What type of bass is this, anybody got a clue?

[Barklessdog]

Why not they made all these other bases for him!

[orchard1956]

New member.

Matthew Klein here,
The Johnny FireSmiths were Billys idea.
Afterburner explorers were built entirely by hand in George Gruhns repair shop in late '85. Worked for him for 7 years. One year for Bill Lawrence.
The two explorer guitars and two explorer basses had pink Duncans (Billy) and Pink Demarzios(Dusty).  Explorers were mahogany from tip of headstock to bridge, with balsa wings and remaining center section, front and back skinned with spruce 1/8". All load points blocked in with mahogany. Metal inserted to tip of explorer body near the strap button for balance. Epoxy primed surface to give surface tension to the finished instrument when lacquered. Finished and assembled they wieghed 6.5 lbs (guitar)7.5lbs(bass)
All balsa was hand picked for density and resonance. Mahogany was pattern grade and responsive to the touch.

Matthew Klein
Nashville TN

[uwe]

I got (probably) that same email from Mathew too. Will contact him to see whether having one of those made is still an option. I have a balsa wood Yamaha bass, nice warm fuzzy sound, but lacking the really deep sublows. But then who wants these on stage with ZZ Top and what comes out of the PA is another matter altogether.

I read a very enlightening/sobering interview of the bass playing Kroeger brother in everybody's favorite band Nickelbag in a German guit and bass mag. The guy has humor so it's actually a good read. Asked why he gave up using amps and all effects on stage altogether and now plugs his Spectors and what have you directly in he reveals: "After the last tour I had dinner with my favorite (and also our best) soundman and he lauds me for my "best ever bass sound on stage". So I ask him: "but how much of it do you actually use for what's coming out of the PA?" And he says cheekily: "Oh, about 10%, the core sound coming out of the PA is your direct signal."

Rather than this putting Herr Kroeger into therapy, he decisded to "stop cluttering things up with my own rig and stage sound, but rather play with the sound in my ear the people hear out there in front of the stage ...".

I've never been an "only my rig and nothing else will do for my sound"-cultist, but this has even me wondering ...

[patman]

I haven't used an amp for a couple of years now...we use a second monitor mix for roland drums, and bass guitar with softer vocals for me and the drummer.  I get enough guitar and keyboard from the stage monitor mix number one.  The bass I hear is exactly what goes out front, except for the subs.  Keeps the stage a lot less loud. I like it a lot, though i would like to try IEM's sometime.

[Dave W]

New member.

Matthew Klein here,
The Johnny FireSmiths were Billys idea.
Afterburner explorers were built entirely by hand in George Gruhns repair shop in late '85. Worked for him for 7 years. One year for Bill Lawrence.
The two explorer guitars and two explorer basses had pink Duncans (Billy) and Pink Demarzios(Dusty).  Explorers were mahogany from tip of headstock to bridge, with balsa wings and remaining center section, front and back skinned with spruce 1/8". All load points blocked in with mahogany. Metal inserted to tip of explorer body near the strap button for balance. Epoxy primed surface to give surface tension to the finished instrument when lacquered. Finished and assembled they wieghed 6.5 lbs (guitar)7.5lbs(bass)
All balsa was hand picked for density and resonance. Mahogany was pattern grade and responsive to the touch.

Matthew Klein
Nashville TN

Matthew,

Thanks for the story on these, and welcome.

[Chris P.]

A nice reply!

The amp-story is another discussion. I guess most of us play in small bands and needing an amp... When I'm as big as U2 or The Stones, I will think different about amps...

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I've never been an "only my rig and nothing else will do for my sound"-cultist, but this has even me wondering ...

Rock tips from a poser: if his sound mattered to him that much, he wouldn't be asking such stupid questions. How many 'guitar gods' take rig tips from their FOH guys? Soundguys are supposed to work for the band, not the other way around.

I agree he does have a good sense of humor though- his interviews are always funny.

[gearHed289]

Geddy Lee hasn't used amps for years, aside from a couple of 410s mounted under the stage to rattle things a bit. I've thought about going ampless too, but again, we all want a little rumble up there. I was a "you gotta mic my SVT!" purist forever until I started using IEMs. I was shocked at how good my direct tone actually is with my Sadowsky preamp pedal. 

Also - welcome Mat, and thanks for the info!