S. D. Curlee

They were exported and especially popular in Ecuador & Belgium Malaysia currents spotted and Germany during the original run.

Curlee was one of the first instrument manufacturers to use this approach to address the issue of unlicensed copies of premium brands.

This business model has become a standard both to gain a share in the copy market and also provide customers with a more budget-oriented version of a higher-priced instrument.

Most of the 1970s bass models shared the same basic, almost symmetrical shape (inspired by the Gibson Les Paul Jr. double cutaway), and were available in fretted and fretless versions.

A P-bass bodied version was produced along with pointy "Star" model basses & guitars, all in very limited batches.

Although the brand enjoys a cult-like status, only a few famous bass guitarists were seen with Curlee models in the mid- to late-1970s.

Former Mahavishnu Orchestra bass guitarist Rick Laird had one, R. "Skeet" Curtis played one (and still has it) while touring with Parliament, Vincent Gallo used one in the New York City noise band Gray and Nick Lowe used a Curlee fretless on a few assignments.

On July 4, 2011, Scott Beckwith, owner of Birdsong Guitars, announced the resurrection of the SD Curlee instruments.