Agreed. Maybe Steve Bailey isn't totally aware of them? AJ's first Ken Smith is much more the model for modern 6ers than the Thompson bass. I was thinking to email Mr Bailey on this topic with the offer to take that Smith bass as show-and-tell the next time AJ does a Berklee presentation.
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Anthony Jackson
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Agreed. Maybe Steve Bailey isn't totally aware of them? AJ's first Ken Smith is much more the model for modern 6ers than the Thompson bass. I was thinking to email Mr Bailey on this topic with the offer to take that Smith bass as show-and-tell the next time AJ does a Berklee presentation.
Yeah,
To hear Anthony tell it in previous interviews, Ken Smith was the first guy to "get it". Yet no mention.
I've always found it funny that, for a guy who obviously didn't "get it", and was borderline "pissed off" at the idea when presented to him by Anthony, Carl's arguably most recognizable bass is the 6 string fretless he made for Les Claypool.
To be fair, it wasn't a comprehensive talk about the evolution of the contrabass. Besides #1 and #12, both of which were on stage, there was only a brief mention of #7 IIRC.
Steve Bailey did at least say Ken Smith's name...
And with all do infinte respect to Anthony: When I think of the contra I desire, it’s a fretless Marleaux.
I know- who cares!
I know- who cares!
He had suffered two strokes worse than the one in '98. He hasn't played in two years but is recovering.
He did?
I didn't hear that. I'll have to re-watch.
I thought the mention of #7 was to indicate it as the first Fodera in the evolution.
I know I have an interview somewhere where he gives a complete chronology.
I just don't remember where Smith left off and Fodera started.
For those interested, i have a copy of the interview and columns that were mentioned by BP editor Jim Roberts at the Berklee event . If you are interested please send me a PM.
I think Fodera worked for Ken Smith during his beginning career. After he left he continued to work with Anthony Jackson.
As far as the Carl Thompson bass, I believed it was to large of a scale to work with. If I'm not mistaken and vague on it but I think it was close to the scale of an Upright. Back then I don't think and pretty sure if AJ got the first Contra bass, they didn't make a B string and I think they used an upright A string.
The thing Anthony hated about the Carl Thompson was the narrow spacing at the bridge.
He said he had just assumed Carl would make it normal 1/4" / 19mm spacing, and was quite shocked and
disappointed when he saw the finished product.
UPDATES:
Vinnie also worked for Stuart Spector in his early career. Before Ken Smith.
Note: Vinnie Fodera made Spector NS2
Further research indicates the 41" scale Carl Thompson was #2 and was somehow destroyed in a home accident.
Smith seems to have made #3 thru #6.
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Maybe he did work with Spector but on Wikipedia : "Fodera is an American manufacturer of electric bass guitars in Brooklyn, New York. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] launched the company around 1983 after dissolving their working relationship with [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]. The company also manufactures a limited number of guitars each year. Fodera's first official instrument was a guitar."
And you are right the foirst carl Thompson was a 34 in 1975 But I found this. "Jackson and Thompson made some more experiments around 1976 including a fantastic 44in-scale trial bass guitar"
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This may have been linked before in this thread, but definitely worth another look.
Anthony Jackson's Bass Guitars
Anthony Jackson's Bass Guitars
This is not surprising, as it is my understanding that Fodera worked for Ken Smith at the time and actually built the two Ken Smith 6-string basses that Anthony Jackson received.
The Fodera branded basses began with #5, not #7, but #5 & #6 were double cutaway Fodera Anthony Jackson Contrabass models. The first single cutaway was #7. There were 4 built over an interval of several years with Anthony settling in on #10 for many years. #11 was built some years later, in about 2005, with a 34" spec but was not embraced by Mr Jackson. #12 is a hybrid design closely following the custom instrument built for TB member wrp.
For chronology up to 10 look at this interview with Mr. Jackson:
Anthony Jackson's Bass Guitars
It was taken down!
Argh. This video makes me angry. I can't stand Steve's playing and the fact that the bass went from being in my bass hero's hands to the total opposite...
