Sting played a what??!?!??!

[redstrand]

So I'm trolling through youtube for playing techniques and different sounds.

I stumble across some old Police stuff...Sting using a pick is quite different from the thumb...it's the bass in this video that caught my eye.

Can anyone identify it? The shape and headstock are throwing me off a little bit.

 

[roadkill2309]

Isn't that an Ibanez?

 

[Mark Wilson]

Ibanez Roadstar II.

I think.

 

[RS]

It is an Ibanez Musician bass

 

[jsingles]

god those SUCK IME

 

[bassteban]

god those SUCK IME

Yeah, Sting was dumb back then.

Edit: I think he took smart pills later.

 

[redstrand]

You should see some of the others that he was playing...funky looking p-basses and some weird MM thing...guess their gear didn't always show up.

Thanks for the insight...learn something new everyday.

On some of the vids, it's a riot to see how fast he plays with a pick...even better is how fast Stewart plays when they get going fast.

 

[spade2you]

It is an Ibanez Musician bass

Indeed. They were fairly nice basses from the few I've been able to play.

 

[Blake Bass]

Yep, that's an Ibanez Musician. They were pretty nice basses back in the day. (80's)

 

[Coelho]

+1, these basses were awesome.

 

[23travis]

The way I understand it is that, until The Police became famous, Sting never felt that he was a Bass Player, but more of a singer, so he didn't really care what bass he played as long as it was in tune. Later, when he got a bit of cash, he pretty much bought anything that caught his, ummm, "ear", as it were. He simply tried everything until he found what he wanted. Great idea if you got the money to do it with!

IMHO, those 80's Ibanez basses sounded great and were a great value. I knew a lot of guys in HS and college that played them (I was a drummer then), and they had no trouble at all.

 

[Christopher]

Not just a Musician, but a fretless Musician.

 

[richnota]

those basses were beautiful. Saw him play that live...sounded great.

 

[lefty]

i have a left handed 82 roadstar II pj set up. still my favorite electric bass. always my go to bass.

 

[Baryonyx]

Great basses....perhaps the nicest 8 string I've ever played, was in fact an old Musician!

I thought Sting was better with the Spector though.

 

[Mark Wilson]

Not just a Musician, but a fretless Musician.

It'd be even funnier if he was bald.
Fretless Bass.
Fretless Head.

 

[thehangingmist]

yea thats an fretless ibanez musician bass he also played another ibanez guess a roadstar something
saw this before in the bass hand book by adarian ashton

 

[redstrand]

I found some listings buried in a article somewhere that said it was indeed a fretless musician and a roadstar II. The videos are amusing considering the different crowds...some are going crazy while others are just quiet...ahhh the old days of 80's rock...play fast and loud.

 

[Marcury]

The Musician series basses and guitars were sweet.

 

[GeoffByrne]

When they were 'up & coming' in the UK, Police frequently appeared on TV with Sting playing an Upright. So I think he maybe knew more about bass than he pretended.