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What bass is this? (Black Sabbath)

#3
Geezer is currently rocking Laklands Joe Osborn and Bob Glaub models

in the past he has played

Fender P's
Rickenbacker
B.C Rich
Vigier
Status
Spector

That pic appears to be one taken by Neil Zlozower in the late 70's so based on that and based on the headstock and the control layout I think that may be an early model B.C. Rich but i couldn't tell you which model...maybe some of the old school B.C Rich fans can elaborate
 
#8
smcd said:
Nor is it a John Birch nor a Jaydee, as far as I can tell.
Click to expand...

I think it's Geezer's first John Birch bass, others are this
JohnBirch12.jpg
and the 8-string he used in the mid-seventies.

From "Technical Ecstasy" tourbook:
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#10
PhR said:
I think it's Geezer's first John Birch bass, others are this
JohnBirch12.jpg
and the 8-string he used in the mid-seventies.

From "Technical Ecstasy" tourbook:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...

Agreed, either a John Birch SG bass or a Jaydee (need to see the headstock logo to be sure), but Jaydee (John Diggins) worked for John Birch before setting up on his own in 1977, so either way he probably built the bass.
 
#12
I'm not talking about that SG-body Birch bass above. I'm talking about the bass Butler plays in that video with a Fender-ish body.

This bass -
geezer741.jpg



The control layout looks the same, as does the headstock. But I see no headstock logo, nor have I seen any Birch bass that looks like it.
 
#13
It has the exact same body as the Birch guitar I posted a picture of in the post above yours. He played this Birch because customs chopped his original sunburst Precision bass in half by accident. John Birch was building SG guitars for Iommi by this point so I guess Geezer hooked up with them.

This Birch guitar has the same headstock profile.

john-birch.jpg
 
#15
Thanks man. I imagine a Lucite bass would make your back hurt if you played it every night.

I guess as a bit of trivia it is often said that Geezer played a Rickenbacker during the later Ozzy years. He plays one on the Never Say Die concert video but stated in interviews that this was a one-off (or nearly so, he also played one on the BBC) and it belonged to Glen Hughes.
 
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#18
Meddle said:
I guess as a bit of trivia it is often said that Geezer played a Rickenbacker during the later Ozzy years. He plays one on the Never Say Die concert video but stated in interviews that this was a one-off (or nearly so, he also played one on the BBC) and it belonged to Glen Hughes.
Click to expand...

At a Bass Player interview he said he swapped a Thunderbird for Glenn's 4001. That '77 BBC clip with Dave Walker has also a Rick but is the same one? He also says in that same interview that he used a fretless Rickenbacker on "Johnny Blade".
 
#20
It looks like a modded Rickenbacker 2030 to me. Different neck, electronics look right, maybe the bridge pickup is correct. John Birch did do some Rick looking instruments right?

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