Identify this mystery bass: a prelude to a Pachyderm

etherealme

etherealme

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Jun 26, 2007
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#1
So, backstory: Les Claypool is transitioning into using those Dan Maloney Pachyderm basses full-time and now even live for 6 string song applications. But he hadn't yet had the Pachyderm 6 string ready to play at the time of going on the road to South America. A fill-in model was used. So, what does this bass look like to you? (FYI, This is the same bass he used at the tail end of the 2022 tour to South America.)
Live in Santiago clip from 2022:
 
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#2
Hard to tell from that video. Only at the very last bit you get to see the front of the bass for a second. I know he used a Tune six bass for a while in the 90s but that’s not this one.

Why is he retiring the Rainbow bass? Too bad, I prefer the sound of the CT basses over the Pachyderm basses. To me the CT basses have a more distinct character that fit Claypool’s style better.
 
#3
Les Fret said:
Hard to tell from that video. Only at the very last bit you get to see the front of the bass for a second. I know he used a Tune six bass for a while in the 90s but that’s not this one.

Why is he retiring the Rainbow bass? Too bad, I prefer the sound of the CT basses over the Pachyderm basses. To me the CT basses have a more distinct character that fit Claypool’s style better.
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From what I have gathered the whole motivation is he is scared of having irreplaceable basses stolen on tour because the Carl Thompson basses are really sentimental to him now.
 
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#6
Les Fret said:
That's strange, because he is using them since many years on tours. Not sure why he all of a sudden became scared that they will be stolen now.
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Probably because of just that reason. He used them for so many tours and they're such a part of his personal history, and Carl Thompson is getting on in years and can't just whip up a new bass for him in a few months. They've survived the road this long, why risk anymore when you can have other great basses to play?

Maybe a few years back it would have been sad and annoying if they were stolen, but not a huge deal. Now if they're stolen they're kinda irreplaceable. Best to keep them at home and play them in the studio, and make some new memories with new basses that'll become sentimental sometime down the road, and if they get stolen, can be rebuilt.

I mean, i can't read Les Claypool's mind. I'm just guessing. It would be way cooler if i could read his mind. Also way trippier. :roflmao: But, i'll take anything that'll help me play as good as Les. :bassist::laugh:
 
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#7
etherealme said:
So, backstory: Les Claypool is transitioning into using those Dan Maloney Pachyderm basses full-time and now even live for 6 string song applications. But he hadn't yet had the Pachyderm 6 string ready to play at the time of going on the road to South America. A fill-in model was used. So, what does this bass look like to you? (FYI, This is the same bass he used at the tail end of the 2022 tour to South America.)
Live in Santiago clip from 2022:
Click to expand...

That headstock has such a unique shape. It's almost like a Maruszczyk Frog headstock, but with a little more dramatic lines. I don't think it's a Maruszczyk, but it has that exaggerated-curviness of their Frog headstock. The headstock seems like the most distinguishing feature of it. A bit elongated, extra narrow at the center, and then a little extra flare at the top beyond the tuning pegs.
 
#9
lpnb.jpg
 
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#12
FullumMusic said:
That headstock has such a unique shape. It's almost like a Maruszczyk Frog headstock, but with a little more dramatic lines. I don't think it's a Maruszczyk, but it has that exaggerated-curviness of their Frog headstock. The headstock seems like the most distinguishing feature of it. A bit elongated, extra narrow at the center, and then a little extra flare at the top beyond the tuning pegs.
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A Maruszczyk was my first inclination. And judging by that photo, it definitely doesn't look like a 36" scale 6.
 
#15
ThudThudThud said:
Almost looks like an Ibanez BTB!

@FullumMusic I'm not sure I'd like to read his mind
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:roflmao: For real. Reading his mind might take us some place we can't even handle! :laugh:
And yeah, the body and even the headstock is very similar to the Ibanez. I think the headstock in Les's bass is a little more elongated, but from that distance in a couple of phone videos, it very well could be. But the bodies and controls look very similar. And that extra long top horn? Very BTB.

etherealme said:
A Maruszczyk was my first inclination. And judging by that photo, it definitely doesn't look like a 36" scale 6.
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Right? You see the headstock similarities too?

@ThudThudThud @etherealme
Oddly enough, my first thought when i saw the body was, "That looks like a production model, not a custom model. Or maybe a production model with a lot of custom options?" The headstock is what's making me think "if not custom, at least boutique." The fact that it has all those controls makes me think production model too, because he's been getting his customs with as few controls as possible lately. I feel like i've seen that extra-curvy, extra-thin, extra-long headstock somewhere recently. Just can't place it. :meh: It's like, almost Maruszczyk, almost Ibanez, but not.
 
#19
Also, Les stopped touring with the CT's as he was afraid they would start to deteriorate to a point of no return. I've never heard about the theft concern.

-signed, absolute fanatic since the 90s, and heard him say this at a pre-show Q&A.
 
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#20
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