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John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 8:28 am
by Hank2k
Hi All

Does anyone possibly have any pictures of John Rostills white Jazz Bass at all?

Thanks

Regards

Steve

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 4:21 pm
by JimN
It seems to have been re-finished in white some time in the second half of the sixties.

You can catch it to best effect in the BBC video of Apache from the 31/12/69 programme "Pop Go The Sixties" though it's also visible in a video (from the same programme) of The Shadows miming to Bachelor Boy with Cliff.




Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 6:29 pm
by Hank2k
Hi Jim thats perfect many thanks

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 2:31 pm
by Iain Purdon
Shame that in those clips we are only seeing John's J-bass but not hearing it. He's miming to Licorice's P-bass in Bachelor Boy and Jet's P-bass in Apache.

I often wonder how many of the Burns era records were actually done with his J-bass rather than the Burns. All the studio pictures I've seen show him using the Burns or, pre-Burns, the white P-bass. Whether they were always used on the records is the bit that intrigues me.

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 2:50 pm
by JimN
Iain_P wrote:Shame that in those clips we are only seeing John's J-bass but not hearing it. He's miming to Licorice's P-bass in Bachelor Boy and Jet's P-bass in Apache.

I often wonder how many of the Burns era records were actually done with his J-bass rather than the Burns. All the studio pictures I've seen show him using the Burns or, pre-Burns, the white P-bass. Whether they were always used on the records is the bit that intrigues me.


The 1969 LP "[The Shadows] Live In Japan" was definitely recorded with the white Jazz Bass.

PS: There is a studio shot from about 1966 showing John with a sunburst (too dark for FR) pre-CBS Jazz Bass and Hank with his Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman. Bruce is playing a Marvin. The photo is on page 55 of Roberto Pistolesi's book "That Sound!" and can probably also be found on the internet.

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 3:48 pm
by JimTidmarsh
I thought 'common folklore' said that John hated the Burns bass and only used it on stage for it's visual effect, matching Bruce & Hank's guitars.

The Jazz bass was his preferred recording instrument.

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 5:02 pm
by StuartD
John used the Shadows Bass for the last time in December 1969 at the Fiesta Club, Stockton. he told me it was 'knackered'.

He then used the Jazz Bass on the two TV shows with Cliff. In March/April 1970 Paul Ferris used the Shadows Bass at Batley Variety Club but didn't use it two weeks later at Wythenshawe Golden Garter club in Manchester because he too said it was knackered. It had only one pickup working. John's last appearance with the Shadows was later that year at the Fiesta Club Sheffield and he used the Jazz Bass.

Regards

Stuart

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 5:21 pm
by JimN
StuartD wrote:John used the Shadows Bass for the last time in December 1969 at the Fiesta Club, Stockton. he told me it was 'knackered'.
He then used the Jazz Bass on the two TV shows with Cliff. In March/April 1970 Paul Ferris used the Shadows Bass at Batley Variety Club but didn't use it two weeks later at Wythenshawe Golden Garter club in Manchester because he too said it was knackered. It had only one pickup working. John's last appearance with the Shadows was later that year at the Fiesta Club Sheffield and he used the Jazz Bass.
Regards
Stuart


Over the years, I've encountered several Burns Marvins and Bisons with fewer than all three pickups working (including my own not long after I first got it). On every occasion, it was a build-up of atmospheric dirt on the selector switch contacts and a squirt of Servisol cured the problem completely.

The problem doesn't occur with modern reissues because they use a standard Strat-style switch with bigger contact areas.

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:38 pm
by Uncle Fiesta
It must be incredibly boring standing there miming to something you never even played on in the first place!!

Re: John Rostills Jazz Bass

PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 2:13 am
by donna plasky
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