Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Check it out:
http://www.sumo.tv/video/509682

That bass sounds awesome!! Thanks, Jwilli.....

It does sound awesome, all right, but Claypool's technique failed to impress me. Was he totally uninspired on that particular occasion or is he grossly overrated?

Yes.

I would have enjoyed it more without the incessant slapping!

Well, I only posted it because he plays way differently than any other Rick bass player that I know of. Sort of an oddity. I've never heard anything that he's ever played before, even a Primus song. Lol.

Me neither!

I'll take an "overrated" and/or "uninspired" Claypool over the usuals any day!

"Was he totally uninspired on that particular occasion or is he grossly overrated?"

Different people will give you different answers. I think he's an absolute genius, so I would tend to say he had an off-day if I were going to give any answer. I think it's impossible to overrate him.

I also think his Carl Thompson's suit his style far more than the Ric.

Some of the stuff he's done is/was incredibly innovative. As I posted elsewhere, when I some him on Rush's Roll the Bones tour I'd never seen anything like him. Of course that's a long time ago now, so a lot of what he's done has found it's way into the mainstream. He's obviously not for everyone though, and neither are Primus or any of his other bands. Personally I'll take his stuff over "Mustang Sally" and similar any day of the week.

BTW, he's often been described as being a "sloppy" player, but it's his originality that is the point.

I don't particularly rate Claypool, but the point is he's slapping on a Rick!!! Just a flip the bird to all those bassists who see a Rick as a 'one trick pony'. HA ha ahhhh.....

He was pretty laid back, some nice tones, & some good guitar playing, but a jam, to be sure.

Nice early 4001!

I like some odd stuff, too. Things like Primus & Tom Waits jar me out of a rut, get interesting creative thoughts flowing.

I believe the bass is a '71 or '72, I can't remember which. Here are some shots of it I posted a year or 2 ago. The autograph on the pickguard is John Entwistle.

Probably not a 71 as it's only got 20 frets but that's a great looking bass with some good mojo, the burgundy looks to be slightly lighter than my 73. Did he leave the sale tag on the grover key?