OK, anyone know what this bass is, looks fairly Rick-ish, but the headstock's wrong...
I love the bass line on this one.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 8:57 pm
by Lefty4001
Agreed, good bassline. The recording is a Wal. Headstock in the picture looks like one too.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:15 pm
by cjj
Ah, OK. Thanks! I'm not too familiar with Wal basses and the video doesn't really show it all that well.
I suppose that since it's not a Rick, this post should be moved out of the Rick Artists section then...
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 10:59 pm
by jps
That's no Wal headstock, that I have ever seen. I think it is just some bad looking copy bass.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2012 11:41 pm
by fluffy
Makes ya wonder why someone with such talent would use a fake. By the time that record came out I'm pretty sure he could afford a genuine Rickenbacker.Maybe the bass was provided and he had no say in the matter ???
One of my favourite songs to play. A real test of concentration. One of the best pop songs ever written.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:42 am
by Grey
fluffy wrote:Makes ya wonder why someone with such talent would use a fake. By the time that record came out I'm pretty sure he could afford a genuine Rickenbacker.Maybe the bass was provided and he had no say in the matter ???
Probably didn't care, you'd be suprised how many people don't. Probably some bass grabbed for the video.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:29 am
by blue330
Because there are fakes out there which exceed the real version. Not with Rickenbackers, mind you.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:29 pm
by 86kubicki
Great tune by one of of my fave bands! It looks like Colin is playing a Kay 4001 copy. Its probably just a prop for the video - a Rickenbacker (or look-a-like) would fit the "Avengers" 60's theme better than a Wal.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 2:37 pm
by sloop_john_b
Steve's right, that's a Kay.
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:01 pm
by 1a12
I think there was a video somewhere of Colin jumping inside one of those blowup castle things with his Epiphone Newport/Embassy . An amazing bassist I constantly use for reference. I often associate Colin with the Epiphone....Now Dave Gregory and his Rickenbackers, thats a different story!
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:38 pm
by rickboy88
So much for referring to a 7 year old post! That'll teach me.
I'd remembered it, so I did a search to dig it up.
I just found a youtube demo of a Kay 4001 copy and sure enough it looks like the one in the XTC video.
BTW, a recent Mojo magazine had a nice one page article on Dave Gregory and XTC ("Senses Working Overtime" may be my favorite Ric 12 string part). He summarizes the end of the group in 1998 where he noted that Andy ended up presenting the songs essentially complete thanks to his home multi-track recorder, which removed a lot of the group thing. He also noted that Andy and Colin aren't talking any longer.
There is another thread where I posted a link to the history of the 12 string used on "Senses..." (eventually converted to a 6 string).
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:54 pm
by rickboy88
OK, must post "Senses..." for the umpteenth time....
The Ric is higher in the mix than on the official recording (from what I remember).
Re: XTC - What is this bass?
Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:43 am
by David Watts
One of my favourites bands.
I 've had the chance to see them live in 1980 in Frejus, France, with skafish, Ub40 and The Police.
They were not announced on the ticket (see below) but what a discovering for me.
I didn't know them back then, but soon i became a fan of their work
I remember they were playing lot of " Black sea" at the time, obviously.