tom petersson (from cheap trick)

[Goteky45]

i need some info about this: does he always use an 8 or a 12 string bass? and how the hell does he make it sound so low? and what basses did he use?

ty

[faivy]

He doesn't always use the 8 or 12. Check out the Cheap Trick doing Sgt. Pepper DVD. He uses a 1960s T-Bird II with Hiwatt or Reeves heads. I don't remember the cab. He has a great sound.

[Greevus]

Gonna Raise Heeeelllll!!!!!

[JSK5String]

On their own tunes, he's been using his Waterstone signature 12'ers for a few years now. He was using a 34" scale version for quite a while, but I'm pretty sure he switched to the 32" scale version about a year or so ago thanks to Jim Morgan from the Dry Band turning him on to the one he has. He did use a four string on most of the Sgt. Pepper Live project.

If Jim's a TB'er I'm sure he'll pick up on this thread and can provide much more accurate information, as he's become decent friends with Tom due his association with Waterstone.

[CapnSev]

Pretty much all of the classic CT albums with Tom are on an 8 or 12 string. The only exception I can think of are the Sgt. Pepper recordings and the first album.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by CapnSev

Pretty much all of the classic CT albums with Tom are on an 8 or 12 string. The only exception I can think of are the Sgt. Pepper recordings and the first album.

nope, actually, their producer tom werman hated the 12 string, and had tom use either an 8-string or he'd have him overdub parts with a 4 and a guitar. a long time ago, i met tom werman, and i didn't get to ask him much, but he did, indeed, say he hated the 12 string. plus tom peterssen often used a 4 as well. however, the album that made them, at budokan, is actually 12 string when you hear 12 string bass. and later on he recorded in studio with it. but he used a lot of 4 back then. when i saw them back then, he was using an Ibanez Musician.

as for how he makes it sound like it does, he uses 3 signals blended through hiwatt and reeves heads and assorted cabs. he actually used to use 3 wirelesses and had his basses wired with separate outputs for each pickup, but i don't think he goes that far with it now. i'm pretty sure he uses one wireless now and splits it into 3.

[Exploiter8]

Didn't he use Hamer during the Budokan days?

X8

[JimmyM]

yeah, but only the 12 was a hamer. when i saw them, he had just gotten one of those hamer 12 strings that looked like an acoustic guitar, and he used that and the ibanez musician 4. no idea what he used for a 4 string at the budokan show, but he used those first generation 12's that looked like les paul jr's.

[KPJ]

Most of Cheap Trick recordings are done with vintage Precisions and Gibson Thunderbird IIs. The 12 string is used more live than in the studio. "Heaven Tonight" was the first song ever recorded with a 12 string bass.

[Rob Martinez]

Yes, Tom Petersson plays the most current version of his Waterstone signature 12 string bass, which is 32" scale. Check out the new finishes, they are killer!

Tom has used Hamer, Kids, and Chandler 12 string basses, and, as mentioned Gibson Thunderbird II and IV basses from 1963 - 1964. He has also played Fender P basses live, and Hofner Club basses as well. To my knowledge he never played an Ibanez, but in the late 70s was known to play Alembic basses, both 4 and 8 string variations.

Tom recorded the song "Stop This Game" with a Rickenbacker 4001 bass. I have never heard or seen him play a Rick live, though on the Sgt. Pepper's DVD, there is clearly a black 4001 or 4003 on a guitar stand as a back up.

Tom runs his 12 string bass through a splitter, one signal going to a Reeves amp for a distorted, treble sound and the other to a Reeves amp for clean lows. Then the two sounds are blended to get his amazing tone. He only uses guitar amps, even for the low end.