Bruce Foxton

[stewblack]

On which Jam tracks did Bruce Foxton use a Rickenbacker (or his copy)? 

[BillyBass]

The riff at the start of Eton rifles is a classic...its his Ricky.

[warwickhunt]

Easy way to tell; if it sounds like a Ric... it was probably his P bass! 

Sorry.    Joking aside, I'm sure someone will know but I was amazed when one or two tracks I always assumed were Ric, turned out to be a P bass.  

[Highfox]

I remember reading somewhere he switched pretty quickly to using a P in the studio.

[stewblack]

3 minutes ago, warwickhunt said:

Easy way to tell; if it sounds like a Ric... it was probably his P bass! 

Sorry.    Joking aside, I'm sure someone will know but I was amazed when one or two tracks I always assumed were Ric, turned out to be a P bass.  

All in the fingers I suppose 😅😅

[Lozz196]

1 minute ago, Highfox said:

I remember reading somewhere he switched pretty quickly to using a P in the studio.

Yeah, I think it’s Ric on first & maybe second albums, Precision mostly thereafter. Difficult to know as his tone wasn’t majorly different throughout his work with The Jam. But whichever it was, it was great.

[stewblack]

2 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Yeah, I think it’s Ric on first & maybe second albums, Precision mostly thereafter. Difficult to know as his tone wasn’t majorly different throughout his work with The Jam. But whichever it was, it was great.

Agreed. I just looked at Start vid and he is using a semi with a real Maccaesque thump tone. Guess as it's a nod towards taxman he thought he'd go the whole hog!

[warwickhunt]

1 minute ago, stewblack said:

Agreed. I just looked at Start vid and he is using a semi with a real Maccaesque thump tone. Guess as it's a nod towards taxman he thought he'd go the whole hog!

He was using a Waterstone hollowbody to play Start last few times I've seen him live.

[jezzaboy]

If I remember right he stopped using the Ric as it didn`t have enough bottom end, ooer missus! In the same interview, he also mentioned getting one of his old P basses down from the loft and couldnt believe how heavy they were.

Haven`t a clue about which bass he used on what song but I just remembered the above. Off to listen to News of the world now!

 

[skankdelvar]

AFAIK Foxton used an Ibanez faker for the band's earliest gigs and the sessions for the first single and subsequent album. After the release of In The City the band secured an endorsement deal with Wing Music and Foxton acquired a real Ric, relegating the faker to back-up status. Foxton believed the Ric lacked low end and at one time considered having a P pick-up fitted,. In the end he simply swapped over to a Precision using it for the All Mod Cons album.

The Ibanez later sold for about £12k at auction with a set-list still taped to the body, including songs which appeared on the second album

 

The black Precision later went up for auction in 2009 and re-appeared in 2016. I cannot find the sale prices achieved.

Edited May 3, 2020 by skankdelvar

[stewblack]

Never ever thought of putting a set list there. Genius

[dave_bass5]

14 hours ago, stewblack said:

Never ever thought of putting a set list there. Genius

Just thinking the same. Wish I still had my Jack Casaday bass now, i could also put the tabs on it 😂

[el borracho]

McCartney did it as well

[stewblack]

55 minutes ago, el borracho said:

McCartney did it as well

But he'd need a mirror on the stage to read it and it would all be back to front. 

Unless he held his bass upside down 😯

[warwickhunt]

1 hour ago, stewblack said:

But he'd need a mirror on the stage to read it and it would all be back to front. 

Unless he held his bass upside down 😯

He's left handed!

[stewblack]

 

[alexpea]

I always assumed he was playing a Ric on Down in the Tube Station at Midnight but he's certainly tearing it up on his Pbass in this live vid...

 

 

[Stonemason]

Bruce was certainly using his P Bass on the Mod Cons tour in Nov 78.   He dug out his 4001  when they appeared on Something else in Aug 79, playing  "When You're Young , and Eton Rifles.  I'm pretty sure he used it for the Funeral Pyre video in 81.