Simon Gallup on "Fascination Street"

[A. D. Fairhurst]

I first listened to this song a few days ago and now I can't stop! Mainly because of Simon Gallup's buzzy bass tone that somehow works really well. Anyway, I was just wondering whether anyone knows what bass he used on the track. A few people say Musicman Stingray, and a few people say Fender Bass VI (the bass played in the music video...not that it counts for much though), and it sounds like it could be either to my ears. Anyone else know for sure?

 

[FatStringer52]

I don't know what he used in the studio. There are, however, numerous live performances on YT. And on those I have not seen him use the 6-string. And I've only seen him use a Stingray at this performance . . .



On most of the early 90s shows he using a black hollow-body 4-string that looks much like a Gibson, but I don't think it is a Gibson branded bass. Some of the early 2000s performances he's using a Thunderbird 4-string. And on some of the newer (2014 - 2016) live performances he's using something that I have not yet been able to identify, yet another 4-string.

And although I have not seen him use a 6-string bass other than on the official video, there is this quote from Wikipedia, "Smith said in 1992, "I think when people talk about the 'Cure sound', they mean songs based on six-string bass, acoustic guitar and my voice, plus the string sound from the Solina."

 

[GK Growl]

Not sure what was used but I will say this what I use to gauge the appropriate amount of fret buzz and grind in a rock context. Let the flaming begin.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Hmm, you seem to like donning your flame suit.

 

[GK Growl]

Hmm, you seem to like donning your flame suit.[/QUOTE

Why yes, yes I am. The only reason why is because I get frustrated that we don't hear more tracks like this and that it seems that if your bass has any buzz or grind then it's a problem to most of us here.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I don't think it's a problem at all for Korn or Yes fans.
Yes, I know quite different ends of the spectrum of Rock & Roll.

 

[boristhespider7]

With that grindy aggressive tone it sounds just like the bass vi. Easy tone to cop with a vi. Listen to The Beatles Helter Skelter as well which is also with the bass vi (apart from they would have used flats)

 

[elgranluis]

Sorry to resurect. It is a guild starfire bass.

 

[foal30]

I thought he just borrowed Peter Hook's custom

 

[nofrets5]

Stingray; he used the VI for the video, has said he doesn't really care for them. He used the Stingray for recording (Head On The Door, Kiss Me, Disintegration, Wish) stopped using it/them live around 1991, however he used it sparingly (one song) for the Disintegration set from the live Trilogy concert.

 

[boristhespider7]

Stingray; he used the VI for the video, has said he doesn't really care for them. He used the Stingray for recording (Head On The Door, Kiss Me, Disintegration, Wish) stopped using it/them live around 1991, however he used it sparingly (one song) for the Disintegration set from the live Trilogy concert.

Maybe...and i'll never be able to prove it but it sounds bang on to my VI, same grindy scooped tone, complete with strings rattling against the fretboard due to the lower tension. I've owned both a stingray and currently own a VI and i'm convinced its a VI. BTW, i thought the Guild VI came later? (but i'm no Gallup expert)

 

[Kilgore777]

Stingray; he used the VI for the video, has said he doesn't really care for them. He used the Stingray for recording (Head On The Door, Kiss Me, Disintegration, Wish) stopped using it/them live around 1991, however he used it sparingly (one song) for the Disintegration set from the live Trilogy concert.

Yeah, I when I saw the Kiss me.... tour, he was sporting a MM Stingray then.

I just watched he video and yeah, it looks like a six string. I don’t remember seeing that at the live show, but it was a long time ago.

It sure as hell sounds like a Stingray to me.... Everything cranked, maybe with the bass rolled off a little.

 

[deernaes]

And on some of the newer (2014 - 2016) live performances he's using something that I have not yet been able to identify, yet another 4-string.

He actually has a signature bass from Schecter, the Ultra Spitfire. Maybe that's what you've seen him playing recently...

 

[burpgun]

I recall him playing some sort of Washburn holdbody/acoustic a lot during the Distintegration days. I actually saw that tour and that’s what he had. I don’t know what he recorded with but that piezo pickup can sure get some nasty grind going.

 

[ERIC31]

Stingray.

I was a big fan of The Cure in the mid to late 80s. I loved his MM tone back then.

 

[Beersurgeon]

I very well might be wrong on this but didn't Robert play the VI with Simon on bass? I thought they double down a lot with their music.

 

[Mushroo]

I love using this song to teach "rock" left hand technique. Just doesn't sound the same if you try to play it across the strings in one position.

 

[VCMStrat12]

I'm late to the party with this comment, but as a long time Cure fan, and from what I've observed from their live performances, Simon doesn't usually play the Fender VI–if you watch older videos like Cure in Orange (1987), he's playing the Stingray in that, and for the songs that call for the VI, it's usually Robert or Porl (Thompson) playing it. Simon is strictly–as far as I can tell–a four string guy–I don't personally recall ever seeing him play the VI. I have an issue of Guitar Player magazine that interviewed them around the time of Wish (1992,) where Simon commented that he liked his Stingray a lot, but it was too "ringy" for live use.

 

[Supadope]

Great bass line.
Meaty tone.
Cure rocks.

 

[A. D. Fairhurst]

Update: Played this bassline on a Stingray in a music shop a few months ago with a load of treble and hard right-hand technique. Copped the tone exactly, so I'm now convinced it's his black Stingray. Still amazed at the bass tone on this and Disintegration (also definitely a Ray).