U2start.com | U2 & Guitar Gear: Q & A

anstratdubh1979

Originally posted by thechicken:[..]

Ohh yes, I remember this article. It is not there, but something that broke my heart was when I saw the upgrades he made to the old precision, seen on the vertigo video. (I think it it the old precision). It is so modded...really sad.

That P-Bass has had TONS of mods over the years. I liked the mirror pickguard (Popmart tour).

Dot inlays in the neck and mirrored pickguard on the 1972/73 Precision

Here's a Vertigo era picture, Jazz neck with block inlays and black pickguard on the 1972/73 Precision. The block inlay Jazz neck seems to be new for Vertigo tour... I will have to check my pics to see if it still had the dot inlay during the Elevation tour.

thechicken

16 years

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979:[..]

That P-Bass has had TONS of mods over the years. I liked the mirror pickguard (Popmart tour).

Dot inlays in the neck and mirrored pickguard on the 1972/73 Precision
[image]

Here's a Vertigo era picture, Jazz neck with block inlays and black pickguard on the 1972/73 Precision. The block inlay Jazz neck seems to be new for Vertigo tour... I will have to check my pics to see if it still had the dot inlay during the Elevation tour.

[image]

I think that it had the original neck up until elevation. I don't know...changing the neck is a bit too much...it is not like it is the same instrument.

anstratdubh1979

16 years

Per Adam's Bass Player interview it'd seem like pre-Elevation tour neck was not 'original'. (He's had a Jazz neck on it for a long time)

From the 2001 Bass Player magazine:
BP: Are you still playing your '72 Precision?

AC: I am. It's got a bit less varnish than it once had, but it's still around. I see photographs of it from different tours, and I can see the varnish gradually wearing off. It's a really light instrument, which is fantastic, because it's got this nice brightness without losing any bottom end. I'm always changing something on it, but it's still pretty much the same instrument I've always played. I did put a Jazz neck on it very early on; I find the Jazz neck suits my left hand better. The Precision is a painful, physical thing to do battle with. The Jazz is a bit more ladylike.

- The whole article can be found at: http://www.u2-stage-and-studio.com/adam/id12.html

But judging by this picture I found... you can see it did have a Precision neck at one point during Elevation:

The above picture being from closing night of Elevation, in Miami.

His main Precision is referred to as a 1972 in the 2001 Bass Player article (as seen above) but is referred to as being a 1973 in the 2006 Bass Player feature article.

http://www.u2-stage-and-studio.com/adam/id13.html

BP: Do you get emotionally attached to the instruments you play?

AC: Not really. I have a ’73 Precision Bass that I’ve used since day one. I used to think, This is the old work horse—old faithful. I loved it. I still love it, and I play it all the time, but I try to branch out and play different instruments. I’m not so attached to any of the others. I’ll play them for a bit and then move on. But there’s an amazing difference with vintage basses compared to regular stock instruments. I love finding instruments that have had a life before you got them. They bring something to you.

anstratdubh1979

16 years

Do you have a good picture of Adam playing his Precision during Elevation? I don't remember him using it much... I know he was playing the two tobacco Jazz basses (1961 & 1972) and the Lakland Joe Osborne and Bob Glaub model Laklands.

The Bob Glaub model looks a bit like a Precision (it's based on one) Info from Lakland:
http://www.lakland.com/glaub.htm

Adam playing his Bob Glaub model Lakland

He had (2) Joe Osborne models on the Elevation tour. One was natural and the other was tobacco finish.

Info from Lakland:
http://www.lakland.com/osborn.htm

Here's a pic of the natural finish Joe Osborne.

...and yet another of Adam with his Lakland Joe Osborne (Vegas 2001):

Alex

16 years

A few days ago I received the missing parts, and on Saturday I found the time to reassemble my blue strat. I shielded it properly and installed Highway One Alnico3 Pickups with a push/pull poti for serial/parallel switching. Man, these pickups are HOT - almost comparable to the SD quarter pounder but with a different character. I LOVE their powerful, rich and warm sound, especially with full- on tube distortion. They have a prominent mid- spike which I believe is able to cut through a full blown band soundmix easily. And it perfectly blends with the slightly mid- scooping ash body. I also reached my goal of having both of my strats sound different, though none sounds "vintage glassy". But if I wanted "vintage glassy" I would have watched for other pickups. So I'm perfectly fine now.

BTW: There is indeed not only a character difference, but also a quality difference between my Fender MIM Deluxe Ash strat body and my Squier MII Deluxe Basswood strat body. But my guitar tech (who leads the Fender Custom Shop division in the biggest music store in Frankfurt) told me already a few months ago that my Ash strat sounded "surprisingly great". So I believe this body was a lucky shot, resulting in a perfectly transparent sound. The Basswood body on the other hand produces a slightly muddier low end and less crispy highs - but this is put into balance by the Texas pickups. I'd like to A/B it to a Squier Standard, an MIM Standard and an MIA Standard. I'd like to know if my Ash body is really that good.

Strange feelings. When i assembled the blonde strat last week I was really happy with it - until yesterday. Now that I reassembled my blue strat it outshines the blonde one in my heart. Maybe I'll just have to play them for some time to establish a feeling for their different character.

Alex

thechicken

16 years

Originally posted by Alex:A few days ago I received the missing parts, and on Saturday I found the time to reassemble my blue strat. I shielded it properly and installed Highway One Alnico3 Pickups with a push/pull poti for serial/parallel switching. Man, these pickups are HOT - almost comparable to the SD quarter pounder but with a different character. I LOVE their powerful, rich and warm sound, especially with full- on tube distortion. They have a prominent mid- spike which I believe is able to cut through a full blown band soundmix easily. And it perfectly blends with the slightly mid- scooping ash body. I also reached my goal of having both of my strats sound different, though none sounds "vintage glassy". But if I wanted "vintage glassy" I would have watched for other pickups. So I'm perfectly fine now.

BTW: There is indeed not only a character difference, but also a quality difference between my Fender MIM Deluxe Ash strat body and my Squier MII Deluxe Basswood strat body. But my guitar tech (who leads the Fender Custom Shop division in the biggest music store in Frankfurt) told me already a few months ago that my Ash strat sounded "surprisingly great". So I believe this body was a lucky shot, resulting in a perfectly transparent sound. The Basswood body on the other hand produces a slightly muddier low end and less crispy highs - but this is put into balance by the Texas pickups. I'd like to A/B it to a Squier Standard, an MIM Standard and an MIA Standard. I'd like to know if my Ash body is really that good.

Strange feelings. When i assembled the blonde strat last week I was really happy with it - until yesterday. Now that I reassembled my blue strat it outshines the blonde one in my heart. Maybe I'll just have to play them for some time to establish a feeling for their different character.

Alex

Do you have any sound clips of the guitars you build?

Alex

16 years

Not yet. I'm looking forward to record a few new songs after Christmas when my wife and the kids are at Grandma's. My last recordings are from October 2007, and I only wrote a handful of songs during the last year.

Alex

LikeASong

16 years

Pics, Alex, we want pics

thechicken

16 years

Originally posted by Alex:Not yet. I'm looking forward to record a few new songs after Christmas when my wife and the kids are at Grandma's. My last recordings are from October 2007, and I only wrote a handful of songs during the last year.

Alex

Yes, we would be happy with pics in the meantime

Alex

16 years

Never tried imageshack before... let's see if this works.

http://img362.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratblue1vg6.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratblue2ix6.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratblonde1pd1.jpg
http://img291.imageshack.us/my.php?image=stratblonde2kk9.jpg

Invalid url 'http://[IMG]http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/1135/stratblue1vg6.jpg[/IMG]'
Invalid url 'http://[IMG]http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9428/stratblue2ix6.jpg[/IMG]'
Invalid url 'http://[IMG]http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3426/stratblonde1pd1.jpg[/IMG]'
Invalid url 'http://[IMG]http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3376/stratblonde2kk9.jpg[/IMG]'

LikeASong

16 years

Originally posted by Alex:Never tried imageshack before... let's see if this works.

I've edited your post and directly attached the pics here...

Really beautiful guitar you've made... I love that dark blue, and so I love the natural finish of the second one...

...

Alex

16 years

Originally posted by LikeASong:[..]I've edited your post and directly attached the pics here...

Thank you.

Really beautiful guitar you've made... I love that dark blue, and so I love the natural finish of the second one... ...

Thanks again.

Alex

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