Tom Araya Signature LTD bass

I saw Slayer on Saturday night in Atlanta, and they blew the young 'uns who opened for them off the stage.

Slayer was tight, fast, and intense. The mix was pretty good, and the sound was nice and thick. Tom played his signature bass--it sounded good, but nothing special. He played BC Richs for so long, I guess it was time for a change, and ESP came along at the right time.

I noticed the opening band were using LTD basses and guitars, too. So, I figure they threw some money at them, and helped underwrite the tour. Or, maybe he just absolutely loves their basses.

While I'm sure I'll never need a Tom Araya Sig bass, I'm glad there is something out there that is an alternative to the Ibanezes that are all over the place in that genre.

 

Tom araya is a well known and respected bass player by a lot of kids. so i think that Mr araya is a good promoting bass player for a company that builds and sells basses. he's seen by a lot of guys. and a lot of guys wants to sound as tom. no problem for the ESP and LTD version, they are the corrispective of FEnder, Squier or Gibson Epiphone. and a lot of young kids are not so full of money to ba able to buy an ESP.

i have seen their site too and i'm interested in their new 8 string bass more than in the araya model...

 

I had no idea that his Sig bass lists for $3400...That is INSANE.

 

he's not the only one nor the first...

 

$3400?????? Screw that, I'll get another Elrick.

 

yes. that is insane.

 

That's weird. I have the latest MF catalog, and it has the Tom Araya signature listed at $699. I do like the look of the body. Maybe with some different electronics in there......

Rock on
Eric

 

The status of having a sig instrument made for you seems to be losing some of its status to me.

When I think of "signature" basses, I think of it as an honor for the big names who have had sig basses made - Berlin, Glenn, Casady, Hamm, Bruce, Wimbish, Anthony, and others of that stature. But the bassist for Slayer??? Oh well, ESP has a sig guitar for Soulfly's guitarist, too. Like `em or not, these guys aren't exactly legendary.

What is really mystifying is the marketing mind that popped Araya's name on a $3k+ (list) bass When I think "Slayer fan," a guy with almost 3 big ones to spend on a bass doesn't immediately come to mind. I don't know, maybe his admirers are loaded.

But list pricing an all-alder body painted black with some EMG's on it for $3k+???? Give me a break!

 

That's the LTD version that lists for $999. The full on ESP version is $3499.00.

 

I completely agree. I had a great time at the show, and I thought they rocked, but I don't see a whole lot of people with $3K to spend on a bass going for an Alder bass in Black with pentagrams as fret markers. Sure, it works for Slayer, but....

 

I never thought I'd see the day when there was a Tom Araya sig bass lol. Oh well, good for him. I would try one out, but only if it grants me dark powers enabling me to achieve the high pitched intro scream to Angel of Death.

I admit though, Reign in Blood is an album I can still listen to from start to finish. I lost interest right around when Lombardo left. I was not into that sort of music much anymore, and I didn't like the first album they put out with the dude from Forbidden. I checked out some of the stuff after that, but nothing ever measured up to RIB for me.

 

Not one of these of the bass players(Bruce is an exception here) above played on an album as important to rock/metal history as Slayer. Now, I am not saying that Tom Araya is a good player...he isn't. But "Reign In Blood" constantly charts in the top 10 "Hard Rock/Heavy Metal" important albums of all time. To me, his involvement alone warrants a signature bass. And these guys ARE legendary...to me, and millions more.

 

i agree phog!

 

Man, don't you know that signature basses are like assh*les these days -- everyone's got one.

 

True, but Tom Araya deserves one, IMO....

 

There are a lot of players that deserve one, but will probably never get one. One of the most ridiculous signatures I have ever seen is the Jerry Horton Signature guitar from Schecter (Jerry Horton.....of Papa Roach?)! "Signature" seems to be synonymous with, "think about how many of these we'll sell, if we put __________'s name on it. Woohoo!" It's almost as if companies woo musicians away from their current endorsement with the promise of a signature line.

And no, I don't put all of the blame for this way of thinking onto the manufacturers -- some of it is and should be placed on the buying public. Also, to bassmonkeee: ESP has been making basses that can contend with the Ibanezes, long before the Tom Araya Signature bass was ever even thought of. I know what your point was though.

 

(recite like the verses towards the end of 'altar of sacrifice')

a gift of sig basses disposed upon you, use them when you feel the need!
master the forces and powers of e strings, controlling the bass' instinct!
drawn to the basses that hang on the wall, learn to resist the temptation!
watching your buddy buy a pink fender, endlessly searching for...saaaaalvaaaaationnnnn!!

solo: hanneman

learn the secret words of praise, 'hail talkbass...talkbass...talkbass...talkbass'

solo: king

lol, all this talk about Slayer is giving me flashbacks - I'm one of those nuts that can be listening to Brandenburg concertos one minute, and singing along to songs from 'Reign in Blood' the next

I'll never forget the day this good friend of mine brought over an album no less! it said def jam recordings on the inner sleeve, so I'm thinkin', ok, this is beastie boys or something right? then he puts it on, and I hear this fast intro riff, then this dude lets out a blood curdling scream that goes "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh"

thus began my introduction to slayer hehe - then I went backwards to pick up the earlier stuff and was pretty much a devoted fan up until 'divine intervention' - I never listened to them for the bass or tried to play bass along with it, but it's fun stuff nonetheless - I definitely give them metal props for some of their work - not very polished, and sometimes even laughable, but always agressive

join us....join us....join us....

 

I'm with Eric. I kinda like the body shape. It's different, but not in that BC Rich way....But I don't think I'd ever get it....

 

I don't understand why they bothered with a Tom Araya signature. And I mean no disrespect towards the band or towards Araya's bass playing. It's just that the bass is not very noticeable or very distinct in the band. I can understand a Dave Lombardo signature series bass drum pedal or toms of something, or even a Kerry King signature guitar, but the Tom Araya sig bass loses me.