The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Pekka on April 07, 2017, 10:53:03 AM

Title: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Pekka on April 07, 2017, 10:53:03 AM
Alan Barry was a bassist/guitarist/vocalist for a short-lived progrock trio Fields featuring also Graham Field (ex- Rare Bird) on keys and the mighty Andy McCulloch (ex- Crimson and future Greenslade) on drums. He used a modded doubleneck:

(https://img.discogs.com/EVLizu9gh2_NzQpKLJ2uuG43w2k=/fit-in/600x589/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2952934-1452918870-9035.jpeg.jpg)

https://goo.gl/images/ZKCEiM (https://goo.gl/images/ZKCEiM)
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Basvarken on April 07, 2017, 11:02:51 AM
With slanted Jazz pickups?
The sheer horror!  :popcorn:
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: uwe on April 07, 2017, 11:19:30 AM
I guess he wanted to hear what he was playing, no?

Pekka, congrats for digging out another PROG curio even I hadn't heard of. Towards the end, they sound like Mike Oldfield - in 1971, before Tubular Bells went viral!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD86HHRRW2Y
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Grog on April 08, 2017, 07:31:21 AM
Note..... The bass is on the bottom!
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: gearHed289 on April 08, 2017, 09:16:14 AM
Note..... The bass is on the bottom!

As it should be!  ;D
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: slinkp on April 08, 2017, 07:06:07 PM
Agreed, I'd prefer the bass on bottom.
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Grog on April 08, 2017, 08:05:08 PM
I've been tossing around building one with the bass on the bottom. I have all of the guts from a Hobbit for the bass.
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Dave W on April 10, 2017, 12:34:57 PM
That's where it should be. Don't understand why more haven't been built that way.

A local friend has a Strat/Precision doubleneck with the bass on the bottom, built by Knut-Koupee' Music in the 80s.
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Grog on April 10, 2017, 02:06:52 PM
Way out of my league, but even Leo had the right idea......................

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/Leo-Fender-1984-G-L-Doubleneck-Guitar-Rare-/322467544129?hash=item4b14903c41:g:V6gAAOSwSlBY3FPx

Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Pekka on April 11, 2017, 02:44:29 AM
I guess he wanted to hear what he was playing, no?

Pekka, congrats for digging out another PROG curio even I hadn't heard of. Towards the end, they sound like Mike Oldfield - in 1971, before Tubular Bells went viral!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD86HHRRW2Y

I used to own the album. It was OK, the playing is better than the songs but there were a few nice ones in that department too. Andy McCulloch is already the master of his perfect landslide fills he used on a good effect on Greenslade albums which were a similar keyboard -only (most of the time) band with two keyboard players, not unlike the original Rare Bird.

I believe Barry played a P-bass on the album, at least it sounds like one.

One of the finest reissue labels nowadays Esoteric reissued the album and also released their second that was originally left in the can. Barry had departed and was replaced with Frank Farrell who apparently inherited the doubleneck. Reminds me of Family where John Wetton and his successor Jim Cregan used a same Gibson 6/4.
(https://img.discogs.com/7CJkL3wQL61bvdDMANwGLWUZDxE=/fit-in/600x298/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-7584303-1489045294-4164.jpeg.jpg)
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: Pekka on April 11, 2017, 02:46:50 AM
As it should be!  ;D

Mike Rutherford got that but Rickenbacker didn't.
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: gearHed289 on April 11, 2017, 07:17:07 AM
Mike Rutherford got that but Rickenbacker didn't.

 :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: mc2NY on April 21, 2017, 09:12:23 AM

ALL the Hamer doublenecks I have had or seen pit the 4-string bass on the bottom.

The top was always the odd neck.....guitar, fretless bass or 8/12-string bass.

I prefer the bass on the bottom.

THAT SAID.......

A similar question regarding a Two bass neck doubleneck.  I have the only Kubicki doubleneck made. I also have a couple spare necks, so I can configure it a few ways.

I have four necks.....two fretless and two fretted. Also, either 32" scale with the drop D lever or straight 34".

HOW would you guys configure it for it to be the most useful?

I am leaning toward a Fretted Drop D as the top neck because I like my bass higher if I slap/pop and Kubickis are great for that.....and a 34" fretless on the bottom.

Opinions?
Title: Re: Alan Barry's doubleneck
Post by: uwe on April 21, 2017, 10:32:02 AM
For slapping, I'd prefer taut strings because of the rebound, that means fretted 34''. For a fretless sound, there is nothing wrong with strings being more flexible, so that means 32 + Drop D fretless. I'm not a slapper, so I'd put the long scale lower than the medium scale one. But your slapping necessity is an argument for doing it the other way around. And since the 32" is not that much shorter, visuals don't count though I prefer the longer instrument to hang underneath the shorter one for looks. True: Nature doesn't always accomodate for that ...  :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

A Kubicki doubleneck? I ain't believin' it one bit without pictorial proof. Anyone can claim that!!!