The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Other Bass Brands => Topic started by: Pekka on March 05, 2019, 12:59:25 AM

Title: Cliff Williams' Frankenstein bass
Post by: Pekka on March 05, 2019, 12:59:25 AM

(https://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h427/malyoungrocks/Live%20Shots%20of%20Cliff%20Williams/LiveShotofCliffCirca1984or851.jpg)

(https://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h427/malyoungrocks/Live%20Shots%20of%20Cliff%20Williams/LiveShotofCliffintheMid-Late1980s.jpg)

P-bass body with a Sting Ray neck and active electronics. Not so crazy when you think he used a Steinberger for a while.

He also had two black custom basses with similar pickup configurations. One with penises as fretboard markers and one with a female on all fours on a fretboard. Even Cliff Williams succumbed to tacky eighties antics it seems. :)

Title: Re: Cliff Williams' Frankenstein bass
Post by: Chris P. on March 05, 2019, 02:20:41 AM

A bit off topic, but the last couple of years he also used some Dutch Teye basses, but I think he got them when he stopped touring. He might be back:)

Teye are those outrageous Zemaitis inspired instruments.

www.teye.com

Title: Re: Cliff Williams' Frankenstein bass
Post by: Pekka on March 05, 2019, 04:06:34 AM

Any ideas what this is:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_hRcpJSzvLM/WjJBcLFmeGI/AAAAAAABd_M/PevX62WoyYAfoVTZPbP5tgVzF_6CZCcQwCJoC/w530-h391-n/%2528121449%2529%2BCliff%2BWilliams%2B_AC-DC.jpg)

Similar PU config.

He also had the forum favourite and I hope it's only Angus' volume that makes him look like that in this pic:
(https://i1109.photobucket.com/albums/h427/malyoungrocks/Live%20Shots%20of%20Cliff%20Williams/LiveShotofCliffCirca19781.jpg)

Title: Re: Cliff Williams' Frankenstein bass
Post by: Pekka on March 05, 2019, 04:16:14 AM

"Have you ever experimented with a different bass in AC/DC?

I played a Fender Precision for a little while, when I originally joined the band. Then—what is that little headless graphite bass that looks like a toothpick? Steinberger. Those were the first active pickups I ever used, and I really liked the sound, but I hated the bass. I played it on the road for a while, but I just couldn’t stand the shape, so I pulled the guts out of it and dropped them into the P-Bass, which wasn’t bad. I’ve also fiddled around with a Fender Jazz over the years and a Gibson Thunderbird as well, but not for very long. I always seem to go back to the Music Man."

https://www.bassplayer.com/artists/cliff-williams-addcs-venerable-undercurrent-on-four-decades-of-rock

So there.  :)