Newstead and his Elan

[hieronymous]

Unfortunately it's no longer for sale, but there was a JNLSB-4 ST JASON NEWSTED-4 ST LTD listed in Japan with a couple of pictures, I thought of you guys!

[blackelan]

Hi everyone,
Been a busy year for me so I have not been around the club in a while, I finally tracked down the current owner of this bass. I will post more details as I get them with the owners permission but this bass does have a solid black finish only his Europas had the transparent black finish. I am trying to get pics and a serial to post here but I cant promise anything till I hear back from the owner.

[FC Bass]

Here are better pics of the 10 string from the Alembic catalogue:  

 

 

 

 

[tmoney61092]

anyone know anything that he used the 10 string for?
 
~Taylor

[FC Bass]

No idea here....
 
He used a 12 string (only for some accents) on Wherever I may roam  check this out: click here
 
BTW: The back of that catalogue:


 
 
quote:We made Jason a load of basses. The first one he got was a stock Persuader very similar to Cliff Burton's Spoiler bass. Later he had us start making custom basses for him.  
 
The first round were Elans with JPJ pickup configuration. Round II were Europas. These were all Maple body and top with an Almost Black finish. The back of the neck was left clear for a satin feel.  
 
While we were building the Europas, he finally tried out a Series II in Walnut (which he also bought) and had us change out all the electronics in the Elans he already had and the Europas we were building to Series II. His 10-string is the one in our previous brochure.  
 
I think his collection was up to 13 pieces. He also has two of the most beautiful 20th Anniversary models in Walnut.  
 
(from this topic)
 
So Jason was into the Series II in ?89 and there could be more than one JPJ Elan? Interesting, Mica?

 ...and sorry for the copyright violation

[tmoney61092]

that'd be insane to think of there being multiple JPJ Elans, thanks for the info Flip, very interesting!
 
~Taylor

[tmoney61092]

so to all the non-believers of there being NO bass on the ...And Justice For All album, i found these videos on youtube where someone took the songs and EQ'd them so that the bass can be easily heard, i love the tone, did he use an Alembic or a Wal to record? because i remember reading that he ordered his Elans for the tour but couldn't remember if he had them in the studio
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvwod7BBK0&feature=related
 
~Taylor

[alembicfan]

I think i was reading that he didn't get his Elans before the tour.Think we need to ask jason himself ;-). I will never understand why Metallica released this great Album with such a shitty sound. In my opinion Jason is the best bassist Metallica ever had(i'm a cliff fan to,but like Jasons early playing more),and i will never ever understand why they took Trujillo.

[bigredbass]

While I'll readily admit that Metallica in its various incarnations vis-a-vis the bass chair is not generally on my radar, I've got to admit that I was spellbound the first time I watched Some Kind of Monster.
 
It's VERY rare to be allowed that kind of filming access, and for a band at any level to air that much laundry in public, my hat's off to them.
 
It deals with several things that ARE on my radar.  I have great sympatico with James Hetfield inasmuch as finding that spot where you're not that hotheaded, hard-partying kid anymore:  You're a grownup with a marriage, children, and responsibility to that and your job.  Can I still rock?
 
The scene with Lars and Mustaine was just wrenching.  
 
I too would say I preferred Jason's playing, but he made the fatal mistake of getting in a pissing contest with Hetfield and Ulrich as the 'new guy', a phrase they repeated ad nauseum.  Robert's a great dude, though, really jazzed to do this (what a sign-on bonus!), but it was VERY big of them to cut him in from the start as a full member and NOT a hired sideman, they certainly did NOT have to do that.  Lots of bands shrink ownership-wise as members depart, and not a lot of bands allow a new guy to walk in and be given the former share, especially a still-headlining act like Metallica.  
 
Audition hounds take note:  Most all those guys could play the gig, but Robert's attitude revved up the three of them:  Chops are a given, but what can you add to the vibe?
 
If Jason really did pitch his Alembics for Sadowskys, well, who's to say . . . if he really did decide that Sadowskys were it after submerging one in the bathtub, I'm just glad the Alembics weren't up to that sort of test !
 
It's certainly obvious that James IS that band.  I'll unfortunately probably never change my mind that Lars is probably the most soulless, wooden, square drummer I ever heard, and that's saying a lot in the field of metal drummers.  Plus, what a dweeb !
 
I wish them the greatest success, and I sincerely hope James has continued the process in his sobriety and renewal.  I like him.
 
J o e y

[jacko]

Joey... Plus, what a dweeb !   You're not kidding. Watching that video, I thought his dad was way cooler then him ;-)  
 
Graeme

[tmoney61092]

I have to agree that Jason is my favorite Metallica bassist, his tone is just amazing, especially at Seattle in '89 solo, it gets me so pumped when I hear it.  
 
Very well said Joey and completely agree with you, Graeme, you have to love his dad's hair also :-p
 
~Taylor

[jacko]

I've only seen metallica once, at the Monsters of rock festival in 1987 when jason had only recently joined the band.  
 
graeme

[tmoney61092]

Sadly, I saw them once and that was Charlotte '09 with Trujillo, damn you parents for not conceiving me earlier!!!
 
~Taylor

[FC Bass]

Not to rub it in, but I went to my first Metallica concert in '91 with my dad (!) :-)
 
I was 15 years old and not allowed to go alone so my dad bought 2 tickets for my birthday. (he kinda likes AC/DC, they were headlining that (Monsters of rock) tour.
Short but great show, I recently got hold of a DVD of that actual show :-)
No Elan there (show was on September 1 1991)
 
At 17 I was allowed to go alone (with lots of friends) and saw the best show ever, Suicidal Tendencies (with Trujillo) Megadeth (with Mustaine) :-) and Metallica on the nowhere else to roam tour in '93 (huge stage with Sad but true skull on either side of the stage)
Jason used the Elan in this show (I also have this complete show on DVD)
 
In '96 I got backstage and had a brief meeting with Kirk (brief because my girlfriend was bleeding bad, hence the reason we got backstage)
The girl got some stitches in her forehead (!) and would not even consider missing the show, one tough woman.
That was the poor touring me tour, no Alembic content :-(
Great show though with the collapsing stage and burning roadie.
 
Metallica started playing one step down (tuning) from then on and I think the music lost some of its magical power
 
In '98 they played on the Dynamo open air festival, short show with lots of covers (Garage Inc. era) Last show I saw with Jason :-(
 
I saw them 3 times with Trujillo in '03 and '04 and kinda lost interest since then...
 
Trujillo is a great player and does have his moments in Metallica, his sound is solid and he plays with almost supernatural accuracy. I don't like his fuzz wah sound though, for whom the bell tolls sounds awful nowadays (imho)
 
Jason is also very, very much missed for his voice, his back up (and sometimes lead) vocals were a brilliant addition to James' voice.   Check this and you'll know what I?m talkin? about. (there might be some naughty language in that clip)
 
'tallica will never be the same again... (unless they hire me of course) :-)

[jazzboy621]

Awesome Thread!!!