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

RattleandHum1988

Nothing will ever beat Adam's fender Jazz, the sunburst one with the tortoise pickguard. Is it the same one he's had since JT?

anstratdubh1979

16 years

Originally posted by RattleandHum1988Nothing will ever beat Adam's fender Jazz, the sunburst one with the tortoise pickguard. Is it the same one he's had since JT?

He doesn't have the bass you are talking about any longer... that one was auctioned at Icons of Music auction... more on that in a minute... he does have a 1961 that is similar...

Here's some information on Adam's P and Jazz bass useage...

He's had the tobacco (finish is now incredibly worn) 1972-73 (I've heard him call it by both vintages) PRECISION is probably more of the workhorse than his tobacco JAZZ.

From the Jan 2000 Bass Player magazine:
"BP: You've also played some odd custom basses over the years. What do you listen for in a bass?

AC: I like a clean top end that can cut through, but I also like a big, air-moving bottom. The Precision has always given me that, so the custom basses I've used have always been selected because they complement my Precision. That big yellow thing -- the banana bass -- that I played on the Pop tour is a great-sounding example. It was made by Auerswald, the German guy who makes Prince's guitars.

Recently I've actually been playing Jazz basses, though, because I've been using my fingers a lot more, and I've been after a bit more definition. I recorded the new album with two Jazz basses -- a '61 and a '72. I also used my old Gibson Les Paul Recording bass. It's a short-scale thing with this great, round bottom that just moves air. It's great in the studio."

He calls this same Precision a 1973 in the JAN 2006 Bass Player feature:
BP: Do you get emotionally attached to the instruments you play?
ADAM: 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.

Notice that the POP era pick from Tibetan Freedom show, shows it with it's mirro poickguard... BOOM CHA!

The Precision's finish has worn and the stickers have come and gone... pickguards have changed over time... and he added a Fender Jazz Bass neck to it.

The 1972 Jazz bass was auction in this past years Icons of Music auction. The tobacco finish had been stripped and the tortoise pickguard swapped out for a white pearl.

More on that here:
http://u2-stage-and-studio.com/adam/id16.html

He does still have the 1961 tobacco Fender Jazz bass. Lovely instrument.

AAV711

16 years

IT'S HERE!!!!!!

My Vox AC50 has finally arrived. And thanks to a tip from bcgd, shipping was free of charge and it arrived in pristine order. Those fellas at North Coast Music are good at what they do.

The amplifier. Two Wharfdale 12" speakers rated at 50 watts. Two incredible channels, the first with the sparkling clean tone made famous by a certain guitarist we are all fond of, and the second channel providing scintillating overdrive. I've only tried it with my Telecaster plugged straight in, I cannot wait to try my Rickenbacker and 335, and see what my overdrive pedals (Tube Screamer and Boss SD-1, both of U2 fame) can do.

Without further ado, the Vox AC50 (all 94 lbs. of it!)

With Tele

The rest of my gear

anstratdubh1979

16 years

S-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Which model Telecaster is that? Looks similar to a Telecaster Custom - it having a humbucker in the neck position.

Nice Rickenbacker 360. 12-string? 6-string?

Effects-wise... I see a Tubescreamer and a Boss SD-1? True? What else is there?

Congrats again on the new amp arrival. SOLID.

anstratdubh1979

16 years

Here's some scans of ADAM from some BASS magazine covers... (2) from Bass Player and (1) from Bassics

I just FINALLY got the Bassics issue today...

BASSICS - 1997

BASS PLAYER - DEC 2000

BASS PLAYER - JAN 2006

thechicken

16 years

Can we hear your new amp??
The Jazz on the magazine cover is not the same as you posted on your previous post...

AAV711

16 years

Originally posted by anstratdubh1979S-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.

Which model Telecaster is that? Looks similar to a Telecaster Custom - it having a humbucker in the neck position.

Nice Rickenbacker 360. 12-string? 6-string?

Effects-wise... I see a Tubescreamer and a Boss SD-1? True? What else is there?

Congrats again on the new amp arrival. SOLID.

Thanks, praise from you means a lot

It was a typical Mexican Tele that had a humbucker installed in neck position by previous owner (who actually chipped a good piece of the wood off, I'm told it's diminished resale value). I suppose this mod makes it a Tele Custom, but it began life as an '04 or '05 MIM Tele in Aguave Blue-- very hard to find color. I thought it was same as Edge's Lake Placid '66 Tele, and was very disappointed when it arrived looking different from eBay picture

. That said, the best purchase I've ever made. Incredible guitar, definitely a "working horse." So superbly balanced.

The Rick is a 1985 6-string. I liked Edge's a lot (though its a 12 string), Ed O'Brien from Radiohead and Peter Buck from R.E.M. have an identical ones (Johnny Marr too might have one). It's a fantastic guitar but I've thought about getting rid of it, replacing with one of those new Fender Classic Player Jaguars or Jazzmasters, or an Epi Casino.

Effects wise....you are correct, Tube Screamer TS9 and Boss SD-1. The Tube Screamer is excellent for a rythym sound through my little Fender solid state, the SD-1 is an excellent "crunchy" solo/lead sound. I can see why Bono likes it.

AAV711

16 years

Originally posted by thechickenCan we hear your new amp??
The Jazz on the magazine cover is not the same as you posted on your previous post...

Yes indeed, tomorrow I'll try my other guitars, fool around with the settings, get it all on video..."One" played through the top humbucker on my Tele is the closest been able to get to Edge's live sound (I've also tried through my Fender and Marshall). Very exciting stuff!

anstratdubh1979

16 years

Originally posted by AAV711[..]

Yes indeed, tomorrow I'll try my other guitars, fool around with the settings, get it all on video..."One" played through the top humbucker on my Tele is the closest been able to get to Edge's live sound (I've also tried through my Fender and Marshall). Very exciting stuff!

The Jazz on the cover of the Dec 2000 Bass Player is the 1961 that Adam still owns and plays.

anstratdubh1979

16 years

And now for some light reading... as I paid WAY too much for the Fall 1997 issue of BASSICS that arrived today... I will get the most out of it and share with the masses!

It's not incredibly long but there is some interesting information on the beloved by some (me) and hated by others Auerswald bass... which the article decribes as having "an amazing yellow "angel dust" iridescent effect" - Indeed!

Here's the ENTIRE article.

BASSICS - 1997 - VOL VII - ISSUE 1
With a reported gross of $49 million dollars for the first half of `97, "PopMart" ranks in as the "King of Pop" tours." If you haven't experienced it for yourself, the tour tops out with a 56' x 170' LED screen (the world's largest), a 100' golden arch which breaks down into 100 transportable sections, a 12' wide stuffed olive on a 100' cocktail stick, and the world's only self-propelled mirror-ball lemon, which stands 40' high (top speed 2 1/2 mph, consumption 1 mpg - unleaded). Not to mention the 75 articulated trucks to carry 500 tons of equipment, 16 buses and a 50-seater 727 to transport the 250 touring personnel, with an additional 200 workers employed locally. Three power generators emit over 4 million watts, enough to run about 1500 homes. The logistics of building the stage every three days means that three stages are required as it takes over 3,000 man hours to build the steel structure. the sound system puts out over a million watts and weighs in at 30 tons, with 149 speaker enclosures housing 298 18" woofers, 428 10" mid-rangers and 604 high-frequency drivers!

Formed in 1978 by the four Dublin students, U2's record sales are now in excess of 70 million. As for Adam Clayton, he and drummer Larry Mullenhad a hit of their own with "Theme from Mission Impossible". I was unable to contact him personally for this story because they were touring Europe as well as jaunting back and forth to New York for the MTV Awards, but this we know: Adam's preference for basses is generally in the Fender domain (Fender Precisions 1962-1997 and Fender Jazzes 1972-1997), although as you can see from the pictures, he's been sporting a strange beast of late. Exactly what is this golden horseshoe-shaped axe?

After discussing Adam's technical needs, the bass was built in Germany by Auerswald Instruments, a result of the teamwork between Jerry Auerswald and Adam Clayton's bass tech, Stuart Morgan. Based around a Flying V shape, Clayton wanted a "Spacey, Flash Gordon" styled instrument but with improved balance over a Flying V. Crafted from 100+ year-old slab of cherrywood, it's set up similar to a P-J with the split P pickup mounted conversely, i.e. the could under the E and A strings is closest to the bridge

Auerswald created cherrywood covers for the pickups to blend with the curves of the body, which is finished with an amazing yellow "angel dust" iridescent effect that utilizes metal and mother-of-pearl flakes blended with clear coats to create a multi-dimensional look. Jerry explains it this way: "For me, it was to have a very shiny and freindly yellow, and [close up], it's deep looking." Since the body is painted, you can' see the wood, but you sure can hear it. The curly-maple neck is shaped similar to a Precision but has a short scale of 80 cm (30 1/2 inches), so a lot of tweaking was done to deal with the inherent mids of a short scale. The bridge is an Auerswald patent and is fully adjustable for string height, spacing and intonation. If you like, Auerswald also offers the customer his patented working bottle opener in the headstock! Wouldn't a Dow go good now?

From there, Clayton's signal is switched through a Bradshaw system to Alembic, SWR Interstellar Overdrive, and Ampeg preamps; a DBX 160 compressor; Mutron DBX Subharmonic, Bass Whammy, various overdrives and Boss Chorus Ensemble effects; a B.S.S. crossover; then through C-Audio power amps; and completed with two SWR Goliath Sr. 6 x 10's and two Big Ben 1 x 18 cabs. He also utilizes a Sony wireless and a Demeter D1.

What's next for Adam Clayton and U2, we can only guess. But one thing's for sure - expect the unexpected, and expect them to continue to take things "over the top".

HOPE YOU LIKED IT... Cheers!

thechicken

16 years