Cosmo Valdemar

I can't play left handed, but I can convincingly hold a pick and move it up and down to make it look like I can! It astounds me that in a film that makes such an effort with authenticity, Neil Innes didn't pull Eric to one side and have a word... even people who can't play an instrument know it looks odd. Perhaps it was on purpose to wind up people like me.

Eric Idle's stiff waggling fingers make my teeth itch.

Please tell us they didn't send it like that...

Brass vs aluminium maybe?

Welcome!

I hate the way they play that. The bass riff is sitting on the wrong beat. To be fair they've done it like this since Alan White joined, but it sounds so wrong to me. And Geoff Downes is a blundering oaf completely undeserving of the job.

U ok hun?

Steve Howe is a bit shakier these days. He seems to have lost the fire, both from his playing and his tone. That's not a recent development, mind you. It's not pleasant hearing the opening to Siberian Khatru played as light jazz.

I bought Richard's VT Bass pedal. And very nice it is too! A great chap to do business with.

This is a recent one. Still sounds dry and clean to me, but we all hear these things differently! This is the one. Going back about 20 years I reckon.

I was lucky enough to see this lineup on the London date. It's a pity it wasn't sustainable but the DVD is a wonderful recording, apart from the bewildering level of fake crowd noise plastered randomly over the top. Lee Pomeroy - wonderful. I've never seen a bass player project so much joy when playing. As for the current 'official' Yes, well... a quick look at Geoff Downes attempting to play Wakeman and Moraz's parts tells you everything.

There was a celebrity Rush covers album a few years ago. Stu Hamm played on YYZ. It's not a direct comparison as the entire production is very different to the original, but Hamm's ultra clean and dry tone really doesn't work in that song. Not to my ears anyway!

And one with the Rick... It's interesting that Moving Pictures is often heralded as Rush and Geddy's definitive moment, but Geddy didn't really use this tone before or after.

And it comes with it's own welding mask!

Sounds badass to me! And not just the bridge. I always think Geddy's Jazz sounds so much better when he's riding the front pickup only. I think he only played it that way on Moving Pictures though.

I should point out that mine doesn't neck nive, so they're not all cursed (although it seems that most are!). Admittedly I did replace the tuners with Hipshots, but only for the look - it didn't neck dive with the stock tuners either.

I'm alarmed at the dislike for Julia - it's one of the most beautiful and haunting things I've ever heard.

The Vintage Classics are awesome basses - I've got one of the early white ones. I think it might have been the first one in the country! But I digress. Awesome basses, but they are MASSIVE - the whole thing hangs further to the left thanks to the strap button placement, so it's a longer reach to get to the lower notes. I'm 6ft 3 so it doesn't bother me but if you're used to short scale basses it might be uncomfortable.

I played a gig with Beehoover once. I think he played a Spector.

Ooh!

I really like that!

Excuse my ignorance, but why do the necks rotate?

And plays a BC Rich Ironbird...

There's a guy on one of the Thunderbird groups on Facebook that has that very bass, and is currently restoring it.

He said it was to get more low end out of it. Not many people knew about the cap bypass back in the day!