Chris Squire and the 8 string.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #1 10-14-2010, 03:54 PM

Okay, so I watched Yes; Songs from Tsongas, and on "Going for the One" Squire busted out some kind of 8 string bass. I was wondering if he's using an 8 on the original recording (what other reason would he have for using it live on that song?), and if so, what kind of 8 string. Also, I've heard that Squire modded his Ric, and I have not noticed, what mods are there?

jumbodbassman · #2 10-14-2010, 03:56 PM

seen him use a 8 string for many an encore of roundabout in the 70's and early 80's. usually was a white one with black pg

Hoover · #3 10-14-2010, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

I was wondering if he's using an 8 on the original recording (what other reason would he have for using it live on that song?)

Maybe 'cuz he discovered it sounded cool after the fact? See below:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumbodbassman

seen him use a 8 string for many an encore of roundabout in the 70's and early 80's.

Yep, I saw him pull out an 8-string bass for the encore of "Roundabout" in 1979. I believe it was a Rainney (sp?). That song was originally recorded with his Rickenbacker 4-string (and then double-tracked 8va with an archtop hollowbody acoustic guitar...so I suppose one could argue that he used the 8-string live to recreate that tone?)

There's nothing about the sound of the bass on the original "Going For The One" recording that makes me think it's an 8-string. Then again, nearly any bass Squire plays winds up sounding more like him than it does like a particular bass, so...

SactoBass · #4 10-14-2010, 08:34 PM

Squire used an 8-string on the original recording of Going for the One. I'm not sure if he used his 8-string Ric for that, or if he had acquired his 8-string Ranney by then (he definitely had his Ranney by the time he recorded 90125). Chris preferred the Ranney because of the ability to intonate each of the 8 strings individually (the 8-string Ric could only intonate the four pairs....each pair having the same setting).

Hoover · #5 10-15-2010, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SactoBass

Squire used an 8-string on the original recording of Going for the One.

Got a citation for that? Not trying to be a dick, just curious. As I said, there's nothing about the sound of the bass on "Going For The One" that strikes me as conspicuously octave course-y.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #6 10-15-2010, 08:26 AM

It does to me. especially in the fills or at the beginning. It sounds like bass, made really punchy and Ric-esque, but then given a small bit of bass-loaded, overdriven guitar, just a tad. And, he has an 8 string Ric?

OPBASSMAN1994 · #7 10-15-2010, 08:27 AM

Is that the mod he had done to his original Ric?

iamthebassman · #8 10-15-2010, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OPBASSMAN1994

Is that the mod he had done to his original Ric?

Two main mods to the 1999 are:

Body is thinner from being shaved down. In his younger days CS would stick wallpaper/shelfpaper/stickers on his (originally Fireglo)bass, then when he was tired of it he took it to someone to get it removed, the guy just shaved/sanded it off, taking some wood with it, CS says this accounts for his bass' unique tone.

Output rewired to stereo.

And since this thread needs some pics, here's my super-rare 4001CS-LH.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #9 10-15-2010, 09:20 AM

So his original 64 Ric did not suffer being re-invented into an 8? I'm glad to hear that.

OPBASSMAN1994 · #10 10-15-2010, 09:21 AM

He has a normal Ric and an 8 string, then. He also I guess has another 8, a Fender custom P bass, and all that.

Kink Rimson · #11 10-15-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Got a citation for that? Not trying to be a dick, just curious. As I said, there's nothing about the sound of the bass on "Going For The One" that strikes me as conspicuously octave course-y.

It doesn't jump out at you, but it's there - listen to the bass fill at 0:36, just after the line 'would you like to go and shoot the mountain masses', it's quite clear.

Mr Squire also uses the Rick 8 string on 'Awaken', to far more obvious effect.

lowendblues · #12 10-15-2010, 10:31 AM

Squire used an 8-string Rickenbacker in the early days. It was white with black binding and black guard and TRC, but a dot inlay neck, and vintage "potato head" headstock.

From what I understand, RIC made 2 of them, and John Entwistle got the other one. I saw Squire use it on the Drama tour back in the day.

He used it until the neck became unplayable and then replaced it with his custom made 8-string Ranney. If you look at the Ranney, the body is shaped similar to a Rickenbacker.

Im not sure, but I think there may have been an Alembic 8 string somewhere along the line as well. I think theres a photo on the inside of "Yesshows".

lowendblues · #13 10-15-2010, 10:50 AM

Before someone ask's,, this is Rickenbackers vintage Potato head design.

weemac · #14 10-15-2010, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

It doesn't jump out at you, but it's there - listen to the bass fill at 0:36, just after the line 'would you like to go and shoot the mountain masses', it's quite clear.

Mr Squire also uses the Rick 8 string on 'Awaken', to far more obvious effect.

The octave sound on the 4008 basses dosen't always stick out, as Rickenbacker set the pairs fairly close together causing them to choke each other out a bit. It is more noticable the further you travel up the neck.
A very idosyncratic instrument, but gosh what a sound.
My 4008 makes the same sort of "Prime Mover" sound that Waterstone TP-12s are renowned for (just without the chorus effect)
Going for the one is without doubt the 4008... And it's even more obvious on the Yeshows live version..

emac.

Hoover · #15 10-15-2010, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kink Rimson

Mr Squire also uses the Rick 8 string on 'Awaken', to far more obvious effect.

Huh... and I'd heard that the original recording of "Awaken" was done on his Wal triple-neck.

weemac · #16 10-15-2010, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

Huh... and I'd heard that the original recording of "Awaken" was done on his Wal triple-neck.

The original recording was the 4008. The triple Wal. was previously used by Roger Newel who was Ricks bass player for his live band. The bass was commisioned and owned by Rick.
The octave neck on the Wal started as a 6 string guitar configuration for Roger, and Chris had it modified to be an octave neck. All together the octave neck the fretted and fretless necks enalbed Chris to play Awaken live..

12bass · #17 10-15-2010, 01:16 PM

Yes sucks....

Hmmm.... didn't Chris play 8-string on Changes too? When they played the Union tour in Vancouver I asked him if he'd ever played a 12-string and he said he had..... though I don't think he owns one.

jim777 · #18 10-15-2010, 03:20 PM

On a lot of the old album liner notes it says "Harmonised Rickenbacker bass" when he used the 8 string. You can see it called that on GFTO and Tormato at a minimum if I'm not mistaken.

SactoBass · #19 10-15-2010, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

On a lot of the old album liner notes it says "Harmonised Rickenbacker bass" when he used the 8 string. You can see it called that on GFTO and Tormato at a minimum if I'm not mistaken.

Chris used the "harmonized" effect on the Tormato album. It was his 4-string Ric going through an Eventide harmonizer H3000 (plus a Mutron III for the "ow" envelope sound).

SactoBass · #20 10-15-2010, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

... didn't Chris play 8-string on Changes too?

Yep, that was his 8-string Ranney. The E and A strings were tuned an octave apart, and the D and G strings were tuned a fifth apart. Same on Hearts as well.