Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

What is it? Geezer Butler bass


Guest
 Share

Recommended Posts

http://hilobrow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/GeezerButler_LRG.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-1CeApXx_E/UAWSH6s8API/AAAAAAAAA8Q/LtzWwOvbN-I/s1600/Black_Sabbath_Geezer_Butler.jpg

What model is it? Brand?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I`m sure that was the one that he was playing at the California Jam -the gig that they played at with the Coverdale fronted Purple in 74ish?

And being a Birch would make sense as he made Tony Iommi`s SG. I wonder where this guitar is now.......

Edited by jezzaboy
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Schnozzalee' timestamp='1361134165' post='1981699']
It's a John Birch
[/quote]

Any better photos that would confirm this? I can't see the pickups or any logo on the headstock, and it doesn't really have enough controls to be a "classic" John Birch design. I would have also thought that something like this would have been in the John Birch catalogue of the time, but I don't recall seeing it in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1361211160' post='1982885']
Any better photos that would confirm this? I can't see the pickups or any logo on the headstock, and it doesn't really have enough controls to be a "classic" John Birch design. I would have also thought that something like this would have been in the John Birch catalogue of the time, but I don't recall seeing it in there.
[/quote]

Sorry, that was a bit blunt of me - the headstock matches the shape of John's J1 guitar :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's certainly the shape of a JB headstock.
Tony Iommi financed Birch into going into guitar building as opposed to the repairs, electrics & the occasional build he'd done until then after he asked John to make him a two octave neck on an SG and make a fingerboard that his damaged fingers could use without the painful fret edges. He'd asked the major names but they'd refused. The early ones didn't have effects or options built in and weren't the standard body shapes that he later made.
John told me himself that the J1 came about when he got fed-up of seeing so many folk using what he thought was an inferior guitar, the Les Paul. So he got a Les paul, cut out a matching horn to the top edge & believing he'd improved it started making them. So the above may well be another brand that John had "improved".

I too would like to see better pics of the OP one before saying it's definitely a JB.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1361279546' post='1983753']Don't think this really sheds any more light on the issue but looks like same bass again?[/quote]

Possibly, the shadows on the pickups suggest John Birch, a "Superflux" as he called them in the mid-70s & a pickup he often put into basses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...