Five string Peavey Rudy Sarzo bass

[4dasakeofdabass]

It's likely a one off just for Rudy.

Peavey have forum for that kind of thing; Ellefson's Zodiac was an active 5 string but the production models bearing his name were 4 string passive.

The Sarzo is not a favourite of mine , always felt it was lacking something. Loaned it to a female player and she quickly discovered what was lacking.

GB. "Here's your eunuch bass back."

KB. "Eunuch bass ???"

GB. " Aye, eunuch bass. Damn thing has no balls ! "

She got no argument from me

 

[4dasakeofdabass]

have to disagree: that "eunuch" must have balls hangin till his knee.

Verdine White played that bads on "Rhythm of the Earth" and it sounds just amazing. Quite te opposite: it has huge umpf and a very nice powerfull warm low bass sound. with lotsa balls !

 

[wvbass]

Sorry..I cant throw any more light on it than what kodiakb has said..here's the pics again anyway...

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RUDY SARZO SIGNATURE
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PEAVEY TL5
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Random side note. The prototype in "the bass behind the man" ad is a one off. I played it at GC Hollywood back in the 90's. Wish I'd brought it home with me!

I'm certain (without proof) that the Sarzo 5 was also a one-off prototype.

 

[Andy R]

Hi Peavey friends. i think this is a single custom made model just for Rudy Sarzo, but with no intentions of neither Rudy nor Peavey Company- to endorse this bass nor to mass produce it. it seems to be a Peavey TL5 neck with the body wings of a Peavey Rudy Sarzo (4 string ) Bass. Furhermore i believe this bass was used by Rudy Sarzo just for a certain period ~ 1990 till 94 when Rudy was playing with whitesnake. bass can be seen on videos of Whitesnake live at Donington 1990 and St. Petersburg 1994. What is weird: there is no mention of this bass anywhere at all. dead silent. i call it the Mystery bass. ( and think only Hartley Peavey or Rudy Sarzo could solve this riddle ) Yours N.B.

Yes, that's what I reckon too, although up until now I hadn't seen the St Petersburg concert.
That 5 string (and the one at Castle Donington) weren't fretless either, unlike the one in the photo further back.....

And yes, I did buy Kodiak Blair's Sarzo, the one that he didn't like, and, what with us being different people and all that, it shouldn't really be any surprise that I do really like it.
For anyone else with one and who hasn't tried it - try coil tapping either just the neck pickup or both. Easy to do and, in my opinion, well worth it - it just opens up new tone possibilities.