The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Rickenbacker Basses => Topic started by: Blazer on April 26, 2009, 05:02:49 PM
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From the site of luthier John "Dawk" Stillwell
(http://www.dawksound.com/images/joey1.jpg)
This is legendary Manowar bassist Joey DeMaio's famed Enterprise, which I have worked on numerous times during the passed 25 years. The first time I worked on the Rickenbacker 4001 was just days before DeMaio was scheduled to out on the road as the bassist and musical director for the Broadway musical Godspell's touring company. He complained the bass had no balls. I recommended changing the pickups because the bass's stock pickups are notorious for their lack of output.
When DeMaio returned to collect his bass I handed him a bill for $350. He was furious. The bass only cost $500. I told him that my fee was the price for uniqueness. I told him he could pay it and be himself or I could change it back and he could be like everyone else. When he plugged in the augmented instrument, it had so much power that it almost blew up my test amp. He beamed and asked what other changes could be made.
That began a never-ending quest for excellence and the beginning of our unique friendship. We have modified this bass so many times over the years that it was recently insured for $20,000. By the way, he broke the neck on at least 3 occasions and I had to put it back on.
Since our less than auspicious introduction, Joey DeMaio and I have worked together on numerous projects of music and technology and he has become my best friend.
Eeeyup, that bass was modified a LOT...
(http://www.dawksound.com/images/joey2.jpg)
The bass all blacked out and with an extra pickup at the bridge.
(http://www.dawksound.com/images/joey3.jpg)
The same bass during the "How many pickups can we jam in there" days
(http://www.dawksound.com/images/joey4.jpg)
And the bass as it is now, with a replacement fingerboard, all metal pickguard and extreme close string spacing.
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Interesting and sad at the same time.
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Are you sure it's not a banjo-line?
Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
Then one day he was shootin at some food,
And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.
Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.
Well the first thing you know ol Jed's a millionaire,
Kinfolk said "Jed move away from there"
Said "Californy is the place you ought to be"
So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly.
Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.
Well now its time to say good by to Jed and all his kin.
And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
You're all invited back a gain to this locality
To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality
Hillybilly that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.
Y'all come back now, y'hear?
.
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^
:toast:
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Who is Joey DeMaio?
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Who is Joey DeMaio?
Manowar. I hadn't heard of him or the band either until a thread here a few months back. If you're in blissful ignorance of them, good for you. Then you won't have to try to flush them from your memory. :)
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And now, with the girlie guitar strings, that Ric has more balls than it used to have? :popcorn:
You have to enjoy wearing loincloths to believe that. De Maio's bass sound both live and on record is totally unremarkable (if you ignore his bass solo hi-distortion shred fest, which is at best an acquired taste). Not bad, just unremarkable, like zillions of other metal players. You don't need to inflict that much injustice on a Ric to sound unremarkable, buy any 200 buck bass and you're all set.
Uwe
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"When he plugged in the augmented instrument, it had so much power that it almost blew up my test amp."
Give me a friggin break! :-\
What a waste.... full-width inlays and checkerboard binding..... :-[
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"When he plugged in the augmented instrument, it had so much power that it almost blew up my test amp."
Give me a friggin break! :-\
What a waste.... full-width inlays and checkerboard binding..... :-[
They are in the Guinness Book of records for being the loudest rock band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_UGFLT0VMY
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that's the most insipid thing i've heard in years. :puke: cliched 'plot' line as well. pissed off young factory worker finds salvation through metal. jeez!
blazer, feel free to stop whenever you want. :)
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that's the most insipid thing i've heard in years. :puke: cliched 'plot' line as well. pissed off young factory worker finds salvation through metal. jeez!
blazer, feel free to stop whenever you want. :)
Well, truth to be said Manowar has been doing that kind of songs for over 28 years. And seeing how they sell out arena's says something about people digging what they do.
Can't argue with that.
I wrote a song for my own band Slavantas about the guy we named ourselves after, the Roman officer who founded Mosa Trajectum, the oldest surviving city in the Netherlands now called "Maastricht" from which we hail. That song speaks of him fighting in order to provide people a place to live and how we never should forget his name. I really had the songs of Manowar in mind when I wrote it. The other members of the band were okay with it, they see Manowar as I see them, as a good rocking Metal band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd5lSShZb5U
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I bet Concorde was louder - 100 tons of aluminium, at full thrust, four beautiful cones of blue flame, whilst standing at the end of the runway...
but not too close...
THAT is HEAVY METAL... ;D ;D ;D
time for bed.... SPROING...
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Britney Spears sells out arenas too.
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I used to live in Fulham for a while and the Concorde flew directly over my flat twice a day coming into Heathrow.
You are right Ken, it is Friggen loud.
"'cause I need metal in my life just like an Eagle needs to fly" ....I'm speechless. :puke: ooops sorry.
I'm not against metal, in fact I like some of it. Cliche'd songwriting however.......um.....no, best to just shut my mouth.
Sorry Blazer.
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Hold on, I have to check my watch. Yep, it's 2009.
Retard rock. D'ya think they ever listened to Kashmir?
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Hold on, I have to check my watch. Yep, it's 2009.
Retard rock. D'ya think they ever listened to Kashmir?
I guess they themselves would readily admit that they did.
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Bret, that was just landing... ;)Everytime Concorde took off, dozens of car alarms would go off... :o
I was into Motorhead when it was still the b-side of a Hawkwind single (which I bought when it was released), resplendent with a violin solo, but just never saw the point of "thrash" ...
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Nothing wrong with metal. Just not for everyone here at the old folks home. Turn that noise down.
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Interesting discussion guys but if we're done with the Ric content, maybe I should move this topic to The Outpost Cafe.
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ah c'mon. a lot dumber threads than this have kept their place in line. besides, what's more fun than a few laughs at the expense of a silly band. :mrgreen:
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Being a BIG Glover and Lee fan from ways back I always had a fondness for Rickys, but they were always too expensive for the budget, post my RD purchase... only ever had the good fortune to play one once, but never had the oportunity to run one through my rig... :sad:
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Being a BIG Glover and Lee fan from ways back I always had a fondness for Rickys, but they were always too expensive for the budget, post my RD purchase... only ever had the good fortune to play one once, but never had the oportunity to run one through my rig... :sad:
No Offense Ken but when seeing what modifications your Gibson RD and Hawaii burst T-bird went through, I shudder at the thought of what a Rickie must be going through when YOU get your hands on one...
;)
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Probably end up just like Joey DeMaio's bass :rimshot:
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Almost all the famous Ric bass players have had irreversible mods done to their basses. McCartney's psychedelic paint job and then his overzealous sanding, Squire with the shaved down body and cream refin, Glover with the slanted double J pickups, Jon Camp's mods on his Great White, Geddy's bridge mods, Lemmy of course... the list goes on.
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Ilan, a documented illustrated history list of those basses would be fascinating. To me modding a Ric is not like modding a fender. Which is why I sold my old one years ago.
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Almost all the famous Ric bass players have had irreversible mods done to their basses. McCartney's psychedelic paint job and then his overzealous sanding, Squire with the shaved down body and cream refin, Glover with the slanted double J pickups, Jon Camp's mods on his Great White, Geddy's bridge mods, Lemmy of course... the list goes on.
1989 4003S. Hipshot D-tuner, 4004L TRC, '92 toaster, '06 high gain, mirror PG, vintage knobs, Hipshot aluminum bridge, Schaller strap locks. Perfection!
(http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/64/l_02fe6883e8ec4e53a5fc9035b69ede28.jpg)
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Perfection!
I have to agree.
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1989 4003S.
I would love to have a black S model with an eighties neck someday.
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How about a '93 4003S/8 - only mod I've done was to recently have the string order reversed (long after this picture was taken):
(http://img419.imageshack.us/img419/4583/8stringbody23gp.jpg)
And as heard on the blizzard of oxbow (http://hieronymous.us/music/blizzard_of_oxbow_riff.mp3)
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How about a '93 4003S/8 - only mod I've done was to recently have the string order reversed (long after this picture was taken):
(http://img419.imageshack.us/img419/4583/8stringbody23gp.jpg)
And as heard on the blizzard of oxbow (http://hieronymous.us/music/blizzard_of_oxbow_riff.mp3)
I seem to recall that bass was almost mine! You should be happy that I stumbled across the fireglo one. ;D
Strings were already reversed. I removed the mute pad/screws and added vintage knobs and strap locks. An absolutely unbelievable bass that stays in tune amazingly well. Wish it had an 8 saddle bridge.
(http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/9/l_45e8886ae808411a81244544ad6a3338.gif)
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Hey, that fireglo looks great! I think things worked out well - I got to keep my bass, and you got a great bass - glad to see that you are playing it out!
That modded 8-string bridge that was on that eBay bass was pretty cool. Maybe Hipshot should make an 8-string version of theirs!
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That modded 8-string bridge that was on that eBay bass was pretty cool. Maybe Hipshot should make an 8-string version of theirs!
Wadda ya mean maybe? :) I'd buy that in a heartbeat if they did. Even just a bridge that fit the stock tailpiece would be great.
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I wonder if anyone has asked them?
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Does anybody make one...?
... and Wouter, I've mellowed with age... trust me... ;)
Ricky owners, everywhere, rejoice in the fact that my bank balance doesn't, so the likelihood of acquiring one to tinker with is slim-to-none... I'll just worship from afar... :mrgreen: