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Geddy Lee on Permanent Waves & Moving Pictures

lijazz

lijazz

Dec 5, 2008
389
54
Isle of Long, New York
#1
OK, I know there are countless Geddy/Rush threads that cover this topic (a few that I have even participated in), but can someone please finally offer some concrete evidence as to which basses Geddy used on each track off these two albums..On PW me thinks it was the Rick on all tracks except for Entre Nous and Different Strings (Jazz)....and on MP it was the Jazz on all tracks except for Red Barchetta and The Camera Eye (Rick)...I feel like the Rick is way distinctive on the said tracks, but the tracks where I am unsure I think it must be the Jazz.

Can someone...anyone...please put am end to this insanity for me?

:bassist:
 
#2
I started a thread a while back that covers some of that:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=478261&highlight=kpax
The consensus seems to be (and my ears agree) that Permanent Waves was all Ric and Moving Pictures was mostly Ric.
I know Geddy didn't play the Jazz live on the Moving Pictures tour. Exit Stage Left is all Ric.

lijazz said:
OK, I know there are countless Geddy/Rush threads that cover this topic (a few that I have even participated in), but can someone please finally offer some concrete evidence as to which basses Geddy used on each track off these two albums..On PW me thinks it was the Rick on all tracks except for Entre Nous and Different Strings (Jazz)....and on MP it was the Jazz on all tracks except for Red Barchetta and The Camera Eye (Rick)...I feel like the Rick is way distinctive on the said tracks, but the tracks where I am unsure I think it must be the Jazz.

Can someone...anyone...please put am end to this insanity for me?

:bassist:
Click to expand...
 
#3
As if my above post wasn't enough food for thought....check tis out...the comments show many differing opinions...thoughts anyone...I vote for the Jazz because the 'Berger and the Wal were never that metallic sounding and the Rick was chunkier...so must be the Jazz...uh, I think.

 
#5
Further to my second post above, after listening more carefully (and comparing the sound to other live versions of RB from different eras), I believe the sound on that clip is the Wal bass...if it is indeed Geddy...many comments believe it is not, but I think it is.....comments anyone??
 
#6
He didn't start playing the Wal till several albums later if I recall. That was the time he was splitting time between the Ric,and Jazz.The Stienbereger came next,then the Wal.He didn't play the Jazz again until Test for Echo.
 
#7
73jbass said:
He didn't start playing the Wal till several albums later if I recall. That was the time he was splitting time between the Ric,and Jazz.The Stienbereger came next,then the Wal.
Click to expand...

Exactly. "Red Barchetta" was recorded with the Ric. He used the Wal for the first time on "Power Windows" after recording "Grace Under Pressure" with the Steinberger.

73jbass said:
He didn't play the Jazz again until Test for Echo.
Click to expand...

"Counterparts" was the first album in which he started using the Jazz Bass again (and added the flamenco-like technique to his toolbox, BTW).
 
#10
This might help…


1978's "Hemispheres" was more of the same but now included the second 4001, the one in white and a new Rickenbacker 4002. Geddy continued using all these Rickenbackers into "Permanent Waves". Hinting in an interview he also used the 4001 and a new 6 string double neck in place of the 12. He also admitted he wasn't happy with the overall 12-string part of the set and in response removed the Rickenbacker guitar pickups for Gibson Humbuckerss*. According to Geddy it's "because the Rickenbacker pickups were terrible." The 3001 and 4002 were also claimed to be used in the studio. Geddy also expressed some disappointment with his current basses. stating "I really like Rickenbackers. But because of the wear and tear every Rickenbacker I've played has a different neck.

Geddy finds the Jazz bass
In an interview from June 1980. Geddy reveals a newly acquired Fender Jazz which he used on half of the recording.

"I recently lucked out and found a '69 or 70 Fender Jazz Bass … I used it on about half of Permanent Waves."
Hi-Tech Bassist and Synthesist with Rush – Guitar Player June 1980
The bass was later dated to be from 1972. We'll come back to this 1972 Fender Jazz as it plays a big part later on. These basses were used to record "Moving Pictures" in 1981 and "Signals" in '82 also appearing on the subsequent tours. While the classic 4001 was replaced over time. It did make a return to the bass rig in the R40 tour and played on "Passage to Bangkok".
 
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#11
Alvaro Martín Gómez A. said:
(and added the flamenco-like technique to his toolbox, BTW).
Click to expand...

I can't believe I'm quoting a 13-year-old post! But that flamenco technique (which I HATE, btw), seems to make an appearance in the Le Studio live, er, studio version of the video of Limelight or Tom Sawyer.

Though on watching them just now, I can't seem to find the spot. I seem to remember seeing it years ago and thinking that that accursed technique showed up in the early 80s, but maybe I'm misremembering.

Oh well, any excuse to watch those videos again is a treat.
 

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