Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

TRADED: Chris Squire Electra Bass


robocorpse
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='Bassassin' post='658359' date='Nov 18 2009, 05:56 PM']No - it would be f*cking unforgiveable vandalism.

How is this different to getting a 1960s Precision & hacking it into a teardrop shape because that's what Geddy Lee did? Except 60s Ps are a damn sight easier to find - in any condition - than these.

J.[/quote]

Entirely up to the eventual purchaser!

Hehehe! Where's my tech...!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In case anyone's interested, Chris told me this about his Elektra a couple of years ago:

'It¹s a bass that was a favourite of mine made for me in the 70s by I guess
what¹s now some (Westone/St Louis Music) music company which I guess makes
Ampeg and they made Alvarez guitars the acoustics which was one of those
lines. But they were also experimenting with electric guitars and this was a
custom made bass which they made for me that actually has effects modules
that you pop, into the back of the bass, there¹s a little flap. And although
I don¹t always use the effects the guitar is one of those very playable
basses which I enjoy playing and has a great sound. I¹ve always had it in my
arsenal, as it were.'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I beg to differ. Chris' bass started life as a bog standard Electra MPC series X610/X620 (imported by St Louis Music, who were the USA's sole distributor for Electra and Westone in the late 70s) that Mandolin Brothers reshaped for him, they were putting the effects pods in these WAY before Chris got hold of his (1977 I think they started) and CS didn't get his til late 79/early 80. Alcohol does funny things to the memory, CS is only telling half the story, everyone knows the only "custom" bit of that bass is the reshaping, refin and refit, the body and neck is a totally standard X610/X620. You only have to look at the headstock, it it really was custom, they wouldn't have left the "Electra" decal on there. I love CS playing to bits, but he isn't entirely reliable off-stage. Let the flames begin...


[quote name='Mickeyboro' post='660219' date='Nov 20 2009, 03:13 PM']In case anyone's interested, Chris told me this about his Elektra a couple of years ago:

'It¹s a bass that was a favourite of mine made for me in the 70s by I guess
what¹s now some (Westone/St Louis Music) music company which I guess makes
Ampeg and they made Alvarez guitars the acoustics which was one of those
lines. But they were also experimenting with electric guitars and this was a
custom made bass which they made for me that actually has effects modules
that you pop, into the back of the bass, there¹s a little flap. And although
I don¹t always use the effects the guitar is one of those very playable
basses which I enjoy playing and has a great sound. I¹ve always had it in my
arsenal, as it were.'[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agree with Mr. Corpse. This bass is part of the Outlaw range - which is in fact named from the band The Outlaws, who endorsed Electra in the 70s. The built-in MPC effects (modular powered circuits) appeared in numerous Electra guitars from 1976 until the early 80s.

SLM might possibly have had the bass modified to Squire's specs, but Electra were sourced from Fujigen, Matsumoku & Kasuga. I think the Outlaw range were made by Kasuga - there are design traits & specific components which appear on Kasuga's Scorpion series also.

And whoever's bought this - [i]please[/i] don't turn it into some sort of fanboy parody.

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Bassassin' post='661250' date='Nov 21 2009, 06:54 PM']Agree with Mr. Corpse. This bass is part of the Outlaw range - which is in fact named from the band The Outlaws, who endorsed Electra in the 70s. The built-in MPC effects (modular powered circuits) appeared in numerous Electra guitars from 1976 until the early 80s.

SLM might possibly have had the bass modified to Squire's specs, but Electra were sourced from Fujigen, Matsumoku & Kasuga. I think the Outlaw range were made by Kasuga - there are design traits & specific components which appear on Kasuga's Scorpion series also.

And whoever's bought this - [i]please[/i] don't turn it into some sort of fanboy parody.

J.[/quote]


Bzzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzz - mind those fingers!

(sound of the jigsaw, cutting away excess hornage!!!)

Now, I wonder who the new `daddy' might be....?!

Chris bless him, does sometimes expand the truth a little bit! He mentions that he designed the Mouradian CS-74 when in fact Jim Mouradian built it and presented it to him as a gift! He is still one of my all-time heroes, so I suppose I could well be described as a `fanboy'....

Oh, here's a good resource:

[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/history.php"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electra/history.php[/url]

ATB!

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='662313' date='Nov 23 2009, 01:03 AM']Bzzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzz - mind those fingers!

(sound of the jigsaw, cutting away excess hornage!!!)

Now, I wonder who the new `daddy' might be....?!
ATB!

Nick[/quote]
On you own head be it. You may feel it's the right thing to do now, but it's you who will wake, alone & sweating in the dark, dead hours before dawn, cries of remorse dying on your lips; you, who will face your own haggard reflection each morning, knowing what you did, and that you can never take it back, never put it right. Ever.

As long as you're OK with that... :rolleyes: :)

J.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='662654' date='Nov 23 2009, 01:44 PM'][/quote]

coffee hits screen!!!

Superb!


.....it's you who will wake, alone & sweating in the dark, dead hours before dawn, cries of remorse dying on your lips; you, who will face your own haggard reflection each morning

Jon - I think you must be psychic mate - thats a normal part of my daily routine! I can get Ian Hancock to lop the horns off and keep the offcuts just in case I change me mind...just superglue 'em back on eh? Seriously, I'm picking the bass up from Stansted later today as you read this! How's about a simple refinish in white...?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='663405' date='Nov 24 2009, 02:54 AM']coffee hits screen!!!

Superb!


.....it's you who will wake, alone & sweating in the dark, dead hours before dawn, cries of remorse dying on your lips; you, who will face your own haggard reflection each morning

Jon - I think you must be psychic mate - thats a normal part of my daily routine! I can get Ian Hancock to lop the horns off and keep the offcuts just in case I change me mind...just superglue 'em back on eh? Seriously, I'm picking the bass up from Stansted later today as you read this! How's about a simple refinish in white...?[/quote]

To be honest aesthetically it ain't a thing of beauty to start with, but I don't think re-shaping the horns improves it at all visually - probably just makes it more neck-heavy.

Up to you what you do with it, but it looks like it's been used for banging in fenceposts if the existing finish is anything to go on, so a white refin wouldn't really hurt. And neither would replacing the old birdsh!t-welded tuners with a set of Schaller M4S's, like Uncle Chris. Not sure what bridge he's got on his but this needs a Hipshot Rick replacement imo.

Pics when it's finished, Nick. :)

Some old catalogue stuff for geeks:

[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/images/1977page_4.jpg"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/i.../1977page_4.jpg[/url]
[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/images/1977page_5.jpg"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/i.../1977page_5.jpg[/url]
[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/images/1977page_6.jpg"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/i.../1977page_6.jpg[/url]
[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/images/1977page_7.jpg"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/i.../1977page_7.jpg[/url]

There were masses of MPC effects modules available for these - 12 different ones, as far as I can find out.There's a scan of the MPC effects user manual here:

[url="http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/index.php?entry=entry080215-043528"]http://www.rivercityamps.com/electrapage/i...ry080215-043528[/url]

J.

Edited by Bassassin
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='robocorpse' post='664619' date='Nov 25 2009, 01:20 AM']TRADED.
Let the destruction, decimation, sawing, drilling, refinishing and Squire worship begin :)
Only kidding, thanks to Nick for great trade, and coffee :rolleyes:[/quote]

Thank you Pete!

Great text message convo earlier! Did you get to the airport on time?

Topographite! Love it!

I've now finished the mods - here it is:



Looking good eh?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha, yeah I got there in time, cheers. Txt battle was fun.

Hows this for Siberian Elektru:

"Luthier, in time
horn chop, asking
badass tailpiece
chrome plate making,
schallers, knobs right
re-fin, in white
flanger rewire
be like Chris Squireeeeeeeeee"

Beat that :) :rolleyes: :lol:




[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='664635' date='Nov 25 2009, 01:51 AM']Thank you Pete!
Great text message convo earlier! Did you get to the airport on time?
Topographite! Love it!
I've now finished the mods - here it is:

Looking good eh?[/quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In and around the shed...

Ian* comes out of the house and he stands there

One jigsaw and spare blade and some lacquer, phew!

Ten true hours and he'll be there and working too

Twenty quid before its done you'll see fish and chips for you!


Hehe! * my tech and good buddy!

As a mod, I think we'd better be careful, perhaps an Off Topic thread could carry this on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

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