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

[EagleMoon]

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.

 

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).

 

Reminds me of a Schwinn bike. :)

[fraroc]

I just listened to YYZ from ASOH and that further solidified my love for the Wal MK1, you just hear every note as clear as day.

[edhunter]

I never much cared for the Wal tone until I heard the Mirrors bootleg. It was the red Wal on that your and it had a very deep, pure sound without the annoying twang of the black one.

[EagleMoon]

I never much cared for the Wal tone until I heard the Mirrors bootleg. It was the red Wal on that your and it had a very deep, pure sound without the annoying twang of the black one.

 

Yeah the black one had a more farty tone. Never liked it with Rush music but overall their tone sounds very woody. Nice on its own though.

[Stormtron]

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.

 

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).

 

I remembered this one because of the shirt.

 

http://i.imgur.com/fcRwqpJ.jpg

[edhunter]

He must've modified the hell out of it. P-basses didn't have 2 pickups or 4 knobs back then. Judging by the headstock, he also put a new neck on it as well.

[EagleMoon]

He must've modified the hell out of it. P-basses didn't have 2 pickups or 4 knobs back then. Judging by the headstock, he also put a new neck on it as well.

 

No new neck. He cut the headstock into that shape.

[toymaker]

Isn't there a picture of him playing that teardrop thing on the All the World's a Stage album?

 

Edit - there's a few pictures on AtWaS - one where you can see on its stand, one little one where he's playing it, and one where he's carrying it off the stage

 

and another where he's holding it and waving at the audience

 

You know, I've never noticed Lifeson's ES in the shadows there on the front cover.

Edited September 5, 2016 by toymaker

[EagleMoon]

Isn't there a picture of him playing that teardrop thing on the All the World's a Stage album?

 

Edit - there's a few pictures on AtWaS - one where you can see on its stand, one little one where he's playing it, and one where he's carrying it off the stage

 

and another where he's holding it and waving at the audience

 

You know, I've never noticed Lifeson's ES in the shadows there on the front cover.

 

I just think about what that P bass would be worth today if he hadn't chopped it up.

[toymaker]

Isn't there a picture of him playing that teardrop thing on the All the World's a Stage album?

 

Edit - there's a few pictures on AtWaS - one where you can see on its stand, one little one where he's playing it, and one where he's carrying it off the stage

 

and another where he's holding it and waving at the audience

 

You know, I've never noticed Lifeson's ES in the shadows there on the front cover.

 

I just think about what that P bass would be worth today if he hadn't chopped it up.

 

Or is it worth more because he did? Folks are strange...

[toymaker]

Is this the back of the teardrop bass? I see a hint of blue there.

 

http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/alltheworldsastage-1.jpg

 

But not as blue as in this picture

 

http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/alltheworldsastage-3.jpg

 

http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/alltheworldsastage-10.jpg

 

http://cygnus-x1.net/links/rush/images/albums/alltheworldsastage-30.jpg

 

Geez. The stuff I care about...

[EagleMoon]

Isn't there a picture of him playing that teardrop thing on the All the World's a Stage album?

 

Edit - there's a few pictures on AtWaS - one where you can see on its stand, one little one where he's playing it, and one where he's carrying it off the stage

 

and another where he's holding it and waving at the audience

 

You know, I've never noticed Lifeson's ES in the shadows there on the front cover.

 

I just think about what that P bass would be worth today if he hadn't chopped it up.

 

Or is it worth more because he did? Folks are strange...

 

I would say less because he did. Only reason someone would want to buy it in it's current state would be to hang on the wall.

[Slim]

 

 

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 didn't know that he'd done it himself, but I do recall that he said he'd "basically ruined" it by having it done. Saw him play Working Man with that bass once. Happy days.

[Slim]

He must've modified the hell out of it. P-basses didn't have 2 pickups or 4 knobs back then. Judging by the headstock, he also put a new neck on it as well.

 

I think the neck's original. The headstock was reshaped, and one of the tuners moved.

[New Digital Man]

I guess this is the same Fender Precision before he took the saw to it; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qezwXjFpW-g