Warwick Adam Clayton Reverso Bass

[Jigster]

i like it

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='molan' post='707571' date='Jan 10 2010, 12:36 PM'][/quote]

Even Adam Clayton can play Adam Clayton's bass lines with one hand.

[garethox]

I like the design.... but I wouldn't part with thousands of quid for it. Plus as has been said previously the Status Buzzard's hands down knock the Warwick Buzzard's outta the ballpark (have played both too), I agree with Wolverine on that one.
Adam did have a Warwick Buzzard that he tried out in rehearsals and he obviously liked it, but that of course raised a problem.... he is the bassist in one of the biggest bands in the world so does he want to be known as playing an 'Entwistle bass'? The answer was 'No' by the look of it, so he musta had Warwick rustle up his own version but with a 'nod' to John.
Interesting that his personal bass has the double P pup configuration favoured by Entwistle on his Warwick Buzzards but the version for sale just has one set of P pups....
As to whether he can play? I think he does a good job for the band he is in - can't be a lot of room for expression with the bloody Edge noodling about with all his effects!

Edited January 10, 2010 by garethox

[NancyJohnson]

I was trying to put a lot more angst on my original post, but my wife needed to get to Argos for 10.00am this morning. I've calmed down somewhat since.

Personally I can't stand Mr Clayton; everything from that smug [i]'have-you-trodden-in-some-dogshit-because-I-haven't'[/i] look on his face in [i]every [/i]picture, right along to his one dimensional duh-duh-duh playing. To confirm what jezzaboy posted earlier he was/is regularly derided by his own band for being incapable of even clapping in time. But hey, as I've said before, he's a multi-millionaire and I still work in an office. Ho hum. What do I know, eh?

P

[Marvin]

[quote name='Linus27' post='707693' date='Jan 10 2010, 02:22 PM']He's actually been playing this bass and the Streamer on the latest 360 world tour along with a lot of promotion shows like The Brits so its certainly being used, along with his Streamer.

As for his playing, having worked with one of U2's producers, I can tell you that Adam is a very good player. Maybe not the most technical but he is though of as one of the most solid tight bass players around. He certainly keeps the bottom end holding together.[/quote]

Sorry just being predictable.
I don't actually mind his playing, it's alright. In fact you hear other bassists lauded for their playing and I find myself thinking it doesn't sound any different to Adam Clayton. That is, if it is him playing. Live U2 have an awful lot underneath those stages.
Drummer mate of mine maintains that Larry Mullen is very limited, and doubts he could do all of U2's output!

U2 do give the impression they are there to support the Bono world band wagon.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Marvin

[Linus27]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='707697' date='Jan 10 2010, 02:26 PM']You are Adam Clayton,i wish to claim my £5. [/quote]

Damn, I've been rumbled. Ok, I'll send the boys round with a fiver and a signed copy of our first 7 albums. The ones after that are not worth having

[garethox]

[quote name='Linus27' post='708055' date='Jan 10 2010, 07:41 PM']Damn, I've been rumbled. Ok, I'll send the boys round with a fiver and a signed copy of our first 7 albums. The ones after that are not worth having [/quote]

Lol at that.... but on another subject - who the hell is that girl you have as your profile pic?

[Linus27]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='707867' date='Jan 10 2010, 05:06 PM']To confirm what jezzaboy posted earlier he was/is regularly derided by his own band for being incapable of even clapping in time. But hey, as I've said before, he's a multi-millionaire and I still work in an office. Ho hum. What do I know, eh?

P[/quote]

Not sure that quote has any truth behind it at all. I certainly have never ever seen anything of the sorts quoted anywhere and from the people I know who have worked with him, they say he is one of the most in time reliable bass players around. Yes he plays a lot of eights but I bet you can't play ever single one of those notes dead on time, every time. That something Adam is spot on for doing without any drop in or retakes which is why he is considered a very tight solid bass player. Now, if that quote is about Bono then that makes sense. I have seen quotes like that relating to Bono and even Bono admits he can't play guitar.

[molan]

I roadied for U2 in '79 (I think - may have been '80) - before Boy was released anyway, about the time of 11 o'Clock Tick Tock.

They played 4 consecutive weeks at the Marquee and I was invited along from 2nd week onwards to help with some stuff (mostly some lumping of kit and helping Edge set up some guitar stuff).

My bass playing at the time was frighteningly rudimentary (as it still is now, lol) but even then I remember thinking that I could have played most of Adam Clayton's stuff.

Bono & Edge were brilliant back then though. Each week the Marquee got busier & by the last gig it was rammed to the rafters because word had got out how good they were.

As others have said though - I still work in an office and AC's had a rather nice life being mates to a couple of talented rock Gods. . .

[Linus27]

[quote name='garethox' post='708063' date='Jan 10 2010, 07:48 PM']Lol at that.... but on another subject - who the hell is that girl you have as your profile pic? [/quote]

What girl? This girl??



Her name is Yvonne Strahovski and she is from the TV show, "Chuck". Rumour has it she fancies me but she's playing hard to get I think as she's not called me yet

Edited January 10, 2010 by Linus27

[garethox]

[quote name='Linus27' post='708079' date='Jan 10 2010, 08:04 PM']What girl? This girl??



Her name is Yvonne Strahovski and she is from the TV show, "Chuck". Rumour has it she fancies me but she's playing hard to get I think as she's not called me yet [/quote]

BANG! Sorry, that was my jaw hitting the deck!

Hang on in there.... sure she'll call.....

[Old Horse Murphy]

I actually quite like the bass although it would look a bit silly down The Dog and Duck on a Saturday night playing Mustang Sally.

I actually like Adam Clayton too. Sure he's limited and repetitive but he has a very distinctive sound and adds a lot to U2's overall sound which I happen to like. On songs like Bullet the Blue Sky and Sometimes You can't Make it on Your Own I can't think of any way the bassline could add more to the song than it does.

Anyway, hooray for Adam and hooray for U2. I've got a lot of pleasure from listening to their music over the years and wish I had a Signature bass named after me. If I did though I don't think it would look like Adam's unless the endorsement deal was worthwhile

[Linus27]

[quote name='garethox' post='708084' date='Jan 10 2010, 08:07 PM']BANG! Sorry, that was my jaw hitting the deck!

Hang on in there.... sure she'll call..... [/quote]

HAHAHA she sure is pretty, unlike this Warwick Adam Clayton bass

The more I think of it, I just don't get it. Who is going to buy this bass at this price. Adam is not someone who you immediately think of as a bass god. Even if you wanted to play U2 or were in a U2 tribute band, chances are you would buy a sunburst Precision, a bass Adam used through most of his career. It just does not seem to appeal to any market at this price.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Linus27

[Linus27]

Great photo of his Streamer,

[Linus27]

I think Larry Mullen Jnr did not quite expect Adam to play a bass quite like that

[url="http://media.u2.com/flash/highlights/buzzard.swf"]http://media.u2.com/flash/highlights/buzzard.swf[/url]

Takes a while to load.

[Mog]

That bass is fairly hard on the eyes but it has a killer tone. Was at a couple of U2 shows this year and it sounded immense! Ability wise he is as good as any rock bassist.Keeping things simple is ok sometimes. Michael Anthony got away with it with Van Halen as does Colin Greenwood in Radiohead.
Ha ha ! Sorry forgot what year it is! was at a couple of shows last summer!

Edited January 10, 2010 by Mog

[hillbilly deluxe]

[quote name='Linus27' post='708055' date='Jan 10 2010, 07:41 PM']Damn, I've been rumbled. Ok, I'll send the boys round with a fiver and a signed copy of our first 7 albums. The ones after that are not worth having [/quote]
No,it's ok,i'll send you the fiver if you keep the U2 albums. (just worried it might be Bonio and Hedge)

Edited January 10, 2010 by hillbilly deluxe

[Wil]

Hideous bass, that. It reminds me of a Jaguar, weirdly, with the body offset that way. Looks only a mother could love!

Edited January 10, 2010 by Wil

[Linus27]

[quote name='hillbilly deluxe' post='708221' date='Jan 10 2010, 09:31 PM']No,it's ok,i'll send you the fiver if you keep the U2 albums. (just worried it might be Bonio and Hedge)[/quote]

[Rich]

[quote name='AndyTravis' post='707483' date='Jan 10 2010, 11:11 AM']Now, two questions...

How many do Warwick expect to shift? I bet it's £3500+
And, why all that effort with fancy woods for just a pbass pickup? It's a passive pbass by the looks of it.

I like Pbasses. I like Warwicks. I don't mind Mr Clayton. But seriously, they must be stoned at the R&D department.
The same thing with the Zender, a Streamerbacker..£5000, and that inlay at the 12th....bleurgh.[/quote]
Totally agree.

[P-T-P]

I thought it was hideous when I saw it early last year but it has grown on me.

Don't think he'd have a problem playing the Buzzard, he never had an issue playing Lakland DJ basses on the 2005 tour (or indeed the JO and BG prior to that). He also had a Stryker in the studio when they were recording the last album. My guess is Warwick said "can we build you something" and he told them he wanted a cross between the two.

As to the critics of his playing... he's an easy target 'cause some of their biggest hits have featured basslines that were eighth note pumping but he's done plenty of nice bass work if you care to dig a little deeper. It may not be spectacular, mind-blowing bass playing but it does show he's more than a one-trick pony...

Mysterious Ways
Two Hearts Beat as One
Stand Up Comedy
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Wire
Last Night on Earth
Lemon
New Years Day

He plays in a band where the guitarist rarely plays traditional chords or arpeggios and the drummer has a fairly busy, often military style and the singer's often off on one. Someone has to keep it together and he does that really well.

The comments from other band members about his playing is a long standing story dating back to when they were kids trying to get the band going. Clayton knew all the muso terms and looked like he knew what he was talking about, had a bass, had an amp so it took them forever to figure out the reason they sounded so crap was the fact that he actually couldn't play a note and had no clue. He (or maybe Bono) described his early playing style as "bluff."

I think fair enough if you don't like what he or the band does, find it boring, uninspiring, contrived or whatever, but don't say he can't play, 'cause he can. In fact, much of what he does is actually a really good example of the key roles of a bass player - outline the chord progressions, lock in with the drummer to create a groove, support/compliment the melody.

Give me the four notes of With or Without You over a heck of a lot of the bass playing that gets lauded on this site any day of the week.

[Matty]

[quote name='P-T-P' post='708426' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:10 AM']As to the critics of his playing... he's an easy target 'cause some of their biggest hits have featured basslines that were eighth note pumping but he's done plenty of nice bass work if you care to dig a little deeper. It may not be spectacular, mind-blowing bass playing but it does show he's more than a one-trick pony...

Mysterious Ways
Two Hearts Beat as One
Stand Up Comedy
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Wire
Last Night on Earth
Lemon
New Years Day

He plays in a band where the guitarist rarely plays traditional chords or arpeggios and the drummer has a fairly busy, often military style and the singer's often off on one. Someone has to keep it together and he does that really well.

The comments from other band members about his playing is a long standing story dating back to when they were kids trying to get the band going. Clayton knew all the muso terms and looked like he knew what he was talking about, had a bass, had an amp so it took them forever to figure out the reason they sounded so crap was the fact that he actually couldn't play a note and had no clue. He (or maybe Bono) described his early playing style as "bluff."

I think fair enough if you don't like what he or the band does, find it boring, uninspiring, contrived or whatever, but don't say he can't play, 'cause he can. In fact, much of what he does is actually a really good example of the key roles of a bass player - outline the chord progressions, lock in with the drummer to create a groove, support/compliment the melody.

Give me the four notes of With or Without You over a heck of a lot of the bass playing that gets lauded on this site any day of the week.[/quote]

+to the 1!

Not a fan of the bass, but if he likes it, who are we to judge?
They probably said "what do you want" and he wanted that.
At least it's a wee bit more original than another Jazz knock-off...

[Linus27]

[quote name='P-T-P' post='708426' date='Jan 11 2010, 01:10 AM']I thought it was hideous when I saw it early last year but it has grown on me.

Don't think he'd have a problem playing the Buzzard, he never had an issue playing Lakland DJ basses on the 2005 tour (or indeed the JO and BG prior to that). He also had a Stryker in the studio when they were recording the last album. My guess is Warwick said "can we build you something" and he told them he wanted a cross between the two.

As to the critics of his playing... he's an easy target 'cause some of their biggest hits have featured basslines that were eighth note pumping but he's done plenty of nice bass work if you care to dig a little deeper. It may not be spectacular, mind-blowing bass playing but it does show he's more than a one-trick pony...

Mysterious Ways
Two Hearts Beat as One
Stand Up Comedy
I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight
Wire
Last Night on Earth
Lemon
New Years Day

He plays in a band where the guitarist rarely plays traditional chords or arpeggios and the drummer has a fairly busy, often military style and the singer's often off on one. Someone has to keep it together and he does that really well.

The comments from other band members about his playing is a long standing story dating back to when they were kids trying to get the band going. Clayton knew all the muso terms and looked like he knew what he was talking about, had a bass, had an amp so it took them forever to figure out the reason they sounded so crap was the fact that he actually couldn't play a note and had no clue. He (or maybe Bono) described his early playing style as "bluff."

I think fair enough if you don't like what he or the band does, find it boring, uninspiring, contrived or whatever, but don't say he can't play, 'cause he can. In fact, much of what he does is actually a really good example of the key roles of a bass player - outline the chord progressions, lock in with the drummer to create a groove, support/compliment the melody.

Give me the four notes of With or Without You over a heck of a lot of the bass playing that gets lauded on this site any day of the week.[/quote]

Bloody well put and much better than I ever could.

As for the Warwick, Adam had been watching a bunch of Who documentries and so contacted Warwick and asked them to build him something like Entwistles bass with the same tone. They sent him a Dolphin, a Stryker and a few others to test out. He actually took a few on tour with different pickup configs. Plus one where he could change the various bass freqencies which he wanted to test live to see what he wanted the end product to have. The Streamer is also a 6 string body (bigger) set up as a 4 string. Tons of ifo over at the Warwick forum. Makes quite intersting reading.

[rjb]

I don't have a problem with Adam Clayton, or with Warwick's occasional foray into daft shapes, but I really think that Warwick overall need to consolidate their range and bring their pricing back down to earth.

Having said that, though Warwicks seem to be struggling in this country due to a shift in taste towards traditional designs, I guess they must still be doing well in Asia and the US.

Edited January 11, 2010 by rjb

[Dogame]

[quote name='molan' post='707571' date='Jan 10 2010, 01:36 PM']It doesn't look a lot different to this:

[/quote]

He looks like Stevie Wonder on that pic



BTW, is this the beginning of a Warwick trend like Lakland during the last decade? Who would buy that "$&/·@$" bass for that price? You've got some Streamer stuff out there!