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SHOW YOUR DISTRESSED FINISHES!

#1,601
SJLee said:
As much as I love that he plays with Pink Floyd, I love it far more that he has played with The Smiths and Echo and the Bunnymen. Let’s not forget he’s also played with the likes of David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Iggy Pop, Gary Moore, among others.
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So true - he's one of those cats who is a 'go-to' guy for many artists. He also has a Burgundy Mist Metallic 60's P-bass. Love the way that colour ages.
 
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#1,602
SJLee said:
As much as I love that he plays with Pink Floyd, I love it far more that he has played with The Smiths and Echo and the Bunnymen. Let’s not forget he’s also played with the likes of David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Iggy Pop, Gary Moore, among others.
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When and what did he play with Bowie and Iggy Pop?

I wish there was some recording of his rehearsals with The Smiths. Those would be dy-no-mite!

JIO said:
I think if I were to get one of the recent RW basses - the Mustang would be the one. I currently don't have anything like it and from what JMJ says in the Fender promo about it, it has great ability to sit in a dense mix from an engineers point of reference.
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Yeah, the Mustang is the only RW that has any appeal to me as well.
 
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#1,603
JIO said:
Cool Ivan - I'm sure many guitarists would agree with you regardless of the Fender-bashers out there. And your relic-ing looks authentic so far - good work! Back to the Flee sig J, upon studying it last night I know that if I were to have purchased it I would 'rot-rod' the distressing. (take it further and make it look more authentic) One aspect that stops short is the exposed wood sections. The surrounding 'banks' of the wear area do not graduate. It was probably done using a mask over the bare wood areas when spraying and the edges are thin but (too) crisp. I would use a fine emory cloth and taper the edges until smoothly transitioned. Also, I couldn't tell if the shell pink had a primer under it. Like on yours, you see traces of the white primer under the top colour. So the transition is top-coat/primer/wood - all leveled smooth. I would have also added traces of the original mute screws and wear. In fact, the Flee trib doesn't even have holes for a bridge cover, and the neck cover and tug-bar holes are not drilled into the body. (they are on the pg) Silly details, but this is what I'm talking about when saying a relic'd finish can be skillfully done - meaning it alludes to real and logical player wear (not just a randomly scratched up finish) by someone who has studied pictures or a real distressed instrument. I have created a few more artistic versions so far but am very tempted to do a serious distressed finish. I would use my very player-worn '66 P-bass as a reference and painstakingly recreate it's beautiful look. Needless to say, no dragging it on the street will be involved.

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Thanks!
I have to agree with you, I played an RW flea bass at Sam Ash and had the same grievances. It played really well, but I would have loved to see that extra step taken with the holes drilled.
 
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#1,604
ICM said:
Thanks!
I have to agree with you, I played an RW flea bass at Sam Ash and had the same grievances. It played really well, but I would have loved to see that extra step taken with the holes drilled.
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Well, it's understandable - it all starts adding steps and steps take time and time... (etc) It's an interesting marketing angle that solves some issues for product leaving the factory. (which saves time/money) Think about it, a shiny right off the assembly line bass is much more likely to be held back due to 'cosmetic' flaws. With a RW bass... how would you know? Really - those pesky blemishes become part of the look! Genius really, and I mean that seriously. So anyway, that's the potential I saw studying it - that it's a starting point for further manipulation! Not that everyone who buys one will, but it's a great platform/launching pad for those who want it to take it further.
 
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#1,605
Found this pic while looking for weird basses.

timthumb.php.jpg
 
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#1,606
winterburn69 said:
When and what did he play with Bowie and Iggy Pop?

I wish there was some recording of his rehearsals with The Smiths. Those would be dy-no.
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He played on Iggy’s A Million in Prizes: The Anthology.

Apparently I misspoke about Bowie as Guy was in Icehouse during the time they opened for Bowie during the Serious Moonlight tour. Sorry, my bad. I don’t know why I thought he was with Bowie supporting on bass.

And he was supposed to go out on tour with The Smiths during the time they’re bassist Andy Rourke was arrested on drug possession charges shortly before the band was scheduled to leave for its North American tour in support of The Queen Is Dead.

He spent time learning the songs from Rourke (one of my all time favorite bassists) as well as rehearsed with The Smiths for the tour. However, Rourke was able to get his Visas to tour ending any hopes of Guy filling in on bass duties. Still, I find it cool that he was able to work with them even if it was in a limited capacity.
 
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#1,607
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#1,609
SJLee said:
He played on Iggy’s A Million in Prizes: The Anthology.

Apparently I misspoke about Bowie as Guy was in Icehouse during the time they opened for Bowie during the Serious Moonlight tour. Sorry, my bad. I don’t know why I thought he was with Bowie supporting on bass.

And he was supposed to go out on tour with The Smiths during the time they’re bassist Andy Rourke was arrested on drug possession charges shortly before the band was scheduled to leave for its North American tour in support of The Queen Is Dead.

He spent time learning the songs from Rourke (one of my all time favorite bassists) as well as rehearsed with The Smiths for the tour. However, Rourke was able to get his Visas to tour ending any hopes of Guy filling in on bass duties. Still, I find it cool that he was able to work with them even if it was in a limited capacity.
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Hmmm. Didn't know he played on that Iggy Pop anthology album. I'll have to look into what he played on.

I was pretty sure you were mistaken about Bowie but I don't know everything about Guy Pratt (but I have read his autobiography!) so I didn't want to pre-correct you without all the facts.

I also knew his story in regards to The Smiths. Very cool story. I still wish there was recordings of the rehearsals. I wonder if he was playing Betsy with The Smiths? I think it would be safe to assume so.
 
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#1,610
winterburn69 said:
Hmmm. Didn't know he played on that Iggy Pop anthology album. I'll have to look into what he played on.

I was pretty sure you were mistaken about Bowie but I don't know everything about Guy Pratt (but I have read his autobiography!) so I didn't want to pre-correct you without all the facts.

I also knew his story in regards to The Smiths. Very cool story. I still wish there was recordings of the rehearsals. I wonder if he was playing Betsy with The Smiths? I think it would be safe to assume so.
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I don’t know everything about Guy Pratt either, but I do think he is pretty versatile. :) Anyone who can step onstage with Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson, and then The Orb has a grip on many styles of music, IMO.
 
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#1,612
SJLee said:
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I love that P.
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Me too! :thumbsup: BMM is one of those colours that comes in many varieties, but usually not as nice as his P & J examples. Interestingly enough, my band leader Cherie plays an Epi hollow-body in a shade of BMM close to his. (the coloured lights make it look more pink)

fullsizeoutput_bd.jpeg
 
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#1,613
winterburn69 said:
Hmmm. Didn't know he played on that Iggy Pop anthology album. I'll have to look into what he played on.

I was pretty sure you were mistaken about Bowie but I don't know everything about Guy Pratt (but I have read his autobiography!) so I didn't want to pre-correct you without all the facts.

I also knew his story in regards to The Smiths. Very cool story. I still wish there was recordings of the rehearsals. I wonder if he was playing Betsy with The Smiths? I think it would be safe to assume so.
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If what I have read is correct, he was working with The Smiths in 1986 but did not acquire Betsy until 1987. At least according to an acrticle from Bass Guitar Magazine.

Invalid Link Removed
 
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#1,617
ICM said:
Great article; thanks for sharing!
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I used to wait for BGM to show up in the mail and then I would have it read from cover to cover in an hour, only to have to wait another month for it to arrive again. Back then I also had Bass Player magazine showing up as well, so at least there were 2 hours of reading and drooling over basses.

Seems funny now that we can gorge ourselves for hours over this stuff that we used to have to wait monthly for news to arrive.
 
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