Time machine bass

[Gilbertk]

My understanding was that it was his original '72 jazz (that the signature bass was designed after). It has a non-original neck, but he had to replace that years ago.

[GuitarPlyr01]

Obviously, both have backups. I know for a fact Alex carries two or three of the Cherry Sunburst Les Paul's. If I remember correctly, one is normal, one gets a nice acoustic sound (see Workin them Angels) and another is a spare.

 

I honestly thought he'd have an extra Tele or PRS, just in case (and on this past tour, seemed like he was using backups more than usual)

 

Geddy looks like he carries a spare or two as well.

 

PS- Geddy's best bass sound (just my opinion) was on Rush in Rio. Where'd that sound go?

 

Must have been the Henhouse

[hughes&kettner]

QUOTE (Ted Barchetta @ Nov 9 2010, 04:13 PM)

QUOTE (Mr. Krinkle @ Nov 9 2010, 06:14 AM) Alex's electric guitars for the Time Machine tour..... http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll215/TPesch2112/IMG_1336.jpg Ahh...the lone Fender in a sea of Gibson.   Love that Tele. hey...there ARE 2 prs in that stable...not only a sea of gibson...

[micgtr71]

I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite.

[hughes&kettner]

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM)

I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite.

that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone?

[Mr. Krinkle]

Necks do not last forever. Your old Fender might have a neck that has not needed much adjustment, and you are not out on tour and in the studio with it for the last 16+ years and counting. Geddy's has been adjusted countless times and you can only correct the straightness of wood so much to where eventually the wood wins and the neck is too full of waves that it is impossible to fret good notes on it anymore.

 

Some necks last longer than others. Geddy has used that bass A LOT. And all of the tepmperature and weather extremes that bass has endured over the last 16 years is enough to warrant a new neck.

 

It's nothing shocking really. The old one just gave out.

Sometimes it's just easier to replace the neck than to re-fret it again for the millionth time or try to straighten it out another time, a few times past it's usable point.

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? Yeah, I can't find anything either. The neck is definitely different in that the original inlays on the 72 were black and these are pearl-ish. I can't find anything stating a reason. As for fender necks, I have had 3 jazz basses, 4 precisions, and 3 strats ranging from '70 to 95. None of those necks just gave out. Granted, mine did not tour the world near-yearly for four decades.

[Mr. Krinkle]

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 13 2010, 08:19 AM)

QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? Yeah, I can't find anything either. The neck is definitely different in that the original inlays on the 72 were black and these are pearl-ish. I can't find anything stating a reason. As for fender necks, I have had 3 jazz basses, 4 precisions, and 3 strats ranging from '70 to 95. None of those necks just gave out. Granted, mine did not tour the world near-yearly for four decades. Well, if you're waiting for a magazine article or a video interview with either Geddy or his bass tech, Russ Ryan, be my guest.   I'll tell you right now, the old neck was probably adjusted and climate affected out of it's usefulness for the last thirty-five years or so.   Yes, the big difference between your Fenders, my Fenders and Geddy Lee's Fenders is that his bass is in use daily, for two-and-a-half hours and is outside and inside. That affects wood. It's probably been re-fretted a couple of times since 1972. You just cant keep re-fretting the neck.   The body is the same. Naturally. It dosent have any give like a neck does.   Trust me. I've been working on guitars since 1982. I think I know what I'm talking about here.   It's a brand new neck from the Fender custom shop. That bass will now out live Geddy.

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Mr. Krinkle @ Nov 13 2010, 09:00 AM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 13 2010, 08:19 AM) QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? Yeah, I can't find anything either. The neck is definitely different in that the original inlays on the 72 were black and these are pearl-ish. I can't find anything stating a reason. As for fender necks, I have had 3 jazz basses, 4 precisions, and 3 strats ranging from '70 to 95. None of those necks just gave out. Granted, mine did not tour the world near-yearly for four decades. Well, if you're waiting for a magazine article or a video interview with either Geddy or his bass tech, Russ Ryan, be my guest.   I'll tell you right now, the old neck was probably adjusted and climate affected out of it's usefulness for the last thirty-five years or so.   Yes, the big difference between your Fenders, my Fenders and Geddy Lee's Fenders is that his bass is in use daily, for two-and-a-half hours and is outside and inside. That affects wood. It's probably been re-fretted a couple of times since 1972. You just cant keep re-fretting the neck.   The body is the same. Naturally. It dosent have any give like a neck does.   Trust me. I've been working on guitars since 1982. I think I know what I'm talking about here.   It's a brand new neck from the Fender custom shop. That bass will now out live Geddy. I think we are saying the same thing. It is clear from the pictures that the body is old. Neither of us are contesting that. There is no doubt in my mind as to the fact that the neck was swapped out. We never read anywhere as to why Geddy had it done. That is what I am searching for. Your expertise is dully noted but what was the reason that it gave out? Your speculation is probably accurate, but I have not found anywhere where Geddy has said this. He swapped out the pickguard and clearly that did not fail. My only point is that I would like to hear Geddy's reason-clearly for interest. No offense to you is intended.

[InvisibleAirwaves13]

I don't think the old neck gave out. I remember reading that the original neck on the '72 was worn out and Geddy had one from his Signature model put on it for the Snakes and Arrows tour. I own the Signature model and it is a tank. The neck is very well built. In this case I think Geddy had the new Pearl custom neck put on his '72 body to match the theme of the show and the new pick guard. It is simple aesthetics and nothing about the funtionality or tone of the bass. I think we can all allow Geddy a little creativity and variety here. He did after all sound superb this tour so no complaints from me!

 

[Rushchick10]

QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? I have one somewhere...I'll hunt around and get it posted. I remember reading an interview with him where he talked about it.

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 13 2010, 05:11 PM)

QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? I have one somewhere...I'll hunt around and get it posted. I remember reading an interview with him where he talked about it. Thanks in advance, I would love to read that.

[Rushchick10]

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 13 2010, 06:02 PM)

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 13 2010, 05:11 PM) QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? I have one somewhere...I'll hunt around and get it posted. I remember reading an interview with him where he talked about it. Thanks in advance, I would love to read that. Bass Player magazine, August 2007, Page 36:   "For most of the current tour, Geddy is playing his original '72 Jazz bass, which he recently fitted with a new neck. 'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains. 'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'"   He goes on to explain how he had a neck fitted to his bass that is from the signature model, then sanded down the neck to remove the lacquer and upgraded the tuning pegs (which Fender ended up doing on all the signature basses from that point on.).   Knew I had it somewhere!

[InvisibleAirwaves13]

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 14 2010, 10:17 AM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 13 2010, 06:02 PM) QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 13 2010, 05:11 PM) QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? I have one somewhere...I'll hunt around and get it posted. I remember reading an interview with him where he talked about it. Thanks in advance, I would love to read that. Bass Player magazine, August 2007, Page 36:   "For most of the current tour, Geddy is playing his original '72 Jazz bass, which he recently fitted with a new neck. 'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains. 'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'"   He goes on to explain how he had a neck fitted to his bass that is from the signature model, then sanded down the neck to remove the lacquer and upgraded the tuning pegs (which Fender ended up doing on all the signature basses from that point on.).   Knew I had it somewhere! That is what I remember reading. That would make the S&A neck on the '72 about 2 - 3 years old. No way that neck wore out before the Time machine Tour. He simply put another new custom neck on the bass to match the Pearl pickguard. In any event it looked cool and sounded awesome!

[Rushchick10]

QUOTE (InvisibleAirwaves13 @ Nov 14 2010, 11:17 AM)

In any event it looked cool and sounded awesome!

Indeed it did!

[Mr. Krinkle]

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 14 2010, 10:17 AM)

'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains. 'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'"

[Rushchick10]

QUOTE (Mr. Krinkle @ Nov 15 2010, 12:07 PM)

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 14 2010, 10:17 AM) 'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains.  'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'" I knew you were right, at least...if that counts for anything!

[Mr. Krinkle]

[rushdawg]

It's probably a new jazz bass made for him by Fender useing his specs that he wants and changing some things up with the look.... He has about 8 basses on his rack on the side stage... I'm pretty sure he would leave his original alone as that is what makes it special and valuable... It's probably a new bass mirrored from the specs of his vintage one, just kinda like his signature model that Fender sells.. My 2 cents lol

[Mr. Krinkle]

It's still the 1972 body with the same pickups/electronics strapbuttons, and Badass II bridge that he installed in 1982 after the Moving Pictures tour.

He replaced the pickguard with a pearl one and the neck is new from the Fender custom shop.

 

 

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 14 2010, 10:17 AM)

QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 13 2010, 06:02 PM) QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 13 2010, 05:11 PM) QUOTE (hughes&kettner @ Nov 11 2010, 10:34 AM) QUOTE (micgtr71 @ Nov 11 2010, 08:35 AM) I also wonder why he would replace the neck unless something broke on it. I have an old Fender and the neck is fine. Something must have happened-pickguard is cool though MOP is not my favorite. that's what i'm saying. still waiting for someone to give proof that something happend to the '72. magazie or www interview? anyone? I have one somewhere...I'll hunt around and get it posted. I remember reading an interview with him where he talked about it. Thanks in advance, I would love to read that. Bass Player magazine, August 2007, Page 36:   "For most of the current tour, Geddy is playing his original '72 Jazz bass, which he recently fitted with a new neck. 'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains. 'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'"   He goes on to explain how he had a neck fitted to his bass that is from the signature model, then sanded down the neck to remove the lacquer and upgraded the tuning pegs (which Fender ended up doing on all the signature basses from that point on.).   Knew I had it somewhere! Thanks for posting that! I thought that I had read that but I wasn't sure if it was here or from Geddy's mouth. Thanks again!

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (Mr. Krinkle @ Nov 15 2010, 12:07 PM)

QUOTE (Rushchick10 @ Nov 14 2010, 10:17 AM) 'The original neck was pretty much shot,' he explains.  'We had adjusted the trussrod so many times that it was becoming problematic, and the frets had been re-dressed one too many times-it just couldn't take it anymore.'" I never said that I didn't believe you. Thanks for the wave though. I just wanted to know where it came from is all. Thanks for the sarcasm though, it made my day.

[Mr. Krinkle]

It's all good.

[New Digital Man]

Geddy's tone is more about his rig than his guitar and that's a fact!

[micgtr71]

QUOTE (New Digital Man @ Nov 22 2010, 05:59 PM)

Geddy's tone is more about his rig than his guitar and that's a fact!

I would say its more about his hands and soul than anything else. He could play a silvertone through a lunchbox and sound good. I always saw the rig and the bass as the tools. If I played Geddy's bass through his rig I don't think I would sound as good as he. But if he played my Fender J through my son's Peavey practice amp, he would sound amazing.