Things got off to a bad start when Gene started telling inappropriate jokes and only got worse when he began hitting people with copies of his new book. on August 28, 2019. All of the basses are built at a shop in South Korea [although there are some specialty one-off builds done in the USA by master builder, Jim Cara]. Gibson havent let themselves down here at all, with this review model feeling lighter than it looks. In the end the long-scale neck and the rather elaborate Q-system electronics probably proved unnecessary for Gene's no-frills style. Just because Gene was a part of the scene doesnt mean that he took part in everything that came his way. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! In fact, his passion for comic books even helped to inspire The Demon that we see at Kiss shows as Biography reports Gene shaped his character on Marvels Black Bolt. 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. Find out more about the Axe Bass at www.genesimmonsaxe.com. Its said that he would judge peoples intelligence depending on the noise it made. The body is completely original but based on the concept of an old Gibson Melody Maker. Ice Cubes group, N.W.A., was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Gene also caused a stir when he admitted he feels immigrants should all learn to speak English before moving to the States. It also speaks volumes of Gene's "working-bass" concept: as long as it works and looks good enough, it will do. Note the original single coil pickup and the snug fit of the pickguard around the pickup in the picture on the right. Plenty of articles can tell you what the Axe is, the wood and the metal the specs, but to get the real insight on what this legendary instrument meansyou have to go to the source, the man whos been playing it all these years, Mr Gene Simmons himself. Tuning stability and intonation also feel impeccable: This is definitely aset and forget kind of bass that allows the player to focus on their performance, undistracted and with confidence. What one can argue is that it seems highly unlikely that a rear output jack would be placed on the upper part of the body, far away from the rest of the electronics.). What happens when you want to put on one of the best stage shows the world has ever seen? Most of his notable work comes from his time in Genes reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.. So I kept moving the pickups around and adding a boost on the back, just to make sure that the bass had the sound I wanted., Simmons notes a distinction between bass designs that work well in the studio compared to on stage, Sometimes in the studio, because of the different acoustics and dynamics, I would use basses that I have never used on stage, because live, they dont sound good. Switching to just the bridge pickup, theres a huge shift in the midrange and a noticeable drop in the low-end thats perfect for chords or riffs that need less sonic boom and more snarl, such as Simmons opening lines to Love Gun and Shout It Out Loud, played higher up the neck on the first string. My bass is the only musical instrument that is an invention., Jokes abound about the level of KISS merchandise available, but the reality is that Simmons was ahead of his time in terms of understanding how to monetise and control his image and legacy, and trademark ownership has played a big part of that. This one-of-a-kind instrument recently (Oct 2005) sold on Ebay for $29, 995. G, from Gene to Gibson, will introduce new collections of right and left-handed electric guitars and basses across . The 1970s rock scene was one that had to be enjoyed to be believed. It is generally assumed that the re-finish and the headstock inlay occured at the same time even though the picture evidence can't entirely support that conclusion. We now know that Gene Simmons doesnt always have the most popular opinions on people who use illegal substances. The women and shady affairs that destroyed Gene Simmons' life. My reference points were people like Paul McCartney. The Kramer Axe was fine for playback but for one of very few live TV performances (the first one since 1974?) Modifications soon follow of course. It showed a mirror image of the #1 Spector and erroneously dubbed it a "Spectre" bass, even claiming it was the first "Spectre" ever made. It was probably added to help the intonation problems inherent in any set bridge like the original, but this one proved problematic as the few surviving pictures show that the strings had a tendency to skip out of position. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. This guitar was purchased brand NEW in the year 2000! But in the three pictures below I'm having a. In 1987 Gene turns up with what looks like a slightly altered version of the Jackson. As mentioned in the Axe section this could be considered a comment of sorts on the differing sonic qualities of the two basses. 1's, Paul only changing from his own LoBue custom V when it was stolen. Stuart shaved down the normally bulbous horns of the SB-1 into points." I beat DC in using The Demon they tried to stop me, but I was able to prove that my Demon was far more famous than their Demon character!, By trademarking the name and shape of the Axe, Simmons was able to control who builds the instrument for him, and sure enough hes switched builders many times over the years. It is also, when visible, curiously unaffected by lighting conditions. (It would be easy to assume that it was a shadow cast by, or reflection of, the volume knob but the tone knob shows nothing similar. Its one thing to be in a band. Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. Meet Gene On Tour. Gene Simmons Bass Solo Compilation from the beginning to the end! You've written some truly timeless basslines over the years so what exactly is the Gene Simmons guide to finding the perfect part? This feels like a real Thunderbird and being handmade in the USA, it very much is one, with an incredibly resonant mahogany body. No matter the angle or lighting, up until now the white binding has been clearly visible at all times. "I just had a guy named Stuart Spector build me one with a longer neck. He is the God Of Thunder, after all. Gene has gone through quite a few different basses over the years. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room - unannounced. Radio stations Power 97 and Timple M both announced they were pulling all Kiss songs from their lineup as neither agreed with Genes controversial comments. 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. Viewed as a whole it is obvious that the LoBue was far and away Gene's favorite. 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. An interesting aside is that the Grabber was the least expensive instrument in the Gibson 1975 catalogue, even cheaper than the Marauder that Paul smashed on a nightly basis. In the video clip from In Concert below (shot on 74.02.21) we see the original incarnation of the LoBue in all its glory. . LoBue custom. I seem to remember there was a bass purporting to have belonged to Mr. Simmons on eBay, and a thread back in the DP2 days? Spector #2 was also a part of the traveling circus that was The Return of KISS but it doesn't seem to have gotten much action. [**] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. For this occasion Gene borrowed a Thunderbird and proceeded to "thumb" his way through the songs.). Oh no, its merely the number of categories that Kiss is now involved with. 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. Being a well-known name in the world of music means that Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions when it comes to other musicians and genres. However, he's also been known for the varied love life he's led over the years, with his numerous relationships having been . . The string of prototypes that Carr eluded to were probably the ones shown below. Great Eastern FX Co. Focus Fuzz review: The best of all possible fuzz worlds in a single box? Just as musicians arrange 12 notes to create songs, guitar designs often take the form of artistic expression when shaped in new and interesting ways. There are a few pics that don't quite fit in. "So first, it's a through . John Lennon's Gibson J-160E Acoustic-Electric - $2.4 Million. Earliest known appearance of this version is 75.05.06 in Milwaukee, WI. Spector #1 LoBue custom Thunderbird Dan Armstrong. Cause & Effects: Are vintage effects pedals always the best examples of their type. A long-tongued, fire-breathing, towering bass player who performs in a demon warpaint, massive platform boots, and stylized armor, Simmons is a sight to behold. Nashville, TN (January 8, 2021) -- Gibson, the iconic American guitar brand, has entered into a joint venture with Gene Simmons, international rock legend and co-founder of KISS, America's #1 gold record award-winning group of all time, in all categories (RIAA), to create G. Gene has claimed that he had it painted black before the start of the Alive! 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). Gene brings out the metal flake Grabber for 100,000 years at Winterland. As far as video evidence goes it first appears in the opening credits of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (see below). 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 phenomenon can also be spotted at the start of the Return of KISS tour. This is one of first Gene Simmons (KISS) signed Axe Basses made available to the public. Kiss is currently out on the road for their final tour, dubbed End Of The Road. That was until a friend suggested Gene get in touch with the singers best friend to try and find a Christmas present. It has a twin horn, small body, with one DiMarzio pickup." This version of the bass was Gene's #1 bass more or less from 1973 until the summer of 1975 when he started altering it. As Simmons explained, [Cort] started mass producing them and selling them for a cheaper price, obviously, so the wood was cheaper everything was cheaper, and the paint started to crack. Though the marriage only lasted for a few years, Gene Simmons her only son was born in . The Gibson Gene Simmons G Thunderbird Bass is out now, priced 2,499 / $2,799. Or maybe the rather strange decision to use the Axe for a song like Reason to live during the Crazy Nights tour drove home the point that the Axe was a somewhat odd fit for the image at the time. (My guess is that the P-bass pickup was added when it was painted black.) There are people that want to leave a legacy and are concerned with what is said about them after theyre gone. That is probably going to be a very big item. If theres one question thats been on many peoples lips over the years, its if Gene Simmons is an egomaniac away from the stage. The three-night stand in Detroit from 77.01.27, represented here by the pro-shot video from the third night, is the first sighting of the last incarnation of the LoBue (mk VIII). I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . Im clear about that. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. For some reason the remaining original knobs also get changed at this time, making all three controls black speed knobs. Gene tapped Valdez Guitars to build the first one, then Steve Carr built a few, as did Kramer, Jackson, and Cort. As if things couldnt get any worse, Gene proceeded to tear his shirt and shouted, Hey chicks, sue me!. What are you waiting for. People accused Nick of plagiarizing ideas from the likes of Hellsing, One Piece, and Bleach, something that was enough to see the youngsters dreams of becoming a graphic novel author vanish before he got his time to shine. This wasnt the first time that Gene had found himself on the wrong side of people, and several think it wont be the last. The friend in question? So what is the Axe Bass, then? Gone is the original witch-hat knob, in its stead we find a black speed knob. [****] Personal communication with Jack Williamson who asked Free about the matter. There is a bass resembling the Grabber, based on the headstock, standing offstage in a pic from 76.02.01, in. The Ripper was introduced as the "big brother" to the Grabber in 1973. The Return of KISS!! There was little change as the band headed into 1974 and started on what would turn out to be a lifetime of heavy touring. 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