Did Bruce Foxton smash Rickenbackers?

[godber]

I saw this on eBay and I'm not sure if it's right. I know that Paul Weller broke a Strat (copy?) at either the 100 Club or the Electric Circus, but I'm not at all sure that Bruce would be into it, he seemed too placid.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rickenbacker-Bass-Fingerboard-EX-Jam-Bruce-Foxton_W0QQitemZ230073254465QQihZ013QQcategoryZ4713QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[rickfan60]

That is a 73 or 74 4001 fingerboard that was apparently carefully removed from the neck. They don't come off that cleanly by smashing the guitar. This board has surfaced before. The seller has no evidence to support the claim.

[randyz]

I've never seen or heard of Bruce Foxton ever abusing an instrument, much less smashing a Rick. I read somewhere that he took to playing a custom bass that was essentially a Rick copy at some point with The Jam.

Weller had an explosive temper, but I've never seen him do anything worse than scrape the strings on his amp or mike stand. His guitars were often heavily scratched from dropping them onto the stage or tossing them to a roadie. I don't think he ever smashed a Rick. In fact, if you look at pictures of him playing live, he is often playing the very same guitars year after year (although sometimes decorated differently by changing pickguards, TRC's or stickers).

[ted_williams]

I saw Weller lay a 330 on its back and slide it across the stage floor. During the same show, Foxton, who had been having technical problems throughout, kicked over a fan (an electric fan, not the kind of fan that filled the audience).

[12stringbassist]

The Jam were guitar enthusiasts. Paul Weller's first Ric has been mentioned on here - he defaced that one a bit, but smashing guitars was NEVER their thing at all.


My pic of the Jam at Manchester Apollo 'All mod cons' tour.


My own Pic of Weller at Salford Uni on the 'Strange Towns' tour.
Bruce was using a PBass on both this and the All Mod cons tours

[12stringbassist]

I have read that Bruce used a John Birch 'SCDR' at one point (similar to my greenburst but more like a standard Ric without all the extra knobs mine has). I haven't found a photo of that but I am looking!!

[godber]

Here's one of Bruce with a 330 on an SLF tour. Couldn't say if it was his.

[mark_telfer]

Early Jam publicity shots show Bruce with an Ibanez copy of a 4001. Investors would need to satisfy themselves that this fingerboard didn't come from the Ibanez.

[godber]

I think that Bruce used an Ibanez copy on the In The City album - you can see it on the rear cover.