My GC Experience

[KrisH]

I'd been looking at a Fender "Geddy Lee" Jazz bass for about a month, hanging on the wall at the local GC. I loved the way the neck felt, and it played decently, even with the generous relief in the neck and the high action (I can fix that). And the price was marked $699, $150 less than online sellers (with "gig bag"). After reading all the reviews I could find, I decided to pull the trigger this past Friday. Arriving at the store, it wasn't hanging in its usually spot; it'd been moved to a higher hook, and I couldn't reach it anymore. (Okay -- I'm short.) The salesguy handed it down to me, and as he did, he said, "Oh, this price isn't right -- it's $799," and walked away.

I was livid, and a couple moments later, I leaned the bass up against an amp (!) and chased him down. He said that was the price for the sale that ended the previous month, and the ticket just didn't get changed (but it had been moved). I told him I'd been coming in for weeks trying it out, and the price brought me back to buy, because otherwise, with our sales tax (7%), I'd be better off buying online with free shipping. He said, "Okay, we can work something out," and as we walked back toward the bass cubbyhole, he casually pointed out a used one sitting in a corner. At $599. I plugged it in, played it, looked it over top to bottom. It was filthy, but solid. The neck was setup better than the new one, but could still use work. And it sounded as good or better than the other one had. The salesguy came back and said it had come in the previous day, and came with a form-fitted SKB hardshell case.

So I bought it:



First thing I did when I got it home was take the neck off and adjust the truss rod. This model is supposed to be an accurate replica of the early 1970s jazz bass Geddy Lee uses, with the the back of the neck custom shaved down thinner to his specifications. True to the period of the model, the truss rod adjuster is located at the body end of the neck, with no access to it except by removing the neck. The screw moved smoothly (good sign) and 3/8ths of a turn ultimately did the trick. The factory stamp in the neck pocket identified it as a November 2002 manufactured instrument.

After plugging it in and playing ifor a while, I cleaned it up. It was grimy, but looked relatively unused. After all was done, I only found two small knicks on it, one on the top part and one on the bottom part of the lower bout. You can just see them in this photo (the bright spot at the end of the contour isn't a chip, but reflection):



Well, I took it to practice last night, and the guitarists couldn't believe it was used. And the sound? I seem to have more tonal possibilities than with the EB-3, even considering the pedalboard I use. It punches. Yeah, even that goofy little "bass solo" in Brown-Eyed Girl (oh, the things we bassists put up with) sounded interesting for a change.

I think one reason I like the neck so much that it feels so close to the first bass I ever had, a mid-60s Hagstrom, advertised as having "the fastest neck on the planet." It might quickly become a favorite.

[mrmudcat]

Phew!!!! I thought this was going to end sadly! Glad you like that bass ,its a beut!

[bigoldron]

SShhwweeeett!! She's a beaut, Krish. I'm like muddie, I thought it was going to have a sad ending but obviously not! : :

[marnold***]

I've always liked the look of the Geddy bass. I was looking at one at a GC in MN while I was on vacation. One thing that struck me immediately is the difference between the Badass bridge and the one they put on most MIMs. The neck is great with the black block inlays and it plays really nice to boot. I don't know how thrilled I'd be with dealing with the truss rod adjustment--especially since the weather here jumps between hot/humid and cold/dry.

[M29]

Oh man I love gems under the grim stories and this looks like a great one:

Congrats KrisH

M29

[KrisH]

I am enthralled by this thing! Just playing around last night, I managed to dial in that biting tone Chris Squire used to have with his Rickenbacker. Oh, what delight, as I pulled the bass phrasings of Survival, Heart of the Sunrise, and others from the depths of my memory.

It makes me want to go back and pick up the learning process from where I left off before becoming a hack mercenary oh-too-long ago.