The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Pekka on March 05, 2019, 04:33:17 AM
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I started another Cliff thread and posted this pic there and realized it's a different bass than the one he used on "Back In Black" promovideos. Four knobs, a toggle switch and block markers. Reminds me of a bass Leon Wilkeson used one time.
(https://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h427/malyoungrocks/Live%20Shots%20of%20Cliff%20Williams/LiveShotofCliffCirca19781.jpg)
(http://www.highwaytoacdc.com/blog/public/zone_photos/hempstead_18_aout_1978/1808784.jpg)
(http://www.highwaytoacdc.com/blog/public/zone_photos/hempstead_18_aout_1978/hempstead78_05.jpg)
Is it even a Gibson? The pickguard looks a bit different?
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Fretboard inlays look odd too. Not sure what that is.
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Pickguard shape is weird too.
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I don't think that's a Gibson, I haven't seen a a lot of pictures of Ibanez Non Reverse 'Birds, perhaps?
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I'm not aware of a Non Rev copy other than the one from Epi and that came way later than these pics. Pick guards were often replaced on these as the old ones fell apart - this looks like a new and slightly crudely shaped replacement pg to me.
I have a hunch this might be real, even with the inlays.
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I don't see a Gibson logo on the TRC either. I think part of it would be showing in the second pic. I'd heard he gave this bass to what's his name in Lynerd.
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I don't see a Gibson logo on the TRC either. I think part of it would be showing in the second pic. I'd heard he gave this bass to what's his name in Lynerd.
Leon Wilkeson. I knew there was something familiar with it.
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Leon Wilkeson's Birds weren't Birds? I knew he had JAE Fenderbirds, but thought the other stuff was legit.
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Leon Wilkeson's Birds weren't Birds? I knew he had JAE Fenderbirds, but thought the other stuff was legit.
No-one has confirmed it isn't a real Gibson. Anyway, here's another non-rev Cliff used in the "Back In Black" promos:
(http://www.dc79.co.uk/P1050495.jpg)
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Well, Mark Evans used one too - so it might have been something bought as a stage backup instrument or something?
I remember reading somewhere that they only travelled with one spare guitar (telecaster) and one spare bass in the early days.
It can be seen in the 'dog eat dog' promo vid from let there be rock.
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Well, Mark Evans used one too - so it might have been something bought as a stage backup instrument or something?
I remember reading somewhere that they only travelled with one spare guitar (telecaster) and one spare bass in the early days.
It can be seen in the 'dog eat dog' promo vid from let there be rock.
It's a reverse.
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dKZruNbHTCc/Vtdwc2gxFgI/AAAAAAAAGJY/u1pLIIlK1nw/s1600/Mark2.jpg)
Here's the video, most likely the same bass but Cliff already in the lineup. This was from some TV show, probably from 1978.
EDIT: It's Mark Evans on the video too, not Cliff. I must have confused it with an old "Let There Be Rock" promo (the church thing) where Cliff is playing a Ripper, or miming with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t22TpvtLOro
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That non rev bass really looks like the one and same Leon had, with toggle and all:
(https://i.imgur.com/4rAxL8L.jpg)
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I don't see a Gibson logo on the TRC either. I think part of it would be showing in the second pic. I'd heard he gave this bass to what's his name in Lynerd.
I think it was Entwistle who gave his Fenderbird to Wilkeson.
Never heard of Cliff Williams giving his bass to Wilkeson.
Having said that: The non reverse with the weird pickguard en non-dot inlays looks the same as Wilkeson's, yes.
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Wilkeson uses the JAE gifted PC in this vid...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBBw_zflheU
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No-one has confirmed it isn't a real Gibson. Anyway, here's another non-rev Cliff used in the "Back In Black" promos:
(http://www.dc79.co.uk/P1050495.jpg)
He sure was the best-looking bloke in AC/DC - though competition wasn't high. The Angus brothers always looked to me like the Neanderthal men had reached Australia after all. Angus even admitted that they also hired him for his looks. I have all of Williams' work with Home (where Laurie Wisefield came from too), he was a real busy player there.
That bass sure looks like a real Gibson to me.
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That non rev bass really looks like the one and same Leon had, with toggle and all:
(https://i.imgur.com/4rAxL8L.jpg)
Looks like it may have been a modified and converted TB-II, hence the xtra knobs & switch.
Also it looks like the jack is very close to the tone pot there, almost seems there wouldn't be enough clearance for a full-size pot.
According to https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj-uMDf--3gAhULUa0KHWihAcsQFjAAegQICxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scribd.com%2Fdocument%2F23991128%2FLynyrd-Skynyrd-Leon-Wilkeson-Equipment-History&usg=AOvVaw0tdunZyQPjeadNhUzTKIw1 (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj-uMDf--3gAhULUa0KHWihAcsQFjAAegQICxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scribd.com%2Fdocument%2F23991128%2FLynyrd-Skynyrd-Leon-Wilkeson-Equipment-History&usg=AOvVaw0tdunZyQPjeadNhUzTKIw1), Leon only used it on the British/US/Japan tours 76-77. Did Skynyrd and AC/DC tour together at that time?
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That non rev bass really looks like the one and same Leon had, with toggle and all:
(https://i.imgur.com/4rAxL8L.jpg)
The more I look at this bass, I don't think Gibson. The shape is just not "right' I think it's Ibanez or Greco.
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I found this comment on songfacts.com:
"Jimmy from Knox, TN - I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd in Knoxville,Tn in 1976 and AC/DC opened up for Skynyrd and what a show with Bon Scott and Ronnie Van Zant on the same stage"
...although it seems sketchy since AC/DC did not play the USA until '77. ???
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The more I look at this bass, I don't think Gibson. The shape is just not "right' I think it's Ibanez or Greco.
Definitely not Greco. Greco used a three point bridge with tailbar instead of a two point bridge with tailbar.
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I found this comment on songfacts.com:
"Jimmy from Knox, TN - I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd in Knoxville,Tn in 1976 and AC/DC opened up for Skynyrd and what a show with Bon Scott and Ronnie Van Zant on the same stage"
...although it seems sketchy since AC/DC did not play the USA until '77. ???
Williams joined AC/DC in 1977.
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The more I look at this bass, I don't think Gibson. The shape is just not "right' I think it's Ibanez or Greco.
It looks right to me but the pickguard definitely looks wrong.
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Williams joined AC/DC in 1977.
The pics I posted are from Hempstead USA, August 1978. Maybe Cliff or AC/DC got the bass from Leon?
He also used a P-bass during the same show.
http://www.highwaytoacdc.com/index.php?articleid=1109
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I don't believe it was loaned, Cliff still played it years later in their videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo2qQmj0_h4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etAIpkdhU9Q
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Not many rock bassists played electric bass with a bow!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cba7cdJe9Z4
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I don't believe it was loaned, Cliff still played it years later in their videos:
Take a good look, the bass on the videos is not the same. It's the one on the pic I posted where you comment on Cliff's good looks. :)
The "Back In Black" promo bass:
(http://www.dc79.co.uk/P1050495.jpg)
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Not many rock bassists played electric bass with a bow!!!
One player that springs to mind is Louis Cennamo who used to bow his Jazz Bass on the first Renaissance album. Also played with Colosseum (briefly), Steamhammer and the mighty Armageddon whose lone '75 album is a personal fav of slightly psychedelic a bit bluesy hard rock.
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It's a reverse.
They came in different shapes too?? No wonder why it never caught on :mrgreen:
You are right, memory played a trick on me there..
EDIT: I see no mention in the other Cliff thread about him using a Gibson EB-3, he used it in 1985. Might have been a loaner, not sure.
I recall it was a black EB3L slothead, but who knows. I can't stand watching the Fly on the wall video, too embarassing - maybe someone else can check it out. I always thought the bass on that album was muddy, maybe he even used it in the studio?
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They came in different shapes too?? No wonder why it never caught on :mrgreen:
You are right, memory played a trick on me there..
:mrgreen:
Well, I can't blame you. I was dead sure it was Williams already on that "Dog Eat Dog" clip. And I bet many thought it was Mark Evans on "Let There Be Rock" promo but it's Cliff with a blonde Ripper:
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Take a good look, the bass on the videos is not the same. It's the one on the pic I posted where you comment on Cliff's good looks. :)
The "Back In Black" promo bass:
(http://www.dc79.co.uk/P1050495.jpg)
Yes, those are different basses judged by the inlays. I really think Cliff loaned that bass from Leon because by the 80's it was back in Leon's possession but refinned and with further modifications done to it, still the same inlays though.
(https://i.imgur.com/Ebl3GLw.jpg)
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Bet that bass could tell some stories if it could talk. Wonder where it ended up and if it still has emg pickups.
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Yes, those are different basses judged by the inlays. I really think Cliff loaned that bass from Leon because by the 80's it was back in Leon's possession but refinned and with further modifications done to it, still the same inlays though.
Looks like a Schaller bridge and an EMG. Eek.