Geddy Lee

In this source picture, Geddy Lee can be seen with the black Rickenbacker 4080/12. It's also used for the song "Xanadu" (http://bit.ly/1wNinqh). Geddy can be heard playing the 12-string neck from 10:38 onwards. He also used a 4080 bass/6 string for "A Passage to Bangkok" on the "Exit...Stage Left" video and audio, playing rhythm guitar during Alex Lifeson's solo.

Geddy used his Black Rickenbacker 4001 from their first tour in 1974 until the Grace Under Pressure Warm Up Tour in 1983 although he pulled it back out for A Passage To Bangkok on the Snakes & Arrows tour in 2007 and 2008. He can also be seen using it in the introduction video for the Time Machine tour.

This is Geddy Lee´s Fender signature bass. A replica from his "number one" black ’72 Jazz Bass that he discovered at a pawn shop in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Geddy began using the Steinberger L2 during the Signals tour in 1982 and used it until he purchased an XL2 (improved version of the L2, scroll down for more) around 1985. Grace Under Pressure was recorded using the L2. He used it in the music videos for Mystic Rhythms and Distant Early Warning.

From a 1984 issue of Guitar World magazine: “I like the Steinberger a lot. I started using it just before the Signals tour, somebody said ‘try this’ and it sounded great. It’s got quite a different sound from my other bass-the bottom end is really rich, deep, it almost has a synthesized bottom end. It doesn’t sound like it should sound going by the theory that big-bodied basses have a deep, resonant sound. This has got a little plastic body with a battery in the back and the bottom end sounds rich as hell. It doesn’t sound natural, but it sounds real interesting. On some of the new songs I like the punch of the Steinberger but on some of the older things like ‘Digital Man‘ I still use the Rickenbacker. I still love the Rickenbacker and I’m actually more comfortable on it. I sort of feel obligated in a way to represent its sound on the songs that were written around it. It’s kind of nice to switch back and forth.”

During the Roll the Bones era Geddy played a Cherry Red Wal Bass.

In this image, Geddy Lee is playing his Fender Jazz Bass.

Geddy has been playing this Thunderbird IV for the 50th Tour for 2112.

In this photo, Lee's Gibson EB-1 can be seen over his friend's left sholder toward the back among his other basses.

Geddy Lee recorded Power Windows, Hold Your Fire and Presto with the Wal MK 1. There are tons of pictures of Geddy with his black Wal Mk 1 from this era

Geddy Lee uses the Fender Custom Shop Jazz Bass, tuned to DGCF, for songs like "2112," which are outside his current vocal range. This usage is discussed on TalkBass.com.

In this photo we can see Lee holding a Non-Reverse Gibson Thunderbird Bass in a Green Finish, as well as another Non-Reverse Thunderbird in a Orange Finish just over his right shoulder.

"A trio of shots from the RRHOF night... Wanted to play a Ricky out of respect for Chris Squire but the '62 JB just sounded so damn good playing Roundabout with Yes and then jammin' with my fellow bassman Jeff Ament and the awesome Pearl Jam crew....congrats on your HOF induction fellas! #YES # PearlJam #rockhall #FenderJazz Bass #62srule #vintagebassguitar #spotthegreenbass "

IE: What is the dream bass you’re still hoping to add?

GL: Well, there are a few specific vintage custom color basses that I’m still looking for. I don’t really have a pre-CBS foam green Fender Jazz bass. It’s all about the greens if you ask collectors. There’s a ‘68 Fender Telecaster bass that was done as part of a duo that celebrates the Summer of Love. One was done in literally [pink] paisley wallpaper, and the other was blue floral wallpaper. The blue floral seems to be a real tough one to find, so I’m still looking for that.

IE: You played the pink paisley on the R40 tour, didn’t you?

GL: Yes, I did. And I had the guitar version, which I loaned to Alex [Lifeson] so he would match. He’s a reluctant vintage guy. I have to provide all the best vintage instruments to him to use (laughs). Anyway, there are a few things out there that I’m still looking for.

In Lee's studio, at 0:21 there can be seen a Rickenbacker 4005.

In this photo, you can see young Geddy Lee with Precision Bass.

Geddy uses the "relic'd" version of this bass on the track "Malignant Narcissism" off of their Snakes & Arrows album in 2007.

"Had a blast visiting the current home of John Entwistle's "Frankenstein" Fender Precision Bass...Wow! ...what tone! And what a privilege to spend some time playing that legendary instrument.... #theOx #FenderPbass #Frankenstein #thewho #Tommy #liveatleeds #wontgetfooledagain"

"#Basstime #Tokyo #63SonicBluePbass"

"#Basstime #Tokyo #This58PbassRocks"

In this photo, you can see Geddy Lee with American Vintage Jazz Bass.

Geddy started playing an L2 right before the Signals Tour, where he went on to record Grace Under Pressure with it. He then switched to the XL2 around 1985, and only used it live during the Power Windows Tour (photo). The last time Geddy used a Steinberger bass was in 1987 on the Hold Your Fire Tour.

Many people mistake the XL2 for the L2 and assume he only owned 1 Steinberger, this is false. In fact he owned 3 Steinberger's, a black L2, a black XL2 and a white XL2. The difference between the L2 and the XL2 basses are slight. The XL2 was an improved version of the L2, such as the face plate bolts being positioned on the back of the bass and a different "headpiece" that only allowed double ball end strings. In his Big Book Of Bass he only mentions the black XL2.

(Photo from the Power Windows Tour, Rosemont Horizon - Rosemont, Illinois March 21, 1986)

The new U.S.A. Geddy Lee Jazz Bass is a new version that combines the specs and features of Lee’s three favorite basses—two Fender Custom Shop versions of his signature model and the original sleek black ’72 Jazz Bass that Rush’s revered bassist/vocalist has riffed away on in front of millions of devoted fans worldwide and on many a mega-selling album. The neck has a thicker custom profile, topped by a maple fingerboard with elegant white binding and white pearloid block inlays. For enormous tone that crackles with life and bristles with the energy, its two vintage-style single-coil Jazz Bass pickups are specially wound and voiced to sound like those on Lee’s prized 1972 original, and a Geddy Lee signature High-Mass bridge provides rock-solid intonation.

An Ampeg Devil AUSB-1 Fretless can be seen in Lee's studio, to his right, in this photo.

"Mr. P...we're ready for your closeup" Throwing some love at the 50's and 60's Precisions today.... Love 'em! #FenderPBass #vintagebassguitars #bassporn #HappyVictoriaDay #customcoloursrule #PrecisionFest2017"

""Mr. P...we're ready for your closeup" Throwing some love at the 50's and 60's Precisions today.... Love 'em! #FenderPBass #vintagebassguitars #bassporn #HappyVictoriaDay #customcoloursrule #PrecisionFest2017"

Geddy Lee uses a 1960 Fender Jazz Bass, as highlighted in an Instagram post by geddyimages, featuring hashtags like #jazzbassheaven and #finevintages during the R40 Live tour.

"... and if you look closely, you can barely see a sliver of a white Hagstrom bass in my hands! One of my very first instruments ... When putting my bass book together I searched high and low, to no avail, for a photo of this bass ... so I'm super pleased to share this moment of my long forgotten past." #digtheshorthair #garagebandsrule #HagstromHIIB

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBwL7WLAfKf/

In this video on Dee Dee Ramone, a photo of Lee is shown at 5:00, and just over Lee's shoulder is a Red Mosrite Ventures Bass.

""Mr. P...we're ready for your closeup" Throwing some love at the 50's and 60's Precisions today.... Love 'em! #FenderPBass #vintagebassguitars #bassporn #HappyVictoriaDay #customcoloursrule #PrecisionFest2017"

In this photo, you can see Geddy Lee with Custom Jazz Bass.