Nicky Wire's Bass

[Son of Stopped]

Nicky Wire's bass. Does anyone know the make? Corner of a screen he's there with his gold coloured bass. Does look like a Fender Jazz. But the fact he plays the same bass throughout his set means a)it stays in tune the whole time! So that leads to b) no way that's an American make!
Did anyone there manage to get close enough pictures of his bass?
I'm thinking it might be a European make that took the shape and made it functional.
Or could be another thread of mine that dies.

[usagainstyou]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

... But the fact he plays the same bass throughout his set means ...

2 in Vancouver:

Originally Posted by usagainstyou

Originally Posted by usagainstyou

Not the best photo quality, I know

[Son of Stopped]

Ah! Didn't know about two basses. It was always the gold bass in stuff I saw.
Those pictures are quite valuable in my research! Thanks for posting usagainstyou!
EDIT: no thanks to autocorrect spacing your username out

[usagainstyou]

You're welcome

[Red]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

Nicky Wire's bass. Does anyone know the make? Corner of a screen he's there with his gold coloured bass. Does look like a Fender Jazz. But the fact he plays the same bass throughout his set means a)it stays in tune the whole time! So that leads to b) no way that's an American make!
Did anyone there manage to get close enough pictures of his bass?
I'm thinking it might be a European make that took the shape and made it functional.
Or could be another thread of mine that dies.

Total sidepoint, but have you tried looking in to some of the aftermarket stuff you can get to alleviate US-instrument tuning issues? I've got a String Butler and a Graphtech nut on my Les Paul, and it makes a massive difference. Not as massive a difference as playing my Ibanez, but, still.

[usagainstyou]

Oh, and I also have this photo, where the blue looks more... erm... international :



(the same guitar, different light).

[Son of Stopped]

Originally Posted by Red

Total sidepoint, but have you tried looking in to some of the aftermarket stuff you can get to alleviate US-instrument tuning issues? I've got a String Butler and a Graphtech nut on my Les Paul, and it makes a massive difference. Not as massive a difference as playing my Ibanez, but, still.

We used to have a Manics Musicians subforum where we could discuss this!
Headstocks look untampered with but then not seeing the back.
And to widen the net, anyone identified what guitar James is using? His faithful White Les is in one video. But there's this awesome Gibson shaped but not Gibson that's appeared in a few songs recorded live.

[UEF]

They are fender aerodyne bases, made in Japan. I’ve got the same red and blue one he has, the blue is lovely to play.

The aerodyne model is available internationally but only officially in Black, to get the funky colours you have to buy the Japanese ones which were meant for the Japanese market

[Anaconda Vice]

Originally Posted by Son of Stopped

We used to have a Manics Musicians subforum where we could discuss this!
Headstocks look untampered with but then not seeing the back.
And to widen the net, anyone identified what guitar James is using? His faithful White Les is in one video. But there's this awesome Gibson shaped but not Gibson that's appeared in a few songs recorded live.

This is a few years old already, but are you talking the Gold one he was using on the St David's Hall gig and was one of the guitars on the US tour with Suede?

That was likely a Gordon Smith Graduate. That's the one that looks the most Gibson-esque. I'm guessing the model, but it mostly looks like a Gibson Les Paul goldtop with P-90 pickups. Good guitars. British company. Not the only Gordon Smith he's had - at one point pre-GT he had a black GS1, looked a bit like a Les Paul junior, was a gutar he had before the white custom we all know and love.

surfaced once or twice in 2010 on the PFAYM tour and one or two videos/mimed performances over the years.

Anyway, their website is basically their custom shop, while they build guitars that will go to shops to sell, you can custom-order from them, too.

https://www.gordonsmithguitars.com/s...tars/graduate/

When I saw he was using that guitar I did get curious and decided to see what a similar-spec guitar would cost (gold, P-90s) - £1754. for a custom-made guitar that's a steal. a production Gibson Les Paul standard 50s goldtop with P90s (Not a reissue, but a normal run guitar) is over 2 grand, I believe. A thinner body different colour and humbuckers instead would be less than that.

I bought a GS1 just before the pandemic hit (the only time I indulged in "Retail Therapy" amidst a really rough time for me). White LP Junior-style, single P-90s. Opened my eyes/ears, tonally. I bloody love P-90 pickups, and having only one pickup to work with makes you approach things a bit differently.