If you ever wondered how gold can a Fender bass get, anything “HLE” out of the Fender Custom Shop is your answer, pictured above with the Fender Limited Edition Closet Classic HLE Precision Bass.
HLE refers to Haynes Limited Edition, which indicates the instrument will have a gold finish, gold hardware everywhere and even a gold anodized pick guard.
The HLE was the first custom model out of the Fender Custom Shop in 1987, based on Homer Haynes’s ’50s Stratocaster. But as you can see, the gold treatment works very nicely with the P-Bass.
Two things to note: First, the neck is AAA grade flame maple to help bring out the gold more. Second, the finish is not Fender’s Shoreline Gold, but rather leans more towards what Gibson uses for their goldtop guitars. The finish is simply referred to by Fender as HLE Gold. Shoreline Gold has more brown to give it more of a sand-like look while HLE Gold has more yellow. It is unknown what the difference is (if any) in metallic flake content and density between Shoreline and HLE.
For those interested in the body tonewood used, this Fender has a “select” 2-piece alder body, meaning if you want to craft this bass yourself, choose alder that looks good to your eye and sounds right to your ear when you give it a knock test. (Knocking the wood is a simple resonance test where you knock the wood similar to knocking on a door to check for a pleasing sound. As for what “pleasing” means in this context, it usually means a knock sound that “pops” with little to no dull thudding. Use your own personal judgment to determine a good knock noise, as you are the builder.)
Building a vintage-inspired P-Bass of your own? You’ll need the right pickup. Good wood doesn’t matter for much in an electric bass if you don’t have a well-crafted pickup to complement it. We can help you get the tone you’re looking for. See the Nordstrand ’51 P Bass pickup (also in 5-string), the Seymour Duncan SCPB, the Lindy Fralin 51P, the Aero SCPB-1 Type 1 or browse all the P pickups we carry. Not sure which to choose? Email sales@bestbassgear.com or call us and we’ll help you get that “golden tone” you’re looking for.
I HAVE A HAD ALL KINDS OF BASSES,,TRYING TO FIND THAT ONE THING THAT COMPLETES ME ,,IT COMES BACK TO A OLD FENDER,,AND A P-BASS,,LOVE JAZZ ALSO,,I TAKE A 64,,A FRIEND OF MINE ,,WHOS NOT WITH US ANYWORE,,HAD A 64 JAZZ,,I HAD THE 66 P-BASS,,WE GOT THESES BASSES AT THE SAME TIME,,YEARS AGO,,HIS BASS THE JAZZ,,WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!!,,AND MY P-BASS HAD IT ALL,,MY FRIEND PASSED AWAY,,,AND I COULD NOT GET HIS BASS,,HIS WIFE SOLD IT WAY TO FAST,,EVEN RECORDED,,WITH NOTHING ON IT,,SOUNDED GREAT!!CAINT FIND ONE LIKE IT ,,,EVEN THE SMELL OF IT,,YU JUST KNOW,,
NOTHING LIKE OLD SCHOOL GUITARS,,WHICH THEY TRY TO MAKE TODAY,,AINT HAPPENING FOR THE REAL THING,,,PEACE OUT
COOL
Rose by any other name!!!
I have a cousin who has a ’62 fender jazz…
I have a cousin who has a ’62 Fender Jazz… He’s not playing it anymore but find the right buyer and he might let it go…???
THE GOLD COLOR MAKES A GREAT BASS EVEN GREATER. I GOT ONE …A 1967 P-BASS… THAT HAS NOT LEFT MY HANDS SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN ’67.
THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN A P OR JAZZ BASS. ALL TRY TO COPY BUT THERE IS NO EQUAL. BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF BASSES OVER THE YEARS. THE CLOEST TO MY BASS… YOUR NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS… WAS THE SQUIER MATT FREEDMAN BASS, NOW CALLED THE CLASSIC VIBE ’70’S. ALL IT NEEDS IS A BETTER PICKUP–YOUR CHOICE ON THAT.
THE SQUIER JUST HAS THAT OLD BASS FEEL, AND YOU CAN’T EVEN FIND A USED ONE, LIKE THE SQUIER SPINOFF PINO BASS. PEOPLE MUST BE HOLDING ON TO THEM FOR SOME REASON!!!!
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS WITH MY ’67 THIS YEAR !! IT HAD TO BE MADE WITH EARLIER PARTS LIKE FENDER ALWAYS DID. JUST BECAUSE CBS TOOK OVER DIDN’T MEAN THEY TOSSED ALL THE PARTS AND STARTED AGAIN !!!
NICK…SICK ON SUNN ’69
What about bridge and Pickup covers? Whats their part number?
Well folks let me tell you that I just purchased one of these Golden Beauties! And it truly has that I’m finally home feel to it. I am surprised to find light gauge strings on it because it has a big punchy sound to it on all strings unlike the PJ that I traded in on the above piece of perfection. While the PJ had good E string tone/volume the A & D strings did not and the G string was very bright. The poles on the PU’s are raised in various places supposedly to even out the sound of the strings but it just did not work for me and it had light strings(I was going to try some heavier gauge strings on it but when the opportunity came along to get one of this Precision I took it). An odd thing is that a couple of the poles are raised on the Precision under those two strings and it seems to be working but while it has light gauge strings on it, it did not sound like it because I tried it on a strong amp and 4×10 or 6×10 Ampeg cab at my favourite Music Store and it rocked with a big round warm sound of a P bass and so easy to play. Cheers