Telecaster bass
Encyclopedia
Early version
The Telecaster Bass was introduced in May 1968 being essentially a straight reissue of the original 1951 Precision Bass design (which was in fact influenced by the Telecaster guitar), with a large pickguard, small Telecaster-shaped headstock, single pickup, and separate chrome control plate. Early versions had a two piece maple-capped neck with no "skunk stripe" on the back of the neck and some also had the rare paddle style tuners that were only otherwise seen on the Jazz Bass. The pickguard on the 1960s Telecaster Bass was slightly more slender and employed more mounting screws than the originals of the 1950s. There were also three different headstock decals in the early version. The earliest had a regular silver Telecaster guitar logo with the word "bass" added underneath. Only prototypes are known to have this decal. The earliest prototypes were partially constructed from leftover 1952 Precision Bass parts. The second decal was the larger Black (gold outlined) Telecaster Bass logo (bass being in the same style of script as Fender). The third and most commonly used decal had the silver Fender script with the words Telecaster Bass written in a sans-serif type font underneath.In the early 1990s, Fender Japan reissued the '51 Precision Bass, which is in essence, a reissue of the first-version Telecaster Bass. The earliest "Made in Japan" versions vary slightly from the current "Crafted in Japan" model. For example, the early 1990s version uses the larger, more historically accurate string ferrules that were used in the 50s.
Second version (1971–1979)
In 1971, the Tele Bass was modified in some aspects. The old-style pickguard was redesigned to eliminate the control plate, and the single-coil pickup was replaced with a larger, more powerful, humbucking unit. The Telecaster Bass was produced alongside the contemporary Precision Bass through the 1970s. The decal logo had changed from silver to gold, with black outlining.It was the final version of the Telecaster Bass, which was discontinued in September 1979.
Reissued Version: Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass TB (2007–present)
The Fender Telecaster Bass was re-released in April 2007 by the Fender's subsidiary SquierSquier
Squier is a musical instrument brand name owned by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.-History:Fender, under the ownership of CBS, acquired the Squier brand name in 1965 when it bought a USA based string making firm , but it lay dormant for many years...
, as Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass TB, which is based on the second version of the Telecaster Bass, featuring a similar Telecaster Bass headstock, pickguard and humbucking pickup.
Notable users
- Mike DirntMike DirntMichael Ryan Pritchard is an American musician, best known as the bassist, backing vocalist and co-founder of the American Rock band Green Day. While at school, he would play "air-bass." While pretending to pluck the strings, he made the noise, "dirnt, dirnt, dirnt"...
from american Punk RockPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
has been noted to use a Telecaster Bass - Charlie TumahaiCharlie TumahaiCharles Turu Tumahai was a New Zealand singer, bass player and songwriter who was a member of several noted rock groups in New Zealand, Australia and the UK...
, from English progressive rockProgressive rockProgressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band Be-Bop Deluxe and New Zealand reggae band HerbsHerbs (band)Herbs are a New Zealand reggae vocal group formed in 1979 once described as "New Zealand's most soulful, heartfelt and consistent contemporary musical voice". It has been said their debut EP Whats' Be Happen? "set a standard for Pacific reggae which has arguably never been surpassed".-History:Herbs...
, played a 1968–1971 version of the Telecaster Bass. - Paul McGuiganPaul McGuigan (musician)Paul McGuigan , better known by his nickname, Guigsy , is an English musician and one of the four founding members of the English rock band Oasis...
, original bassist of britpopBritpopBritpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
band OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, also played the 1968–1971 version. - Victor DamianiVictor DamianiVictor Damiani is a former bassist of the alternative rock band Cake. He played on Cake's first two albums, Motorcade of Generosity and Fashion Nugget...
, bass player on the first and second CakeCake (band)Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
albums, used a second version Fender Telecaster Bass on the Fashion NuggetFashion NuggetFashion Nugget is the second studio album by Cake, an alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. It was released in 1996, and contains 14 songs. "The Distance" became one of the band's biggest hits...
album. - Dusty HillDusty HillJoseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
, Bassist of "That Little Ol' Band from Texas", ZZ Top - George Porter, Jr.George Porter, Jr.George Porter, Jr. is a musician best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 60's and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of funk. The Meters disbanded in 1977, but reformed in 1989...
, of The MetersThe MetersThe Meters are an American funk band based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Meters performed and recorded their own music from the late 1960s until 1977...
, used a '68-71 Telecaster Bass in the band's early years. - George Nowicki, bass player for The Substitute Preachers plays a one of the earliest known 1968 Telecaster Bass Prototypes, which was manufactured in March 1968.
- Ron WoodRon WoodRonald David "Ronnie" Wood is an English rock guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of The Jeff Beck Group, Faces, and current member of The Rolling Stones. He also plays lap and pedal steel guitar....
, played bass for The Jeff Beck Group and used a 1968 Telecaster Bass to tour and record the band's first two albums: TruthTruthTruth has a variety of meanings, such as the state of being in accord with fact or reality. It can also mean having fidelity to an original or to a standard or ideal. In a common usage, it also means constancy or sincerity in action or character...
and Beck Ola. - Tim ForemanTim ForemanTimothy David Foreman is the bassist for the band Switchfoot. He was born in Lake Arrowhead, California but grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and Virginia Beach, Virginia...
, of SwitchfootSwitchfootSwitchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
plays the telecaster. Most notably in the "This is Home" music video. - Lou BarlowLou BarlowLouis Knox Barlow is an American alternative rock musician and songwriter. A founding member of the groups Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion. Barlow is credited with helping to pioneer the lo-fi style of rock music in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
has been playing a black Telecaster bass in Dinosaur JrDinosaur JrDinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005...
since 2007. - Kenny RogersKenny RogersKenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, best known for "The Gambler" and other 70s hits, played a 1968 Telecaster Bass when he performed with "The First Edition". - Sting uses a 1954 Telecaster fender bass, which he first used in the filming of the Demolition ManDemolition ManDemolition Man may refer to:* Demolition Man , a 1993 film starring Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes** Demolition Man , a soundtrack album from the film, by Elliot Goldenthal...
music video with The PoliceThe PoliceThe Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
.
Literature
- Peter Bertges: The Fender Reference; Bomots, Saarbrücken 2007, ISBN 978-3-939316-38-1
Gerry Macavoy