| Author | Message | ||
     JohnD Unregistered guest |
A question for Lindy Morrison and robert Vickers where you able to keep your respective instruments after the band broke up, you left etc How did the purchase of them take place in the band where they bought from a band kitty for such purchases etc | ||
| Robert Vickers Unregistered guest |
Hmm where to start.. In the late seventies in Brisbane I had a Fender Mustang, metalic blue with a dark blue racing stripe, a very cool bass. When I left for America I sold it (or maybe lent it, he never actually paid me) to Grant. In New York I bought a blonde Mustang at We Buy Guitars on 48th St where Fred Smith from Television sold it to me. When I joined the GBs I brought my Mustang over to London and got back my blue one as well. I may also have bought a bass amp off Grant but not sure about that. I carried both basses around because I used to break strings and needed a spare on stage. Mustangs are short scale and I wanted a bigger bass so in a fit of stupidity in Sydney I traded both Mustangs for an Aria. Big mistake. Back in London I traded the Aria and some cash (some of which may have come from the GBs) to buy a Black Music Man and a cheap Vantage to use as a spare. The Music Man was okay on stage but the intonation was bad up high and made recording difficult. Luckily it was stolen in Sydney and we had insurance. I borrrowed a bass to finish the tour and while in New York (where guitars are cheaper) was able to buy a seventies maroon Fender Jazz with the insurance money. It, of course, was just great. Our amps on the road were all rented but in London I had a Peavey combo amp by that time. It was probably got in trade for the original amp plus some cash. When I left the band management sold the Peavey to Edwyn Collins I think and gave me the money but you're only talking 50 pounds or something like that. I kept the Jazz and still have it. Did the band pay for our instruments? Sometimes, somewhat. All very convoluted and probably more information than you needed but yes I kept them. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 21 Registered: 10-2004 |
oh man, you got rid of *both* mustangs! i'd kill for fender mustang bass, as those are my favorite basses to play. i've always admired your's in the photos i've seen. being a guitarist, i really like the short-scale. there's a certain ease with those mustangs that i really like. so robert, which bass are you playing in the 'head full of steam' video? my memory is failing me on that trivial detail at the moment. would that have been the aria or the music man? | ||
| Brook Crowley Unregistered guest |
Lindy told me Robert Vickers once owned a Rickenbacker Electric Blue bass. Is there any truth to this, and if there is, whatever became of it? Of course, Robert Forster and Grant McClennan always played Rickenbackers when the Go-Betweens lived in London and had the most chart successes! | ||
| Robert Vickers Unregistered guest |
Never had a Rickenbacker but my first Mustang was electic blue. And I wish I knew what happened to it. I'm playing the Vantage in the Head Full of Steam video. Being a piece of crap it weighs virtually nothing thus making it quite attractive for carting around on an all day shoot. I regretted trading the Mustangs immediately. Perhaps that was part of my deep hatred of the Aria. But you have to remember 20 years ago nobody wanted them and the band couldn't afford to buy me a new bass outright. I started out playing shortscale because it was easier for me to play the kind of parts I liked on a smaller fretboard. And, of course I'd seen photos of Tina Weymouth playing a Mustang. But probably like Tina Weymouth I ended up prefering the better sound of the longer scale basses. | ||
| Michael Roe Unregistered guest |
Hi everyone, I just stumbled across this post. Should you be interested, I have a 1976 Fender Mustang Bass, which I've owned for more than 20 years. It's never been gigged (by me at least) and has sat un-used (but bagged) for a long time (that's the price you pay for having kids...). It's black with a white pick guard. I wouldn't describe it as being "as new", but I would suggest it's in bloody good condition for its age. Should you be interested, please email me - I can send you pics/SN details if you wish. Regards, Michael | ||
| lindy morrison Member Username: Lindymorrison Post Number: 78 Registered: 09-2004 |
I joined and played with the Go Betweens on a 64 Ludwig, I still have it and Zildjian cymbals and high hats, circa 68. The kit is in a state of disrepair and the cymbals are green. I still use all of it, just need to clean it all up. |