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Geddy Lee Basses

DinoRock

DinoRock

Mar 26, 2015
501
743
New York State
www.eschersenigma.com
#1
I'm trying to understand the reason(s) that so many on TB like GL basses. I'm relatively new here still.

1. Is it due to supporting someone who is admired?
2. Are there particular features of the various GL basses that people really like, which are not cost-effectively available elsewhere?
3. Are there looks to a GL bass that people like that can't be found elsewhere?
4. Is it for participation in Rush tribute bands?
5. Etc?

NB: I am not being sarcastic nor judgemental etc. I'm trying to understand as I own plenty of Fenders, but no GL. There is always a next purchase somewhere down the road. (I've posted pics of many in my collection and I've taken lots of advice from people here for recent purchases.)
 
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#2
Story goes Mr Lee bought a 1972 Jazz Bass, and liked it ... that era of bass does have a unique look, feel and layout. Maple neck and fingerboard, black blocks, big frets, alder body, 4 bolt neck and the wider 70s pickup spacing. I do NOT have a Geddy Lee sig bass, but rather an original 73 ... It's my favorite bass of all time ... When I bought I didn't even know who Geddy Lee was.
 
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#3
My liking of the Geddy Lee Sig. Bass, it's a comfortable bass to play, it sounds good, and the MIM versions are a well put together bass that's reasonably priced. As far as me liking a Geddy Lee Sig. because of Geddy Lee, no. It's a solid playing bass. That's about it for me anyway.

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#6
Sputnik Monroe said:
Story goes Mr Lee bought a 1972 Jazz Bass, and liked it ... that era of bass does have a unique look, feel and layout. Maple neck and fingerboard, black blocks, big frets, alder body, 4 bolt neck and the wider 70s pickup spacing. I do NOT have a Geddy Lee sig bass, but rather an original 73 ... It's my favorite bass of all time ... When I bought I didn't even know who Geddy Lee was.
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I have a '74. How would a GL or a '72 differ? I don't know the details in terms of differences by year/model, though I like my '74 a lot. It's seen many shows and studios and has treated me well until recently - having some fret buzz issues of sorts that my tech can't figure out.

DSCF2263.JPG
 
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#7
Probably belongs in basses forum.

When I got mine, I wanted a Fender Jazz. It was a well liked one, for a good price, that had a modified neck and bridge that made it (possibly) more desirable. I liked the color scheme. It is a reproduction of an early 70s Jazz and that is what I wanted.

As a bonus it is associated with Geddy and I think he rocks - but that is not why I got it. Icing on the cake.

It is a solid Fender jazz that met my needs. Well made, good features, good tone, good playability, good looks, endorsed by a bass hero. What's not to like?
 
#8
A maple fretboard jazz from around 69 into 74 is roughly the same bass as a GL. It's before the heavy ash bodies (mine is 8.5lbs) and before the 3 bolt neck. Black blocks ended in 73 according to what I've read, and custom colors except for black and Oly white ended the same year. I have had people come up to me at shows and ask where I got a Lake Placid Blue GL bass ... say what?
 
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#9
wrong forum. Anyways, I had a '72 and loved it, but it got stolen. When fender came out with the GL copies of this bass, I bought one, but was kind of disappointed in it. It just didn't sound the same, and the neck felt different some how, almost wider that the '72 that I had. Just my two cents.
 
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#11
It looks absolutely sexy. Like a beautiful woman with the perfect body and perfect everything.

When I first laid my eyes on one at my music store like fifteen years ago, I didn't know Rush or who Geddy Lee was but I knew that the signature bass on the wall looked amazing. It stood out from all the other high end basses hanging out.

Only when I watched a Rush concert video did I recognize the bass eight years after I first saw it. I was amazed. I thought it was just another cool model Fender put out. I didn't know it was Geddy's signature model.

My current and only bass is a Geddy. I got it for $500(someone cal the cops because I just got a steal) and it plays fantastic.

I did manage to play a true 1973 Fender Jazz Bass at our TalkBass GTG Vancouver this past January and that played amazing. The neck was to die for.

I admit. I did kind of get the Geddy because it was his signature model. I was going through a massive Rush phase a year or two ago. It stopped after I purchased my current Geddy. While I still love Rush to death, I find myself searching on Craigslist and eBay for other stuff. Like other cool Jazz Basses or affordable vintage stuff.
 
#12
jnewmark said:
wrong forum. Anyways, I had a '72 and loved it, but it got stolen. When fender came out with the GL copies of this bass, I bought one, but was kind of disappointed in it. It just didn't sound the same, and the neck felt different some how, almost wider that the '72 that I had. Just my two cents.
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The neck On the GL is thinner than most Jazzes. That's strange. The '73 I played a while back had some good meat on it. It was still thin enough to be a Jazz neck but much thicker than the Geddy neck.

The current MIM Geddy models have a thicker neck. I guess they must have started doing that in 2014 onwards.
 
#13
MovingPitchers said:
The neck On the GL is thinner than most Jazzes. That's strange. The '73 I played a while back had some good meat on it. It was still thin enough to be a Jazz neck but much thicker than the Geddy neck.

The current MIM Geddy models have a thicker neck. I guess they must have started doing that in 2014 onwards.
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The '72 I had was really narrow at the nut, more narrow than the GL I had.
 
#15
For me it's all about the neck profile - I've not measured it, but it feels a lot thinner front to back. It's just comfy for me. I swapped the bridge for a Babicz cause I prefer the narrower string spacing (and cause the Babicz kicks-ass). Now, the whole thing just feels right to me.

I also have a pair of Bill Lawrence J pickups that have been waiting to go in it for over a year now. Someday, but for now I have 600 pounds of quickcrete to pour for the pergola I'm building in the yard. I shouldn't even be inside right now. I'm probably already in trouble. Dang.
 
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#16
I have a Geddy and it's the first Signature anything I've ever owned. While I've always been a big fan of Rush, I've always had an aversion to signature gear for fear of appearing to be just another fan boy.

But this bass is different because it's fairly standard looking without any fancy band graphics or other cosmetic indication that it's a signature outside of the very unobtrusive signature on the back of the headstock. The biggest reason I went with this one is because the neck is spec'd unlike any other Jazz available, and I also like the Badass bridge.
 
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#18
I can't tell you why a Geddy sounds the way it does but IMHO it sounds better than just about any Jazz bass out there, many costing many times more. To me the GL bass has lows that many Jazz basses lack and then there is the growl. On the downside they tend to be a little heavy but they sound so good I think it's worth it. I've played Sadowsky's, Lull's, Nash's and many many Fender Jazz basses and none of them sounded as good to me as the Geddy. Eventually I want to start doing some tests. Change the neck and see if it still sounds as good and then change the bridge etc. I don't know what it is about this combination of parts but it makes for a really good bass. I don't know if the American Geddy is better, I've never played one but the Japan Geddy's are really really good.
 
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#19
REV said:
I can't tell you why a Geddy sounds the way it does but IMHO it sounds better than just about any Jazz bass out there, many costing many times more. To me the GL bass has lows that many Jazz basses lack and then there is the growl. On the downside they tend to be a little heavy but they sound so good I think it's worth it. I've played Sadowsky's, Lull's, Nash's and many many Fender Jazz basses and none of them sounded as good to me as the Geddy. Eventually I want to start doing some tests. Change the neck and see if it still sounds as good and then change the bridge etc. I don't know what it is about this combination of parts but it makes for a really good bass. I don't know if the American Geddy is better, I've never played one but the Japan Geddy's are really really good.
Click to expand...

The USA Geddy is really nice. The neck much thicker and the pickups sounds very growly and thumpy. However, it's the price tag and the reverse tuning machines that turn me off. Not a big deal but for me, it is.
 
#20
Rush are hands-down my favourite band. A couple of years ago I decided to get back to playing bass- after a long hiatus.
Still had my Steinberger, played that for a while. Played some basses in a shop and realized that the Steinberger neck was so thin I had a real problem playing any other bass.
The Geddy Lee Jazz came around and I thought:"There is no way I will ever get one of those". The black & maple-just like his. No way.
Got a Squier VM and that was nice.
The Sunburst Geddy came out, checked some youtube vids and was a bit interested.
Eventually ordered one, what a beautiful bass. Looks lovely( take scratchplate off) plays nice and sounds amazing.
To OP DinoRock, if you are thinking of retiring/resting your cool white Jazz and looking for an alternative bass, the GL sig may well be up your street. The sunny side of it.
 
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