Abe Laboriel's 8-string bass, from the 80s?

[aktech]

Hey all - Newbie on this particular forum. Today I once again found myself trying to find info on the 8-string bass that Abe Laboriel played in the 80s (on tunes that I recall) and probably longer. While perusing TB today, I found a photo of it, only two that I have seen. Re-posted here. It's the burgundy colored bass in the triple stand, sitting in the foreground. (NOT the bass he is holding) It may have been built as a custom Hamer (seem to recall seeing Hamer logo on the headstock photo many years ago). But any Hamers that I find in search results always have that typical roundish signature body style, whereas Abe's bass has a P-bass shape. Anyone recognize his 8-string bass and *definitively* know what it is... brand and model? Thanks!

 

[two fingers]

The head is unmistakable. That's James Tyler's work. Start there.

 

[wraub]

This one?

 

[wraub]

Concert from '84, he plays it a lot here. From about 1:07:10 or so there are some pretty good shots of the peghead, and the last song has many closeups of the bass, but the details are kind of indistinct.

 

[Keith Guitars]

That's a Valley Arts custom, probably built from parts made by another shop.
(IIRC Valley Arts was mostly an assembler.)
Cool bass - I have the old Star Licks VHS lesson tape with Abe on it, and he plays that bass a bit.

 

[aktech]

This one?

Yes... that's the one!

 

[aktech]

Concert from '84, he plays it a lot here. From about 1:07:10 or so there are some pretty good shots of the peghead, and the last song has many closeups of the bass, but the details are kind of indistinct.

Awesome.... thanks for posting this video!

 

[aktech]

That's a Valley Arts custom, probably built from parts made by another shop.
(IIRC Valley Arts was mostly an assembler.)
Cool bass - I have the old Star Licks VHS lesson tape with Abe on it, and he plays that bass a bit.

Thanks for the information! Yes, a fantastic bass. Pretty certain that among the projects he used it was on at least a couple tracks from Larry Carlton's "Alone But Never Alone." The super smooth groove of "Pure Delight" on that record comes to mind.

 

[randy99]

hah, same bass he played with Lee Ritenour in this awesome video:



I was blown away since I was a teenager when I first saw it back in the 80s because he seems to be playing the individual strings of an 8 string bass. The other video here shows more of the same. Incredible

 

[aktech]

hah, same bass he played with Lee Ritenour in this awesome video:

Oh man, I loved those "Rit" years. Superb recordings and stellar musicianship on those GRP record releases. Abe tears it up! So fun to see him get excited and start hopping up and down when he's in a heavy groove. Thanks for sharing!



I was blown away since I was a teenager when I first saw it back in the 80s because he seems to be playing the individual strings of an 8 string bass. The other video here shows more of the same. Incredible

 

[NG51]

Man, what a player!

 

[Rune Bivrin]

hah, same bass he played with Lee Ritenour in this awesome video:



I was blown away since I was a teenager when I first saw it back in the 80s because he seems to be playing the individual strings of an 8 string bass. The other video here shows more of the same. Incredible

The eighties is strong in this one!

 

[randy99]

The eighties is strong in this one!

mullets, blue blazers, soulful sax, and the dude who wrote the theme for St. Elsewhere...short of parachute pants, that video pretty much has it wrapped up for THE 80S.

 

[randy99]

mullets, blue blazers, soulful sax, and the dude who wrote the theme for St. Elsewhere...short of parachute pants, that video pretty much has it wrapped up for THE 80S.

oh, and I forgot to add I first watched it when I was working in a Radio Shack, in the mall, on a Pioneer LASERDISC!

 

[scowboy]

oh, and I forgot to add I first watched it when I was working in a Radio Shack, in the mall, on a Pioneer LASERDISC!

Haha... I also worked at Radio Shack in the 80's. Actually was a great place to work in my last two years of high school.

 

[aktech]

oh, and I forgot to add I first watched it when I was working in a Radio Shack, in the mall, on a Pioneer LASERDISC!

LASERDISC! Now you're scarin' me Are we getting older, or what? Moot point, I know. But bass is bass, no matter the age! We're all about dat bass

 

[Jim Bogue]

That's a Valley Arts custom, probably built from parts made by another shop.
(IIRC Valley Arts was mostly an assembler.)
Cool bass - I have the old Star Licks VHS lesson tape with Abe on it, and he plays that bass a bit.

What is the video's title if you don`t mind? I had a Star Licks 'best of' where he played one of my favorites solos on that bass. I loaned it and never saw it again. Thanks!