Jason Newsted Series II Basses

[susan]

Jason started out with Spoiler and Elan Basses. Then on a visit to the Alembic Shop he had the opportunity to play a Series II bass. Then all his basses were Series II going forward.
 
Hi favorite specs were:
Europa in 4,  5  & 10 string
Flame Maple Top
Maple/Purpleheart necks
Cone Peghead
Sheer Black on body and front of Peghead
Clear finish on the neck and back of Peghead
Series II electronics
 
Metallica Jason Newsted Bass Solo - Mexico City 1993  
https://youtu.be/JSpz70OOxYs
 
Includes Star Spangled Banner

[FC Bass]

Thanx Susan!
 
Any inside (factory) pics would be great :-)
 
Here's a little explanation how the Stereo basses were going to the rigs/FOH in those days: https://youtu.be/gB94vQeA6UQ?t=19m24s

[FC Bass]

Newsted with a Series II Europa 5, also feat. Star Spangled Banner :-)

(from 03:40)

[mario_farufyno]

Thanx Susan!
 
Any inside (factory) pics would be great :-)
 
Here's a little explanation how the Stereo basses were going to the rigs/FOH in those days: https://youtu.be/gB94vQeA6UQ?t=19m24s

Great stuff, thanks

[hieronymous]

Found this pic and thought this would be a good place to put it:



(It is from this article - no photo credit)

[FC Bass]

Interview with Newsted talking about his arsenal of Alembics :-) Starts @ 58:40

[jazzyvee]

This 10 stringer on Youtube.
 Fiip you will love this!
https://youtube.com/shorts/yy4EZ7Yt43I?si=hPj95glhht3A-OPZ

[FC Bass]

 



Like indeed!

I would love to see the complete Newsted Alembic collection documented, must be one of the most impressive collections out there...

These are the ones I know of that he owned/owns and or used:

* Spoiler Exploiter - Borrowed for the recording of "Doomsday for the Deceiver"  album

* Zebrawood JJ Persuader - used for the Damaged Justice tour, I'm pretty sure this one was refinished in black and had the electronics upgraded to Series II. The upgraded version also has side LEDs, so I guess the fretboard was replaced also. In some of his solo's footage, you can clearly see the Zebrawood veneer on the back of the headstock of the upgraded version.

* Two JPJ Elan 5 strings - Used for the Damaged Justice tour and I'm pretty sure for the recording of "Breadfan"  At least one of them was converted to Series II. These have the classic fingerboard taper, so tight string spacing at the bridge. I'm pretty sure these were custom ordered by Newsted and most likely had Side LEDs from the beginning. (as the JPJ Spoiler that's next) You can see two of them in the Studio pic.

* JPJ Spoiler/Persuader (most likely also two, no picture) Used during the last leg of the Damaged Justice tour (in 1990) There's one on Reverb now that has a single volume and Filter control, also has side LEDs.

* Series I Standard Point body (no picture) Apparently bought when visiting the Alembic Mothership and made him decide to upgrade his basses to Series II, this one was sold a couple of years ago through a shop in Florida.

* Series II Spoiler/Persuader - Used during the whole bunch of Black Album tours. At least two. One as mentioned before, most likely the upgraded JJ Persuader and one with a Distillate like flat body bottom. I suspect the second one was ordered as Series II. (as his JPJ Spoiler/Persuader(s) have the rounded body bottom)

* Series II Europa 5 - Used during the whole bunch of Black Album tours, at least one but maybe more. With the modern Comfort fingerboard taper, so wider string spacing at the bridge than his Elans.

* Series II Elan 5 - Used during the whole bunch of Black Album tours. At least one of the Converted JPJ Elans mentioned earlier.

* Series II Europa 6 - Used during the whole bunch of Black Album tours. There's vid footage where you can see two of this bad boys in the rack while he's playing the 5 string Europa backstage, it's somewhere in the hours of material on the Black Album box set DVD's

* Series II Europa 10 string - See the vid posted by Jazzy :-) Sold to Rex Brown of Pantera

* 20th Anniversary Basses - At least two. One was sold through his Reverb shop, the one he is showing in the Reverb ad on Youtube is another one than was listed on Reverb. :-)

Newsted also had a couple of shopnight basses he bought from an Alembic employee, all Spoiler shaped 4 string (I'm pretty sure there were 4) IIrc they were all sold, one through his Reverb shop and a couple through a Florida shop. IIrc it was not the same Florida shop that sold his Series I, One of them is in the studio pic. (PP Spoiler/Persuader, it's the one he sold through Reverb)

In the studio pic, you can see one 20th Anniversary bass, one black Spoiler/Persuader (most likely JPJ) two JPJ Elans and the shopnight PP Spoiler/Persuader

So that would be at least 17 Alembics (incl the 4 shopnights) with a heavy Newsted connection. One was borrowed for the recording and he sold at least 8 of them; all the shopnight basses, JPJ Spoiler/Persuader, the Standard Point Series I, 20th Anniversary and the Series II Europa 10 string.

[gearhed289]

Didn't he use the 10 string for the big hits on the intro of Wherever I May Roam?

[FC Bass]

That would have been pretty disastrous for the space time continuum I guess, the 10 string is from '92 :-)
Those big hits were done with a Hamer 12 string.

In the Reverb ad vid he says he took the 10 string with him on tour, but I never saw a picture of him with it. (must have been in 92/93, since he switched to Spector in '94)

[edwardofhuncote]

That's quite a list of Alembic basses to keep track of... and that probably isn't even all of them. I admire your capacity for infomation storage, Flip. 😎 I keep pretty good track of McVie's basses, Alembics and others, but no idea which got played on what tours past a certain point. Whew! I guess when your gig is what your gig is, you kinda' have to know.

[rv_bass]

I had a black spoiler fretless of his, confirmed by both that Florida dealer and the employee that made the bass for him.

[FC Bass]

IIrc longscale fretless with side LEDs?

Found this pic of him with the JPJ Spoiler/Persuader, this one looks to have another knob layout than the one that's on Reverb. Also one in the studio and one were Ulrich seems to be rockin'  with the Series I :-)

[edwardofhuncote]

I seem to remember a Spoiler/Persuader-body that was white... also was an employee-made, but had a logo.