Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I remember it was a 4003, don't remember the color but white sounds right and I think you guys are right, Alex Lifeson gave it to him, was in bassplayer, right after he won bass player of the year, haha! I don't know if you can classify Primus as a corporate rock band actually, at least when they first came out which was at least 12 years ago, they would have been a corporate nightmare to me.

I believe the bass was white and Alex did give it to him when drunk, along with the trophy (the mag is lying around here somewhere, along with about a thousand others...). In the recent issue Les says he's had other Rick's but "there's something about this one that makes it sound great". Funny, I could say that about a lot of basses from 72, and not just Ricks. My favourite of my Ricks is a 72, Geddy Lee's Jazz is a 72, and there are many others (certainly in my experience). Must've been something in the water....

I love Les's playing actually, but I tend to veer towards people who have a extreme take on bass (let's face it, Squire was pretty extreme once upon a time, and he's my all-time fave). I certainly wouldn't have thought Primus could be classed as corporate rock though. Heck, listen to the Brown Album!!! (I've never quite managed it all in one sitting..)

He's now a Carl Thompson man:

He's been one for a very long time.

Since very close to the beginning in fact! His first decent bass...he used to test basses by playing Roundabout on them; with the Carl Thompson he said it was easier than on all the others!

Les is an AMAZING player. Mind blowing, really. He started off on an Ibanez, then found a Carl Thompson 4 string at a shop, and begged his mom to buy it for him (Which she did). Sometime later, before the recording of Sailing the Seas of Cheese, he had Carl build him his "Rainbow" bass, a 6 string fretless.

This is the first time i've seen his Rick - it is freaking NICE!

Did everyone know that Les auditioned for Metallica after Cliff died? He realized he wasn't right for the part and suggested they "Jam on some Isley Brothers tunes!"

I was in a band in around 91/92?? with a guy who was Primus's drum tech. This was at a time when Primus supported Rush on the world tour promoting Roll The Bones. They weren't well known then, especially in England. Nick the drum tech was very complimentary of Primus. He rated Les Claypool very highly and although a little odd said he was a real nice guy, as were the others. I never saw anyone with as many different looks as LC.

We had Les, on Bucket of Bernie Brains tour come through our room, about a month ago. He is one of the all time greatest living bass players IMHO. No Rics though. Hell Bucket head didnt even have a backup guitar. He had ONE guitar on stage and that was it. Excellent show.

I saw that Bucket of Bernie Brains tour. It was a great show...even with Gabby-La-La (whose toy piano left a bit to be desired but her sitar fit in well with the jamming). Buckethead can really play! I also saw the recent Primus tours where they played the entire "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" album then the "Frizzle Fry" album. I'd love to see them do Tales From the Punchbowl next. I think Les is great, and definitely not radio music. You have to hear about him by word of mouth.

Les Claypool is, I feel, one of the best and most innovative bassists ever. Slapping, for me, must be done correctly and in the right context for it to be good; you can't do it all the time unless the music just really suits it. Claypool kind of created a very new and unique style of music specifically around his slap-bass playing. That and he's freaking hilarious.

But seriously, when people talk about Flea being so amazing, I always think, "Flea is only amazing to me when he DOESN'T slap . . . if you want a real slap player, listen to some Primus." That or some Bela Fleck.

Or Mark King...

Or Stanley Clarke...

Ditto on the part about Flea... he has so much more groove with his fingers.

Or Doug Rauch...

"Ditto on the part about Flea... he has so much more groove with his fingers."

You're the first person to agree with me on this. People usually scream blasphemy, but seriously, listen to "The Zephyr Song" . . . no slapping, and it's a fretless, and seriously, the bass carries that song.