Ralphe Armstrong interview

[EvilLordJuju]

I'm pleased to announce the GibsonBass Ralphe Armstrong interview

http://www.gibsonbass.com/ralpheArmstrong.php

Its another by John (barklessdog) Fertig, and just like the last, he gets some great responses to some key questions.

Find out a little about Ralphes bands, approach to playing... and find out a lot more about the very many Gibson basses he used - including a fretless mahogany RD artist. How many people do you know who played one of those?

By John Fertig, June 2007 Ralphe Armstrong was born into a family of musicians, and with the help of classical training as a child, he was a professional musician before he had finished his teens. His talent caught the eye of Gibson; he was chosen to endorse their basses from the mid 1970s, and as an advisor, he had input on new products such as the Ripper, G-3, RD Artist and Victory.

His early career placed him with a wide range of musicians, most notably jazz fusion acts Mahavishnu Orchestra and Jean-Luc Ponty. Later, he took time out to raise his children, but soon returned, playing jazz, funk, and even hip-hop, with the likes of Eddie Harris, James Carter, Curtis Mayfield and D-12.

Ralphe talks about his playing, musical career, Gibson endorsement, and of course, his Gibson bass guitars.

Thanks Ralphe, and thanks John!

[uwe]

As usual: Excellently and lovingly done.

Trust John to sneak something about Mahavishnu into any Gibson forum if you let him. Prog bog all around.    

[Barklessdog]

Thats verboten against the bye laws here cast by Mr. W?

The name never to be uttered at the outpost.

I did the interview via phone and I have to tell you it was a humbling experience as he and his father are woven into the very fabric of music history. He is a very warm, humble and highly educated man. He has so many stories from Jaco, playing with Eminem, to Motown & Jamerson. Amazing guy.

[Granny Gremlin]

Good interview.

So John, have you tracked down Marion Hayden to buy that maho RD yet 

[Barklessdog]

Jules tried but, I believe he recieved no replies.

She is still there teaching & playing I guess.

[doombass]

Nice interview like always. Thanks!

[Basvarken]

Great read.
And what a great bassplayer! (I had never heard of him... )

Al had this bass, he would let me use his equipment and I ended up using this bass. I wish I could find one today. It was a Gibson Studio Les Paul Bass [Les Paul Triumph bass]. It had in and out phase switches and was a light colored mahogany finish. That was a good sounding bass. I loved the sound of that. That was the first Gibson bass I ever played at a gig with a group.

Someone please tell him that Les Paul Basses / Triumphs regularly pop up on Ebay

[EvilLordJuju]

Someone please tell him that Les Paul Basses / Triumphs regularly pop up on Ebay

He doesn't really use the net - we're not sure he will even get to see the interview!

So John, have you tracked down Marion Hayden to buy that maho RD yet 

Yeah, I tried to get some pics of it, or maybe a quote on how much she likes it... and yes I offered to buy it - her price paid.... no reply.

I guess it will appear on ebay within the next half century. Anyone planning on living that long?

[Dave W]

I hadn't heard of him either, no surprise considering my musical tastes. But well done, it's a very informative interview.

[hieronymous]

Great interview! I had only seen him pictured with Fenders, never knew he was so closely associated with Gibson. It's so rare to see someone speak in such glowing terms about Gibson basses! I especially like his comments on the EB-2, and its "warm sound."

[ampang]

Great reading!
I love gibsonbass site and the community of people that is now here re-united again on bassoutpost.

[I wanan take this occasion to say hello to everybody here and tell that I'm so glad that there is again a place like this, simple, nice and with the right light and friendly mood to talk and read gibson bass related stuff]

[doombass]

Nice to see you found your way over here Ampang.

[Chris P.]

Cool! I'll check it out ASAP!

[uwe]

I hadn't heard of him either, no surprise considering my musical tastes. But well done, it's a very informative interview.

Since when do you have any? 

[uwe]

He doesn't really use the net - we're not sure he will even get to see the interview!

Yeah, I tried to get some pics of it, or maybe a quote on how much she likes it... and yes I offered to buy it - her price paid.... no reply.

I guess it will appear on ebay within the next half century. Anyone planning on living that long?

Liebe Frau Hayden,

It has come to my my attention how a certain Herr Jules has been intruding your respected privacy to acquire/purloin a mahogany RD from your good hands. My altruistic self sees me honor-bound to tell you that this man is of notoriously ill repute - his grubby fish & chips drenched, B.C. Rich-owning hands will also do horrible things to your bass, trust me.

That said, I'll double his price to integrate your precious instrument in my humble collection whose proceeds unselfishly fund a Third World orphanage.

Yours most sincerely,

Uwe