin of the USA built performer. If the Performer Elite was in the catalog though someone must have ordered some. If someone ordered one and Fender didn't deliver it's probably safe to assume they weren't produced. Of course there is the chance a small number were built and delivered on a one-off basis but no production line was built. If one's out there leave it to Affprod to find it. If Rob Schwarz is still reading this thread my question as an original owner of a standard Performer is' is the body alder or basswood?' I thought it was alder but last spec sheet said basswood or are they the same thing? Also any recollection of how many Performers were imported? Thousands? Hundreds? DOZENS!!?? I know it was a long time ago.

Hiya Brandreaus,
My recollection is that pretty much all MIJ stuff from that time period was basswood, which I remember being told at the time was "equal to" or the "MIJ version of" Alder.
I'm not sure how many were actually produced, but I remember inspecting several "batches" of them in Brea. I would put it at closer to hundreds than to thousands (at the most) with all the colors etc.
All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 3:29 pm
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Wow this is fun! Following this "scavenger hunt".
So it sounds like to me... A line started full swing overseas, and a builder was getting ready to start the line in the states. Then the sale of CBS fender stopped everything. Now we are here today.
There has to be a couple for you to find Steve.


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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:55 pm
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:D

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:26 am
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When I read the dealer report correctly, the MIA Performer was part of the elite series. And the MIJ was part of the standard series.

Could that be where the confusion comes from? The MIA Performer never had a inscription "elite" in the neck plate like the Precision, Tele and Strat of the elite-series.

Perhaps someone called the MIA Performer, the Perfromer elite just because it was part of the elite-series?


Last edited by TonH on Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:44 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 11:37 am
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The MIA Performer was intended to be an Elite version of the J-Bass. It became a part of the USA Elites once John Page redesigned the headstock to resemble much to that of the Swinger/Musiclander.

The USA Performer Elite sported an ebony fingerboard, Schaller Elite hardware and an alder body - making it much expensive than the MIJ Performer Standard. The Standards featured a basswood body, vintage-style hardware and a rosewood fretboard.

This model didn't lasted long; it was discontinued shortly after the Fullerton plant closed its doors in 1984.

In 1987 Fender released a 5-string prototype with three humbuckers, a 3+2 tuner arrangement and backrouted controls.


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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 12:13 pm
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hi Chromeface,
Quote:
The USA Performer Elite sported an ebony fingerboard, Schaller Elite hardware and an alder body - making it much expensive than the MIJ Performer Standard. The Standards featured a basswood body, vintage-style hardware and a rosewood fretboard.

This model didn't lasted long; it was discontinued shortly after the Fullerton plant closed its doors in 1984.


Technically "Didn't last long" and "discontinued" are not correct as they were never produced in the first place.

All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:26 pm
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So the USA Performer project never came into fruition. Thanks for the information!

However I've some doubts for the 5-string Performer prototypes with the backrouted controls and HHH configuration - especially for their manufacturing source.

Some believe the 5-string Performers were MIA but in reality they weren't. They followed the demise of their 4-string counterparts.

Best advice is to ask John Page for more details.


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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:54 am
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Oh, I get it you're called chrome face because you are so thick headed. This thread is asking if MIA Performers ACTUALLY exist. We've all read the same catalogs, guitar encyclopedias and such as you and the reality was if they were out there we would have seen one--quotes from catalogs and such prove nothing . Show me an ebony fretboard three pickup Performer and I'll believe it. You've shown nothing and your info is hopelessly flawed.


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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 1:14 pm
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About the five string.

According to John Page, there was one five string Performer prototype made. You can find pics of it online, blood red, three pups, without strings. It was given back to John Page after he retired, when Fender was cleaning out old protos that no longer had relevance to manufacturing. (the fact that Fender returned old protos to the designers is pretty cool) John gave the proto so his son, who sold it. I have been working on locating it for about four months now. Unfortunately, his son does not remember who he sold it to, so it is a bit of a challenge, but that is what I enjoy.

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Post subject: Re: Is there a USA produced Performer Elite Bass
Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 4:09 pm
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Why chase after the 5 string? You are a "Collector of Vintage 4 String Basses" after all. :lol: :shock: :roll: :wink:


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