The Last Bass Outpost

Both sound similar, but the Tequila Sunrise/Fireburst is a bit more "there" which I,  needless to say, solely attribute to the difference in the fins ... , I meant to say the strings on the Tequila are still fresher.

Compared to the SG RI, they both have a certain "boney" characteristic that mixes with the mahogany warmth and makes them even more versatile.

I make a bet right here and now that if you buy an SG Supreme you will not bring it over you to pluck it apart for your white Pitbull equipped resurrection. You will be converted. Amen.

Uwe

PS: Overall, the Supreme Satin Fin looks more valuable and tasteful than the garish Tequila even though the latter's fin is well applied. But it does have a bit of a lollypop.

I notice that there are no pics or vids of him pre-Bicentennial era where he plays a TBird. Up to 1975/76 you only see him playing a Fender P. A late convert so to say. Of course, he then went on to become iconic with his TBirds (and the odd Iceman bass). These days he even plays Epis, money from UFO gigs and royalties as well as record company advances are obviously not what they used to be ...   

That clip also answers your question, John, whether Ralphe played a Victory Standard or an Artist fretless. Look at 6.40 of the clip - it's an Artist by the controls configuration, the double pups and the fin (sunburst, not available for the Standard). I saw an ebony fretless Victory Artist on ebay some years ago for around 600 or 700 bucks, should have snapped it up.  I do have a fretless Standard:



Uwe   

Moderator, don't give away the contents of the new Batman box office blockbuster just yet, ok?

Moving swiftly on to Jean-Luc Ponty: I am now equipped with a double CD Rhino compilation of his seventies and eighties work (with Ralphe on many tracks) and have to say I'm pleasantly surprised. Not so much jazzish than progish, some of it could be early Kansas backing tracks (or Kansas took influence from Jean-Luc ...). Very melodic songwriting, none of that "seventies-fusion-show-your-chops!" going on. And while the music is melodically and harmonically very accessible to someone with not much of a jazz-trained ear (like me), it never descends into Kenny G. elevator muzak.

Thanks for infecting me, John!

Uwe   

I like Spidey. And my favorite villain is Dr. Doom, that curious mix of Darth Vader and Robin Hood. The Lizard is nice too - for its personal tragedy (all he tried was regrow his hand!). Doc Oc was always nice to Aunt May, lots of splendid vllains ...

No doubt about that: The EB-1 is not just a vintage novelty, but a real instrument you can rock out with. And actually not so much muddish, as middish-roary.

"Good player."

He certainly is, but I never really listened to him back then or listen to him now when I listen to Led Zep (which I don't do very often). His bass just never stood out. And I'm not talking about playing complicated stuff loud - even something simple can stand out beautifully without added volume: Think of Glover's simplistic E-F-F#-G upward chromatic run on Smoke on the Water ... the bass rumbles in and is THERE. I miss that on many Zep recordings. Sonically he was always dwarfed by Plant's wailing, Page's dominant rhythm guitar and Bonham's - dare I say: heavy-handed -drumming.

Funnily enough, I always thought that his keyboard playing stood out quite well with Zep, Page's guitar then automatically taking a backseat.

And I credit him with coming up with that strange Black Dog riff which he credited to listening to old blues records where the players had an odd understanding of time and meter.

Uwe