Hi everyone. I bet there are plenty of posts about this guy anyway, but here goes...
A few months ago I started adding some Jefferson Starship albums to my collection and saw he was listed as bass, keyboards and vocals on every album from Red Octopus to No Protection. I remember reading that he owned a modified Alembic bass, as well as a few custom designed bass guitars that San Francisco guitar luthier Doug Irwin made for him. But his primary Bass was a 1963 Fender Jazz Bass that he used as his primary stage bass. And a few Moog bass synthesisers too. Unfortunately much of the basses used were stolen and never recovered. Until about 2016, when his Doug Irwin Bass was miraculously recovered and returned to his San Rafael, CA home. You might remember that Doug Irwin also designed a lot of the custom made electric guitars for Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. He also played ukulele and a Fender Telecaster as the electric rhythm guitar part on Girl With The Hungry Eyes from Freedom At Point Zero. David Freiberg and Paul Kantner also played bass and keyboards for a time in the group. If I remember correctly David Freiberg played a red Gibson SG Bass in Jefferson Starship. Pete Sears was actually born in England.
But what amps did he use? My guess is that they were Marshall amps, given that Paul Kantner, Craig Chaquico and David Freiberg all used Marshall equipment, as well as some Ampeg amps, Fender Bassman Amps and some custom made amps which were also modified by Doug Irwin and the staff at Alembic. The Fender Jazz Bass sounded like a fretless bass or at least one with flatwound strings. At least heard on Tumblin. I believe Pete Sears was also a user of the Fender Precision Bass and Guild basses. Interestingly, Pete Sears wife, Jeannette Sears, was a lyricist for Jefferson Starship. He also played with Hot Tuna, Santana, Steve Miller, Jerry Garcia, Elton John, Rod Stewart and on a solo album I own by sometime Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna violinist Papa John Creach (who played on Red Octopus.) I also own Bless Its Pointed Little Head the live album by Jefferson Airplane and the 45 of Light The Sky On Fire by Jefferson Starship from the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and the greatest hits album Gold.
What did you think of Pete Sears bass playing? Do you think he was a good bass player? And most importantly, what amps did he use? Please let me know.
A few months ago I started adding some Jefferson Starship albums to my collection and saw he was listed as bass, keyboards and vocals on every album from Red Octopus to No Protection. I remember reading that he owned a modified Alembic bass, as well as a few custom designed bass guitars that San Francisco guitar luthier Doug Irwin made for him. But his primary Bass was a 1963 Fender Jazz Bass that he used as his primary stage bass. And a few Moog bass synthesisers too. Unfortunately much of the basses used were stolen and never recovered. Until about 2016, when his Doug Irwin Bass was miraculously recovered and returned to his San Rafael, CA home. You might remember that Doug Irwin also designed a lot of the custom made electric guitars for Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. He also played ukulele and a Fender Telecaster as the electric rhythm guitar part on Girl With The Hungry Eyes from Freedom At Point Zero. David Freiberg and Paul Kantner also played bass and keyboards for a time in the group. If I remember correctly David Freiberg played a red Gibson SG Bass in Jefferson Starship. Pete Sears was actually born in England.
But what amps did he use? My guess is that they were Marshall amps, given that Paul Kantner, Craig Chaquico and David Freiberg all used Marshall equipment, as well as some Ampeg amps, Fender Bassman Amps and some custom made amps which were also modified by Doug Irwin and the staff at Alembic. The Fender Jazz Bass sounded like a fretless bass or at least one with flatwound strings. At least heard on Tumblin. I believe Pete Sears was also a user of the Fender Precision Bass and Guild basses. Interestingly, Pete Sears wife, Jeannette Sears, was a lyricist for Jefferson Starship. He also played with Hot Tuna, Santana, Steve Miller, Jerry Garcia, Elton John, Rod Stewart and on a solo album I own by sometime Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna violinist Papa John Creach (who played on Red Octopus.) I also own Bless Its Pointed Little Head the live album by Jefferson Airplane and the 45 of Light The Sky On Fire by Jefferson Starship from the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and the greatest hits album Gold.
What did you think of Pete Sears bass playing? Do you think he was a good bass player? And most importantly, what amps did he use? Please let me know.
