Geddy's tone

[fltlnbassist]

I was wondering if anyone knew how to get Geddy's tone?
I 've tried and still am confused?
Are there fx he's using or what?

thanks for the help guys.
--Shox

[rhynocerous]

Ive been tryin forever and I cant seem to figure out either.

[fltlnbassist]

So im not the only one confused on what it is.......

[BassPlayingPineapple]

Well he used a rickebacker on some albums if that's any help :thumb: Oh and i think he adds some mild chorus as well.

[WhoDidTheElf]

It sounds like he has some slight OD on his amp.

Other than that I'm pretty lost.

[fltlnbassist]

i will try the od btu for the chorus cant use that til the weekend im going to get some new strings, strap loks and new cables for my bday( the 11th)

[Psychopsilocybin]

alot of his tone is from his playing style. Dig deep with the fingernails/tips of your finger while playing fingerstyle to get that treble punch. It also helps to have A Fender Jazz or a Rick 4001/03. As for his amps, Im not sure what he does exactly, but I think he uses some preamp to plug right into the PA, so he doesn't use amps (the preamp might be that Avalon). But youll never get his exact tone, no matter what people on here say

[Deacy]

His current preamp is a Sansamp RBI, and it goes through Trace power amps, through a cab emulator and through the PA

[Kibuddy]

You won't get his old sound without a Rickenbacker.

[NavyBass]

You won't get his old sound without a Rickenbacker.

Wanna bet!!!!!!!!!

Most of Rush's Studio albums were recorded with Geddy's 72 Fender Jazz Bass. He primarily used the Ric, Steinberger, and Wal for live performances. Although the Wal and Ric did make a rare appearance on an album track or two.

I can get his old tone and newer tones with my 76 Jazz bass, it's not that hard at all. The Sans-amp is the key though.

[fltlnbassist]

i dont have the Sans-amp *tear*

[fltlnbassist]

well what does the Sans-amp do?
I ve seen them just dont know what they do

[Kibuddy]

Wanna bet!!!!!!!!!

Most of Rush's Studio albums were recorded with Geddy's 72 Fender Jazz Bass. He primarily used the Ric, Steinberger, and Wal for live performances. Although the Wal and Ric did make a rare appearance on an album track or two.

I can get his old tone and newer tones with my 76 Jazz bass, it's not that hard at all. The Sans-amp is the key though.



From Moving Pictures and on, yes, he used the Jazz, Stenberger, Wal, etc. Before that album though (save for the self-titled album, where he used a P Bass) i.e. 2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, etc., he used a Rickenbacker.


I'd love to hear recordings of his 2112 tone, or his Cygnus X-1 tone without a Rickenbacker.

[NavyBass]

From Moving Pictures and on, yes, he used the Jazz, Stenberger, Wal, etc. Before that album though (save for the self-titled album, where he used a P Bass) i.e. 2112, A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, etc., he used a Rickenbacker.


I'd love to hear recordings of his 2112 tone, or his Cygnus X-1 tone without a Rickenbacker.


You're right, he did use a Ric with those songs........LIVE!!!

I've read numerous articles where he said he used his Jazz for those albums also. He said in every article that his Jazz was his recording bass and the Ric was his road bass. He was afraid to take the Jazz on the road for fear that it might get damaged or stolen. He said that the Ric's were replaceable and the jazz was irreplaceable. He got the Jazz soon after the first album. Another reason he went for the Ric's live was because they were much lighter than the jazz bass and could easily get the same tone as the jazz bass.

Don't be so darn skeptical, it CAN be done. Listen to Rush in Rio. He does some of 2112 and Cygnus X-1 on there with his Fender Jazz bass and it sounds the same as if he did it with his Ric.

[Kibuddy]

You're right, he did use a Ric with those songs........LIVE!!!

I've read numerous articles where he said he used his Jazz for those albums also. He said in every article that his Jazz was his recording bass and the Ric was his road bass. He was afraid to take the Jazz on the road for fear that it might get damaged or stolen. He said that the Ric's were replaceable and the jazz was irreplaceable. He got the Jazz soon after the first album. Another reason he went for the Ric's live was because they were much lighter than the jazz bass and could easily get the same tone as the jazz bass.

Don't be so darn skeptical, it CAN be done. Listen to Rush in Rio. He does some of 2112 and Cygnus X-1 on there with his Fender Jazz bass and it sounds the same as if he did it with his Ric.



That's the first time I've heard that he used a Jazz for those albums. Would you happen to have link to any of those articles, or at least know where I could find them?

I can't really argue your second point until we determine whether or not he really did use the Ric in the studio or not. I can't go off of a mere "I read an article", though.

[Chris K]

Wanna bet!!!!!!!!!

Most of Rush's Studio albums were recorded with Geddy's 72 Fender Jazz Bass. He primarily used the Ric, Steinberger, and Wal for live performances. Although the Wal and Ric did make a rare appearance on an album track or two.

I can get his old tone and newer tones with my 76 Jazz bass, it's not that hard at all. The Sans-amp is the key though.

Oh for God's sake could you be anymore wrong...

The Wal making a rare appearance? Only 4 albums of NOTHING BUT Wal bass. Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, Presto and Roll The Bones are all Wal albums.

He returned to the jazz bass during the warm-up sessions for Counterparts. The producer suggesting "going back to roots", so geddy took out the jazz bass and rediscovered it (sadly enough, saying as it's sound is so inferior). Also, a lot of songs were recorded with his Rickenbacker, which, after the release of Grace Under Pressure, he swapped with a Steinberger when playing live.

[NavyBass]

That's the first time I've heard that he used a Jazz for those albums. Would you happen to have link to any of those articles, or at least know where I could find them?

I can't really argue your second point until we determine whether or not he really did use the Ric in the studio or not. I can't go off of a mere "I read an article", though.


I'll see if I can find an article, although in Wikpedia, it says he used the Ric in the studio. I'll have to see if some of the mags have archived the articles.

I will agree that he did use the Ric in the studio once in a while, just not exclusively. He would switch off.

Still, like I said, if you listen to Rush in Rio, you'll hear him doing 2112 and Cygnus X-1 with a Fender Jazz bass.

[Kibuddy]

I'll see if I can find an article, although in Wikpedia, it says he used the Ric in the studio. I'll have to see if some of the mags have archived the articles.

I will agree that he did use the Ric in the studio once in a while, just not exclusively. He would switch off.

Still, like I said, if you listen to Rush in Rio, you'll hear him doing 2112 and Cygnus X-1 with a Fender Jazz bass.


Although he has varied his equipment lineup from time to time (experimenting with Steinberger and Wal basses), Lee has long favored Rickenbacker basses (particulary the 4001 model, which he used extensively in studio and live shows during most of the 70's and early 80's up to the Signals album)


Though it is Wikipedia, I'm still almost positive that Geddy used the Ric extensively pre-Moving Pictures.

[NavyBass]

Oh for God's sake could you be anymore wrong...

The Wal making a rare appearance? Only 4 albums of NOTHING BUT Wal bass. Power Windows, Hold Your Fire, Presto and Roll The Bones are all Wal albums.

He returned to the jazz bass during the warm-up sessions for Counterparts. The producer suggesting "going back to roots", so geddy took out the jazz bass and rediscovered it (sadly enough, saying as it's sound is so inferior). Also, a lot of songs were recorded with his Rickenbacker, which, after the release of Grace Under Pressure, he swapped with a Steinberger when playing live.


Proove that statement. I have to proove mine.:thumb:

[Chris K]

Proove that statement. I have to proove mine.:thumb:

Hmm...I'm not typing up the booklets for your viewing pleasure....

Although...From the Roll The Bones booklet, they thank "Saved by technology, Wal basses, PRS guitarrs, gallein-Krueger, Ludwig drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals and The omega Concern"

From Hold Your Fire

"Saved by technology, Wall basses, Russ Heinel, Signature guitars, The percussion center of ort Wayne, Ludwig Drums, Avedis Zildjian Cymblas, Brisbin Brook Beynon architechts and-

The Omega Concern."

From Presto

"Saved by technology, Wal basses, Signature guitars, Ludwig drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals, Solid Percussion and- The Omega Concern"

From Power Windows

The Music Shoppe (thornhill), The Percussion Center (Fort Wayne), Jim Burgess, Wal basses, Dean markley, ama Drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals and-The Omega Concern"

So there you have it. I recently bought a very in-depth book about Rush, which chronicles the gear they were using, and it does mention Geddy's use of Wal basses for the "new sound" he was after when recording those albums.

But I shouldn't need to back that statement up with words, you should listen to those albums. Then you'd know it was a Wal :thumb:

[eriatarka]

What you need are washing machines...

Ahem,dryers.:thumb:

[Chris K]

Ahem,dryers.:thumb:

The best thing was when the appeared in that "Got Milk?" poster...

http://members.fortunecity.com/muschi30/images/PopCulture/rushGotMilk.jpg

It's to small to see, but it also appears in my book (read:Bible).

it says...

"Wanna know what we keep in those refrigerators on stage? Take a wild guess."


So, back in the TFE days, they had fridges on stage.

[NavyBass]

Hmm...I'm not typing up the booklets for your viewing pleasure....

Although...From the Roll The Bones booklet, they thank "Saved by technology, Wal basses, PRS guitarrs, gallein-Krueger, Ludwig drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals and The omega Concern"

From Hold Your Fire

"Saved by technology, Wall basses, Russ Heinel, Signature guitars, The percussion center of ort Wayne, Ludwig Drums, Avedis Zildjian Cymblas, Brisbin Brook Beynon architechts and-

The Omega Concern."

From Presto

"Saved by technology, Wal basses, Signature guitars, Ludwig drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals, Solid Percussion and- The Omega Concern"

From Power Windows

The Music Shoppe (thornhill), The Percussion Center (Fort Wayne), Jim Burgess, Wal basses, Dean markley, ama Drums, Avedis Zildjian cymbals and-The Omega Concern"

So there you have it. I recently bought a very in-depth book about Rush, which chronicles the gear they were using, and it does mention Geddy's use of Wal basses for the "new sound" he was after when recording those albums.

But I shouldn't need to back that statement up with words, you should listen to those albums. Then you'd know it was a Wal :thumb:


Sorry, I was wrong. No need to be so High and Mighty about it though. People are wrong once in a while. We all make mistakes. All I was trying to say was that you can get his old tone with a Jazz bass.

[Acrophobia]

Don't want to be an arse, but why would any person want someone else's tone? (unless he/she plays in a tribute band of course)

[BrodieBear]

haven't you people seen any live performances?!?!?! He uses washing machines!!!!!!