I have just got a Norton Merlin Bass 2 weeks ago, I think this is a vintage, I have told it bass may be a prototype made in 1981, no idea. I have emailed to Norton Guitars to get more date and detail about this bass. It made by aluminum frame, adjustable, tilt-able wood wings, slides up and down...
This Norton Merlin bass, a Vintage Fretless, metal tube frame, fully adjustable, 4 pickups. including a piezo pickup under the bridge with a separate input jack