Start of Cruse Bass production?

[Hamer Dave]

When did the Cruise bass start being produced? 1981?

[Andrew]

1981 indeed! Just possibly a prototype in 80.

The first handful were four digits roughly about the 0500s (?), then they moved to the normal serial number.

A couple of HFCers have four digit Cruises but the most famous one was Sting's.

[Hamer Dave]

Thanks Andrew! One I'm referring to is 1 4668. So not 'that' early? Was mentioned production started 1982.

[Hamer Dave]

Why do I keep finding myself spelling 'Cruise' wrong????

[Hamer Dave]

OK. I'm seeing Sting's was an '82. So any other thoughts on when these came into production? Earliest serial #? Serial Steve???

[mc2]

Sting's Trans Cherry one was an '81 (late '81 around Oct from memory...so maybe he didn;t receive it until '82?) I have the SN# next to his (#563)...factory Midnight Blue over original Trans Cherry...you can see the original finish under the Midnight Blue when you look close at a few dings. It's aged to an unusual highlight tint due to the dual colors, compared to a normal Midnight Blue.

I also have Cruise #557. From the factory 4-digit logs, these are in the first dozen or so Cruisebasses.

I also have Serial's former Cruise 4/Phanton 6 Seafoam doubleneck, which we both agree PRE-dates the actual Cruisebass models but had no SN# stamped on it until Hamer refinished it and stamped it. But I think the pot dates are 1980 (I'd have to look.) -- thought to likely have been built in John Montgomery's basement. Apparently a number of the oddball early stuff was built at home workshops of the builders, rather than in the factory? When Serial had if refinned, the headstock kept a large "TK" on it but no one knows what it means, since the bass/info was never entered into the factory logs when made. Sure would be nice to find that out someday.

What is interesting on these early ones is that Hamer was still tweaking the specs and they all have variations. On the two 4-strings, one had a two hole truss cover and one is a three-hole. The fingrboard lengths and knob placement vary. Tuner spacing on the doubleneck 4 is wider and it has larger side dots. One of the 4-strings has no belly cut or pickguard.

One of the cool things about the earliest Cruisebasses is that all three of mine have the very wide 12th fret dual dot spacing, like on the early Standards. Also, these very early necks have a squarer neck carve up in the first position which I prefer over the later rounded varve....the early ones feel closer to a '64 Thunderbird IMO.

I think Pete Farndon of The Pretenders got the first Cruisbass?

[serial]

There was a Cruisebass prototype that appeared in 80 I think, although I don't have confirmation as I've never seen it. Alex Parche told me about that one-#0455. Pete Farndon had the first one #0535. I think Sting's was #0562-still an '81. Jol owns #1 4457, which is the earliest non four digit Cruisebass. It's my understanding that that one came after Farndon's, but I'd have to check log book dates. The double neck that I had was a 24 fret hardtail Phantom on top (gold sustain block) and a Cruisebass on the bottom. IIRC, the original pots dated to 1981, but that's going way back for me. In any event, that one predates the Cruisebass and the Phantom.