Mark Matthews is the proud owner of this beautifully finished Bartell bass. First off, it’s got that great finish with a green flower pattern over a greenish-black finish. Bartell achieved this by painting through a stencil onto the regular finish. Ex-Bartell employee Doug Donaghue talks about this on the Bartell Spyder page. Secondly, it’s fretted! You just don’t see too many Bartells with frets. Gotta love those colored strings, too. These are probably original as i’ve seen them on several other Bartells. Here’s Mark’s story about his acquisition of this bass:
I bought the bass from a buddy in the late 60’s when in college. He had bought it used at a music store in San Bernardino but decided that he’d rather play the organ. I’ve had it since, mostly in the closet, as I am a guitar player. It is like new and original, except where the finish has flaked from the neck. The bass fits the case like a glove and I’m fairly sure that it’s original. Serial is 1134.
