Author Topic: My Wife - Whacked!! (Read 885 times)

ox_junior · « **on:** August 25, 2004, 05:28:20 PM »

You guys remember me joking around on this thread about my singer swinging his mic around too close to my Spyder?

Well he did.

Whack! Half the headstock came right off.

I'd show you a picture but the file size is too big. Took the half of the V with the tuning pegs for the D and G strings right off. The good news is that the break happened right at a laminate point. Bad news is the break extends down behind the fretboard, as far down as the 2nd fret.

So....off to the factory for the miracle workers to reattach her limb.

However, I've asked Mica and Mike to give her some plastic surgery to make her at least look a little more like the basses we're used to seeing John play:

* Cone peghead
* Hum canceller (dummy - for cosmetics only)
* Alembic logo beneath the strings, centered right above the nut
* Master volume pot (functional) added on the lower horn (waiting for Mica to get back to me to see if this is possible)

She's taken a hard blow. But...will be better than ever when she gets back to me!!!

Good thing I never ended up selling my Spoiler/Exploiter!! Needed it for back-up!!!

I'll have My Wife back in a month or so.

Hope you're all doing well!

Mike Bisch

bracheen · « **Reply #1 on:** August 25, 2004, 06:14:17 PM »

I have to say Mike, that's a great attitude you have about the whole situation.
Good luck with the restoration. Please post photos of the post surgery Mrs. Bisch.

Sam

ox_junior · « **Reply #2 on:** August 25, 2004, 06:35:26 PM »

Sam -

Believe me, I was ready to kill when this happened. But...I was on stage at a convention of worldwide Who fans, and it was a charity fundraiser that I had personally organized, so I had to keep my cool. But...it was REALLY difficult looking at my investment in pieces on the floor. The fans were really cool - they even offered to take up a collection to help!!! I suggested they contribute to the charity - the John Entwistle Foundation - instead.

If the damage was irrepairable then yeah, I'd be steaming mad. The repairs won't be free but will be worth it. Mine will be unique among the 50 4-string Spyders when it's all done anyway, so that's cool too. I look at it as an upgrade of sorts.

Besides, it wouldn't be The Who if an instrument didn't take on a little damage, right??

MB

bassman10096 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 25, 2004, 07:01:34 PM »

Mike: You are the best humored person I've heard from in several months - hands down!! I don't care how real the all's well that ends well aspect of this incident is...It's still a trauma!

My hat's off to you - You rock man!!

Bill

ox_junior · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2004, 07:11:56 PM »

Bill,

This happened about 3 weeks ago. It's taken me this long to be good-natured enough to write about it. I originally didn't want to post anything about this but finally felt like sharing.

Yes it is a trauma. And yes I was p*$$#!. But I have received so many e-mails from the worldwide Who fan network about how I sacrificed my bass for a good cause and all that - it kinda helped take the edge off. A little.

Like I said, the bass will be pretty much customized to my specs when all is said and done. Mica has been super cool listening to me vent and bombarding her with little can-you-do-this-while-you're-at-it? e-mails. So...it's like getting a custom job at the end of the day. Besides - it's STILL less $$$ than what Ed Roman is charging for a brand new stock Spyder!!!

Thanks for your kind words Bill.

Mike

dannobasso · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2004, 07:47:32 PM »

Your singer is extremely fortunate that you have the temperament that you do. If it were me, he'd have to learn to sing from his lower GI because that's where that mike would be placed!

the_mule · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2004, 11:30:18 PM »

That's quite a story Mike, and you're certainly very cool about it right now. I can only imagine what it felt like when that mic hit your Spyder, must have been like YOU got hit on the head! I hope the singer reacted the right way, VERY ashamed (but he could blame Roger Daltrey for this, although I don't recall Daltrey actually hitting The Ox' bass) and offering to pay at least some of your expenses. But maybe that's something you should keep for yourself, I certainly don't expect you to go into that.

You certainly turned this around in a positive way. If you're able, I'd still like to see some pictures of the damage that was done, but even better, glorious picturesque evidence of the upgraded Spyder that'll return to you from Santa Rosa!

Take care,
Wilfred

ox_junior · « **Reply #7 on:** August 25, 2004, 11:50:08 PM »

To his credit, my singer was indeed upset after this happened. I had to fight the urge to wrap that mic cord around his neck and string him up. But...it was an accident. I can't find it in me to hold a grudge. And yes I did feel like I was whacked on the head - but this was in a very small room with people sitting on the floor watching us - I'm glad it was only my bass that got whacked. We all would have felt really badly if a person got hurt.

I don't recall Daltrey ever whacking John's basses - perhaps that's why John never played his Spyder with the V peghead live - it really is kinda unwieldly. Then again, The Who played on much larger stages. This was a teeny tiny playing area.

I'll find a way to downsize the photos I took of the damage to share with you. But better yet, I will take plenty of photos of the new and improved My Wife...after her facelift!!

Mike

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2004, 12:10:01 AM »

There is no such thing as an accident.
Bearing in mind the inherent risk of butting in on other people's business, I must advise you to instruct your singer to be more careful in the future lest ALL OF US Alembic hounds gang up to do what dannobasso threatens.
And make him pay for the repairs, too, at least to the headstock, and explain you're having it made smaller for his protection. I would.
Strength, O pointy one.

ox_junior · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2004, 12:21:52 AM »

Of course I'm bearing out the sanitized version for you guys. But you had best believe that little singer boy got an absolute verbal shellacking from me after that gig, away from the public eye. He is painfully aware that his zeal to recreate Roger Daltrey by swinging a $80 SM58 is far less important than my desire to recreate John Entwistle as demonstrated by my very very expensive instrument purchase.

I only view it as an accident in that he didn't hit my bass on purpose. But, as mentioned, he has been cautioned. And he is going to put some money into this, by the way. Not much but some. I'm taking it out of his pay for the next few gigs. Garnishing his wages, so to speak. He who messes with The Ox gets skewered by his mighty horns.

MB

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #10 on:** August 26, 2004, 12:34:30 AM »

(cackling with glee)
Who says there's no justice in the world?
Well done, sir.
KFS

palembic · « **Reply #11 on:** August 26, 2004, 01:09:24 AM »

OTOH ...you'll get a bass with street credibility like no other Spider in the world. A bass with a REAL story. Now ...it is nothing to do in purpose and I truely believe that it hurts in ALL possible meanings of that word but ...a scratch on the bass is a scratch on your heart. Can you count all the scratches on your heart? I stopped counting them long ago but I knwo one thing: they made me who I am. Your wife will be YOUR wife ...no dubs ...no stand in possible anymore.

Paul TBO

senmen · « **Reply #12 on:** August 26, 2004, 02:37:43 AM »

Mike,
you never should have done such a joke!
Very sad to hear this mate. But you know,
I already have the same fear. The Spyder is
so huge and heavy and the headstock is that
delicate, but sexy.
Really sorry to hear this mate. Life is strange at the moment. At first I lost my job, then I found a new one, then Paul TBO loses his job, now your wife is beheaded.....
I hope that the Alembic staff will make her better than before. Plse send us pics when she has recovered.
Many greetings mate!
Oliver (Spyderman)

ajdover · « **Reply #13 on:** August 26, 2004, 05:28:11 AM »

Mike,

Like everyone else here, truly sorry to hear about the accident, but delighted My Wife is back in solid hands in Santa Rosa for repairs. I'm sure she'll come back stronger than ever!

Ollie said that life is strange at the moment. Well, he's right. I've been stuck in Korea for the past three months, and I can't even play Boris (my Spyder). I guess that beats a wayward singer shearing off your headstock, but at least it came off whilst playing. Me, I can only long for the time I get home to crank Boris up and scare the neighbors. Should be home in about two weeks, thank God. Living out of a suitcase and sleeping on a cot gets old. Could be worse, though. I could be in a place that is much hotter, much drier, with more sand, and where lots of people who don't like you are doing their best to see to it you don't go home in one piece.

Anyway, hope it all works out, and that My Wife comes back to you ... damn, that sounds like a country song ....

Regards,

Alan

palembic · « **Reply #14 on:** August 26, 2004, 05:51:32 AM »

...and I hope that it all works out
and that my wife comes back to you

?

It sounds as a kinda weird countrysong to me ...from what country???
LOL

Paul TBO