My Sexy 91 Fretless Thumb 5

tomthumb90

tomthumb90

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I picked this bass up about a year ago on the Guitar Center web site. The bass is in almost mint condition as it looks pretty much like it sat under someone's bed for 20 years. When I got it, the wood was dry and just kinda brown with no figure. I took JPT's advice on cleaning up vintage thumbs and got some steel wool and went to town! I got some all natural tongue oil and gave her a good rub down. Totally different bass now!
I recently replaced the electronics with a Bartolini NTBT 2 band system and it really made a huge difference in output and tone!
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Nice one! That Bass must really have been either reasonably well cared for or sat tucked away in a case :)
As its a 91 it still has the brass bridge as well
 
tomthumb90 said:
I got some all natural tongue oil and gave her a good rub down.
Click to expand...

Do you mean TUNG oil, right? Because I don´t wanna know what kinda TONGUES they use to produce the oil... ;)


Beautiful Thumb, congrats.
 
ah the narrow spaced streamer i've once felt in love! great duo like them:)
 
Ha! Yes it did come from the tung tree and not my mouth. I was a little drunk while posting this. Ha! And yes the streamer is a standard spaced custom neck. Plays like a dream!
 
Nice bass! If you'd rather have a fretless Streamer Stage II, let me know!
 
Naw man. I love this bass too much to trade it. I have been looking for one like this for a long time and I don't think many other basses can sound this good. I know the streamer probably sounds killer but I really like the thumb bass!
 
I love the Thumb bass but that Streamer is fantastic!
What year/model is the Streamer please??

Thanks,

Dave
 
The Streamer is a custom shop from either 90 or 91. I am not really sure because it just says L1 on the top of the headstock. It has an inlay on the 23rd fret that says "Custom made for Oliver Keller" so I believe that it is the only bass like it made. I got it off ebay about a year ago...
 
here is the original thread o the streamer


did you succed in contacting the guy?
 
No I wrote him from the email I was given but I never heard back from him. I would love to ask the original owner some questions about the bass! It was originally a midi bass but was messed with over the years. The previous owner cut the wires at the bridge at made it an analog bass with a 1/4" input. It came with a midi input and I am not sure how the pre was wired. Very unique bass to say the least!
 
Lucky Tomthumb !
You did a great job with taking care of the wood.:d

A fretless fingerboard, magic wood and suddenly...be still my beating heart, be still ( as a great bassist said 25 years ago)
 
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