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From a musicians standpoint, which of Geddy's basses is the "best"?


fraroc
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  1. 1. Which one of Geddy's bassists is the best?

    • Rickenbacker 4001
      10
    • Rickenbacker 4080 Doubleneck
      1
    • Steinberger L2 Bass
      1
    • Wal MK1
      2
    • Fender Jazz Bass
      10


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I know that even then, it's all a matter of someone's subjected tastes, and I know that I've already made a topic similar to this a long time ago, but as opposed to the opinions of just an average Rush fan, I'd like to get the opinions of musicians. So, I ask you, which one of Geddy Lee's five "iconic" basses is the best one?
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I know that even then, it's all a matter of someone's subjected tastes, and I know that I've already made a topic similar to this a long time ago, but as opposed to the opinions of just an average Rush fan, I'd like to get the opinions of musicians. So, I ask you, which one of Geddy Lee's five "iconic" basses is the best one?

 

Best in what sense? The Wal would be the most expensive one and they are very well built. I could go down the line as far as new pricing but that's kind of pointless. Other than that, the Ric IMO is the I like the sound of the best. But sound is subjective.

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I think most people would start by crossing out the Steinberger, then possibly the doubleneck, which is mostly cool by virtue of being a doubleneck. So it might really be down to three. I do not know enough about Wals to know how versatile they are in terms of tone. I only know that I am not wild about the tone Lee coaxed out of it. I wonder if the Jazz is the most versatile.
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Does not matter which bass that he use. He still always get the "Geddy" sound when he play!

 

Tone really is in the fingers but if he's wanting a particular tone he's going to set whatever amps/simulators he has to sound very much the same.

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Does not matter which bass that he use. He still always get the "Geddy" sound when he play!

 

Tone really is in the fingers but if he's wanting a particular tone he's going to set whatever amps/simulators he has to sound very much the same.

 

^^^This.

My musician friend has done this with various guitars by changes in amp levels and effects. Ged pulls it off brilliantly.

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Does not matter which bass that he use. He still always get the "Geddy" sound when he play!

 

Tone really is in the fingers but if he's wanting a particular tone he's going to set whatever amps/simulators he has to sound very much the same.

 

^^^This.

My musician friend has done this with various guitars by changes in amp levels and effects. Ged pulls it off brilliantly.

 

Exactly. R40 is a prime example. Look at all the basses he used on the tour. He ran them all to the PA though the same signal chain and for the most part there were minor differences in tone.

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Does not matter which bass that he use. He still always get the "Geddy" sound when he play!

 

Tone really is in the fingers but if he's wanting a particular tone he's going to set whatever amps/simulators he has to sound very much the same.

 

^^^This.

My musician friend has done this with various guitars by changes in amp levels and effects. Ged pulls it off brilliantly.

 

Exactly. R40 is a prime example. Look at all the basses he used on the tour. He ran them all to the PA though the same signal chain and for the most part there were minor differences in tone.

 

You really couldn't tell the difference between the Fender jazz, the precision, the thunderbird or the Les Paul bass he used, but for me, I could definitely tell when the Ricky 4001 was being played.

 

I only wish that he broke out the Wal for R40 just so I could hear that tone again,

Edited by fraroc
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Does not matter which bass that he use. He still always get the "Geddy" sound when he play!

 

Tone really is in the fingers but if he's wanting a particular tone he's going to set whatever amps/simulators he has to sound very much the same.

 

^^^This.

My musician friend has done this with various guitars by changes in amp levels and effects. Ged pulls it off brilliantly.

 

Exactly. R40 is a prime example. Look at all the basses he used on the tour. He ran them all to the PA though the same signal chain and for the most part there were minor differences in tone.

 

You really couldn't tell the difference between the Fender jazz, the precision, the thunderbird or the Les Paul bass he used, but for me, I could definitely tell when the Ricky 4001 was being played.

 

I only wish that he broke out the Wal for R40 just so I could hear that tone again,

 

The Ric is the biggest exception I was thinking about when I wrote that. I'm a little surprised it wasnt included either, but I do remember him saying in some interview that he had some kind of an issue with them.

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I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I believe it was.

 

To the OP: I would argue your list leaves out the Wal MK II as well as the White Steinberger XL and multiple jazz basses.

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I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I was a P bass. He didn't use the Ric until the second album. That P bass was the one he cut into a teardrop shape and painted it.

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I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I believe it was.

 

To the OP: I would argue your list leaves out the Wal MK II as well as the White Steinberger XL and multiple jazz basses.

I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I was a P bass. He didn't use the Ric until the second album. That P bass was the one he cut into a teardrop shape and painted it.

So my ears are getting better :D, the tone on that album is killer though, never really noticed it before.

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I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I believe it was.

 

To the OP: I would argue your list leaves out the Wal MK II as well as the White Steinberger XL and multiple jazz basses.

 

He never played those live though.

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I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I believe it was.

 

To the OP: I would argue your list leaves out the Wal MK II as well as the White Steinberger XL and multiple jazz basses.

I like the Jazz, more versatile IMO.

 

I was listening to the Debut today, what is he playing on there? It doesn't sound like any other bass he plays, I almost feel like it's a Pbass, can't put my finger on it though.

 

I was a P bass. He didn't use the Ric until the second album. That P bass was the one he cut into a teardrop shape and painted it.

So my ears are getting better :D, the tone on that album is killer though, never really noticed it before.

 

it is a great tone, too bad most of the songs are yawnsville

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I remember reading somewhere that the "teardrop" bass was entirely custom made. There are also pics of him playing a strange double-cut bass guitar that almost resembles a Wal around the 2112/ATWAS period.
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I remember reading somewhere that the "teardrop" bass was entirely custom made. There are also pics of him playing a strange double-cut bass guitar that almost resembles a Wal around the 2112/ATWAS period.

 

The teardrop bass was his old sunburst P bass cut down by Geddy himself. The double cut bass you're referring to is a Ric 3001.

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Like others have said, best is subjective. I have some crappy bass and some damn nice ones, same with guitars, and the better I've become, the better tone I've produced. My very first bass was a Rogue 200 my wife bought me and man did it sound awful. I bought an Ibanez Gio from a guy looking to dump it off cheap and I'll be damned, it sounded every bit as bad as that Rogue. Well, no it didn't, it was how I attacked the strings, often too hard when I didn't need to. I aldo started playing guitar because one fell in my lap and learned a lot of touch there as well. It's all in the fingers and between your ears. My closest friend is a music prodigy and can pick anything up and play it. Asshole. But he's always loved bass and guitar and when he plays my 200 dollar Ibanez, it sounds every bit as good as my 700 dollar fender jazz. Not for me, but it sounds better for me every month.

Even Geddy has had tonal improvements over the decades.

 

I can't decide on a bass, either. I love the Ric for the treble and mids they produce, and the low and mid lows of the Fender

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I remember reading somewhere that the "teardrop" bass was entirely custom made. There are also pics of him playing a strange double-cut bass guitar that almost resembles a Wal around the 2112/ATWAS period.

 

The teardrop bass was his old sunburst P bass cut down by Geddy himself. The double cut bass you're referring to is a Ric 3001.

 

I had no idea that was a Rick actually, I actually thought it was some kind of obscure off-brand bass.

 

I have a hard time believing that story about the P-bass though...I assumed that his first P-bass was the one that was brought out for R40 when they did Jacob's Ladder.

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I remember reading somewhere that the "teardrop" bass was entirely custom made. There are also pics of him playing a strange double-cut bass guitar that almost resembles a Wal around the 2112/ATWAS period.

 

The teardrop bass was his old sunburst P bass cut down by Geddy himself. The double cut bass you're referring to is a Ric 3001.

 

I had no idea that was a Rick actually, I actually thought it was some kind of obscure off-brand bass.

 

I have a hard time believing that story about the P-bass though...I assumed that his first P-bass was the one that was brought out for R40 when they did Jacob's Ladder.

 

Nope. He's still got it though. You can see it in this pic.

 

http://www.rushisaband.com/images/200904/1083.f.jpg

 

And here he talks about doing it

 

Didn't you cut the '69 Precision into the shape of a star or something?

 

A teardrop, actually. It was very trendy for a while for Toronto bass players to have teardrop-shaped Precisions, It 's got a monster sound, but it's totally uncontrollable. I put a set of Jazz pickups on it, and it's wild; it's the loudest bass you'll ever hear - totally in your face. But I ruined it by cutting the horns off and painting it like a '57 Chevy in a fit of mental retardation! I hate when that happens: "Wouldn't it be cool if I did this?" Yeah, for about 5 minutes... I pulled it out the other day, and it looks so awful. It's baby blue and white-just a gross thing.

 

 

 

I notice he's also got a pic of Lorraine there too. :LOL:

Edited by EagleMoon
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I chose the Fender Jazz as probably being the "best" but his Ric doubleneck is by far my favorite.

 

I always heard that Rics are really hit or miss as far as craftsmanship goes, I'm sure other guys here will know more about that subject than me.

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I remember reading somewhere that the "teardrop" bass was entirely custom made. There are also pics of him playing a strange double-cut bass guitar that almost resembles a Wal around the 2112/ATWAS period.

 

The teardrop bass was his old sunburst P bass cut down by Geddy himself. The double cut bass you're referring to is a Ric 3001.

 

I had no idea that was a Rick actually, I actually thought it was some kind of obscure off-brand bass.

 

I have a hard time believing that story about the P-bass though...I assumed that his first P-bass was the one that was brought out for R40 when they did Jacob's Ladder.

 

Nope. He's still got it though. You can see it in this pic.

 

http://www.rushisaband.com/images/200904/1083.f.jpg

 

And here he talks about doing it

 

Didn't you cut the '69 Precision into the shape of a star or something?

 

A teardrop, actually. It was very trendy for a while for Toronto bass players to have teardrop-shaped Precisions, It 's got a monster sound, but it's totally uncontrollable. I put a set of Jazz pickups on it, and it's wild; it's the loudest bass you'll ever hear - totally in your face. But I ruined it by cutting the horns off and painting it like a '57 Chevy in a fit of mental retardation! I hate when that happens: "Wouldn't it be cool if I did this?" Yeah, for about 5 minutes... I pulled it out the other day, and it looks so awful. It's baby blue and white-just a gross thing.

 

 

 

I notice he's also got a pic of Lorraine there too. :LOL:

 

Wow this is only the second picture I've ever seen of his teardrop bass! The other was from way way way back and I think even black and white (it might have been from their 'Visions' book around the HYF era).

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