This is a quote from a post a couple years ago, but given what's up now, my question would be: Even if Reverend is making a poor attempt at being Gibson, are they still making a better attempt than Gibson?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
This is a quote from a post a couple years ago, but given what's up now, my question would be: Even if Reverend is making a poor attempt at being Gibson, are they still making a better attempt than Gibson?
Hey Mike! I saw you not too long ago at Bottom of the Hill in SF. I brought along the Wattplower proto. Thanks again for the sticker and signature!
brother greg,
I think you're talking about this one:
2010 michael "anchor bass"
(I wear an anchor around my neck someone gave me once after a gig - my pop was a sailor - so maybe that's where that headstock stuff came from?)
for last version of reformed stooges gigs, james williamson had brian michael custom make this bass for me based kind of on an early 60s gibson eb-0/eb-3 body style but w/maple neck-through design (30" short scale) w/ash "wings" attached, hipshot "supertone" bridge + tuners plus custom jason lollar pbass-style pickup.
I remember ig calling about why do we need this bass and we both decided I'd play it for james, no prob.
september 28, 2013 in san jose, ca was the last stooges gig. sometime last year (or maybe the year before?) james williamson sold it to someone who wrote and asked me about it. he seemed like a good cat to have it!
this "anchor bass" had not much to do w/the reverend guitars "wattplower" cuz the starting point was when ronnie was still the stooges guitarist (no james williamson yet) and ronnie used reverend guitars - that was the connect... that and reverend guitars designerman joe naylor has a cousin mike here in my pedro town. joe (and reverend guitars boss ken haas) came some of my detroit gigs and actually took butloads of measurements of first my eb-3 and then my eb-0 (the dan bass) to begin the journey that led to what it is now. the bass james williamson had brian michael build was kind of a "parallel universe" trip in a way. I didn't have as much input and there were no prototypes. there were at least seven or maybe eight different wattplower prototypes. that's how righteous these cats were, they never complained about my complaints and notions and acted right on trying out different stuff. it was really happening experience working w/them, very dynamic. much respect to brian michael and jason lollar though, they are incredible gifted/skilled cats also.
by the way, I have never owned an "sg bass" - never. I used one for a toronto gig after my eb-3 got stolen in montreal in 2008 that gibson gave me but I couldn't handle it.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
I think you're talking about this one:
2010 michael "anchor bass"
(I wear an anchor around my neck someone gave me once after a gig - my pop was a sailor - so maybe that's where that headstock stuff came from?)
for last version of reformed stooges gigs, james williamson had brian michael custom make this bass for me based kind of on an early 60s gibson eb-0/eb-3 body style but w/maple neck-through design (30" short scale) w/ash "wings" attached, hipshot "supertone" bridge + tuners plus custom jason lollar pbass-style pickup.
I remember ig calling about why do we need this bass and we both decided I'd play it for james, no prob.
september 28, 2013 in san jose, ca was the last stooges gig. sometime last year (or maybe the year before?) james williamson sold it to someone who wrote and asked me about it. he seemed like a good cat to have it!
this "anchor bass" had not much to do w/the reverend guitars "wattplower" cuz the starting point was when ronnie was still the stooges guitarist (no james williamson yet) and ronnie used reverend guitars - that was the connect... that and reverend guitars designerman joe naylor has a cousin mike here in my pedro town. joe (and reverend guitars boss ken haas) came some of my detroit gigs and actually took butloads of measurements of first my eb-3 and then my eb-0 (the dan bass) to begin the journey that led to what it is now. the bass james williamson had brian michael build was kind of a "parallel universe" trip in a way. I didn't have as much input and there were no prototypes. there were at least seven or maybe eight different wattplower prototypes. that's how righteous these cats were, they never complained about my complaints and notions and acted right on trying out different stuff. it was really happening experience working w/them, very dynamic. much respect to brian michael and jason lollar though, they are incredible gifted/skilled cats also.
by the way, I have never owned an "sg bass" - never. I used one for a toronto gig after my eb-3 got stolen in montreal in 2008 that gibson gave me but I couldn't handle it.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
Last edited:
brother mic,
it ain't just gibson influence involved here, it's also fender and doing buttloads of gigs for many years. "poor attempt" is your opinion, thank you very much. reverend guitars had me very much part of the design process and there were many prototypes. if my name was gonna be on it then it would have to be something I would really like playing or else I'd feel jive.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
it ain't just gibson influence involved here, it's also fender and doing buttloads of gigs for many years. "poor attempt" is your opinion, thank you very much. reverend guitars had me very much part of the design process and there were many prototypes. if my name was gonna be on it then it would have to be something I would really like playing or else I'd feel jive.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
Last edited:
Thanks Watt for taking the time to drop into TB and give us the lowdown on the Wattplower. Much appreciated!!!
Beau
Yes ,Thank you.
Mike for having reverend make a kick ASS Bass. I love my Watt Plower.
Thanks again.
Mike for having reverend make a kick ASS Bass. I love my Watt Plower.
Thanks again.
Gibson had quite a while to notice that Mike Watt was using their products fairly loyally, and the raft of mods he typically carried out to EB-3 basses could have dovetailed nicely into some sort of signature/endorsement model or deal. No dice! Watt isn't the first punk musician Gibson have roundly ignored.
Conversely Gibson honoured "Melvyn Franks", simply for being the collector who owned Peter Green's Les Paul for a while (a businessmen and non-player, incidentally). As you say, a low hurdle to clear.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,589
- 221,972
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Slight derail - on the "big walnut yonder" site, there's a pic of you with what looks to be a '66 Oly white J - was that used for any of that project? Also, hello from Pacifica where you played a couple times at Winters Tavern! We have the signed tribute to your "little bass' hanging above the bar!
Last edited:
Thanks very much for the additional information and corrections, Watt! My knowledge of Gibson basses is limited, thus my confusion on SG vs. EB models. It's great to see you here.
I saw that last Stooges tour in Chicago, it was part of a big outdoor festival called Riotfest. In addition to the Missingmen show the next year, I saw you with them again last year on that tour with the Meat Puppets and Greg Norton's band--and had the great pleasure of meeting you for the first time as well. Looking forward to whatever's next for you!
Greg
brother jio,
thank you much for the tribute, bottom part looking kind of close - here's mine:
good job! headstock is different though (yours is epiphone), here's the above's:
and here's where I let folks know about the major 2008 stooges donate in montreal:
stooges stuff stolen on august 4, 2008 in montreal, quebec
about big walnuts yonder: that's one of my bass hero tony maimone's 1966 fender jbass w/emg pickups and a bad ass bridge, he let me use it for our debut album at his [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] pad in brooklyn, the only bass I used to record this proj. it saved me the schlep and just getting to work one his basses was a dream for me. I actually also got to use it a few years before to record my third opera "hyphenated-man" at studio g's earlier incarnation. I big time love bass brother tony maimone, his work w/the 70s pere ubu stuff had HUGE impact on me.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
thank you much for the tribute, bottom part looking kind of close - here's mine:
good job! headstock is different though (yours is epiphone), here's the above's:
and here's where I let folks know about the major 2008 stooges donate in montreal:
stooges stuff stolen on august 4, 2008 in montreal, quebec
about big walnuts yonder: that's one of my bass hero tony maimone's 1966 fender jbass w/emg pickups and a bad ass bridge, he let me use it for our debut album at his [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] pad in brooklyn, the only bass I used to record this proj. it saved me the schlep and just getting to work one his basses was a dream for me. I actually also got to use it a few years before to record my third opera "hyphenated-man" at studio g's earlier incarnation. I big time love bass brother tony maimone, his work w/the 70s pere ubu stuff had HUGE impact on me.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
Attachments
It's not Reverend trying to be Gibson, for those who might think that, it's Reverend taking a basic design that's been used by Gibson, Guild, ESP etc and making it a very playable bass that feels good, looks good and sounds great...Lumilays, too!
I had the opportunity to play one last week, very nice bass, but I went with another Reverend.
Reverend Mike Watt Wattplower Review | Premier Guitar
I had the opportunity to play one last week, very nice bass, but I went with another Reverend.
Reverend Mike Watt Wattplower Review | Premier Guitar
Mike is an old friend of mine. He’s been talking me into a Reverend for years. I used to play guitar and I was impressed with the Reverend model he showed me, but I didn’t have the cash at the time. I’ve been eying their basses for a while, particularly because he put that bug in my ear all those years ago.
Played a Wattplower a few weeks ago at Wildwood. Super light and super playable. Dug it, but at 6'2" and 225lbs, short scale basses look funny when I play them.
big brother zach,
me and the reverend guitars people are working on a thirtyfour inch scale wattplower for maybe january 2019. wanna try to keep everything as close to the orig ‘cept for neck length (of course). also a couple more options to what’s available now around the same time.
thanks everybody for the kind words. the reverend guitar people have really worked close w/me on this. respect.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
me and the reverend guitars people are working on a thirtyfour inch scale wattplower for maybe january 2019. wanna try to keep everything as close to the orig ‘cept for neck length (of course). also a couple more options to what’s available now around the same time.
thanks everybody for the kind words. the reverend guitar people have really worked close w/me on this. respect.
on bass, watt
mike watt's hoot page
