/ Register

Monkees bass

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by CJ_Marsicano, Sep 21, 2001.

  1. Sep 21, 2001 #1
    CJ_Marsicano

    CJ_Marsicano Guest

    Aug 8, 2001
    I'd rather be in Japan
    since the partridges came up again on talkbass.com, i have to ask...

    exactly what kind of basses was peter tork of the monkees using on the tv series. i know they were _gretsch_, and at least during the first season he was using a standard hollow-body model of some sort, some unusual solid-body during the second season, and a fender p-bass on some of the pics i've seen of the "headquarters" sessions... but that's about it. any input?

    p.s. davy was using a custom-made 3/4-size gretsch bass live when the band played live (original four-piece with no onstage or offstage help), not any of the three-piece tours since '86) while peter played keyboards, that's about all i do know!

    cj
     
  2. Sep 21, 2001 #2
    Hambone

    Hambone

    Mar 18, 2000
    Atlanta/Loganville
    Well, it was quite awhile ago but I seem to remember Peter Tork playing one of those Vox Teardrop basses on some of the TV shows.

    I could be completely out to lunch on this though.
     
  3. Sep 21, 2001 #3
    JPJ

    JPJ

    Apr 21, 2001
    Chicago, IL
    You were right with your first guess of Gretsch. I think that the show was actually sponsored by Gretsch, or rather that the guys had endorsement deals with the company, as Mike actually had a signature model...one of the few signature models at that time. I'm not sure if Peter's bass was also a signature "Peter Tork" model, but I'm pretty sure that they were instruments created for the show.
     
  4. Sep 21, 2001 #4
    Every1TookMyName

    Every1TookMyName Guest

    May 27, 2001
    beautiful trash-ridden and smog infested South Eas
    I have no idea, but I thought I'd stray from the subject and say that you have the best supporting member picture ever. Who is that?

    Yeah, yeah, I'm a teenager, I can post things like this without shame.
     
  5. Sep 21, 2001 #5
    CJ_Marsicano

    CJ_Marsicano Guest

    Aug 8, 2001
    I'd rather be in Japan
    every1,

    it's lita from the wwf. here's where to find more pics of her:
    www.amydumas.net (amy dumas is her given name)
    www.wwfhardys.com/lita/index.html
    www.wwfdivas.com/lita/home.html

    cj
     
  6. Sep 21, 2001 #6
    CJ_Marsicano

    CJ_Marsicano Guest

    Aug 8, 2001
    I'd rather be in Japan
    well, i'm only guessing that the bass peter is playing in second season episodes and in "head" is a custom-made bass... don't know if it's a gretsch or not. it could me.

    side note: mike nesmith was playing a white gibson sg (!) from 1967 on live and in the studio (see the covers of _live 1967_ and _the monkees present_), so i am guessing that he wasn't completely enthralled with the gretsches.

    cj
     
  7. Sep 28, 2005 #7
    PeteRitz

    PeteRitz Guest

    Dec 17, 1999
    Peter played a Guild Jetstar once they got on the road. Davy would use it from time to time as well. Pay close attention if you ever see the Pleasant Valley Sunday video.
     
  8. Sep 28, 2005 #8
    bassmonkeee

    bassmonkeee

    Sep 13, 2000
    Decatur, GA
    Aw, nuts. I thought you were talking about me. :rolleyes:







    :D
     
  9. Sep 28, 2005 #9
    John Coxtosen

    John Coxtosen Music Geek/Bass Nerd

    May 25, 2005
    Duluth, MN
  10. Sep 30, 2005 #10
    dangnewt

    dangnewt Veteran Dispenser

    Jun 6, 2003
    MetroWest Boston
    John is right about the Gretsch with the inline head - I have an old Monkees book for guitar and that is the bass that you see in some of the pictures. Also, Mickey's drums were Gretsch so JPJ is probably right about some sort of Gretsch sponsorship or endorsement deal.
     
  11. Sep 30, 2005 #11
    thedoctor

    thedoctor Guest

    Jun 20, 2005
    Gretsch had the first line of gear used on the set but Nesmith had Guild on his mind and, as one person pointed out, Tork liked his Fender and a Framus. Gretsch made a model named after him so he would play the Gretsch but Micheal stuck to his Starfire and (help me here) 335? That was too big to be an SG. I think the Guild was a Starfire 6. Lotta years ago so I really don't remember about the Gibson.
     
  12. Oct 1, 2005 #12
    lpdeluxe

    lpdeluxe Still rockin'

    Nov 22, 2004
    Deep E Texas
    Peter Tork's bass was a Gretsch 6073, which had the Chet Atkins Tennessean single-cutaway hollow body with fake f-holes, 2 pickups and a 29" scale neck with the tuners on the left side, a la Fender. Later Gretsch built him a solidbody based on the 6031 Jetfire Bird solid electric guitar, which was like a symmetrical 2-cutaway LP with a red top and black sides & back, again w the 29" scale.