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Geddy and his Jazz


geofio
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[size=4][font=Calibri][color=#000000]I’m certainly nowhere near as big a Rush fan as I used to be, but have to say I do enjoy these little vignettes with the band. I find all of their delivery fluent and eloquent irrespective of what they’re talking about.[/color][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=Calibri][color=#000000]I do wonder whether Rickenbacker ever offered an endorsement deal to Geddy Lee (given the editorial in these pages and other forums, I doubt not) or felt any kind of pang of remorse when he switched to Wal/Steinberg/Fender. He, along with Chris Squire and a lesser degree Paul McCartney, were the biggest advert for the 4000 series bass there was. [/color][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=Calibri][color=#000000]Obviously I’m not going to begrudge Geddy’s arrangement with Fender, jeepers, I’d take the Fender dollar if they came my way (‘Hmm, can you build me a Fender Thunderbird?’), but I would say that to a young kid just starting out on bass – that’s me folks! - when he moved away from the Rickenbacker (and Alex moved from Les Pauls/335s) it was the start of the end of my association with the band and I never really went back.[/color][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=Calibri][color=#000000]On the subject of the US model, looks nice enough. I owned one of the MIJ editions a few years back; it was a nice enough bass, but if I was buying again, I doubt the US model would be £1,000 better. Disappointed the BadAssII has gone as well.[/color][/font][/size]

Edited by NancyJohnson
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Interesting video, thanks for posting. I really like Rush and I'm a huge fan of Geddy's tone and playing. I think the higher counter-melodic lines give the band a unique sound, I think a lot of bass players can get too focussed on being as low as possible! (which also sounds good in the right place of course)

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I was a huge Rush fan for about 30 yrs, however their work over the last 10 yrs or so leaves me disinterested. I have a tremendous respect for them though.

Geddy is incredibly talented, indeed a worthy legend of the instrument...but the whole modern Fender/Sansamp/flamenco thing just doesn't work for me.

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Looks like a lovely instrument, I've got a Japanese GL Signature and it's my favourite bass - I think it's amazing.

Oddly I got into Rush because of the bass. I've always been a fan of Jazzes and as people were speaking very highly of the signature bass I started checking out some Rush to hear the kind of sounds Geddy Lee was associated with before I considered buying one and realised that I quite liked some of their albums (not [i]all[/i] by a long chalk)...I ended up learning some of his basslines which has really improved my playing.

Bit back to front I guess.

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I like it, but Jazz basses don't like me!

I for one like his Jazz tone on record, both then and now - but I am a big fan of both GL and all of the band's output.

I've read for years debate about which tracks he used the Jazz on when he first introduced it to the bands sound. Interestingly, some have said that he used it on one track ('Entre Nous' AFAIK) on 'Permanent Waves', others said the album is all Ric.

Well, scroll down the page to Geddy's interview from the period, and he says different - I found this piece quite cool reading.

http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19800600guitarplayer.htm

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Geddy is my all time bass hero and I love Rush. His tone is one of the best I have heard, especially on the earlier material, although I still like his tone on the newer songs. I too, have a Jap sig. Jazz and it's a great bass to play. The neck is amazing!

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I have the geddy mim. Very nice the new mia one certainly looks the part I saw one in Dawson's and looks very well crafted all the comments above are spot on I like rush and like geddys tone certainly anyone buying this one will have a great jazz bass

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[quote name='Meddle' timestamp='1430509860' post='2762248']
My favorite Geddy Lee tone, and playing, is on their debut album. I think this opinion makes me something of a minority.
[/quote]

Wasn't he still using primarily a P bass on the first album? I love his tone/playing on that one too!

Not sure if he'd switched to the Rick by the time this recording was made - but his tone is [i][b]huge[/b][/i] on here...

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0D3gqBO6yk"]http://www.youtube....h?v=_0D3gqBO6yk[/url]

Edited by Conan
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[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1430924883' post='2766024']
Wasn't he still using primarily a P bass on the first album? I love his tone/playing on that one too!

Not sure if he'd switched to the Rick by the time this recording was made - but his tone is [i][b]huge[/b][/i] on here...

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0D3gqBO6yk"]http://www.youtube....h?v=_0D3gqBO6yk[/url]
[/quote]

It's a P on the first album, he bought a Rick when that album got distribution in the US & they started getting paid!

Then he did this to it...

[sharedmedia=core:attachments:45167]

J.

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Not a huge fan of Rush but when I first decided I wanted a Jazz Bass, I heard so many great reviews of the Geddy Lee signature, that I went out and bought one. And I wasn't disappointed. They are lovely instruments.
My one was Japanese and new, in 2009 when I bought mine, they cost around £800. The new ones are made in Mexico and you can get one from Thomann for under £700, which sounds like a great deal to me.

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[quote name='gjones' timestamp='1430940587' post='2766228']The new ones are made in Mexico and you can get one from Thomann for under £700, which sounds like a great deal to me.[/quote]

Nice that there's a choice of the MiM and US models now. I guess the question is does the US made one play £1k better than the Mexican. it certainly looks better to me.

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1430948574' post='2766315']
I'm not a fan of the spec of the U.S. GL.

The maple blocks are.. meh. The pickguard is tacky. And it looks like it has long-stem tuners too, which is just.. weird. All IMO, of course.
[/quote]

I also read something about the neck being more chunky. So it's more like a standard J then?

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