While I certainly understand, if there’s a player that you’re drawn to, and inspires you (I dislike the term ‘influence’, it suggests that you’re unable to formulate a style or identity on your own, and the term has been further corrupted by social media), that you’d want something of that player, a relic if you will, to connect you to them, then more power to you. That is, if you can afford it…plenty of “celebrity owned” instruments have fetched insane money. If this benefits his widow and their son, who were left in a dire financial situation in the wake of his medical problems, it’s all the better. But, aside from the fact that he didn’t use this particular bass much, what worked for him may not work for you as a player, if you were to actually use it. On the other hand, I have a Vox AC30 that I got from Australian band The Church(they’re friends of mine)and I won on Ebay a Cioks power supply from Lou Reed’s estate.
Unbelievably, I was given a Wal because of Mick Karn, but he never touched it. Won it in a contest involving him. If you remember Musician magazine from the late 80’s/early 90’s, they co-sponsored a promotional event with the CMP label to herald the release of the Polytown album. To compete, you had to compose some sort of glowing description of the band, like a flowery press release. I did my best, although for all I know I might have been only one of maybe five people who entered.
Still, I got it, fretless to my specification, and a small Trace-Elliot combo amp. I was so stoked, but at the end of the day, in spite of the body and electronics, I just couldn’t get with the V-shaped neck. Lawd, I tried, but after a year I placed it on consignment with the fabled Bass Center in the San Fernando Valley, and it ended up on the East Coast. Needless to say, I was majorly dissapointed. But I have to say that I wouldn’t want to let that, or any particular instrument define my playing.
I actually used a fretless Ibanez Musician with active electronics while covering “Art Of Parties” in a band years earlier. Soundwise, it came close, and then I subsequently used it in another band on a recording while channeling(not imitating)his style, being complimentary for this particular original(by someone else)song. I was pleased with the results(but not the mix). Engineers, whaddya gonna do?
Lastly, a great moment in my life, but a missed opportunity…Polytown didn’t do too many gigs(and to my knowledge Karn didn’t play much in the US), but they did an in-store promo performance at the old Virgin Megastore in West Hollywood. Hell yeah, I was there, and I wanted to approach him afterwards and introduce myself as the contest winner and compliment him, but he looked like he was reluctant to converse with anybody, and I didn’t want to be “that guy”.
Unbelievably, I was given a Wal because of Mick Karn, but he never touched it. Won it in a contest involving him. If you remember Musician magazine from the late 80’s/early 90’s, they co-sponsored a promotional event with the CMP label to herald the release of the Polytown album. To compete, you had to compose some sort of glowing description of the band, like a flowery press release. I did my best, although for all I know I might have been only one of maybe five people who entered.
Still, I got it, fretless to my specification, and a small Trace-Elliot combo amp. I was so stoked, but at the end of the day, in spite of the body and electronics, I just couldn’t get with the V-shaped neck. Lawd, I tried, but after a year I placed it on consignment with the fabled Bass Center in the San Fernando Valley, and it ended up on the East Coast. Needless to say, I was majorly dissapointed. But I have to say that I wouldn’t want to let that, or any particular instrument define my playing.
I actually used a fretless Ibanez Musician with active electronics while covering “Art Of Parties” in a band years earlier. Soundwise, it came close, and then I subsequently used it in another band on a recording while channeling(not imitating)his style, being complimentary for this particular original(by someone else)song. I was pleased with the results(but not the mix). Engineers, whaddya gonna do?
Lastly, a great moment in my life, but a missed opportunity…Polytown didn’t do too many gigs(and to my knowledge Karn didn’t play much in the US), but they did an in-store promo performance at the old Virgin Megastore in West Hollywood. Hell yeah, I was there, and I wanted to approach him afterwards and introduce myself as the contest winner and compliment him, but he looked like he was reluctant to converse with anybody, and I didn’t want to be “that guy”.
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