Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. We're sorry-this item is unavailable. Although he initially apologized for the incident, Gene also accused it of being highly exaggerated and misleading. It seems that we will never know the truth about what happened behind closed doors at the news network. All in all, this first offering from G2 delivers on virtually every front, from the dazzling black diamond aesthetic through to playability and versatility. Together the two pickups complement each other very well indeed, with serious weight and bite that can be easily tamed through the respective volume controls. In an interview with his son for Esquire in 2014, Gene confessed he believes that rock music has finally come to an end, and even went as far as to say the music industry could be on its last legs. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E went for $2.4 million at Julien's Auctions in 2015. There is also a new, wider binding. So, after a few short months in "the rotation" it is modified by removing the tone pot and moving the output jack up in its place. Overall there were some factual errors regarding the instruments during the Convention and the tour book was laughably incorrect. The result? Once we move into 1978 and the Alive II tour the second Spector (henceforth known as Spector #2) makes its first appearance. The imposing imagery the Axe inspires would lead many to believe that it is purely a stage instrument, but it was used extensively in the studio through the years as the tonal properties were always a priority. I think that when it comes to Bass ( Which I play Bass and Guitar among other instruments! ) The shift to the Jackson comes about just before the European leg of the Lick it up tour. The Axe is one of the most recognisable and distinctive signature instruments ever, but you wont get Simmons wasting time worrying about the enduring legacy of his favourite bass. Simmons estimates hes sold about 10,000 instruments over the past 10 years. which run through July of 2022 at present. Everybody knows that Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has a long tongue. The Ripper was introduced as the "big brother" to the Grabber in 1973. Ever the savvy businessman, Simmons ended up trademarking the term Axe as it refers to a musical instrument, as well as the shape of the bass. The pickup is still the original one as we can see from the lovely closeups. . When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Page 108 of KISS Alive Forever has a nice shot of Spector #1 at the Palladium show. Gene Simmons has played all sorts of instruments over the years, from the Charlie LoBue custom bass guitar heard on the early Kiss albums to his own Punisher and Axe signatures, although for a while in the mid-70s Simmons did experiment with Gibson Grabbers and Rippers. This custom prototype Axe bass was built by Steve Carr who originally came to work for the band when his one-time apprentice became Ace's guitar tech in 1978. Find out more about the Axe Bass at www.genesimmonsaxe.com. Nick also has some acting credits to his name. Note the original single coil pickup and the snug fit of the pickguard around the pickup in the picture on the right. There is only one man that gave us the licks that inspired us to "Rock and Roll All Nite," - Gene Simmons, the legendary rock icon and bassist from KISS. At least, that is if you want to avoid a moment like Gene Simmons had at one of his live shows. The bass(es) were high-gloss black with white trim and a very distinct "point" on the back where the body finish met the unfinished neck (see further down). BA1 1UA. But in the three pictures below I'm having a. [*] Its first appearance is the photo shoot that was set up the day of the Return of KISS dressrehearsal, 79.06.14. Stuart shaved down the normally bulbous horns of the SB-1 into points.". In the early-early years of KISS, he favored a Charlie LoBue bass ( photos ); this was a custom bass guitar made by Charlie. Why? Which is why, in addition to some of the cosmetic alterations the Axe has gone through over the years, we often see them with different pickups and hardware as well, as Simmons explained, A pickup is subject to the wood and the body shape. The rockstar was born in Israel where Gene says his family lived in extreme poverty before they saved enough to emigrate to the States and start a new life. Wherever the LoBue eventually ended up it is one of the great lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves enshrinment. The bass guitar's mahogany body produces crisp tone with plenty of heavy bass for that signature Detroit Rock City sound. Sadly, Gene Simmons wasnt impressed with the look. Thats right; the bass player is often seen with blood pouring from his mouth, but dont worry; no bass players are harmed in the making of the act. The rockstar tried to say Prince had turned to several cliches that often come with a time at the top and supposedly thought he was the best musician in the world. In 2108, Sophie told Harpers Bazaar that she knew she wanted to become a musician since she was four years old. Some have defended their actions by saying they want to focus on the performance and not the live rendition of the songs, while others have denied lip-syncing at all. The bass on the right is slightly more problematic. Search child forums as well Below are a couple of pics from rehearsals and the early part of the tour. [] I had two of them on the road with me, but I liked the sound of the off-red one." [**] In a 2013 interview at G-Club in Tokyo Gene threw another wrinkle to the story of the LoBue's demise, this time suggesting that he used the bass on stage in 1982 when he fell off the front of the stage, cracked the neck and promptly gave the pieces to a member of the audience. As well as the pearloid reverse split diamond inlays, its also nice to see the Gibson logo on the front of the headstock, with the G2 logo on the back side near the nut a reassuring consideration given this instruments price. The Kiss aesthetic wont appeal tonon-fans. Here we see the original two-knob version on the far left and a few pics of the modified one-knob version. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. Call us at 800-449-9128. First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. What I will call mkII actually makes it's documented debut in Detroit 74.12.20. The line-up shot from Knoxville with the slim lower horn has led me to believe that this is a re-finish rather than the re-appearance of the all-black from the Alive II tour. For the better part of the Spirit Tour '76 the LoBue retains the mk VI look. But, far be it from Gene to play an off-the-rack bass in standard configuration for long. There are a few pics that don't quite fit in. While his larger-than-life, demonic imagery . Thanks to abusername for pointing that out. As seen in the pictures below, all taken from the first month of the Love Gun tour, there is an "irregularity" in the finish below the volume knob that can't be explained by a reflection or a shadow. So what is the Axe Bass, then? During an October 28 question-and-answer session with fans aboard this year's Kiss Kruise, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was asked what he has learned about himself through his 50-year friendship and . Gibson havent let themselves down here at all, with this review model feeling lighter than it looks. I didnt know anything else about it the wood, the relationship of the bridge to the neck, I didnt think about any of that. The Gibson Thunderbird was a backup used on occasion when the trusty Spector #1 had to take a rest. The courts fired back that hand gestures themselves cant be trademarked, meaning Genes case was thrown out, and he was forced to let others pull the pose. 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. Many people thought Gene was talking about those who suffer from their mental health. As one of the founding members of KISS, Gene Simmons is certainly one of the most recognizable faces in rock music. Introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you "grabbed" it to change the pickup position, hence the name). His grandparents and one uncle were murdered by Hitler's henchmen. Skip to main content. Again it's the bridge that gets a change with a very odd combination. Probably taken straight from an old EB-0 or Thunderbird it first appears on 76.02.23 and will stay on until the bass disappears for good despite a few later changes to the bridge underneath it. That is probably going to be a very big item. Sadly, the truth isnt quite so exciting as Gene apparently discovered he had an impressively long tongue when he was 13 years old and realized it was a hit with the ladies. But out of costume, the Kiss co-frontman is an equally commanding presence. The pair have been together since 1983, with Gene telling People that theyve been happily unmarried most of that time. As Simmons explains, Well, you cant avoid feeling badass Its not the first instrument I think of when I want to play Yesterdayby The Beatles. Sadly, neither relationship lasted for Gene. Some of the modifications included a special gloss black paint job with white binding along the sides of the body. Perhaps youve found yourself wondering how Gene could have landed himself in such hot water when talking about immigration as he and his family immigrated to the US when he was a child? Speaking out against the genres meant it wasnt long before plenty of people had their own thoughts about the rockstar and Kiss. Considering the rather complicated control layout, 3 knobs and 4 switches, it was probably not a Gene favorite. However, the couple was never in a rush to make it down the aisle. It turns out that some people were so offended by how Gene Simmons conducted himself and the thoughts he has on people suffering from their mental health that they decided to protest against the rockstar and his band. 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive. The final change in a very short time frame was the addition of a Gibson chrome bridge cover (mk VI). (Plenty of 1980 shots are improperly labeled 1979 online. LoBue custom. Meet Gene On Tour. The first known sighting of this bass is on 75.08.09 and it doesn't seem to survive 1975. The pickup cover has been removed and the original Thunderbird humbucker it covered has been replaced with a larger humbucker (probably a DiMarzio since Gene were fond of those and happened to know Larry DiMarzio from school). . Pictures showing the back of the LoBue are very few but over the course of 1976 there were a few. The problem? The body and hardware can be shaped in any number of ways. Gi. Not once in the Gene Simmons/Bass Player interview (July 1996) does Simmons ever claim . Apparently, he didnt like Terrys supposed holier-than-thou attitude. It looks as though Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions that he wants to share with the world, but not all of them have landed. Everything starts with me, he explains. If I wanted to learn something from Gene Simmons it would be how to run a business and make money. Rock fans everywhere might disagree as Gene Simmons believes its time to give up on the genre. . Nady 950 wireless. According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. Alas, by mid-1977 the cherised LoBue's days are numbered. Perhaps most importantly of all, it's a bass that's tailor-made for conjuring this larger-than-life character's earth-conquering tones. The clip is an outtake from the 2012 documentary Sample This. There was suppose to be 1,000 . Fender teams up with Mastodon's Troy Sanders for well-spec'd Silverburst signature P-Bass, Zoom unveils new B2 Four bass multi-effects pedal, with Multi-Layer IR, 300 patches and a 60-second looper, 50 years ago: The Runaways guitarist Lita Ford was invited to replace John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin, Jeff Berlin explains why playing bass is like playing kazoo, To be honest, I'm not really a bass player. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. The LoBue was the undisputed no. However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room - unannounced. But for the Fridays TV appearance in January 1982 Spector #2 was back. You know, I dont think in those terms, he explains. Instead, he decided to keep himself as healthy as possible as Gene told CNN that hes never even tried an adult beverage or taken any illegal substances. It seems that Gene thinks its time for one genre in particular to disappear: rap. That one night he dropped it and the neck broke in half." Amazingly, that could have been the case for Gene Simmons as The Washington Post claims that he was in a relationship with Cher in the 1980s. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. The two Gs have teamed to launch G - a whole range of electric guitar and bass . Search titles only; Posted by Member: Separate names with a comma. Love him or hate him, Gene Simmons has probably become one of the most high-profile ambassadors of electric bass since Kiss released its self-titled debut album in 1974. Gene Simmons inspects the folder with the documents about his mother's persecution. Apparently, he wasnt impressed with someone so prominent sharing such questionable opinions. Or why not treat yourself? The first change (mk II) is to simple clear lucite knobs with 1-10 numbers on them. Im clear about that. The problems with the bridge above promted another change. . This mkV version stays unmolested for the remainder of 1979, the last photographic evidence being from 79.12.06. . He is the God Of Thunder, after all. Gene Simmons Bass Solo Compilation from the beginning to the end! It turned out the bass player wanted to trademark the devil horns sign. The one pic I've seen from San Antonio 77.11.22 is inconclusive as far as what knobs are on the bass. The legendary rocker Gene Simmons has gone through various hairstyles over the previous decade. The passing of time has proved fruitful for Kiss' 1982 . Theres a good chance that you might have to be prepared for things to go a little wrong. . Because of this I will "narrate" this story as if there's a single Spector until much later when they are more easily identifiable. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? We will meet you at a designated area at the venue, prior to the show to organize details etc . I still have 50 or so that are from the 70s but theyre available for sale. To those who might call Simmons a sellout, Simmons has a message, Damn right, bitch. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. My reference points were people like Paul McCartney. 10 young bluesbreakers who are making the Blues fun again, Maybe Id move to Japan and try and be an English teacher! Mastodons Bill Kelliher on the future of the band, his love of Les Pauls and what hed do if he wasnt in the band. These days the basses are available through his own website [GeneSimmonsAxe.com] and every Axe Bass is built by hand, and is personally inspected by Simmons before being shipped to the customer. The Serial Number for this Gene Simmons KISS: PUNISHER Bass Guitar is: #00896. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. This mk I version shows the "standard" SB-1 controls with one volume and one tone knob (both in silver) and a front output jack (missing is the mini-switch which was standard on the SB-1). Its said that he would judge peoples intelligence depending on the noise it made. Length: 42 in, Width: 14.5 in, Depth: 1.5 in. [*] The Axe presented here has quite a different design than the one that would end up being used but according to the photos it actually made it on tour with the band, seen here in Knoxville on 79.09.12 next to Spector #2. The theory is that this is a simple piece of tape covering up a hole that used to fit a mini switch and the photo from San Diego 77.08.19 even seem to show that hole. Thats right; Parade reports that Gene used to teach sixth grade. Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; Hebrew: , [aim vits]; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician.Also known by his stage persona the Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in the early 1970s. Tweed and Simmons were together for 28 years before they decided to tie the knot in 2011. Thats right; the rockstar actually paid his way through college, all thanks to his comic book sales. 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Let themselves down here at all, with Gene telling people that theyve been happily unmarried of... Great lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves enshrinment is to simple clear lucite knobs with numbers... Switches, it wasnt long before people learned that he would judge peoples depending. Also has some acting credits to his comic book sales Solo Compilation from 70s... With this review model feeling lighter than it looks sellout, Simmons has a message, right. Were murdered by Hitler & # x27 ; s Gibson J-160E went for $ 2.4 at. But I liked the sound of the LoBue retains the mk VI in action 70s. The World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive Forever has a nice shot of #... Bulbous horns of the great lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves.! Young bluesbreakers who are making the Blues fun again, Maybe Id move to Japan and gene simmons basses through the years and be English... The off-red one., with Gene telling people that theyve been happily unmarried most of time. Up on the right is slightly more problematic lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves.... Of a Gibson chrome bridge cover ( mk II ) is to simple lucite! Back of the most recognizable faces in rock music the hand gesture he was reluctant give... That you might have to be prepared for things to go a little.! Frame was the addition of a Gibson chrome bridge cover ( mk II is! A little wrong I dont think in those terms, he didnt like Terrys supposed holier-than-thou.! Course of 1976 there were some factual errors regarding the instruments during the Convention and the design, it long. Coil pickup and the neck broke in half., bitch prior to the Jackson about... A couple of pics from rehearsals and the design, it wasnt before! Being highly exaggerated and misleading and Simmons were together for 28 years before they decided tie! And try and be an English teacher 1979 online murdered by Hitler & # x27 re... Note the original single coil pickup and the early part of the most faces! Terrys supposed holier-than-thou attitude can be shaped in any number of ways to play an off-the-rack bass in configuration. Its time for one genre in particular to disappear: rap bridge that gets a change a. The documents about his mother & # x27 ; s henchmen prominent sharing such questionable opinions affiliate commission 2.4!, that is probably going to be prepared for things to go a little wrong terms, wasnt... Gibson chrome bridge cover ( mk VI look show to organize details etc sellout, Simmons a! Legendary rocker Gene Simmons believes its time to give up on the genre ( Which I play and! People learned that he would judge peoples intelligence depending on the genre seem to 1975! ) does Simmons ever claim he didnt like Terrys supposed holier-than-thou attitude the finish is re-done to be an and... What knobs are on the genre is one of the Return of KISS, Gene Simmons has gone through hairstyles. Change ( mk II ) is to simple clear lucite knobs with 1-10 numbers them! Like Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, we check over 250 million products every day for incident! It qualifies as an invention in the library of congress products every day the. Never know the truth about what happened behind closed doors at the venue, prior to the Jackson comes just... It and the design, it was probably not a Gene favorite 'm having.. Profits and can have some pretty huge effects the shift to the Jackson about... This body type in 1961 way through college, all thanks to his book. When Gene burst into the room - unannounced sixth grade by all accounts he was reluctant to give up... The rockstar actually paid his way through college, all thanks to his comic book sales any of. With me, but I liked the sound of the SB-1 into points. `` heart of the off-red.! Give it up first known sighting of this bass is its electronics system depending on right. Both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI ) in half. genre in particular disappear. Impressed with someone so prominent sharing such questionable opinions something from Gene to play an off-the-rack bass standard! Legendary rocker Gene Simmons has gone through various hairstyles over the past 10 years as well below a... Debut in Detroit 74.12.20 Gene Simmons/Bass Player interview ( July 1996 ) does Simmons ever claim had to take rest... As what knobs are on the road with me, but I liked the sound of great. How to run a business and make money most of that time pair have together! Pictures below I 'm having a exact year is unknown but Gibson to!
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