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Gene Simmons Spector


Calderone
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Not to be confused with the original one : ( a replica on the pictures )


He uses the original one on the Unholy video too,covered with studs.-

Im talking about this
It was first appearing on the intro of KISS MEETS THE PHANTOM OF THE PARK
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFY1AXEeNhI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFY1AXEeNhI[/url]
and we can see it for the last time on Rise to it video (1989)
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdhsBRAQAlA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdhsBRAQAlA[/url]
He uses it for a couple of songs on the Animalize live uncensored video
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evvxaQG-eNQ"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evvxaQG-eNQ[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnVBpEseK74"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnVBpEseK74[/url]
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx2n6kRh7s0"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx2n6kRh7s0[/url]




thanks !

Edited by Calderone
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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='158349' date='Mar 16 2008, 11:17 AM']I think you'll find that the bass pictured is a BC Rich and not a Spector.
P[/quote]

...also, while we're on the subject of Gene Simmons, who was the New York luthier who built the bass he used until he started endorsing Gibson? The bass had a distinct Gibson Melody Maker shape, it was originally brown, then was refinished in black. The last time I saw it was during the Destroyer tour and in the Phantom movie it had a silver thing stuck on the top half of the body.



P

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='158382' date='Mar 16 2008, 12:57 PM']...also, while we're on the subject of Gene Simmons, who was the New York luthier who built the bass he used until he started endorsing Gibson? The bass had a distinct Gibson Melody Maker shape, it was originally brown, then was refinished in black. The last time I saw it was during the Destroyer tour and in the Phantom movie it had a silver thing stuck on the top half of the body.



P[/quote]

That bass you speak of was custom made for Gene by a luthier named Charlie Lobue, who also made guitars for Paul Stanley. Gene's Lobue bass was used for the first 3 KISS albums, and the Alive shows (as I recall), then he switched to Gibson Grabber/Ripper basses, before using the Lobue again (for Love Gun, again, as I recall), then he had a couple of Spectors built. The bass in the photo is a Spector, not a BC Rich.

Stu

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[quote name='Stuart Clayton' post='158461' date='Mar 16 2008, 05:16 PM']That bass you speak of was custom made for Gene by a luthier named Charlie Lobue, who also made guitars for Paul Stanley. Gene's Lobue bass was used for the first 3 KISS albums, and the Alive shows (as I recall), then he switched to Gibson Grabber/Ripper basses, before using the Lobue again (for Love Gun, again, as I recall), then he had a couple of Spectors built. The bass in the photo is a Spector, not a BC Rich.

Stu[/quote]

I didn't realise I could view the photo larger...yup, I concur, it's the Spector - the logo is discernible on the headstock. While trawling the web this afternoon (trying to find out about Charlie LeBou), in my defence, there is a BCR that looks almost identical to that bass.
P

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That replica in the first post was mine. I sold it recently :)

What do you want to know about Gene's 2nd Spector? It was made for him around the same time as his first one in late 1976 I believe, though he didn't use it much until the early 80's....

It's not much different from his first one, except the longer top horn and a mirror scratchplate.

Stuart is correct, Gene used a Charlie Lobue bass from the first tour in 1973/4 through to 1976 (Rock n Roll Over Tour). He also used a Gibson Grabber/Ripper from 1974-1976 (Hotter Than Hell Tour to Alive Tour). Gene started working with Spector in 1976 & I believe the first recording the 'original' Spector was used on was the 'Love Gun' album. The original Spector was eventually sold at the Butterfields Auction for many thousands of dollars....

Gene still has the 'second' Spector referred to as the topic of this thread....

Edited by cetera
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[quote name='cetera' post='158514' date='Mar 16 2008, 07:01 PM']That replica in the first post was mine. I sold it recently :)

What do you want to know about Gene's 2nd Spector? It was made for him around the same time as his first one in late 1976 I believe, though he didn't use it much until the early 80's....

It's not much different from his first one, except the longer top horn and a mirror scratchplate.

Stuart is correct, Gene used a Charlie Lobue bass from the first tour in 1973/4 through to 1976 (Rock n Roll Over Tour). He also used a Gibson Grabber/Ripper from 1974-1976 (Hotter Than Hell Tour to Alive Tour). Gene started working with Spector in 1976 & I believe the first recording the 'original' Spector was used on was the 'Love Gun' album. The original Spector was eventually sold at the Butterfields Auction for many thousands of dollars....

Gene still has the 'second' Spector referred to as the topic of this thread....[/quote]

Do you know what happened to the Charlie Lobue bass? I loved how that early bass looked, especially with the armour.

P

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='158785' date='Mar 17 2008, 09:10 AM']Do you know what happened to the Charlie Lobue bass? I loved how that early bass looked, especially with the armour.

P[/quote]

Apparently Gene lent the Charlie Lobue bass to Micki Free. Micki was in various bands in the 80's & was a friend of Gene's. He was later in 'Crown Of Thorns', a superb rock band that Gene & Paul Stanley managed. The band also featured Jean Beauvoir (Plasmatics) and Tony Thompson (Chic)!

From what I hear, Micki never gave it back and it's unknown as to whether he still has it. :)

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[quote name='cetera' post='158827' date='Mar 17 2008, 10:35 AM']Apparently Gene lent the Charlie Lobue bass to Micki Free. Micki was in various bands in the 80's & was a friend of Gene's. He was later in 'Crown Of Thorns', a superb rock band that Gene & Paul Stanley managed. The band also featured Jean Beauvoir (Plasmatics) and Tony Thompson (Chic)!

From what I hear, Micki never gave it back and it's unknown as to whether he still has it. :)[/quote]

Christ! Micki Free. I loved the first Crown Of Thorns CD - must dig it out again. Have to say I was more interested with Jean Beauvoir being involved more than anything else.

Great update.
Cheers
P

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='158484' date='Mar 16 2008, 06:14 PM']in my defence, there is a BCR that looks almost identical to that bass.
P[/quote]

That would be the B.C.Rich Punisher bass the Gene designed,had built by BCR and then buggered off and built them himself with a different company





Personally,I always hated the Punisher bass,Ugly thing it is :)

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='158484' date='Mar 16 2008, 06:14 PM']in my defence, there is a BCR that looks almost identical to that bass.
P[/quote]

Rather than the Punisher, I believe you're referring to the BC Rich Eagle which does share a similar 'horn identity' if I may coin a new phrase! :huh: :)

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[quote name='cetera' post='159450' date='Mar 18 2008, 10:30 AM']Rather than the Punisher, I believe you're referring to the BC Rich Eagle which does share a similar 'horn identity' if I may coin a new phrase! ;) :huh:[/quote]

Which,to my knowledge,Gene has NEVER played,he has played a Warlock before though :)

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[quote name='MacDaddy' post='159554' date='Mar 18 2008, 01:07 PM']I love this thread!

BTW who made the Axe bass for him?[/quote]

Steve Carr built the prototype. There was a Kramer production model.

Incidentally, I've e-mailed Micki Free to see whether he still has the bass mentioned earlier in the forum. For me, it's one of those important instruments - one of the first I really recognised as being associated with a musician.

P

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[quote name='NancyJohnson' post='159628' date='Mar 18 2008, 02:09 PM']Steve Carr built the prototype. There was a Kramer production model.

Incidentally, I've e-mailed Micki Free to see whether he still has the bass mentioned earlier in the forum. For me, it's one of those important instruments - one of the first I really recognised as being associated with a musician.

P[/quote]

I'd be really interested to hear about this. I've read conflicting stories regarding the fate of the Lobue bass - one that he leant it to Micki Free, the other that he threw it to a roadie, who dropped it, destroying it.

Let us know what you find out.

Stuart

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[quote name='MacDaddy' post='159554' date='Mar 18 2008, 01:07 PM']I love this thread!

BTW who made the Axe bass for him?[/quote]

There have been various 'Axes' that Gene has used.

There were two Steve Carr prototypes (1979-1981), which he posed with but I don't believe he ever used live....
Then there was the Kramer Axe (1981-1982).... which was released to the public in limited numbers in 1982. However, the public model was NOTHING like the one he actually played....
Then there was the Jackson Axe (which he used from 1983 until about 1987).
Then there was the Staccato MG (double-axe blade look) bass he used from 1987-1988.
Finally there is the current 'Gene Simmons' Axe which he had made in the Fernandes factory (I believe) and which he sold direct. This is the current one he uses....

I have an 'accurate' copy of the Kramer Axe, as well as a Staccato MG & his current 'Gene Simmons Axe'....

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[quote name='Calderone' post='160044' date='Mar 19 2008, 05:11 AM']that's the lobue !!!
thanks for your replies ....

Hey what about the Axe he used on Turn on the night ?
that was really chrome !!!!
i've never seen that axe before ![/quote]

The You Tube video I just watched is pretty pixellated, but there's at least two basses on that video - an Axe bass - it looks like a Jackson one (simply from the headstock design) - and maybe the Pedulla Buzz? He was using a Pedulla finished with his made up face on it following the unmasking...the You Tube clip is pretty awful quality.

That said, when I watched the You Tube clip my first impressions were that it looked like a Modulus Graphite/Flea bass (although I doubt it!).

P

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The two basses he used in the 'Turn On The Night' video were a black Pedulla Buzz (originally got in 1983) which he had customised with a painted dragon face on the body in 1987..... and his Jackson Axe. The Jackson Axe is either his original one from 1983, dipped in chrome, or a second one....

Actually, on the subject of his Pedulla.... he also had a white one from 1983... which he subsequently had painted with his 'make-up face' in 1987. Both Pedullas were sold in the Butterfields KISS auction for many $thousands a few years back...

Edited by cetera
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[quote name='cetera' post='160129' date='Mar 19 2008, 10:14 AM']The two basses he used in the 'Turn On The Night' video were a black Pedulla Buzz (originally got in 1983) which he had customised with a painted dragon face on the body in 1987..... and his Jackson Axe. The Jackson Axe is either his original one from 1983, dipped in chrome, or a second one....

Actually, on the subject of his Pedulla.... he also had a white one from 1983... which he subsequently had painted with his 'make-up face' in 1987. Both Pedullas were sold in the Butterfields KISS auction for many $thousands a few years back...[/quote]

...I think you need to post some pics of your basses on the porn page.
P

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