Bootsy Collins' original Space Bass

[Daveypoo]

I was curious about Bootsy's original white Space Bass today and I did some searching and came upon these two links. Thought others here may enjoy the read - good stuff.

http://www.angelfire.com/music2/pfunk/feat-spacebass.html

THE UNIQUE GUITAR BLOG: Bootsy Collins' Space Bass

I would love to get a look at it in person. It also got me thinking - does Bootsy still have the Jazz Bass that James Brown bought for him?

 

[Chicory Blue]

I heard the luthier's story was a cover and the real bass was beamed down to him from the Mothership.

A legendary instrument if ever there was one.

--^@

 

[Daveypoo]

I've been telling my 6 year old that one of life's greatest lessons is that Bootsy Collins is from outerspace, so this I believe is truth.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Has anyone here ever played one of these factory space bass copies ?

 

[Daveypoo]

The Washburn copies or the Warwick ones? I'd love to get my hands on either to check it out.

 

[Bo0tsy]

The Washburn copies or the Warwick ones? I'd love to get my hands on either to check it out.

I have both ... the Washburn is much more than a copy. My first and favourite bass.

 

[Daveypoo]

HOLY C**P!!!! Can you send sound samples? I'd LOVE to hear how those sound!

Are they easy to play? How's the setup? Does the Washburn have 4 outputs like the original? Can you swap out the pickups? The original Space Bass has had numerous pickup configs over the years...

Man - I need some details here!

 

[Bo0tsy]

I find them pretty easy to play. I actually learnt how to play bass with the Washburn! The set up is nothing like Bootsy's original Larry Pless spacebass though. The Washburn is a passive bass, the Warwick can be active or passive.

Here's some spec's on the Washburn Bootsy:

Built in the USA custom shop (mine is no. 8 of 100, but never sure how many were actually completed)
Mahogany body with maple cap
Maple neck
Birdeye maple figureboard with pearl star inlays
Rhinestone encrusted mirrored pickguard
Gold Bad Ass II Bridge
2 Seymour Duncan STKJ2 JJ Humbuckers
Mirrored Star Controls: Volume, Tone, Volume, Tone
Grover bass tuners
Buzz Feiten Tuning System
Made in 2006.

I've no sound samples but it's a very deep sounding bass. Sounds beautiful with a bit of compression or if I play through a Mu Tron III.

And on the Warwick:

Bolt on Mahogany body with purple pickguard
Maple neck with E kanga veneer stripes and star inlays
Rosewood Fretboard
Nicksilver frets
50.8cm radius fretboard
Active MEC J/TJ pickups
Active MEC 2 band electronics: volume, balance, bass and treble
Volume control push / pull function for EQ bypass
Bass control with push/pull function for split operation of the bridge pickup
2piece Warwick bridge
Warwick machine heads
Warwick red label strings 45-105
Special Warwick Purple Burst finish
Made in 2014.
Made in China.

This one's a much lighter bass, the passive, active control gives you more tonal flexibility. Very funky and punchy sounding.

All in need now is a Traben Bootsy Star or the Warwick Custom Shop Bootsy that he plays today!

 

[Daveypoo]

Oh man - those light up Warwick ones are sick. I admire that you own these as I can't see myself ever playing them, but I can drool all day. I would constantly feel inferior to the Bootzilla.

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

Nice!!

 

[12BitSlab]

Bootsy still lives in Cincinnati. If you remember the King Records days, he is VERY open to spending time with you.

If you mention that JB was successful because of him, you gain more points. If you remember that Vada Pinson was the greatest Red's center fielder, you earn more points. If you can tell the difference between Skyline, Camp Washington, Blue Ash Chili, Price Hill Chili, and Gold Star, you earn a bunch of points.

Otherwise...

You don't know nuttin.

 

[Daveypoo]

I know that Bootsy is from outer space - does that count?

 

[RyanOh]

This was uploaded to YouTube a month after your TB thread, but recorded in 2005. He shows several basses, including the Space basses.



Closing quote: Yeah I give the bass test, if the house falls down...you know, then it's all good.

 

[Krizz]

If you have access to Cinemax, Tales From The Tour Bus did an episode on Bootsy this season, fun stuff

 

[TolerancEJ]

He had one with Traben for awhile too. I never actually saw one of these.

 

[Bo0tsy]

He had one with Traben for awhile too. I never actually saw one of these.
View attachment 3243997

Bootsy definitely gigged with the Traben bass before he jumped ship to Warwick. I've always wanted to try one of the Traben's, there's a lot of pick-ups and tone controls on these!

 

[capnjim]

I stumbled upon this video, and now I practice this all the time.


You know???

 

[Bassa Nova]

I didn’t see in the video, but did he say anything about the original jazz bass that James Brown bought for him? I would like to hear about that bass.

 

[TolerancEJ]

I was looking through The Low End’s listings and remembered this Bootsy Curbow.
Link Removed

 

[dwade]

I've actually played Bootsy's Space bass. I believe it was #2. I worked for a local shop here in Cincy and Booty had just release the "Jungle Bass" album, as well as had a hit with DeeLite "Groove Is In The Heart". Anyway, he brought a ton of gear in for repair. I built his pedal board & his amp rack which was out of control. I reconed the speakers in his 418 cabinet. He was making a switch to EMG pickups, so we installed them in the Spacebass. I was kid at the time and it felt like normal life at the time. Looking back, it's pretty cool that I had the opportunity to be involved in that particular project.