Gene Simmons is a legendary rock icon and the bassist from KISS, and his new Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass reflects his tastes. These are smaller, all black with a small white dot that shows the naught setting (mk III). This mk III retains the original violin-type bridge. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. Its one thing to be in a band. I drew what the Axe might be. Thankfully, everyone walked away from the incident without any injuries. The passing of Prince was a tragic day for millions of fans across the world. Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. The Spector web site is clear on the matter: "The bass in the photo above [on the Spector web site, not featured here] is still in Gene's possession as far as we know. At least, thats what most lists would have you believe. To make sure no one thought that she was using her dad, Sophie would write her own music and send songs to record labels all off her own back. Sadly, in 2014, Gene upset quite a few people during an interview with HuffPost Live. The worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. The most high-profile appearance during 1984-1986 is in Animalize Live Uncensored where it gets taken for a spin for Gene's solo spot. She wanted to make sure her music was on the hottest playlists at the time and wouldnt rest until she got the results. During one interview, the rockstar was asked if he admired anyone else more than himself. Love it or hate it, some performers have been accused of lip-syncing their songs over the years. The bass icon on bass rigs, riches and 50 years of music. Diana Ross. 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. 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. Im clear about that. Larry Harris had set up an endorsement deal which apparently specified that the band use Gibsons exclusively on stage in exchange for free instruments (see. For Gene, its simple: he thinks that future rockstars should give up on their dreams as the barriers in the way to the top have become insurmountable. Thankfully, many talented bands have continued to prove Gene wrong in recent years. "I just had a guy named Stuart Spector build me one with a longer neck. Why you can trust Guitar World 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. It appears as if the Fender-style bridge that was previously under the bridge cover is moved back, sans the saddles, and a different bridge used in its stead. Here we get to see it with a studded cover of some sort, probably leather. First seen in Detroit on 78.01.20, these knobs will thankfully stay on for quite some time. . 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. Gene brings out the metal flake Grabber for 100,000 years at Winterland. Although he's spent the last 50 years Jan 11, 2009. so I read an article years ago where it talked about gene simmons' live rig, but i couldn't find any info anywhere and the magazine is long gone, so I spoke with his tech Spike and he said basically this is it: 1 SVT-2 Pro. It looked as though he was all set to reach the big time as it wasnt long before his work gained plenty of fans worldwide. It turns out the people at Fox News were less than impressed with Genes alleged behavior as the security guards reportedly had to intervene and escort the star from the building. Gear 2021: Ending a big week for Gibson that began with the acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, the company has now announced a new partnership with Kiss icon Gene Simmons. The first known sighting of this bass is on 75.08.09 and it doesn't seem to survive 1975. Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. The jury is out on that one. First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. 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 . In 2017, Gene Simmons hit the headlines for something pretty controversial among the rock world. Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. 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. Along with the refinish the knobs were changed to match the new color. 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. My theory is that all of these (with the exception of the already heavily modified EB-0) were endorsement instruments that were either pure backups or ones that Gene tried to make into his kind of bass. Gone is the original witch-hat knob, in its stead we find a black speed knob. Gene Simmons, bass guitarist for Kiss, gets ready to breathe fire during the crescendo of "Firehouse," a number performed during a concert in Hartford, Conn., Feb. 18, 1977. The problems with the bridge above promted another change. [*] 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 luthier and Gene's fellow NYC resident (whom Gene describes as a consummate craftsman, something he feels is missing in today's world), would build Gene his first custom bass. Now, 46 years later, he and Gibson are teaming up for G2, a new line of basses and guitars announced this past week during the NAMM conference. 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). We now know that Gene Simmons doesnt always have the most popular opinions on people who use illegal substances. For this tour Gene also mysteriously starts sporting a cable from the output jack. There is no evidence of the Thunderbird actually being used on stage during the Love Gun tour but for the Alive II tour it shows up in a limited number of pictures. 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? The clip is an outtake from the 2012 documentary Sample This. Sadly, Gene Simmons wasnt impressed with the look. The shift to the Jackson comes about just before the European leg of the Lick it up tour. After showing off a few licks, Simmons points out a particular passage he wants to learn, and Kaye obliges. 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. It has a 24 frets and the deep cut away which allows me to easily reach the 23rd and 24th frets - a real bonus. Strings - Lutes - Guitars. Thats right; the rockstar actually paid his way through college, all thanks to his comic book sales. Some people love to embrace every different type of music, while others prefer to stick to what they know. Let's hope it turns up in somebody's basement. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. This bass is authorized by Gene Simmons, and each Axe is adorned with Gene's signature on the headstock. Okay, its hard to deny that one of Gene Simmons most prominent features is his tongue. However, that isnt the case. For some reason the remaining original knobs also get changed at this time, making all three controls black speed knobs. . I have a very large ego, dont wonder about that! There will be a guitar version and left-handed versions. Wherever the LoBue eventually ended up it is one of the great lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves enshrinment. My theory is that this is the third Spector mentioned on the Spector web site (I will more or less ignore the all-black curiosity above for now). Stuart shaved down the normally bulbous horns of the SB-1 into points.". Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. "The first instruments are the Thunderbird basses, which will come in a few different colors. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. Or why not treat yourself? The Return of KISS!! None of the pre-1974 pics I've found suggest that the body was more than a slab-style with some rounding for the upper horns. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E Acoustic-Electric - $2.4 Million. It wasnt long before people pointed out the sign actually means I love you in sign language. This phenomenon can also be spotted at the start of the Return of KISS tour. There was once a time that Gene Simmons appeared to be on Fox News at every waking moment. Modifications soon follow of course. There seemed to be a strange moment in time when celebrities couldnt wait but to show their tongue on the red carpet. The body and hardware can be shaped in any number of ways. Things went from bad to worse when two women accused Gene of behaving inappropriately, something he denies. Page 108 of KISS Alive Forever has a nice shot of Spector #1 at the Palladium show. Ron Wood is very under-appreciated. He is the God Of Thunder, after all. I dont care, it doesnt mean anything to me.. The passing of time has proved fruitful for Kiss' 1982 . Here we can see the outline of the tape coverup (check the full-size pic for better detail) for the last time. Some time between Toledo 75.11.12 and Chicago 75.11.22 Gene changes the volume knob. Gene has claimed that he had it painted black before the start of the Alive! The original single-coil pickup seems to be gone and in its stead is what looks almost like the Filtertron pickups that Gretsch made. Gene Simmons, bassist and co-vocalist of rock band Kiss, looks back on the band's career, and how he has been in charge of the group's highly lucrative business affairs. Realtor.com. There are a few pics that don't quite fit in. Over the group's 42 . There are, to my knowledge, precious few pictures of Spector #2 in the Love Gun/Alive II costumes. We asked the man himself. The neck has pearl diamond inlays just like Gene's, and the detail in the paint and set up is just like the Demons. 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. 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. We cant say that weve ever thought about a world where Gene Simmons is the one giving us fashion advice, but the more we think about it, the more we want to know what thats like. Spector #2 Custom Charlie LoBue bass built for Gene Simmons of KISS. The bass touts a mahogany body with a bolt on C shaped maple neck and rosewood fretboard with a 15 radius. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room - unannounced. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. None of the known LoBue basses had a bridge like this so it was probably not LoBue's work. The two volume controls allow for a blend of either orboth pickups, with the rhythm unit alone bringing a wonderfully articulate sound that has enough brightness to retain definition andclarity. This is the story behind the iconic Axe Bass which has been wielded by Gene Simmons for decades. 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. Kiss is currently out on the road for their final tour, dubbed End Of The Road. The second change of the Return of KISS tour are actually two changes. There is something else that Nick Simmons has been working on over the years, and it comes in the form of his graphic novel. Apparently, Gene thinks there are some similarities between the two as rockstars and teachers both have an audience; its just that one might have to perform to people who dont want to be there. I love it." The basses are often signed or played on stage depending on what price point the buyer wants to reach for. 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). Kiss legend Gene Simmons fondly recalls the days when a fledgling Rush would regularly play support to the panstick-sporting rockers. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. The best indicator when it comes to Gene is the belt part of his cod piece which was leather for the Dynasty tour but got very distinct silvery scales for Unmasked.). It's incredible to look at these pics and see the extent of the damage that year-round touring and Gene's costumes (most of it probably from his ever-. It seems this only made Gene even angrier than ever. If Gene tried to use the Carr Axe live it probably turned out to be too heavy for use. Most of his notable work comes from his time in Genes reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.. We'll let him know. If there is one thing that several musicians hate more than most things, its people pirating their music. I have yet to figure out what this bridge was. [] I had two of them on the road with me, but I liked the sound of the off-red one." It's not immedeately obvious but if one looks closely at the pics below there are pieces of tape that are there to hold it in place. For many years, Simmons' primary . It has the same basic hardware as the #1 but a slightly different body shape and a mirror-like pickguard with a jagged lower edge. To highlight a detail that entered the story a little earlier when the Fender bridge was installed I've chosen these particular pics. (Plenty of 1980 shots are improperly labeled 1979 online. There is a photo as early as 77.08.19 in San Diego, CA that shows the white pickguard Thunderbird on stage during the pre-show setup. 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