YES "Beyond and before" - device attached to bass headstock

[antonius]

What is attached to the headstock of Chris Squire's bass? Something to improve sustain or deal with a dead spot perhaps? Or a brace to hold a crack together? I've never noticed anything like that before on his bass. Is he playing a regular deluxe 4001 rather than the RM1999 - I thought I saw binding? Sorry, embedding is disabled for this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0feGCVaS40

[jps]

Think Frankenstein; it holds the head in place!

[bassduke49]

There are no really good shots of the bass in there, but I did see that this is probably his original RM 1999 with the finished removed and wide white tape "binding" applied front AND BACK on the upper horn (so all around the body one would assume). CS did a lot of monkeying around on that bass before he had it professionally repaired and refinished. He told me at one point he applied some flowery foil wall paper to the thing as well. The broken headstock was part of the history.

[Colonel Sanders]

There are no really good shots of the bass in there, but I did see that this is probably his original RM 1999 with the finished removed and wide white tape "binding" applied front AND BACK on the upper horn (so all around the body one would assume). CS did a lot of monkeying around on that bass before he had it professionally repaired and refinished. He told me at one point he applied some flowery foil wall paper to the thing as well. The broken headstock was part of the history.

If you look in the first seconds of the video you will see binding on the bass.

[cheyenne]

Yeah, its a C-clamp of some kind.

Lot a miles on that bass.........

[Ashgray]

Check out what appears to be Chris's spare bass on top of his amp at around 2.45 into the video. It looks rather like a Fender Telecaster but with an extra Rick horss=ie pup in the treble position, and two sets of volume & tone controls. Fascinating!

Ash

[michael.m]

It looks more like Fender pickup cover, maybe a Jazz Bass cover. Here is another video with RM1999 and Tele bass:

https://youtu.be/SszeZhF9Xq4

[cheyenne]

This:





I came across it on Ebay several years ago. I think it was all related to his ex wife trying to liquidate items from the divorce.

[jps]

I believe Vincent Gallo is now in possession of that bass.

[cheyenne]

Yeah. I think he picked up a bunch of stuff that surfaced.

[squirebass]

Very interesting!!! Keep those videos coming, love seeing the old band from back in the day when they were struggling to make it. I believe someone in the band made the comment about "Beyond and Before" that they never knew exactly what the song was about -- the lyrics are a bit cryptic, to say the least, although I like the song.

[woodyng]

Probably Bill Bruford,who by his own account,thought he was in a jazz band.......

[squirebass]

Probably Bill Bruford,who by his own account,thought he was in a jazz band.......

I wouldn't doubt it... and I always really liked his contributions to early Yes.


You can always tell Bruford's drumming, love his approach to drums!

[Lefty4003S8]

I believe Vincent Gallo is now in possession of that bass.

Mr. Gallo is also in possession of Chris's 21 Fret 4001.


I have always considered "Beyond and Before" as more of a poem set to music. I don't try to find meaning, but LOVE how the words fit together.
It's more about conjuring up images.
It is my favorite YES composition.

[squirebass]

Yep, the words do fit together well, and I do love the song. I remember buying the two Yes albums when they first became available here in the states(Yes and Time and a Word), that was the first song that really hit me between the eyes!
And I wasn't aware that anyone other than Chris now owned the 21 fret mapleglo bass pictured on the inside sleeve of "The Yes Album". Is that the same guy that makes films, and set one to a lot of Yes stuff?