PROPHECY I/II/III
The Prophecy line of basses was one of two lines of basses produced by Heartfield.
The PR-1 has a double cutaway basswood body, bolt-on maple neck with 22 frets on a rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay. Fixed bridge, graphite nut, chrome hardware, P-style J-style pickups, and volume/balance controls.
The PR-2 is similar to the PR-1, but has an ash body, gold hardware, active electronics and volume/treble/bass controls.
The PR-3 is similar to the PR-1, but has a laminated ash body, through-body laminated maple neck, gold hardware, volume/treble/bass controls and active electronics.
Prophecy I first documented month of manufacture: January 1991 (serial number A10305, not pictured on this site). Last documented month of manufacture: April 1991 (serial number D10234, not pictured on this site).
Prophecy II first documented month of manufacture: January 1991 (serial number A10322, see bass below). Last documented month of manufacture: May 1991 (serial number E10273, not pictured on this site).
Prophecy III first documented month of manufacture: April 1992 (serial number D92121, see bass below). Last documented month of manufacture: October 1992 (serial number J92257, not pictured on this site).
All models were produced from 1991 to 1993. They first appeared in Fender Frontline in winter (i.e. early) 1992 and last appeared in summer 1993.
Heartfield colour codes available for the Prophecy I: Black (506), Midnight Blue (573), Chrome Red (574), Frost Red (577) and Mystic White (589).
Heartfield colour codes available for the Prophecy II and III: Natural (521), Sapphire Blue Transparent (527), Antique Burst (537) and Crimson Transparent (538).
Some Fender-branded Prophecy basses adhere to the Fender Japan serial numbers scheme. These feature one letter (O, P and S have been seen so far) followed by six numbers. Officially, Oxxxxxx, Pxxxxxx and Qxxxxxx are supposed to date to 1993-1994, Sxxxxxx to 1994-1995. By then Heartfield production had already ceased. Prophecy basses were produced until after the demise of Heartfield and were in the Fender price lists until 1994. By 1995 they had vanished. These Fender-labelled Prophecy basses adhering to the Fender Japan serial number scheme are not in the Heartfield Guitars serial numbers database.
Click on a serial number to view an instrument's known history.
|
|
Type: 1993 Prophecy I |
| Serial #: P038983 |
Remarks: Click here for a detail of the headstock.
This is a pretty unusual guitar, as it has a different control configuration and an unusual maple top/veneer/fotoflame (?) body. Also interesting is that it is Fender-labelled and, indeed, that the serial number adheres to the Fender Japan serial numbering scheme. |
| Above photo credits: An Ebay auction. |
|
|
Type: 1991 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: A10322 |
| Remarks: The colour is (probably) Crimson Transparent. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Artis Falkner. |
|
|
Type: 1991 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: A10368 |
| Remarks: The colour is Antique Burst. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, John Simmons. |
|
|
Type: 1991 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: B10360 |
| Remarks: The colour is Sapphire Blue Transparent. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Steve Craig. |
|
|
Type: 1991 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: B10326 |
| Remarks: Nice natural finish bass. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Wes Wilson. |
|
|
Type: 1991 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: D10175 |
Remarks: Click here for a detail of the headstock.
Click here for a detail of the body. The Prophecy II, as you can see, has gold hardware and a bolt-on neck. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Paul S. Abrams. |
|
|
Type: 1992 Prophecy II |
| Serial #: D92121 |
| Remarks: Bubinga top wood. Beautiful! |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Steven K. White |
|
Type: Prophecy III |
| Serial #: D92158 |
| Remarks: Beautiful walnut/bubinga top with maple through neck. Quite an axe. |
| Above photo credits: An Ebay auction. |
|
|
Type: 1992 Fender Prophecy III |
| Serial #: J92255 |
Remarks: Beautiful bass, apparently with alder/walnut/bubinga body.
Click here for a detail of the lower half of the body, which shows the wood grain better. |
| Above photo credits: An Ebay auction. |
|
|
Type: 1993 Prophecy III |
| Serial #: O025643 |
Remarks: The finish is natural, and the top wood seems to be bubinga. Looks very sweet, whatever it is.
Click here for a detail of the headstock, and here for a detail of the body.
This axe is Fender-labelled and, indeed, the serial number adheres to the Fender Japan serial numbering scheme. |
| Above photo credits: Nik Dugo, bassist of The Badgemen. |
|
|
Type: 1993 Prophecy III |
| Serial #: O025668 |
Remarks: The colour is sapphire blue transparent. The headstock (click here for detail), through-neck and gold hardware mark this is a Prophecy III.
The site where this bass was found listed it as a 1994 instrument, however the combination of the O+6 digit (1993-1994) serial number and the fact that Heartfield-related instruments weren't made beyond 1993 cause this to be dated as a 1993 axe.
Interesting aspects about this instrument is that it is Fender-labelled and, indeed, that the serial number adheres to the Fender Japan serial numbering scheme. |
| Above photo credits: Callously purloined from the Elderly Instruments site. |
|
|
Type: 1994 or 1995 (?) Prophecy II |
| Serial #: S002096 |
| Remarks: Probably Sapphire Blue Transparent. The flash used in the second photograph brings out the wood grain nicely. |
| Above photo credits: The then owner, Jack Carlson |
|
Type: 1994 or 1995 (?) Prophecy II |
| Serial #: S026596 |
| Remarks: This is probably Sapphire Blue Transparent. |
| Above photo credits: The owner, Tommy Desmond. |
|
|
Type: Prophecy II (year unknown) |
| Serial #: Unknown |
| Remarks: This bass has a natural finish and a rosewood fretboard. |
| Above photo credits: An Ebay auction. |
Please report dead links, possible copyright infringements or guitar-related info to the maintainer of these pages, Richard Karsmakers!
