Lo. Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I thought I'd post a quick note to say I was lucky enough to meet Michael Henderson in Blackpool at the weekend, and got to play a little on a bass made for him by Jim Fleetwood. It's a beautiful instrument he's called The Starship bass. I think it's wonderful that Jim paid this tribute to MH - he's simply one of the most important bassists ever and it's about time he had a signature bass. Most of his recorded work was with a Jazz bass, but the Starship has a J/M pickup set up. I'll try to get a few pictures and post eventually, but heads up, the Starship is landing in 2011. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='Lo.' post='1086081' date='Jan 11 2011, 09:06 PM']I thought I'd post a quick note to say I was lucky enough to meet Michael Henderson in Blackpool at the weekend, and got to play a little on a bass made for him by Jim Fleetwood. It's a beautiful instrument he's called The Starship bass. I think it's wonderful that Jim paid this tribute to MH - he's simply one of the most important bassists ever and it's about time he had a signature bass. Most of his recorded work was with a Jazz bass, but the Starship has a J/M pickup set up. I'll try to get a few pictures and post eventually, but heads up, the Starship is landing in 2011.[/quote] Apologies for my ignorance, but who is Michael Henderson? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1089338' date='Jan 14 2011, 01:51 PM']Apologies for my ignorance, but who is Michael Henderson?[/quote] MB1. Dickies Son? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1089338' date='Jan 14 2011, 01:51 PM']Apologies for my ignorance, but who is Michael Henderson?[/quote] Wikipedia is your friend. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Henderson"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Henderson[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 [quote name='MB1' post='1089505' date='Jan 14 2011, 04:32 PM']MB1. Dickies Son?[/quote] Showing your age again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Fleeting Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thanks for your comments. If you want to see some pics from that night, and of the bass, here they are, on my blog: [url="http://luthiery.co.uk/2011/02/01/michael-henderson-starship-bass/"]http://luthiery.co.uk/2011/02/01/michael-h...-starship-bass/[/url] Hope I haven't broken any rules of self-promotion on here. Apologies if I have, and I'll delete this post and PM if so. Let me know. The Jazz/MM pickups combo is because Michael said "Imagine if I could have a bass that sounded like a jazz bass, but if you flick a switch, it's a MM". Fortunately, Delano make the hybrid, which does that very thing, and looks cool. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJTee Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo. Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Thanks for the great photos Jim. Can't wait to hear it recorded, maybe later this year? Who's Michael Henderson? A quick primer for you lucky people who haven't discovered him yet: In the 60's he started recording for Motown when he was 13. He became a Motown road bassist while James Jamerson was locked away in the studio - at 16/17 he was one of the only ones good enough to learn some of the incredible lines Jamerson was creating. The kind of kids that came to see him play Motown shows at that time were Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Miroslav Vitous....he later joined Stevie Wonder's band and toured with him (he was a ripe old age of 19 then), until Betty Davis saw them in NY and told Miles Davis he should go see Michael play. Miles took one look at him and told Stevie Wonder after the show "I'm taking your F***in' bass player". He then became the longest ever serving bassman for Miles Davis (and Stevie spent the next few years playing his own keyboard bass). That's the early years anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 I was expecting this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lo. Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1113242' date='Feb 2 2011, 11:29 PM']I was expecting this [/quote] Nice one, I'd hit it, but I'd rather have Jim's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 [quote name='Lo.' post='1113255' date='Feb 2 2011, 11:38 PM']Nice one, I'd hit it, but I'd rather have Jim's.[/quote] TBH Jim's bass isn't my cuppa but that look's like it's made out of lego so I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassnut62 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Wow, the michael Henderson - sh*t a great player. Some of his own material as a band leader and singer is great too. Check out Goin' Places..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 [quote name='Jim Fleeting' post='1112870' date='Feb 2 2011, 07:28 PM']Thanks for your comments. If you want to see some pics from that night, and of the bass, here they are, on my blog: [url="http://luthiery.co.uk/2011/02/01/michael-henderson-starship-bass/"]http://luthiery.co.uk/2011/02/01/michael-h...-starship-bass/[/url] Hope I haven't broken any rules of self-promotion on here. Apologies if I have, and I'll delete this post and PM if so. Let me know. The Jazz/MM pickups combo is because Michael said "Imagine if I could have a bass that sounded like a jazz bass, but if you flick a switch, it's a MM". Fortunately, Delano make the hybrid, which does that very thing, and looks cool. Jim[/quote] that would look pant-wettingly awesome with some orange DR Neons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gust0o Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 That look stunning, Jim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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