Gassage

For anyone interested, Alex had a mini Boss pedal board of a TU3, CE3, DD3 into a JCM800

I am staggered at the lack of knowledge, the lack of audience empathy and the lack of story telling by the Auctioneer.

 

The prices are insanely low- the 1957 Gold Top and a few others went below market value.

 

The Auctioneer wheezed, coughed and spluttered- he needs to stop dodging salads, give up smoking and learn about his products- things like 'This Hentor is a rare guitar' - yes, there's ONE of them. And 'someone has autographed the case' - yep, that's Lerxst's sig you idiot.

 

Totally unprofessional and I have written to the owner of the Auction house to vent:

 

Dear Darren,

 

I am sorry but I am forced to write to you and please don’t take this personally.

 

As someone with a real interest in collecting guitars, I cannot believe the low prices I am seeing and also just how unknowledgeable your wheezing and coughing auctioneer is.

 

There’s no product knowledge, there’s no salesmanship, no story telling of the items. An example is the Hentor Sportscaster – your auctioneer ‘Not many of these’…. NO! There’s literally one, and Alex virtually built it himself- where’s the back story, where’s the temptation?

 

As you know, you have to open the deep pockets of the well-heeled and there’s been no real attempt to describe the deep heritage of the instruments he’s selling and absolutely ZERO product knowledge.

 

I know Alex was hoping for $1m for the White 335 and with stronger story telling, I believe it would have made a lot more. I spoke to him personally about this.

 

As I type, many Rush fans in my social circle and on Facebook are saying the same thing- that there’s no back story, no product knowledge and that the wheezing, spluttering and coughing from the fat auctioneer are rather low rent.

 

No wonder these are not making anything near what they should. If you believe I’m wrong, watch the David Gilmour auction and the genius, polish and professionalism of the auctioneer and team there. It was a brilliant event- one were I walked away with one of the CS NOS Strats.

 

If your team don’t know the back story then I do and I’ll write it out for them next time.

 

Anyway, nothing personal but this auction is disappointing and a terrible conclusion to the history of these amazing instruments.

 

Best Regards

 

 

On 5/17/2022 at 5:51 AM, 1-0-0-1-0-0-1 said:

Back on the MP tour, Alex had a digital delay unit that had a hold function, with a footswitch to engage it -- you play a note or phrase and you hit the button and it would keep repeating it until you disengage it. I used to have an Ibanez digital delay unit that had that same hold function, and I was able to replicate that held note for the Limelight solo.

 

That was in the early to mid-'80s, and none of the delay units I've had since then have had that hold function, and I'm thinking that Alex ran into the same issue. Nowadays you can get a looper pedal and achieve the same effect.

 

It was an Ibanez AD-230.

 

He can get the same effect via the hold delay patch on the GForce. 

Fun to speculate at what Whitey would sell for. I'm guessing just over 6 figures.

 

I think it will make 7 figures.

 

I was involved with auctioning the white les paul bodied ES that he used on R40 and with Pearl Jam on RRHF and that made 6 figs.

Underrated: The Body Electric. This is my favorite song off GUP, and I don't really see too much praise of it. At first, I wasn't too into the lyrics, but I think I've learned to like them. The riff during the 1-0-0-1 parts is my favorite part.

 

Overrated: Leave That Thing Alone. I find this song really annoying. I find it drags on way too long, and it just sounds like straight up elevator music.

 

Absolutely and very respectfully disagree. It was my gateway drug song into Rush. Still find it an incredible demonstration of the band's ability.

Under-rated- the Camera Eye. Alex's best solo, albeit brief.

Thinking about this- I'm gonna try and do C-Numb in the style of Alex and post it. I'll need to think about this- harmonic minor feel needed.

I've seen a few of these but this guy has absolutely nailed this.

 

It drips Floyd and MK in one piece. Bravo.

 

Got Ghost Rider off my other half!

 

And also, from my Mum- she's on a fixed income and she bought me a plectrum making punch last year and she bought me a load of 0,58mm plastic stripes this year for the punch - even my favourite right gauge- I don't like super rigid pics

 

Oh and 2 tickets in Block A Row N for the Eagles in June from my other half....

 

And a Boss DC2-W Dimension Stereo Chorus Pedal (similar to TC210 that Lerxst loves)

The sublimely talented, ridiculous showman that is...

 

Tommy Emmanuel.

So I guess I'll re-start the Christmas Day bidding with an A for....

 

the utterly exquisite genius of rhythm guitar and riff

 

Mr Carlos Alomar....

Depends re guitarist-

 

Lead- DG all day long

Rhythm/Fills- Jimi all day long.

The utterly exquisite Snowy White.

Phil X !

Al looks bigger than usual there around the midriff

 

Bless him...nothing compares to the R40 wig though.

 

I'm considering a book of short stories for next Xmas

 

"The Incredible Adventures of Alex Lifeson's Hair"

(Stevie Ray) Vaughan ....

Wheres the strat? Used on OLV

 

-Strat on OLV is an 50's reissue (probably 57), has a strange pickup in bridge position and reversed input jack (ala Hentor).

The OLV Strat has an Evans eliminator in the middle position and a Zexcoil Juicy Bucker in the bridge position without the cover on it.

 

:)

 

 

Not that I'm a big follower of Al's guitars beyond the ES 335/355's and that gorgeous gold Les he played during Anarchist on the CA tour.... BUT.... I was kind of disappointed that he didn't drag out the actual Hentor Sportscaster (from the P/G days) for R40. I figured a retrospective tour would bring out that model.

 

Oh well.

 

I know he's bought the original 1957 GT that he used on R40 at the Forum off Ged now.

. Duplicated in error.

Guys, I am not a bassist but I do dabble.

 

Bought one of these this week- the Guy Pratt Betsy bass- for the price point it is exceptional- esp considering it has the real EMGs.

 

I have played Guy's original 1964 Betsy Fender Jazz a couple of times and this captures the slim neck, the punch of the EMGs and the lightweight feel- it's under 8lbs. I know Guy is using these on the Saucerful tour as he genuinely wanted an instrument a young gigging bassist could use. Thankfilly it doesn't have the old man luminous fret markers on the neck edge that Guy has added to the original as his eyes have faded!

 

Bargain of the year- flawless for the price. And Burg Mist is delicious. The original Betsy was bought by Pratt off John Entwhistle. That's some lineage!

 

https://www.basscentre.com/british-bass-masters/bbm-betsy.html

 

I used to have a version one of the Neo Ventilator. I still regret trading it, but you probably know how people can get when it comes to moving gear. You get a little irrational sometimes and trade away or sell something that you come to regret losing sooner or later.

 

Absolutely the best Leslie sim going. The full fat big one is the best- stereo in, which is crucial if you wanna do the panning thing. You need to tame the preamp though as it can add another layer of gain.

 

I generally dislike Strymon but the Lex is excellent too, but the Neo has more depth.

 

Has Alex ever used Leslies?

 

I can't think of any Rush songs where he has used one. He was much more of a Phaser, Flanger, Chorus guy.

 

I have several Strymon pedals, pretty much all delay: Volante, DIG, Brigadier, and Deco. The Deco can do some overdrive on the left side, and zero thru flanging, chorus, and short delay on the right side. It is great for slap back echo. I also have a T-Rex Replicator Tape Delay (I bought the hype that real tape somehow was better than DSP tape emulators. And I used to have a Strymon El Capistan that I traded after getting the Replicator. I also wish I had that one back.) But the Replicator sounds great. It's just huge and impractical. I got it for a really good deal a couple of years ago. I've already tried to sell it once at my favorite guitar shop. They wouldn't take it because they had one before and it sat with them for a long time. I may try to sell it myself, though. It's just been sitting, especially since I got the Volante.

 

I tried the Volante v my EchoCzar- the EZ isn't quite as flexible but it smashed it on tone. I love all TRex Stuff- everything they make is awesome. The Moller Drive is a masterpiece. The Deco is one Strymon I really like- very different and lo-fi.

 

Question; does Alex ONLY use amp drive ?

 

I believe he used an MXR Distortion pedal back in the 70's. I am unaware of any overdrive pedals he may have used since then. He had a bevy of amps he used for different purposes. One fun fact is that he used Mesa Boogie Mark V's during his last tours for he clean tones. I had a Mark V for several years, and loved its clean channel. I guess he wasn't too much into the Mark IIC+ or Mark IV high gain sounds in the Mark V. I get that they aren't for everyone.

 

Yeah, thought so. I can pretty much get there with the Cornish G2 into a clean amp, but suspect a Soldano or Friedman might be the win!

I used to have a version one of the Neo Ventilator. I still regret trading it, but you probably know how people can get when it comes to moving gear. You get a little irrational sometimes and trade away or sell something that you come to regret losing sooner or later.

 

Absolutely the best Leslie sim going. The full fat big one is the best- stereo in, which is crucial if you wanna do the panning thing. You need to tame the preamp though as it can add another layer of gain.

 

I generally dislike Strymon but the Lex is excellent too, but the Neo has more depth.

 

Has Alex ever used Leslies?

 

I can't think of any Rush songs where he has used one. He was much more of a Phaser, Flanger, Chorus guy.

 

I have several Strymon pedals, pretty much all delay: Volante, DIG, Brigadier, and Deco. The Deco can do some overdrive on the left side, and zero thru flanging, chorus, and short delay on the right side. It is great for slap back echo. I also have a T-Rex Replicator Tape Delay (I bought the hype that real tape somehow was better than DSP tape emulators. And I used to have a Strymon El Capistan that I traded after getting the Replicator. I also wish I had that one back.) But the Replicator sounds great. It's just huge and impractical. I got it for a really good deal a couple of years ago. I've already tried to sell it once at my favorite guitar shop. They wouldn't take it because they had one before and it sat with them for a long time. I may try to sell it myself, though. It's just been sitting, especially since I got the Volante.

 

I tried the Volante v my EchoCzar- the EZ isn't quite as flexible but it smashed it on tone. I love all TRex Stuff- everything they make is awesome. The Moller Drive is a masterpiece. The Deco is one Strymon I really like- very different and lo-fi.

 

Question; does Alex ONLY use amp drive ?

 

 

I used to have a version one of the Neo Ventilator. I still regret trading it, but you probably know how people can get when it comes to moving gear. You get a little irrational sometimes and trade away or sell something that you come to regret losing sooner or later.

 

Absolutely the best Leslie sim going. The full fat big one is the best- stereo in, which is crucial if you wanna do the panning thing. You need to tame the preamp though as it can add another layer of gain.

 

I generally dislike Strymon but the Lex is excellent too, but the Neo has more depth.

 

Has Alex ever used Leslies?

My squeezes:

 

Guitars:

1959 Strat

1963 Strat (refin)

1966 Custom Telecaster

1972 LP Special

1970 LP with Bigsby and P90s

1974 Thinline Telecaster

1959 ES330

Peter Green R9 Les Paul

Takamine GN93 Acoustic

 

Amps:

1963 2 x 10 Vibroverb (362 out of 626 made)

1965 Deluxe Reverb

1973 Hiwatt SA212 50w

Lazy J40 Tweed

Yamaha RA100 Leslie

 

Let's talk about some of your pedals!

 

I see Kingsley, KoT, a Klon KTR (is that what it's called?,) some Thorpy, Pete Cornish, and a few other things I can't quite identify.

 

Oh, and enough Tube Drivers to make Eric Johnson envious. :lol:

 

Hahaha OK!

 

Here's the chain:

 

1. Skrystrup Volume (one of the 6 EB modded ones he made for the Gilmour tour 2015)

2. Boss TB2W Tone Bender - I am a 'Boss' artist, so they very kindly sent me one when they came out- incredible fuzz, great for Lerxst type hammer on sustain

3. ThorpyFX Compressor

Then into the Gigrig G2:

L1: Cornish G2 Distortion (like a Rat really)

L2: BK Tube Driver 1987 Long box version- loads sweeter, less gain, more compression than the new ones.

L3: 1989 'Civil War' Muff- THE Gilmour Muff for 30 yrs now

L4: King Of Tone

L5: Klon KTR

L6 Kingsley Page Tube EQ - very low gain

L7- 3 thorpy mods- Phaser Chorus Flange- all sep pedals

L8: Pete Cornish Tape Echo Sim- the best delay money can buy but basically a super modded DD2 chip inside. 3/4k if you can find one on Reverb, otherwise 4 yrs wait.

L9: ToneCzar Echoczar/Angel Baby Chorus- a magnificent analogue MN3005 delay/chorus- like a DMM in stereo

L10: Neo Ventilator Leslie or TC1210 Spatial Expander in stereo out to...

Amp A and Amp B.

 

The pic with all the Tube Drivers- mine is a very sweet Tube Driver. BK Butler made loads of slightly different types- we were testing a load to see what's best as a mate of mine wants to clone them- he'd modded some of them to 24v (from mains) and we were trying to test.

Huge Bowie fan here, staggered Alladin Sane so high.

 

Station to Station, Low, Dogs for me.

Just completed the seven episodes of Dopesick on Disney +. the story of Oxycontin and Purdue Pharma.

 

Absolutely scary, with a brilliant performance by Michael Keaton as an addicted doctor and the whole US Opioid addiction - we in UK knew very little about this as Oxy never got prescribed here (only for terminal cancer)

 

9/10. Really recommend it.