Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Here's another shot.

just_bassics wrote:

haw wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong but this looks like it could be before it received the final cream finish.

wints wrote:It was covered with tin foil or something at this time I do believe!

The bass in this picture confuses me about Chris's early basses and which one actually got the cream finish. The bass pictured above also appears in early Yes videos from Germany with Peter Banks and has binding, dot neck inlays and no headstock wings. Before this time, when Chris was in The Syn, he appears in a photo with a bass that is clearly his FG 4001S. How many did he own at the time?

What I'd like to know is where did he get the funds?
Did that music store pay that well?

Chris needs to write a book and clear all of this up... that is, if he even remembers!

I beleive Chris has already stated that from '65 until '70, when he got the 4001MG, his 1999 was his one and only. It just went through many phases, including the original FG, the flower power stickers, wallpaper, highlights, etc. Then the cream colored refin. All the same bass!

it's also on record that chris took advantage of an employee discount when he worked at boosey and hawkes to purchase his first rick bass......

2112 wrote:Here's a cool pic from 1970 that I found...

Here's what confuses me. This picture is supposed to have been taken in 1970 and that may be correct, as Chris appears to be in his early twenties. Also, the bass in this picture is the same bass that appears in the "Musikladen" DVD fro 1969, where Yes performs "No Opportunity..." from the second LP "Time and a word". Chris has stated in many interviews that I've read over the years that his creamglo finish was done before the first Yes album was recorded, so it can be deduced that the bass in this photo was not the one to be refinished. In the Musikladen DVD, the bass clearly appears to have binding and dot inlays - unless the "binding" was a result of Chris's own flower power wallpaper design. Still that leaves the question of when the bass got refinished. If this picture is really from 1970, if the Musikladen performance is 1969 or 1970 and Chris had his RM 1999 refinished before any Yes recording was made, then the bass pictured here is not his original RM 1999. Quote form Chris's old site:

The cream color and unique tone of Chris' Rickenbacker has an interesting history. Chris explained in a 1987 interview with Guitar World:

"It went through so many phases being in certain bands—the flower-power thing. I had wallpaper stuck on it with big colored flowers and stuff like that and then when that year was finished it was like 'take it off.' There was this little Chinese guy in Soho [Sam Lee] that used to do guitar repair and he would go, 'Oh terrible! I better shave it off.'

So by the time anyone ever heard my Rickenbacker bass on the Yes record it had actually been shaved down to about two-thirds of the weight of the regular factory model; she sounded completely different."

So, why is any of this important, you may ask? It's not, except that this is one very interesting Ric from a master player and it is fun and interesting to research it and compare notes.

When I saw Yes in 2005, Squire played his Rick, a Lakland that appeared to be pale metallic pink, a Martin acoustic bass, that 3 necked thing, and one other bass I can't remember. The Martin was used on Roundabout that the band played in a blues shuffle style.

Mr. Squire still have his white 8-string Rickenbacker.
He told this in an interview which is available on the new "Fish out of water" edition.

I suspect that Chris may have filmed his commentary prior to providing Vincent with the bass. In any case, it would certainly appear to reside with our Mr. Gallo at present....

Coming back to the Thunderbird, not sure if anyone posted it before but here it goes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-AcQ4eb2M

Miguel

wow! never saw that before,thanks for posting it,miguel! there are some youtube vids of yes (in brazil i think) for the talk tour,that are really great,esp."silent spring".

miguelbass wrote:Coming back to the Thunderbird, not sure if anyone posted it before but here it goes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-AcQ4eb2M

Miguel

Wow Thanks for postin this one!

When I saw them during the "Drama" tour years ago in Dayton, Chris played this bass when they opened with "Does it really happen".

I saw it advertised in an auction house listing since then (several years ago). I wonder if by chance Vincent Gallo may have picked it up?

mikeyesfan wrote:

miguelbass wrote:Coming back to the Thunderbird, not sure if anyone posted it before but here it goes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ-AcQ4eb2M

Miguel

Wow Thanks for postin this one!

+1

Scott, I think you're correct, I've read somewhere that Vincent has Chris' Tbird.

yes i do own it but i prefer to imagine Chris playing it before the time of that clip