Bootsy Bass Porn
There’s really no mystery to how signature models of basses work – bass manufacturer works with bassist to either tweak an existing model or build a new instrument, the company sells it, the bassist endorses it, and everybody hopefully walks away with a profit. Some basses become an iconic part of that bassist’s image – Bootsy Collins may have played the bass line for “Sex Machine” on a Jazz bass, but seeing him with anything but a star-shaped Space Bass is tantamount to heresy. Which is why it’s puzzling to me that both Traben and Warwick have signature Bootsy Collins models for basses that aren’t easily identifiable as belonging to him (unless you count the stars sprinkled liberally over both) and haven’t been established as his preferred instrument of choice. I realize the income has got to keep coming in, but this makes no sense.3
The bass whammy pedal finally sold, too, meaning that there’s a little extra money for gear this year. I’m thinking of getting some noiseless pickups for the Jazz bass. Standard story – both pickups on equals no noise, but a little volume rolled off of either results in the 60-cycle hum expected for such activities. Fender makes some noiseless pickups that intrigue me, and there are some split-coil Nordstrands that sound nice, too. By the time I’m done with this Jazz bass, I’m thinking the wood may be the only original parts left . . .