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Nikki Sixx

what Nikki does or doesnt do in his life or playing music really has nothing to do with this bass..which is something he just got paid to do..you either love or hate birds..if I wanted to get one..I would go for one of the nice older gibson basses..this epi is a budget model..nothing more or nothing less..its not worth $100 to me..but it may be worth $1000 to you..buyer beware..

How would you rate this bird against the Epi T Bird Pro NT. My favorite beater bass, $300 courtesy of GC about 4 years ago.
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Honestly the only Sixx bass part that I really remember is Dr. Feelgood, which has a really simple and effective groove. For the most part he was pretty low in the mix and played a 100% support role to his bandmates. IMO he was solid and musical but you might be better served as a bassist by checking out Cliff Williams from AC/DC. If nothing else he’s mixed better.

The bass seems like a solid instrument, though it’s worth noting that Sixx has switched to Schecter and has a really gorgeous signature bass from them. His and Simon Gallup’s signature Schecters are both really, really nice alternative takes on the Thunderbird design.
 
How would you rate this bird against the Epi T Bird Pro NT. My favorite beater bass, $300 courtesy of GC about 4 years ago.
View attachment 3243039[/QUOThones
How would you rate this bird against the Epi T Bird Pro NT. My favorite beater bass, $300 courtesy of GC about 4 years ago.
View attachment 3243039
honestly..I do not have enough interest in one to even pick one up and give it a trial run..I dont really know much about the instruments except what I have read on the web..and of course that would always be someone elses opinion on what they may or may not like..the price point indicates that there is a limited amount of quality features..and..I never see anyone out there playing these birds..I mostly see traditional fenders and gibsons..therefore..my evaluation would not be worth much..and I am sure there are people who love these type of instruments..everybody has different likes..its just not for me..I have an older american fender jazz bass with seymour duncan pickups and babicz bridge..and a gibson victory artist bass (stock)..I like traditional shaped instruments..and I dont mind paying more for the upper ended models..and I like the USA made models..my instruments are good enough that I will play what I have for the rest of my life..I dont mind noodling around on something else just for fun..but for performing..I go with what I am familiar with..I know what I have and I dont have to search for that pot at the end of the rainbow..I do move around on cabinets from time to time..I played sunn cabs for many years..for the last 5 years I have played ampeg cabs (double 4x10's and 8x10)..so get something you are happy with and remember things will always continue to change..
 
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The thing that puts him in the Hall Of Lame for me:
On multiple tours in the later era, Nikki would play T-Birds for the entire set, except for one song where he’d play a Squier(!)P-Bass, That he would smash at the end the song.
That dude has more than enough money to smash a bunch of T-Birds, at least an Epiphone version, and not come off looking like an obvious cheapskate.
 
The thing that puts him in the Hall Of Lame for me:
On multiple tours in the later era, Nikki would play T-Birds for the entire set, except for one song where he’d play a Squier(!)P-Bass, That he would smash at the end the song.
That dude has more than enough money to smash a bunch of T-Birds, at least an Epiphone version, and not come off looking like an obvious cheapskate.
What if it wasn't about the money. Maybe he connected to the T-Birds, but still wanted to the smash thing for the show?
 
Which is probably true, but it gets a little tiring having to come up here to put someone else down. Again. And. Again.

For the record: I am not a fan of Nikki Sixx. I am just less a fan of criticising others when there's no need.

It is not a general criticism it is an opinion on a musician which others have expressed on this thread. I mean you could be all PC and say everything is just great, but that would be totally unrealistic. Some people obviously rate him and some don't, so what is wrong with that?
 
not on the early stuff
Listen to "Too Fast For Love", back when he was using the Warlock that I posted a photo of earlier.
Eh ....not a Crue or Nikki fan he was more shtick then musician. I will give him props that it worked and more power to him. He wrote some good songs. Although I’m not a fan I can appreciate his talents beyond trying to play bass.
I will take good honest songwriting and so-so musicianship anyday over a virtuoso player who only does that.... plays his or her instrument.

Songwriting is a difficult craft and he shined in that department for sure...bass player? Not so much.
 
Frankly I was disappointed when he switched over to T-birds, because that coincided with his bass disappearing in the mix on most of their tracks.

Dee Dee Ramone had a longish career of playing 8th's around the root & was also the primary songwriter in the band.

If it wasn't for guys like that & Kim Deal, I might never play, LOL!
 
not on the early stuff
Listen to "Too Fast For Love", back when he was using the Warlock that I posted a photo of earlier.

I thought I remember reading that the Warlock was live and photos but not studio and "Too Fast For Love" was a natural 70s P with a J added....

Theres also a rumor about the use of "ghost musicians" in the studio, which was an occasional practice in the mid 80s (eventually, many of these 'ghost players' would themselves be replaced by Synclavier or Fairlight).....However, I don't think this conspiracy theory was the case for "Too Fast For Love". TFFL was 1982 (technically, 1981) - Sixx was capable in the early 80s before the effects of debauchery really started to take hold of him -- and the corporate "over-production era" hadnt really started yet (DL's "Pyromania", often credited as the first album to usher in the micro-managed over-production era, wouldnt be released til the following year) so my money is on that he certainly played on the first album and most likely the second one for sure......Testimonies by Motley Crue, and Nikki himself, would make me question anything after that
 
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Big fan, Nikki Sixx was my first inspiration to pick up the bass many years ago.

Sure he's no Jamerson or Entwistle on the old Mötley Crüe records, but then again that type of music wouldn't suit those kinds of bass parts. Sucks the bass was usually so buried in the mix though. His style and tone on the Sixx A.M stuff is pretty good, I find he sounds best with a P/PJ-style bass (wether it be his '59, a Schecter or Spector)

He's not a terrible player either, he posts video clips on Instagram on his playing sometimes.

He's a Junior, so his given name is the same as his dad's, Frank Ferrano. (or Ferrana I see it spelled sometimes)
The song "On With the Show" is about himself:

Frankie died just the other night
Some say it was suicide
But we know
How the story goes
With his six string knife
And his street wise pride
The boy was a man before his time
And she knew
All their dreams would come true
But ya see Frankie was fast
Too fast to know
He wouldn't go slow
Until his lethal dose
And she knows
He'll finally come too close
Well on with the show
Going on with the show
Come on baby
No, no, no
Oh my, my, my...(repeat)
He was bad
He was never good
But one thing that he understood
And she knew
All those lies would come true
The time has come and
He's paid his dues
Suzy finally got the news
She always knew
This day would come soon
He was stopped on a dime
With a switchblade knife
Some damn punk went and
Took Frankie's life
And she knew
She'd have to pull through

AFAIK they are still extremely estranged, he & his father.

His dad died about 20 years ago.