Vox Teardrop Bass

UK made Wyman bass. Teardrop, tobacco sunburst finish. 2 pickups (very hot with good output) chrome scratchplate and snap on bridge cover. Block finger markers, mother of pearl machine heads (same as on 60's EKO solid formica covered violin bass). Finish checked and cracked all over but beautiful.

Incredible woody 60's thumping bass. Best played with a pick and flatwounds. Nails that Stones/Animals/Pebbles garage sound

Slightly dodgy build quality - bridge does not allow strings to align properly up/down the neck, some string buzz at higher frets. Strings are individually so it can be adjusted (just) so that everything aligns. Plays best around 3rd-10th frets but acceptable everywhere else.
Pickups and controls give great control of that vintage sound

Its lasted well so far I've had it for the last 3 of its 40 or so years. Would not hesitate to use at gigs but you need to keep your eye on it coz some thieving scum WILL want it.
Tunes well and stays intune in case or gigbag. Its so simple to use.

You must be joking...

I would buy another and in fact I already have, an Italian / EKO made one in cherry red. Probably slightly better made, especially the neck but pickups not so good (weaker).
Also got 2 Constellation basses - these have more on them (fuzz/ bass boost / tuner etc) and machine heads are better. Very similar to a Wyman but with more toys.
If you can get your hands on a non abused one, you've got yourself 60s heaven.

Pardon the digression -- this is not a review -- but I thought visitors to this page would be interested to read this story in the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) today, 12/4/04, about that famed Bill Wyman Teardrop bass:

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/11/1081621836159.html

Seems that Bill's bass was stolen during the Stones' NZ tour in Feb. 1966, after their Wellington concerts. It passed through a succession of owners over the next 25 years before being given to Kiwi musician Nick Sceats in the 80s, in lieu of a session payment. Eventually Sceats was alerted to the fact that it might in fact be Bill's long-lost bass, so he contacted Bill, who confirmed that it was, so Skeats had it shipped back to Bill.

A happy ending!

The original semi-hollow body one ! Basically a short-scale bass, with semi hollow body (classic teardrop shape), only one F-hole at the top; 2 single coils, one tone and one volume (tone is reversed : turn it clockwise to cut the highs !); a three-way switch ; chrome pickguard and mikes; sunburst finish and a nice backpad (... at the back).
Very thin neck (a Rickie's neck looks like a log besides this ...).
Year 64 or 65 (you can see Bill Wyman with this one around 65 - as long as I know, that's the one used for "Satisfaction").

Definitly NOT a toy! (ask Bill ...). even if the little neck feel weird at first (mainly if you're used to modern basses), it's so easy to play (girls and little hands guys - once again, talkin' about Bill - that's your axe! ).
Sound is awesome : first, it is REALLY powerfull for single coils ( and those are 36 years old ...); the sound has a lot of punch and rich mediums ; the bass end is tight and there's not much treble. You can play it fingerstyle, but I think that the real character appears when you play it with a pick : punchy and not aggressive. I guess it comes close to old Danos (the long horn ones) if you want to compare , but the semi hollow body give a real personnality.
The neck pickup can also provide real good jazz tones.

I've just made it set and now it plays beautifully - action is rather high but on such a short scale bass, that's not a problem and that bass is the easiest to play I know - of course, don't think about slapping on this baby, huh .

Well - it's 36 years old and still workin great ... no need to say more - the most amazing part is the power of the pickups after such a time.

Can't say.

I've been playing for 25 years, mainly as a guitar player, bass cames later ; I own a lot of guitars (Fender tele, Washburn HB35, Blade R4, GordonSmith, DeArmond M75T ) and 2 basses (the Vox and a Squier 5 strings).
I've had a lot of amplifiers and am now using a Laney TT20 H+C (have to review it !), two pods (guitar and bass, what else do you need for studio workin'?) and my hidden treasure, an original Vox AC15 (I have to make a special review for this one, coz it's a real rare bird: 2 channels, one classic with trem/vib, the other one with a BASS BOOST which turns this amp to a Bass amp ! and that's an original feature, probably a prototype said the Vox site mailer.
About the Teardrop bass, if it was stolen, it would be a tragedy for me, you can't find another one of course.
Look at old Rolling Stones pictures or TV appearances : everybody knows the ones with Brian Jones and his white Vox but look behind Keith and you'll maybe see the neck of this beloved baby.