Five string Peavey Rudy Sarzo bass

[Andy R]

Does anyone happen to know anything about this bass, as played by Rudy on (at least) the first track on the Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 DVD?
It came up in an interwebs conversation the other day when someone else mentioned it to me...
If someone on here (or any other bass forum) actually owns it I'd have thought that a photo of it would have surfaced but I can find nothing.
Maybe Rudy still has it - who knows?

 

[mikeswals]

Looks to me like a 2nd generation Peavey TL-Five.

 

[Andy R]

I found this image - this is from 1994, so whatever it is, he was still using it then.
That's not a standard 2nd generation TL5 - different control and o/p socket placement, different pickups....

 

[Hawk256]

Looks like it says Sarzo on the headstock. Must be a custom. Maybe they has plans for a 5 string version of the Rudy Sarzo signature model?

 

[B-Mac]

Does anyone happen to know anything about this bass, as played by Rudy on (at least) the first track on the Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 DVD?
It came up in an interwebs conversation the other day when someone else mentioned it to me...
If someone on here (or any other bass forum) actually owns it I'd have thought that a photo of it would have surfaced but I can find nothing.
Maybe Rudy still has it - who knows?

Newer model in 4 & 5 string versions on
Page 63 of this catalog
Invalid Link Removed

@kodiakblair might be able to help you as he has a nice collection of catalog info

Rudy currently has a signature model with Spector. A signature ABG with Sawtooth and Prior to Peavey he had a signature with Aria

 

[two fingers]

Newer model in 4 & 5 string versions on
Page 63 of this catalog
Invalid Link Removed

1) The bass OP is asking about was used in a video in 1990. That catalog you linked is from 20 years later.

2) The bass he was playing in 1990 was not a Cirrus. The catalog page you linked was for a Sarzo signature Cirrus bass.

 

[B-Mac]

1) The bass OP is asking about was used in a video in 1990. That catalog you linked is from 20 years later.

2) The bass he was playing in 1990 was not a Cirrus. The catalog page you linked was for a Sarzo signature Cirrus bass.

See above…I wasn't quite finished

 

[PrairieThunder13]

View attachment 4625562 I found this image - this is from 1994, so whatever it is, he was still using it then.
That's not a standard 2nd generation TL5 - different control and o/p socket placement, different pickups....

That thing's got alembic stuff in it. Neat! Also looks fretless.

 

[B-Mac]

Does anyone happen to know anything about this bass, as played by Rudy on (at least) the first track on the Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 DVD?
It came up in an interwebs conversation the other day when someone else mentioned it to me...
If someone on here (or any other bass forum) actually owns it I'd have thought that a photo of it would have surfaced but I can find nothing.
Maybe Rudy still has it - who knows?

Maybe @two fingers will approve?
Don't want him to get winded

@Giffro has this thread that may have more info
A Pictorial Tribute To Peavey Fine Craftsmanship Part 1

 

[songwriter21]

View attachment 4625562 I found this image - this is from 1994, so whatever it is, he was still using it then.
That's not a standard 2nd generation TL5 - different control and o/p socket placement, different pickups....

Just looks like a first generation TL (sf pickups), with modified colors, jack and preamp layout (same TL1 hole locations).

 

[two fingers]

View attachment 4625678
Maybe @two fingers will approve?
Don't want him to get winded

@Giffro has this thread that may have more info
A Pictorial Tribute To Peavey Fine Craftsmanship Part 1

I wasn't "winded". I was just a little too fast. He edited his post after I had reacted.

Back on topic, what year is that from?

Also, that's a Sarzo signature 4 string and a TL-5 5 string if I'm reading it correctly. So the 5 string in that ad isn't a Sarzo sig.

 

[JMarkD]

I played a Sarzo signature four at an open jam back in the mid-nineties and it was a very impressive bass. At the time I was using an Alembic and the Peavey played and sounded just as good to me. Don't remember the actual model number but it said "Sarzo" on the headstock. Don't know much about them but the one I played was truly an excellent bass.

 

[filwitheneff]

Looks to me like a 2nd generation Peavey TL-Five.

Just looks like a first generation TL (sf pickups), with modified colors, jack and preamp layout (same TL1 hole locations).

No, that's not a TL-5. Look at the headstock. It says "Sarzo". Everything about that bass is the original Peavey Sarzo (except for the fact that this one is a 5-string).

 

[StevieMac]

Here's a recent review.

 

[songwriter21]

No, that's not a TL-5. Look at the headstock. It says "Sarzo". Everything about that bass is the original Peavey Sarzo (except for the fact that this one is a 5-string).

That preamp layout with the top-mounted jack doesn't look like the Sarzo 3-band....

 

[filwitheneff]

Does anyone happen to know anything about this bass, as played by Rudy on (at least) the first track on the Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 DVD?
It came up in an interwebs conversation the other day when someone else mentioned it to me...
If someone on here (or any other bass forum) actually owns it I'd have thought that a photo of it would have surfaced but I can find nothing.
Maybe Rudy still has it - who knows?

I hope this mystery can get solved. I am very intrigued!

 

[songwriter21]

View attachment 4625562 I found this image - this is from 1994, so whatever it is, he was still using it then.
That's not a standard 2nd generation TL5 - different control and o/p socket placement, different pickups....

Looks like a fretless, too (with fret lines).

 

[filwitheneff]

That preamp layout with the top-mounted jack doesn't look like the Sarzo 3-band....

It does appear that the electronics were all gutted and replaced (even the pickups). But structurally, it's a Peavey Sarzo.

 

[B-Mac]

I wasn't "winded". I was just a little too fast. He edited his post after I had reacted.

Back on topic, what year is that from?

Also, that's a Sarzo signature 4 string and a TL-5 5 string if I'm reading it correctly. So the 5 string in that ad isn't a Sarzo sig.

I'm hoping @kodiakblair and @Giffro can clear this up. They both have a lot of catalog info. That page I posted is tough to read the smaller text info.

My 'winded' comment was just a tongue-in-cheek reference to your signature.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

I'm no expert, but I remember the Sarzo 4 strings in the 90's and played one every chance I got at a huge pawn shop just down the street from my house. They had a ton of great basses in that shop, but I digress...

I don't remember there ever being a production version of the Sarzo bass in a 5-string, but (as stated above), I'm no expert. I do remember the TL-5s of that era, though.