TOTP and official video are both 4 strings. Altough TOTP doesn't really count, Roberts bass has all the strings loosened up. On the Metz video it's VI + 4 String.
I'd say the official video doesn't count either. They're only miming right? I am convinced it was recorded with both 4 & VI. That was the sound they wanted to have so why claim to have used 2 regular basses? I don't buy any of that strings buzzing nonsense. I don't think a reputable, quality guitar manufacturer would intentionally make a guitar where the strings buzzed on certain frets & anyway, adjusting the action would remedy that problem quite easily.
I'm sure I've read somewhere that Primary was recorded with a four and six string bass. I'm very sure that a Countdown or Top of the Pops of Primary has both Simon and Robert playing four string basses.. Maybe the 1981 Metz video has some shots that can be made out...
I FB Reeves about the recording of Primary but he hasn't yet gotten back to me.. that was months ago..
Something tells me Reeves' knowledge on the recording of Primary wouldn't be that great!
I am pretty sure about the SG. I have one myself and it sounds very much like the part in Thounsand Hours. However, of course it can be something else. You can mix any guitar to sound like almost anything. But Robert used a black SG on the Kissing Tour, so there is a fair chance that I am right. I have never seen him play the SG again, though...
I'm sure I've read somewhere that Primary was recorded with a four and six string bass. I'm very sure that a Countdown or Top of the Pops of Primary has both Simon and Robert playing four string basses.. Maybe the 1981 Metz video has some shots that can be made out...
I FB Reeves about the recording of Primary but he hasn't yet gotten back to me.. that was months ago..
Something tells me Reeves' knowledge on the recording of Primary wouldn't be that great!
Agreed, but he'd be in a prime position to ask RS ...
RG: "hey i see you want me to play this on a VI, what's the story with the recording? a cool guy on FB asked me and I'm dying to get back to him"
RS: "What's his name, i'll hang out with him when we get to his city, and tell him the story"...
See?...
If you have a lead on Brisbane 21 August 1992 - CT version, for the love of Bob, let me know. Please!
TOTP and official video are both 4 strings. Altough TOTP doesn't really count, Roberts bass has all the strings loosened up. On the Metz video it's VI + 4 String.
I'd say the official video doesn't count either. They're only miming right? I am convinced it was recorded with both 4 & VI. That was the sound they wanted to have so why claim to have used 2 regular basses? I don't buy any of that strings buzzing nonsense. I don't think a reputable, quality guitar manufacturer would intentionally make a guitar where the strings buzzed on certain frets & anyway, adjusting the action would remedy that problem quite easily.
Agreed on the official video. You'd think they'd be playing the song the way it was played, but there's no way to know.
I don't know about the vintage ones, but the current Squiers (which, addmitedly, are a second line of Fender, and of less quality) have this issue. All these Fender offsets (Jaguars, Jazzmasters, Mustangs, VIs) are known to be full of quirks. The problem with the VI, that people talk about everywhere (on the internet) is that the stock strings aren't heavy enough to allow for proper tension and intonation on the thicker strings. It's a matter of scale length X string mass.
Now, there's no way to know which strings RS used back then, but later on he was using lighter strings (supposedly Rotosound 020 - 090, which is just about the recommended gauge for proper intonation), BUT, regarding setup, there's an interview where he said he always detuned the high E strings after having used the tuner, which probably indicates that there was something off with the intonation/setup of the instrument.
I'd say the official video doesn't count either. They're only miming right? I am convinced it was recorded with both 4 & VI. That was the sound they wanted to have so why claim to have used 2 regular basses? I don't buy any of that strings buzzing nonsense. I don't think a reputable, quality guitar manufacturer would intentionally make a guitar where the strings buzzed on certain frets & anyway, adjusting the action would remedy that problem quite easily.
Agreed on the official video. You'd think they'd be playing the song the way it was played, but there's no way to know.
I don't know about the vintage ones, but the current Squiers (which, addmitedly, are a second line of Fender, and of less quality) have this issue. All these Fender offsets (Jaguars, Jazzmasters, Mustangs, VIs) are known to be full of quirks. The problem with the VI, that people talk about everywhere (on the internet) is that the stock strings aren't heavy enough to allow for proper tension and intonation on the thicker strings. It's a matter of scale length X string mass.
Now, there's no way to know which strings RS used back then, but later on he was using lighter strings (supposedly Rotosound 020 - 090, which is just about the recommended gauge for proper intonation), BUT, regarding setup, there's an interview where he said he always detuned the high E strings after having used the tuner, which probably indicates that there was something off with the intonation/setup of the instrument.
I can confirm that bands don't always mime the use of the correct guitars when they're doing the videos. Silverchair's FREAK video shows Daniel using a super cool silver guitar that's all pointy - it turns out that this guitar was chosen by the video director, and was NOT one of Daniel's guitars as he'd never seen it before.
If you have a lead on Brisbane 21 August 1992 - CT version, for the love of Bob, let me know. Please!
Reeves seems to be using Robert's Fender bass VI in In Between Days with the classic sound judging by the short bits I've heard on You Tube, and it sounds wonderful, shame Robert doesn't use it.