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Post subject: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 7:47 am
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I played at this jam in Cedar Rapids, IA and this old guy let me borrow his bass. I was definitly a vintage P bass, but it had two P-bass pickups in it instead of a jazz at the bridge and a p at the neck. Does anyone know anything about these guitars or is it a custom shop? It had a few very tiny switches by the volume and tone knobs, which i didn't mess with; which makes me want to thing that it was active. If anybody knows anything about these reply to this. This bass plays like butter and I want to find one.


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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 9:22 am
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I never have but wait for brotherdave or Jlarocho to chime in. They might/would know some answers.

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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:10 am
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It's probably an Elite II bass from the early 80s. Elites came with one or two pickups and a basic active circuit. The top of the line was the Gold Walnut Elite II, made of solid American Black Walnut (body and neck), with gold hardware. The Elite pickups were white with no exposed polepieces. If the pickups on the one you played had polepieces, the it was probably a custom job, but the description of the controls seems to match and Elite II...

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Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:31 pm
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Telebass wrote:
It's probably an Elite II bass from the early 80s. Elites came with one or two pickups and a basic active circuit. The top of the line was the Gold Walnut Elite II, made of solid American Black Walnut (body and neck), with gold hardware. The Elite pickups were white with no exposed polepieces. If the pickups on the one you played had polepieces, the it was probably a custom job, but the description of the controls seems to match and Elite II...


Very good answer. I agree with that information. If it had two P-pickups it was an ELITE 2. The single pickup version was called simply an ELITE at the time or sometimes now you'll see them called Elite 1's.

This was one of the best quality basses of the CBS era and were aimed at the high end P-bass market. Both were available in either chrome or gold plated hardware. Both Elites were active and on the Elite 2 a toggle switch controlled how the tone circuit worked. One dead giveaway that it was an Elite would be the special volume and tone knobs which were flattop metal with a large "F" script logo on the top and a rubber grip surround on each knob. Also I think the neckplates were also engraved "FENDER ELITE." These came out about 83 and were only sold for a brief period preceding the breakup of the CBS Fender Division. By 1985 just prior to the sale of the Fender Division, CBS was blowing the surplus of Elites out at bargain prices just to unload them. There were also ELITE Strats and Teles too, but no Jazz Bass Elites. The Strats had a bad reputation for a weak tremelo which in general hurt the Elite marquis while on the other hand the Elite basses were some really good basses and considered FUNK MONSTERS.

IMO the walnut body Elites with the optional gold hardware are on my short list of the prettiest P's ever made. Really fine basses, especially considering they were sort of the last gasp from Fullerton.

Regards,
Dave


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Posted: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:51 am
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i was reliving my high school days by watching an old Bush video for "Swallowed" and i noticed the bass player Dave Parson is playing one


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Posted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 5:06 pm
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It was the top of the line Elite bass..Made 83-85

Telebass wrote:
It's probably an Elite II bass from the early 80s. Elites came with one or two pickups and a basic active circuit. The top of the line was the Gold Walnut Elite II, made of solid American Black Walnut (body and neck), with gold hardware. The Elite pickups were white with no exposed polepieces. If the pickups on the one you played had polepieces, the it was probably a custom job, but the description of the controls seems to match and Elite II...


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Post subject: #3
Posted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:47 pm
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Telebass wrote:
It's probably an Elite II bass from the early 80s. Elites came with one or two pickups and a basic active circuit. The top of the line was the Gold Walnut Elite II, made of solid American Black Walnut (body and neck), with gold hardware. The Elite pickups were white with no exposed polepieces. If the pickups on the one you played had polepieces, the it was probably a custom job, but the description of the controls seems to match and Elite II...


#3...

I also agree...it sounds like the Elite II from the 80's.


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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:46 pm
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I have an '83 Walnut, gold, Elite II. It is in like new condition. As someone previously stated, somewhere, it is recommended that you NOT lose a fine tuning knob. Well, I managed to. I am in the process of verifying that someone who has a complete bridge does in fact have it in gold. It is a fine instrument, and rare, esp. in the condition it is in. I plan on keeping it, if I can get a replacement bridge for the knobs. But I am also thinking I might sell it if someone wanted it real bad. It has no nicks, no corrosion, no scratches. There's a reason why ppl rave about this bass. Looking fwd to your comments.


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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2014 7:21 am
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You mean like this?

Image

Image

Image

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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 12:02 pm
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Just remembered, isn't there a BLACKTOP JAZZ with 2 Precision pickups? It is passive though with no switches so that could not possibly be the one referenced in the OP in this thread. Just hit me a minute ago. Dang brain is SLOWWWWWWWWWW.


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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 5:25 pm
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Buckeye bass just took delivery today on a white Elite II and is loving it. I recently picked up a black stratoburst Elite II but have delayed shipping due to the current road trip. Should get it next week. If anyone is interested, there is a Tobacco sunburst version available in the UK. A bit pricey, but not bad. PM me and I will send contact information and photo book.

I have heard both very negative and very positive comments about them. But I trust Buckeye, and if he says it is a nice sound, it is. Had the pleasure of meeting him a couple months ago, and he has a lot of basses to compare it to. Looking forward to playing one next week, as I never have had the priviledge.

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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:17 pm
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brotherdave wrote:
Just remembered, isn't there a BLACKTOP JAZZ with 2 Precision pickups? It is passive though with no switches so that could not possibly be the one referenced in the OP in this thread. Just hit me a minute ago. Dang brain is SLOWWWWWWWWWW.

Yes there is and very nicely done at that. If the p'ups aren't to your liking, mod away. It's an excellent launching pad for a full blown yet affordable custom bass. Me likey! 8)

As for Brother Dave's slow brain ... Happy Birthday! :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 5:13 pm
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Happy New Bass Day!

Returned home from this latest trip to find my 83 Elite II Precision Bass waiting - and two Italia straps as recommended by Brother Dave. Not a bad day, go work for a week, come home and find toys.

The finish on this one is called Black Stratoburst. I need to change the strings and set it up, but I have tuned it, as is, and given it a run through and find it to be very much like the Elite Jazz proto in that the bridge pup is bright and the controls are the same. I would assume when I pull the PG I will find the same little circuit board, too.

The difference is in playing both pups and setting the tone selector to both. Then the P is not as bright as the J proto.

Nice bass. Good representation of early active electronics. And it looks pretty cool too.

Please forgive the ceiling fan reflection, but it is dark so....it is.

Image

It is also a sad bass day as I listed five vintage Fenders on eBay, plus an amp. I will be especially sad to see that near mint 74 fretless P go. Not often you run across a bass that old that has that much going for it.

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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 3:02 am
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Great!!!!

I like the color.

Enjoy playing it!!


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Post subject: Re: Has anyone every played a dual P-bass?
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:50 pm
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It is a cool finish, as is yours. If it wasn't for the fact there are 14 colors out there I might have started another collection. I played it several hour against the Elite Jazz prototype and the Pbass is better to my ear, but there are many similarities. I think I am going to like having this around.

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