Plain silly statements by those who should know better.

[Baceface]

1 hour ago, 4000 said:

 Glenn has said in various interviews over the the years that Geezer wouldn’t sell it him back, as, in Geezer’s words, “I don’t sell me basses” (although I may have read recently that in the end he did, I can’t quite remember). 

I think Geezer still has it, assuming nothing's changed in the last two years...
 

Quote

After capturing such an incredibly awesome sound with a Rickenbacker bass on Burn, why did you switch to Fender Precision and Fender Jazz basses on your many subsequent albums? —Carl Fragnito

When I joined Purple, I replaced Roger Glover, who played a Rickenbacker. So I decided to get one for myself because it represented the band’s sound. But when I started to play onstage with Purple, the Rickenbacker didn’t fulfill the groove-oriented sound I wanted, so I switched to the Fender basses. My playing comes from a James Jamerson place, and the Rickenbacker wasn’t the right bass to achieve that sound. I wound up foolishly giving the Rickenbacker to Geezer Butler. When I saw him at Ronnie James Dio’s funeral in 2010, I asked him if I could have it back. He told me flat out, “No,” but that he would let me look at it. I should have never given it to him in the first place, but everyone makes mistakes.

Source: Glenn Hughes on Ritchie Blackmore, Joe Bonamassa and the Rickenbacker He Gave to Geezer Butler

It seems a bit mean that Geezer is keeping hold of the bass that Glenn seems to have "given" him. Maybe there was some other, unspecified trade done? (Probably a few kilos of charlie, given the way Glenn was going at the time!)
I'd guess Geezer is very well off these days and Glenn somewhat less so (it's all relative, and highly speculative.) I suppose Geezer used the Rick on record and feels it's part of his history now. He also grew up in pretty poor circumstances and maybe that's part of it. 

Anyway, what's great is that they're both still here to tell the tales and that was definitely touch and go at one point. I'm enjoying Glenn's late career renaissance and that he seems to be getting a bit more recognition for his playing and singing. 

[4000]

He’s said previously that he swapped it with Geezer, I think for a Thunderbird IIRC. Which is probably the reason why Geezer doesn’t want to “give” it him back.😉

it amazes me how Glenn can still sing like he can at his age. There’s a version of Burn on YouTube with Bruce Dickinson from some years back, and the notes Glenn hits are unbelievable.

[Muzz]

2 hours ago, 4000 said:

He’s said previously that he swapped it with Geezer, I think for a Thunderbird IIRC. Which is probably the reason why Geezer doesn’t want to “give” it him back.😉

it amazes me how Glenn can still sing like he can at his age. There’s a version of Burn on YouTube with Bruce Dickinson from some years back, and the notes Glenn hits are unbelievable.

Just watched that: Glenn is astonishing; "Sit down, Bruce: the bassist's got this..." 😁

[dmccombe7]

Just watched that clip too and Glenn's voice is still incredible. 

Dave

[Paul S]

Medusa. 

That is all

 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

We seem to have derailed this thread somewhat. 

[Baceface]

1 minute ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

We seem to have derailed this thread somewhat. 

I was thinking that too. Someone should start a Glenn Hughes thread and we can all pile into that one. 

[stewblack]

it's a great derailment, thoroughly enjoying it. 

[Woodinblack]

Me too, I find it amazing that people care *so* much about which bass was used for what!

[Baceface]

3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

Me too, I find it amazing that people care *so* much about which bass was used for what!

In my case it's not so much caring about which bass was used as caring about challenging my thoughts on which bass was used. (If that makes any sense.)

What that does is remind me that although, in isolation, a Ricky and a P-Bass would appear to be two fairly different sounding basses, once they're mixed into a track and mastered, the differences are not as huge as we sometimes think. What I am actually reacting to as a listener is the overall feel, created by a combination of the playing and the sound of the instrument.

However, it's clear that the bass used does influence the overall feel. I believe that, more than the sound it makes, it's the associations the player has with a particular instrument that make them play the way they do with it. In the quote above, Glenn Hughes (him again!) says...

Quote

My playing comes from a James Jamerson place, and the Rickenbacker wasn’t the right bass to achieve that sound

What interests me is that, despite the above, the Burn-era Ricky lines still sound bloody great played on the P-bass. I do however wonder if he'd have composed those lines in the first place if he was using the P-bass in the studio. Maybe he'd have gone for a more in-the-pocket, Jamerson-influenced vibe because that's his association with the P-bass.

[BassTractor]

5 hours ago, Baceface said:

In my case it's not so much caring about which bass was used as caring about challenging my thoughts on which bass was used. (If that makes any sense.)

Makes perfect sense.