My reference points were people like Paul McCartney. The shot from Springfield 79.09.05 shows the new inlay. First off there is no Thunderbird logo visible in the few pics showing the white pickguard version which means that it's probably a replacement. by Jacob Uitti 2 years ago. 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. . FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bruno-Masquio/219366238103439INSTAGRAM - @brunomasquioiTUNES - https://itunes.apple.com/br/artist/bruno-masquio/id55. 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. 1's, Paul only changing from his own LoBue custom V when it was stolen. It might sound impossible, but its true. 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. Fans of the band get to enjoy an entire performance thats been carefully choreographed to be an experience like none other in the world. I sell out every night., Just as different paintbrushes might inspire us to paint differently, the Axe is a very different instrument and commands a different vibe when it is played. Unfortunately it is exceedingly difficult to try and identify which Spector is which in most photos, even if they are well-lit. It also arrives with a low enough action for more technically ambitious styles of playing, as well as basic root-noted rock, making bends, stretches and hammer-ons more comfortable than expected. And for the Valdez Axe that's all she wrote. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. 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. Gene has nothing but nice things to say about the stories that have been brought to life and the art thats used throughout each graphic novel. . It can be easy to think that Gene Simmons views comic books as nothing more than a way to make some extra money on the side. Gene brings out the metal flake Grabber for 100,000 years at Winterland. Here we get to see it with a studded cover of some sort, probably leather. 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. After the re-finish (more info below) the coverup disappears, most likely because the hole was filled before the finish was applied. Gene Simmons is a true rock god, even though he plays "The Demon" in KISS, the band he co-founded in the early 1970s that still rocks out to sold-out crowds. Looking closely at the pictures the refinished part of the blade is slightly different than the original finish on the edge. The problems with the bridge above promted another change. The bass on the right is slightly more problematic. 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. 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. His many accomplishments include his work as an outstanding actor and television actor, guitarist, singer, singer-songwriter, film producer, composer, voice actor, blogger, songwriter, and record producer, to name a few. According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. Nady 950 wireless. Exactly what happens to the LoBue is matter of some confusion. Gene Simmons has often been questioned about who he has been with and how many people have made their way to the list over the years. But out of costume, the Kiss co-frontman is an equally commanding presence. Talking about rap and hip-hop was enough to get plenty of people talking about Gene Simmons and his ever-changing music views. 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. I heard there's a special package including one of your Axe or Punisher basses. I've scammed people all this time The world of Jean-Jacques Burnel. The basses are often signed or played on stage depending on what price point the buyer wants to reach for. The one pic I've seen from San Antonio 77.11.22 is inconclusive as far as what knobs are on the bass. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. He decided years ago that she'd already been through enough having survived the horrors of the Holocaust, and he didn't want to break her heart by becoming a drug addict. At least, that is if you want to avoid a moment like Gene Simmons had at one of his live shows. While the price tag for the Axe basses might be high, they are often sold as a package deal with other perks. There was little change as the band headed into 1974 and started on what would turn out to be a lifetime of heavy touring. I originally thought that the natural satin finish, introduced in 1975 and seen in this well-known footage from San Fransisco 75.01.31, was Gene's first which was later re-finished but he actually had two Grabbers on the road with him and he used both during the Winterland show. This obviously reflected the economic state of the band at the time, Paul and Ace also had very clear no. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E Acoustic-Electric - $2.4 Million. Everything starts with me, he explains. Gene Simmons Bass Solo Compilation from the beginning to the end! Overview. It was one of three designed in this configuration for Gene." It wasnt long before people pointed out the sign actually means I love you in sign language. 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 is one of first Gene Simmons (KISS) signed Axe Basses made available to the public. There are masterclasses taught by Simmons himself that are only available to Axe buyers. Considering the photographic evidence the natural finish Grabber doesn't seem to have gotten much action. 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. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. 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? 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. As Simmons explains, I started out playing Ampeg SVTs and for a while we were going to do a line of SVT amps and they were originally going to be called The Punisher, and I was able to beat Marvel to the trademark for the name Punisher, even though they had a character named The Punisher. 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 seems thats always been the case for Nick as the star has been working on his own band, Peroux, for the last few years. 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. That certainly would have been one way to get the kids listening. As mentioned in the Axe section this could be considered a comment of sorts on the differing sonic qualities of the two basses. Thats right; the rockstar actually paid his way through college, all thanks to his comic book sales. In 2017, Gene Simmons hit the headlines for something pretty controversial among the rock world. However, there is a dark side of Gene Simmons that not many have learned about over the years. If the LoBue could be considered to have a long and complicated story then the tale of the Spectors is worthy of Sherlock Holmes. We'll let him know. It turns out Gene Simmons is no exception, but not many people know the rockstar was once actually a teacher. It turns out Gene accidentally rubbed host Terry Gross up the wrong way during an interview with the star. By Roy Kaddosh. However, it was his time as an assistant at Vogue and Glamour magazines that could have led to a very different career. Last years news that he was launching his own G2 brand pronounced G squared through the American giants nevertheless came as a surprise, the new collaboration pledging to release a whole range of guitars and basses built with the Demons personal seal of approval. Its said that he would judge peoples intelligence depending on the noise it made. During one interview, the rockstar was asked if he admired anyone else more than himself. Whatever the case, it wasnt long before Gene Simmons had something to say about it all. The rockstar has been open about how hes never tried illegal substances and says that he doesnt get along with people who dabble with narcotics or those who have a dark cloud over their heads.. Although he managed to get it back up and running, the group quickly took Gene down again to try and take away his voice on the matter. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. Spector #1 Spector #2 Thunderbird. Thats right; Parade reports that Gene used to teach sixth grade. 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. This time it looks like a fairly standard Fender bridge (mk V). As the photos show there is a marked difference in the shape of the lower horn, most easily seen in the shots of the back. That one night he dropped it and the neck broke in half." "The first instruments are the Thunderbird basses, which will come in a few different colors. It has a 24 frets and the deep cut away which allows me to easily reach the 23rd and 24th frets - a real bonus. To highlight a detail that entered the story a little earlier when the Fender bridge was installed I've chosen these particular pics. 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. The entrepreneurial bassist recently reaffirmed his belief that "rock is dead . It looked as though he needed it as Genes outfit weighs quite a lot thanks to all those theatrical additions. Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. Perhaps the black blade wasn't quite "axe-like" enough because it was summarily refinished a matte silver by 79.06.20 when the promo videos were shot in Savannah. The first change (mk II) is to simple clear lucite knobs with 1-10 numbers on them. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? In 2013, the rockstar spoke about Amy and Kurts passing in a radio interview, where he said that just because they have passed, it doesnt mean theyre an icon. Of course, it didnt sit well. Open menu Close menu . (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. The Jackson Axe is mercifully kept in this near-original condition for at least the two following tours; there are no noticeable alterations. 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. While Sophie does work as a musician, she decided that she wanted to make it on her own and that she wasnt ready to use her dads name to make a career for herself. Gene Simmons is a legendary rock icon and the bassist from KISS, and his new Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass reflects his tastes. Sadly, we get the feeling that Gene would have rocked a lot less face paint during his time in the classroom. 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). LoBue custom Fender P-bass. From 2006 until 2012, Gene Simmons and his family starred in the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels. They dont have the attack you need in arenas., Simmons isnt a nostalgic type of guy when it comes to his instruments, even the vintage ones and the prototypes, I dont have that sort of I have to keep this one because its my first mentality. Thats not individual products. Before that he had an old rickety Epiphone which was stolen, bought a Fender P for $150, sold that P for $300, took that cash and had Charlie build his . The new collection will launch with the release of the G Thunderbird bass later this year. Skip to main content. Simmons is announcing a new signature bass guitar in collaboration with Gibson, called the Gene Simmons G Thunderbird Bass. Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. Studio legend Carol Kaye gave KISS bassist Gene Simmons an impromptu bass lesson at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, and luckily cameras were rolling to catch it. It even has the original pickup right up to the end of 1980. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . 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. Had the studs been mounted on the body this would have been completely non-sensical. For the past eight years, Thayer has been touring exclusively with a pair of his signature 100-watt Hughes & Kettner DuoTone heads (Thayer . The Return of KISS!! The picture on the far left here clearly shows that the body was beveled where Gene rested his right arm. Alas, by mid-1977 the cherised LoBue's days are numbered. From the Spector site - For 20 years, Gene Simmons of the legendary band KISS recorded and toured with his custom made Spector bass. Realtor.com. All that twerking and tongue flashing was enough to change peoples minds about the star. Nick also has some acting credits to his name. The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. If theres one thing that Gene Simmons is proud of in his life, its the supposed number of women that hes been with throughout his career. 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. "Kiss was born on 23rd Street. 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). Believe it or not, but Gene Simmons is actually a married man, even though the rockstar has been open about his alleged romances over the years. Gene Simmons of KISS will be hosting a MasterClass event in Las Vegas next month, where he will teach bass and songwriting. Notice also the triangular "point" of the finish. 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. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. (Plenty of 1980 shots are improperly labeled 1979 online. All the latest gene simmons celebrity news, videos, and more. Published. 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. A Tribute to the Pedulla 1988 MVP4 - The Gene Simmons Vampire Punisher. [*] Much later Gene would remember it a little differently: "So he made me a one of a kind natural wood custom made bass, no name, no nothing." 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