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Post subject: Jamerson sig bass ?
Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 8:31 pm
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I keep reading that they have made a Jamerson bass I know theres not much to it just a stock 62 with flat wounds but.Does anyone know if this is true.


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Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:28 pm
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To my knowledge there has never been nor will there be a Jamerson artist series P-bass. There is a USA 62 Reissue which is pretty much as close as you can get to his Funk Machine. It is as close as Fender will likely come since his bass was completely stock. The real difference was the player.

James Jamerson only ever owned two electric basses in his entire life. Both were P-basses. He is most associated with a stock sunburst '62 P-bass which he owned from the time his first generation single coil P-bass was stolen. Up until Chili Ruth gifted him that old beat up first generation Fender P-bass in 1960 Mr. Jamerson had only played acoustic double bass. He didn't actually like electric bass bass at first. Many of the recordings during this first-generation P-bass period, 1960 to 1962, utilized double tracked bass lines with James first playing the upright and then doubling in the electric bass.

In 1962 his first generation single coil bass was stolen, so Mr. Jamerson went shopping and bought a new stock 1962 sunburst P-Bass. He did no functional mods to it beyond sometimes inserting some foam under the strings near the bridge. This bass would become the famous and mysterious FUNK MACHINE.

A real Jamerson artist P-bass would have to be nitro sunburst, with a warped neck, a tortoise guard, pickup/bridge covers and would have "FUNK" carved with a switchblade knife into the heel of the neck filled in with blue ink, sort of like a prison tattoo. I doubt that will happen.

Should the Funk Machine be recovered, maybe Fender could replicate it after reaching a deal with the Jamerson family. But as long as it is missing in action it remains the "Holy Grail" of basses and it would be irreverent and dishonorable to replicate it.

I don't think even Indiana Jones could find it. I am very fearful that it was destroyed a long time ago. The statute of limitations for prosecution on any theft charges ran out nearly 20 years ago and there have been some substantial rewards offered for the return of the instrument and yet it has never appeared.

This instrument was stolen from Mr. Jamerson's Los Angeles residence while he lay on his deathbed. Whoever took it knew what it was and once the heat was on they probably burned it. If it was going to show up, it would have by now. While it belongs in the Hall of Fame, I really believe it is lost forever.

While Mr. Jamerson's German upright acoustic double bass sold for $197,500 at auction, the Funk Machine Precision is truly a priceless touchstone for a turning point in music. If it was going to show up, it would have by now. I truly am afraid that while it belongs in the Hall of Fame it is lost forever.

EVERY electric bass that James Jamerson ever owned was stolen from him. That my Fender Forum friends is the saddest thing I've ever heard.

You can protect youself from theft starting right now for free by clicking this link:
http://brotherdave.com/add_protectyourgear.htm


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Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 8:32 am
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And where are you reading this?

It is pretty much up to his estate (family) to authorize something like that.


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Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 2:59 am
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There was a Jamerson tribute made in a special order for the Bass Centre (London/LA), just 100 basses. I'll try and get some extra detail on that...

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Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:38 am
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Telebass wrote:
There was a Jamerson tribute made in a special order for the Bass Centre (London/LA), just 100 basses. I'll try and get some extra detail on that...


When did these come out?


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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 8:29 am
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Cool Ill start looking that way. BD I read it on JJ web site and a couple other places.Thanks Telebass.


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Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 1:23 pm
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How much?


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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:23 pm
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The post about the 100 being made as a Limited Edition for the Bass Centre in LA is true. From what I understand, these were basically just a standard 62' Reissue but with James Jamerson's name and probably "Limited Edition" on the neckplate. It also came with a certificate I believe. These were made by Fender in 1991. If I would have known about them at the time, I would have bought one for sure. I have never seen one for sale, but a few have turned up on Ebay over time from what I've heard, but it's very, very rare. Don't know how much they sold for new, but I am guessing if one comes up for sale now, it's going to be extremely expensive. I think the Bass Centre is long gone now from LA, maybe the one in England is still around.


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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 8:57 pm
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njmusicman wrote:
The post about the 100 being made as a Limited Edition for the Bass Centre in LA is true. From what I understand, these were basically just a standard 62' Reissue but with James Jamerson's name and probably "Limited Edition" on the neckplate. It also came with a certificate I believe. These were made by Fender in 1991. If I would have known about them at the time, I would have bought one for sure. I have never seen one for sale, but a few have turned up on Ebay over time from what I've heard, but it's very, very rare. Don't know how much they sold for new, but I am guessing if one comes up for sale now, it's going to be extremely expensive. I think the Bass Centre is long gone now from LA, maybe the one in England is still around.


The Jamerson Tribute bass was also available in Lake Placid Blue with a 3-ply white pickguard, though I'm not as 100% certain about this fact.


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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 10:58 pm
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:05 pm
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:?:


Last edited by DantheBassist on Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:20 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:06 pm
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[quote="brotherdave"]

James Jamerson only ever owned two electric basses in his entire life. Both were P-basses.


He also owned a Hagstrom 8 string and a Fender 5(with high C)...according to a late 70's interview he did.


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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 6:47 am
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DantheBassist wrote:
brotherdave wrote:


James Jamerson only ever owned two electric basses in his entire life. Both were P-basses.


He also owned a Hagstrom 8 string and a Fender 5(with high C)...according to a late 70's interview he did.


One of his 2 P-Basses was an early 1950s single-coil pickup model.

I never seen him with a Bass V.


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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:02 pm
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Jamerson's first Fender bass , the one given to him by Chili Ruth, was actually a 1958 Precision with a black finish and a maple neck.

It was called the "Black Beauty" and it was stolen.

The story of this bass is related in the Standing in the Shadows of Motown book and CD narrative.

Whereas, everyone refers to Jamerson's last bass as a 1962 model,
I remember a Guitar Player interview with Jamerson in which he has the bass in his hands and it clearly has a transition logo on the neck, which would make it a 1965 or 1966 model.

Its too bad that the "Funk Machine" was stolen. It would be great to have it recovered.

I hope that it wasn't destroyed.

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Posted: Fri Aug 20, 2010 11:00 pm
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BCbassman wrote:
Jamerson's first Fender bass, the one given to him by Chili Ruth, was actually a 1958 Precision with a black finish and a maple neck.

It was called the "Black Beauty" and it was stolen.


Image


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