Tom Scholz' Gibson Bass

Hörnisse · January 16, 2014, 06:56:13 PM

I've always enjoyed the tone on the first Boston LP. I understand that Tom played on every track but "Foreplay" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" which were played by Fran Sheehan. I read in a 1977 Guitar Player interview that he used a Gibson bass with a Jazz bass pickup installed. Never have seen a photo of the bass until a recent search. The article was from last November. Sort of looks like the J pickup is slanted a bit, and the bass is a slot head short scale EB-0. (of all things!)

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/tom-scholz-talks-recording-his-signature-gibson-les-paul-and-bostons-new-album-587537/6/1

lowend1 · January 16, 2014, 09:21:05 PM

>>Do you have a special bass you like to use?

I have a Gibson EBO with the whole middle part of it milled out where the pickups would normally go. It has a Fender Jazz pickup mounted on it. It's a very unusual bass and nobody else can play it except me. In fact bass players have picked it up and gone ugh, you play this?<<

uwe · January 17, 2014, 08:32:59 AM

The new Boston stuff sounds ... like a demo ... terrible drum sound, overall instrument imbalance, Scholz' is so secluded in his recording room, he doesn't seem to register how ever since the nineties there has been a return to more natural recording sounds at all. Or maybe the new recording quality is just unforgiving to that cut and paste approach he has always employed. In parts it sounds like classic rock/AOR must sound to people who don't like classic rock or AOR.

But thinking about it now, that could be an EB on those tracks.

Basvarken · January 17, 2014, 09:49:53 AM

I think that drum sound has everything to with the guitar overload. There is no room for drums (or bass for that matter) left in that mix.
Sound like there are 4000 guitar tracks and about 5 for the rest...

uwe · January 17, 2014, 11:29:31 AM

Could be, he does spend too much time in his recording studio you know! I give him that he "invented" and shaped a sound with that first album, but since then there has been zilch pogression or even variation.

copacetic · January 17, 2014, 12:56:00 PM

Re the jazz pup placed at an angle: well that would be the only way as the spacing is for a wider string spacing.
By no means a Boston fan and would not know them from any of the other crap, I would be interested in what a mudbucker and a Jazz pup together sound like.

LoEndMaestro · January 17, 2014, 02:58:04 PM

Quote from: uwe on January 17, 2014, 11:29:31 AM
Could be, he does spend too much time in his recording studio you know! I give him that he "invented" and shaped a sound with that first album, but since then there has been zilch pogression or even variation.

This.

Just because it takes you decades between records doesn't mean they're good.

Interesting bass though.

gweimer · January 17, 2014, 03:17:50 PM

It was done, somewhat, before Scholz.

LoEndMaestro · January 17, 2014, 03:58:04 PM

Dunaway?

4stringer77 · January 17, 2014, 04:54:46 PM

I get a heavy dose of Boston on the old fm radio round these parts. It rocks enough to be tolerable all be it a tad sappy. The new stuff is about as good as I'd expect for something as far removed from it's heyday. Shame about Brad Delp taking his own life. I regret not seeing him in Beatlejuice.

gweimer · January 17, 2014, 05:21:53 PM

Quote from: LoEndMaestro on January 17, 2014, 03:58:04 PM
Dunaway?

Yes, indeed!

godofthunder · January 20, 2014, 07:44:14 AM

Any time I have heard reference to this bass it has been vaguely described as a old Gibson, no detail about the model, strings or mods. Nice to finally know what it is. I always enjoyed the playing on the first two albums and thought the bass had a great sound and was placed well in the mix. Always suspected it was a SS EB of some stripe.

lowend1 · January 20, 2014, 08:38:59 AM

Quote from: uwe on January 17, 2014, 11:29:31 AM
Could be, he does spend too much time in his recording studio you know! I give him that he "invented" and shaped a sound with that first album, but since then there has been zilch pogression or even variation.

I'd be willing to out on a limb and say that if he stopped after the first album, his legacy as a musician and songwriter would be virtually the same (which is considerable). Most of his name recognition after that was due to the development of the Rockman.

mc2NY · January 20, 2014, 10:29:51 AM

Quote from: gweimer on January 17, 2014, 05:21:53 PM
Yes, indeed!

I like that bass. Then again, I like most green basses

One of my ex guitarists (Rick Tedesco) who was in my band for a few years has been Dunaway's guitarist for a number of years now. Rather funny because another former guitarist of mine that Rick had replaced (Al Pitrelli) got stolen by Alice Cooper.

Hörnisse · January 20, 2014, 11:02:25 AM

Tried to blow the pic up a bit. Still would like to see a good shot of this bass. Loved the playing on the first LP.