Chris2112

The MK500 is the one for me, quite easily the best amp I've ever used...I love it!

I think I got Hold Your Fire and Power Windows when I was about 16, and the first Rush record I bought was Grace Under Pressure. I was in Virgin's music store in Newcastle when I found Grace Under Pressure and scanned it on one of the listening points. I listened to a small section of 'Afterimage' and I was blown away. I bought the CD and I have been hooked ever since! I guess thats why I'm such a fan of 80's Rush, with Signals through the Hold Your Fire being my favourite Rush records. I like their newer stuff ('How It Is' has to be one of the best songs they've ever written) but it doesn't hit me with the same memorable melodies and stunning arrangement as their 80's stuff. Counterparts and Test For Echo are really the low points for me, as both have about 1 song I'll sit and listen to, namely 'Resist 'and 'Leave That Thing Alone'. Their embracing of the rock sound of the time doesn't really interest me and those two records strike me as being a band that was running out of steam. It seems when they made Vapor Trails, after everthing they'd been through, they had finally gotten their fire back.

Sadly, I don't think Dean will be interested in reasoning from seasoned luthiers or concerned fans that these basses are a rather tasteless and tacky way to further exploit John. There is money to be made here. As has been previously mentioned, just look at all those awful Dimebag Darrell models.

Such a shame that Greg Curbow died. I heard that one of his staff was planning on keeping his workshop open and making New basses as well as doing repair work on the old ones. Sadly, I'm not sure this ever really got going as I haven't seen a new Curbow bass in ages.

Surely it can't be that simple, as even then Rob could have kept an old body shell his loft or something. And the time and cost it takes to develop the moulds are huge, so surely there can't be a quick fix. I remember reading about Geoff Gould's huge startup costs for Modulus, because the moulds cost so much to create in the first place. So I assume it is a difficult process!

Looks like a nice piece of wood, if the neck pocket is ok.

I(f only Rob had just put the moulds into storage he could have resumed production of the bass if Chris and him had been able to reach an agreement. But I'd rather he just kept on making his own basses than risking getting sued. All those Kingbasses and S2's, just not worth it to keep the Buzzard going as sad as that may be!

[quote name='Mark Latimour' post='1087005' date='Jan 12 2011, 06:30 PM']He's still alive and playing (saw him last year). Are you using the past tense to infer he's no longer great?[/quote] Well I've got to be honest Mark, the Skolnick trio stuff doesn't really grab me. But I am impressed with the dedication he has shown in transitioning from metal to fusion and then onto jazz!

Will Warwick not make a custom one if you offer them thousands of pounds? I was sure I read somewhere that they were planning on reintroducing the 'Nobby'.

Just one of the reasons why I decided to retire from live playing! To be fair, I've never had any personal issues with bands other than time management issues, as shift work can be troublesome. But other bands can be so rude and obnoxious, as documented by the many threads about other bands wanting to lend gear around here. Given that live work was all effort and no reward, the band decided to retire to the studio where we can just spend a bit of time when we've got time and mess around recording what we like. Mind you, if this lot haven't gotten back to you then it seems like they aren't worth your time anyway!

[quote name='crplumb' post='1086529' date='Jan 12 2011, 11:37 AM']Some good early footage of Ged and the boys. Love the Rick, pity it was effectively retired for many years. I'd love to know what happened to that Steinberger bass he played for a short while in the 80's???? He is one awesome bass player - maybe not as good as he used to be but still great![/quote] AFAIK he kept the Steinberger and would have happily used it for much longer had he not been blown away by Wal basses. It was during the warmup sessions for Power Windows when Geddy Lee tried Peter Collins' Wal bass, which Peter recommended to him because it was the "in" bass on the British pop and studio scene which Peter was involved with. Geddy liked the bass so much he ended up buying his own and that was that! I believe he still his has Wal basses too. Then, sadly, in 1993 Geddy went back to his jazz bass. It was suggested to him by a bloke called Kevin "Caveman" Shirley, who I think was a studio tech or something for the Counterparts record. This was at a time when Nirvana were big and grunge rock was the "in" thing in America and he thought it would help the band go for a rock sound that would appeal to American audiences of the time. Geddy tried the jazz bass and sadly he's been using it ever since! It's a nice sounding bass but it can't hold a candle to his Steinberger or his Wal basses! He is still an awesome bass player, one of my all time favourites.

[quote name='fretmeister' post='1086420' date='Jan 12 2011, 09:25 AM']The Idiot King was a great album. Also had the benefit of Alex Skolnick too.[/quote] Alex Skolnick was a great player, very underrated. He used to play guitar for Stuart Hamm's live band around the time The Urge album. That said, on the Attention Deficit records you had three very talented players together but it was sadly what I'd call "fuzak". I can think of very few memorable tunes, or even memorable moments within songs due to the improvisational nature of the band.

[quote name='Musicman20' post='1086208' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:53 PM']Agreed. But GG is a very expensive place now anyway. Their American Standards have been close to £1k for a while. Daft.[/quote] Last year my brother got a used Malmsteen Strat there for £700. I can't believe they had it out so cheap, that'd probably get you a Mexican strat now, or near enough two Squier Strats. Outrageous to think... On the issue of Seabrook crisps, not only are they getting more expensive but the quality has never been the same since they switched to foil bags.

Those 'birds have never done it for me, but surely there are some folk out there who like upside down basses?

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1086209' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:54 PM']bejesus. primus were great at the time. but that was then. hurts my head a bit now, and les' too no doubt. he moved on from primus long ago and has more than earned the right to do exactly what he feels like at the time. i don't think les would appreciate being compared to primus quite honestly, although they do still reform regularly (no doubt for a little extra pocket money).[/quote] I suppose if Les had ever made anything as memorable as the Primus stuff on his own then he wouldn't be so intrinsically linked to the band. Because to me, everything after that has just sounded like Primus offcuts, and other stuff that wasn't considered good enough for a Primus album. But they were a band of their time, so relevant with the whole "generation X" that was big in America at the time, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers were still considered edgy and fresh. A great shame because Les and Herb are talented guys (although Les has an awful voice). Herb did two fusion albums with Michael Manring, the band was called 'Attention Deficit'. He showed some real drum chops there, but the music wasn't particularly memorable if I'm honest.

They're a good alternative to a Stingray. They sound a little more polite, but that can be a good thing. They're well made basses and should serve you well.

[quote name='Rich' post='1086014' date='Jan 11 2011, 08:22 PM']To my mind, since his sad death Ox's name has been subjected to a whole string of the most cynical [i]ker-ching[/i]. These are more of the same. Tasteless and sad.[/quote] He really is being taken for a ride. I'm all for getting signature models out there so the fans have something to enjoy but...Dean? really?

It's also a shame that the coolest of the Dean models, the Spider, will be limited edition. Despite the fact that I'm not a huge Entwistle fan, I do like the Alembic Spyder basses.

Thats a bloody shame, to know that Chris would still like the proper Buzzards to be made! I like Warwick basses, but their reputation as businessmen has never been fantastic, has it? I bet this will really annoy people like Senmen who are huge Entwistle fans and would love a new Status Buzzard!

[quote name='Russ' post='1085859' date='Jan 11 2011, 06:17 PM']It's just been pointed out to me that apparently Status still make the B-2 - I thought the same as you, that they had to destroy all the graphite moulds, but that must have just been for the original Buzzard. It's still on the Status website, but there's no mention of John Entwistle.[/quote] Yes, they still make the B-2 but I'm no Entwistle nut so I'm not sure what the connection between John and the instrument is. I'm not sure why Dean are the only company they felt comfortable with though, maybe they were offering the most money? Since I don't think John himself had any connection with them. I'm not a huge fan of Dean though, I thought it was cool when they were doing the USA made Jeff Berlin model because it seemed like a really "different" signature model, very much Jeff's creation in a way. Then they discontinued it and brought it back as a cheap model, which Jeff was unhappy with and even said something along the lines of "upgrade the pickups to USA Bartolinis and you'll have a very good instrument for a good price" about it!

[quote name='Oscar South' post='1033976' date='Nov 23 2010, 03:02 PM']Recently in Liverpool: [/quote] Nice bass you've got there!

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1083794' date='Jan 10 2011, 12:10 AM']Used them off and on over the years as most of us have. Started going through a Maiden phase and started a thread about Steve Harris' strings which eventually culminated in me buying a set or regular Roto flats at the end of November. I absolutely love them. they're 'my' string[/quote] I used to have a set of rotosound flatwounds strings on my old fretless. They were dire, I don't think I've ever found a string so lifeless sounding and they were as stiff as hell too, a real chore to play! Thankfully their roundwounds never let me down!

[quote name='Delberthot' post='1085351' date='Jan 11 2011, 12:10 PM']For some reason, after I saw the picture I read this as 'Power paunch'.[/quote] He has slimmed down considerably over the years as his dance routines have bencome more active, but he still has a small way to go!

[quote name='Russ' post='1085507' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:59 PM']One word: Minging. And two others: Cash-in. I remember being surprised when Warwick came out with the Buzzard again after he died, since he ditched them years before. What was wrong with the Status Buzzards? Those were the last basses he played while he was still alive.[/quote] Funny, that he considered the Status the evolution of the Buzzard which is why he was playing it and kept his Warwick basses at home. But of course. Warwick could throw a lot of money to the Entwistle estate, because they managed to acquire the rights to the Buzzard shape and stopped Status making them. And from what I've heard, speaking to knowledgeable parties, Status will never make their Buzzard again. I am not sure, but I have heard that the molds used to lay up the graphite fibres have been destroyed, so Status couldn't even make one if they wanted to. A lot of money has been made of John since he died, I guess! Anyone interested in his gear should check out the "Bass Book". I'm not an Entwistle fan but I got it as a birthday present from my brother a couple of years ago. It's a stunning book with some awesome basses in it, looks great on the downstairs bookshelf too!