KevinJazzBass Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I have a seen this bass in pictures and videos in the past and now I cant seem to find it anywhere. What a beautiful bass it is too. I would actually kill for one. Any one know where I could find any pictures or info on this wonderful looking instrument? I'm fairly sure he used it around 79 with the The Police. Thanks Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bh2 Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) A piccy would be nice... can't be arsed to google 'Sting's red fretless bass that he had in the late seventies or possibly early eighties... prob ibanez but might have been something different'... Edited October 17, 2009 by bh2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinJazzBass Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 I have googled it but with no luck so I thought id come here. It was definitely a Fender Precision too. Thanks anyway Kev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) Just been reading up & Sting did have a fretless Precision first (which he played blind on a gig with no fretless practise or experience!) Here's a pic of his Ibanez... Aha! Found one. Is this the Precision you were looking for? Edited October 17, 2009 by OutToPlayJazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I remember seeing it on the telly once...I think it was a live broadcast of a concert in Germany and I read an Andy Summers interview where he said the pickups died in that bass and one of his guitars after going through an airport scanner..or something like that?? Could be my memory though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinJazzBass Posted October 17, 2009 Author Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) Thanks for your effort Out To Play Jazz, theyre lovely basses but sadly not the one I meant. Bass Bod, you're right mate he did use it in Germany and i knew I had seen it on that gig too but he used afew different basses on that gig from the videos. Luckily I have managed to find the bass in Sting's hand on Roxanne . Thanks for the help and if that is true about the airport scanner then it is such a shame. I shook Stings hand at the start of this years Great North Run, I was lost for words so I missed my chance to ask him . Heres the bass in all of its glory! [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOR9vSRoWk"]Click Here![/url] Thanks again guys and now do any of you know where I can buy one? lol Kev Edited October 17, 2009 by KevinJazzBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 You can't beat a maple board fretless Precision Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='628680' date='Oct 17 2009, 01:17 PM']Just been reading up & Sting did have a fretless Precision first (which he played blind on a gig with no fretless practise or experience!) Here's a pic of his Ibanez...[/quote] I thought Sting had plenty of fretless experience. Didn't he play double bass long before he played electric bass? P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='philw' post='628934' date='Oct 17 2009, 06:56 PM']I thought Sting had plenty of fretless experience. Didn't he play double bass long before he played electric bass? P[/quote] Double bass is a completely different kettle of fish from fretless. I'm a professional double bass player and cellist, but I wouldn't dare play a fretless electric bass in front of an audience. Higgie last heard me play one. It wasn't pretty, LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='628972' date='Oct 17 2009, 08:30 PM']Double bass is a completely different kettle of fish from fretless. I'm a professional double bass player and cellist, but I wouldn't dare play a fretless electric bass in front of an audience. Higgie last heard me play one. It wasn't pretty, LOL![/quote] It's far easier to go from fretted to fretless than from DB to fretless. Having said that, I'm pretty sure his fretless playing benefitted from his DB experience. Anyway, don't fretless maple boards look so cool? I can't think why he would have played one otherwise - apparently all the early recordings were done with a fretted Jazz played with a pick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 "Where's my Fendar??????" Nice pants?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='628972' date='Oct 17 2009, 07:30 PM']Double bass is a completely different kettle of fish from fretless[/quote] Yeah absolutely, a different kettle and different fish. But I still think there's a mind set inherent in playing any fretless instrument that'll transfer. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 (edited) [quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='629145' date='Oct 17 2009, 11:07 PM']"Where's my Fendar??????" Nice pants?![/quote] [i]How[/i] did he let himself be shown like this?? Too much Peruvian makes you think you can get away with anything! Anyway, I';m sure he also had - for a very short while - a red Hamer Explorer fretless, and an 8-string one at that! I can see it in my mind's eye. And if memory serves correctly he didn't use it much cos he was sh*t on it. Who wouldn't be?? Edited October 18, 2009 by Stacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 [quote name='KevinJazzBass' post='628579' date='Oct 17 2009, 11:07 AM']I have a seen this bass in pictures and videos in the past and now I cant seem to find it anywhere. What a beautiful bass it is too. I would actually kill for one. Any one know where I could find any pictures or info on this wonderful looking instrument? I'm fairly sure he used it around 79 with the The Police. Thanks Kev[/quote] No need kill for one - it's a Fender. Source the correct colour bass , hawk around the classifieds/ebay for a fretless maple neck - sell the original neck on. Pickguard colour doesn't matter , you can change it to anything you like in 10 mins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilb Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='628680' date='Oct 17 2009, 01:17 PM']Just been reading up & Sting did have a fretless Precision first (which he played blind on a gig with no fretless practise or experience!) Here's a pic of his Ibanez... Aha! Found one. Is this the Precision you were looking for? [/quote] To avoid any grief for Kiwi and Ped etc, i strongly suggest the Getty Images pictures are removed from this post. GettyImages are a notorious outfit that serve letters of demand to ANYONE that uses their images without permission. Trust me, Ive been there and there is loads on the net about their underhand tactics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Good point. Anything that has a credit on it should not be posted or at least have the credit Photoshopped out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 [quote name='Stacker' post='629353' date='Oct 18 2009, 11:34 AM']Good point. Anything that has a credit on it should not be posted or at least have the credit Photoshopped out![/quote] Don't even think about Photoshop to erase the credit. First you'll probably never manage it without leaving a visible trace. Second an outfit like Getty Images will still be after you anyway, and thirdly the images are probably additionally watermarked with far more subtlety than just the big Getty Images logo. Oh and fourth, using somebody else's image without permission is just as unethical as using somebody's music without permission. All of us here would be justly annoyed if somebody copied a recording we'd made and posted it all over the web. It's no different for photographers. P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='philw' post='629735' date='Oct 18 2009, 07:31 PM']Don't even think about Photoshop to erase the credit. First you'll probably never manage it without leaving a visible trace. Second an outfit like Getty Images will still be after you anyway, and thirdly the images are probably additionally watermarked with far more subtlety than just the big Getty Images logo. Oh and fourth, using somebody else's image without permission is just as unethical as using somebody's music without permission. All of us here would be justly annoyed if somebody copied a recording we'd made and posted it all over the web. It's no different for photographers. P[/quote] Sure, on an image with a watermark; I meant images in general that have, say, a corner credit. Re using somebody's image: whilst I take your point, to a degree, we're always trying to show things/describe things to each other on any forum so what are we supposed to do? Avoid the 'right-click' trigger-finger? Take the time to find/email the copyrightholder for their permission to use a few pix? C'mon. man, life's too short for that! It would be a different kettle of fish if you were lifting stuff willy-nilly and putting it in an actual publication, but on a net forum for the purposes of discussion?? Edited October 20, 2009 by Stacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philw Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Stacker' post='631062' date='Oct 20 2009, 08:08 AM']Sure, on an image with a watermark; I meant images in general that have, say, a corner credit. Re using somebody's image: whilst I take your point, to a degree, we're always trying to show things/describe things to each other on any forum so what are we supposed to do? Avoid the 'right-click' trigger-finger? Take the time to find/email the copyrightholder for their permission to use a few pix? C'mon. man, life's too short for that! It would be a different kettle of fish if you were lifting stuff willy-nilly and putting it in an actual publication, but on a net forum for the purposes of discussion??[/quote] And I take your point too, to a degree – but an argument that effectively says copyright infringement is ok 'cause it's the convenient option clearly has some, "where do you draw the line issues". You can post a link to a picture too, rather than copying the "original". Maybe I'm a bit sensitive about this. I write manuals/magazine features and design speakers for a living, which is tough enough as it is, but when I see my words lifted and posted in some forum or another, or my work passed-off as somebody else's, I get just a little annoyed. Phil PS. © Phil Ward 2009 Edited October 20, 2009 by philw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatback Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='Stacker' post='631062' date='Oct 20 2009, 08:08 AM']Sure, on an image with a watermark; I meant images in general that have, say, a corner credit. Re using somebody's image: whilst I take your point, to a degree, we're always trying to show things/describe things to each other on any forum so what are we supposed to do?[/quote] I wouldn;t worry in the slightest; Getty won't care about marked images. What they do worry about are the non-watermarked versions of these images. The ones here are just like contact prints, for viewing only. Also, if they want a take-down, they'll ask for one. fatback Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Higgie Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='628972' date='Oct 17 2009, 07:30 PM']Double bass is a completely different kettle of fish from fretless. I'm a professional double bass player and cellist, but I wouldn't dare play a fretless electric bass in front of an audience. Higgie last heard me play one. It wasn't pretty, LOL![/quote] It was a lot prettier than me playing it, that's for sure!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Cheers, mate! I suppose I have a more acute ear for pitch or something - Everytime I pick up a fretless I always think I'm playing out of tune! Strangely, on a cello or double bass I know my intonation is perfect - Work that one out?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 (edited) [quote name='fatback' post='631371' date='Oct 20 2009, 02:36 PM']I wouldn;t worry in the slightest; Getty won't care about marked images. What they do worry about are the non-watermarked versions of these images. The ones here are just like contact prints, for viewing only. Also, if they want a take-down, they'll ask for one. fatback[/quote] Cheers! I don't think Marshall, Gibson or whomever makes Derek's FrankenRay whould clamour for their pound of flesh from a photo that is, in essence, in the public domain! I could remove that Gettymark but it would take a wee while and surfing for bass is... well, there's not that much time, is there? Edited October 21, 2009 by Stacker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andreaska Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Hi, I think you are looking for that one: He used that bass around 1979/1980 for recording the Zenyatta Mondatta album and the tour. The colour seems to be fiesta red or dakota red. A fretless with this colour is harder to find than the natural one. Regards from Germany Andreas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmz Posted November 21, 2009 Share Posted November 21, 2009 Note (maple) fretless Ibanez Roadster in background ! The natural maple fretless he used in the late 70's is the bass I always associate with him - it apparently got stolen - so after a bout of fretless Ibanez, Spector, Hamer (8-string fretless, for one video !) he ended up with 53 and 55 P-basses. I don't know but with all that money you'd think he could afford to get a nice new bass If you want a replica of his natural fretless P-bass then the closest you will get for reasonable money is Fender Japan P-bass - the model number is PB70-84US/FL I got one in 2006 and took the neck off it and put it on a 3-tone sunburst P-bass body - love it to bits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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